India Post celebrated its unique heritage on River Ganga

Partha Roy, Kolkata: Kolkata GPO is celebrating its establishment of 250 years of historical journey from 14th -19th March 2024.

As a part of celebration, an unique initiative of releasing a Boat Carried Special Cover was organised on 18th March 2024 on River Ganga flowing between Kolkata on one side and Howrah on other side. A Carried Cover is a type of special philatelic cover which is carried from one destination to another destination in commemomoration of some special event.

A Boat Carried Cover on “River Mail” was initiated from Howrah Railway Station Post Office (at the river side) and carried by a Harkara on a boat travelling on River Hooghly from Howrah to Dakshineswar and then to Fairlie Place Jetty.

The Special Cover was cancelled at all three locations by Chief Post Master General of West Bengal Circle Shri Niraj Kumar in presence of Chief Guest-Arjuna awardee woman swimmer Padmashri Smt. Bula Choudhury and eminent international swimmer Shri Sanjiv Chakraborty and three Post Master Generals- Shri Sanjiv Ranjan (Kolkata Region), Shri Supriyo Ghosh (Mails & BD), Smt. Shashi Shalini Kujur (South Bengal Region).

Centuries ago, mails from different areas of the world use to come by ships to Khejuri port in Midnapur district, then redistributed and sent to onward journey by boats to the addressees to different parts of Bengal and some other regions of India.