MUMBAI, May 12: 1827. Letter from Meerut (Sept 1) Local (Sept 15). In transit for 14 days. From Begum Samru to Countessa Amherst. Sent free of cost.

This little nugget of history emerges from Damayanti Pittie's collection of 350-odd pre-postal stamp covers, or envelopes, during the period of colonial rule between 1779-1854. It's part of the collection which won her the gold medal at the Norwex-97 Stamp Exhibtion held in Oslo last month.

Fortunately for history' sake, the cover, yellowed with age, still has the letter in it. These envelopes help Pittie take an intimate peek into the spirit of the time. Begum Samru, she informs, was relaying to the Countessa that someone who was ill is much better now. And it could have been sent free of cost because the Begum's husband was connected with the East India Company. What intrigues Pittie is the details these covers yield about the postal services at that time. `'From the cancellations (ink stamps), the routes and the price paid- all mentioned on the cover- I can reconstruct a fairly accurate picture of the routes and the pricing system which existed then,'' she says. Sometimes, the whole amount would be prepaid, or paid by the sender, or divided between the sender and the receiver. Communication was a costly affair more than a century ago. Sending a letter within India could cost up to a rupee or more! Postal routes were restricted to the presidencies of Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. Rural areas barely came under the purview of the postal service, so a letter sent to or from a village is valued higher in her collection. It's a complicated system which still enthralls her. ``Once you are in it, you're in it,'' she says, laughing at her weakness.

Like most children, Pittie began collecting stamps when she was young and like many others, she gave it up after a few years.

She resumed her hobby in 1957, when she met certain like-minded people. Her current theme- the pre-stamp postal history of British India - took root in 1983. Last year, she won the gold medal at Capex `96 in Canada. ``I was expecting the gold medal in Norway. But the biggest award is at the Grand Prix.. Her eyes are now firmly set on the Grand Prix. She says, ``I am content with life but I am also a little ambitious, which is good, because it keeps me going."

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.