3rd Independence Day and Issue of Archeological Series of Stamps 15.8.1949

A new series of postage stamps depicting sites of Archeological and Historical interest was issued on 15.8.1949 being the second Independence Anniversary of India. These definitive stamps were the first definitives issued after Independence. They were intended to replace the British Monarch King George VI stamps. It was decided that  both would be sold till the stocks of the old stamps were exhausted.

A special Independence Day Cover was also issued and was available for purchase from 8.8.1949. It was postmarked with a very impressive elephant cancellation.

The archeological stamps were, 3pies Ajanta Panel, 6pies Konarak Horse, 9pies Trimurti, 1anna Bodhi satva, 2annas Nataraja,3 annas Sanch Stupa,  3 ½ annas Bodh Gaya, 4annas Bhuvaneshwara, 6annas Gol Ghumbad, Bijapur, 8 annas Kandarya Mahadeva Temple, 12annas Golden Temple Amritsar,  1Rupee Victory Tower Chitorgarh, 2Rupees Red Fort Delhi, 5Rupees Taj Mahal Agra,  10Rupees Qutub Minar Delhi, 15 Rupees Satrunjaya Temple Palitana.

In this series a supplementary issue became necessary­­ as “Bodhi Sattva” statue was wrongly shown reversed (left hand raised instead of the right hand) in the 1 anna value, which was rectified by a fresh issue on 15.7.1950. A second supplementary issue became necessary, when foreign postal rates were increased for surface route from 1.12.1950. The rates for post cards was increased from 2 annas to 2 1/2 , and for letters from 3 ½ annas to 4 annas.

I have gleaned this information from a very interesting article by Mr. Ashok Kumar Bayanwala of Ahmedabad.