The Dispatch
Breaking News, Aaj ki taaza Khabar, Seen Exclusively on our channel etc.
These are the headlines which we are used to today. This is the 21st century. Here
news travels with the speed of light, as and how an event is unfolding, anywhere in
the world. Before this media onslaught were the radio announcements and the
print media, which is still popular. Most of us are well informed about how we
received news and letters personal and professional in the last century. But how
was it in the centuries before? How did messages reach from one end to the other?
What was the means by which they were sent? Who were these messengers and
what were they known as in the past? These and many similar questions arose in
my mind when I looked at an old letter of the 17th century. My readings took me
back to the times of Indian Mythology. This is an attempt to walk through the
various stages of the development of the Dispatch.
There has always been a need for communication, a desire to share events and
deeds with fellow associates. If we look at Indian Mythology, we find many
references of emissaries taking and bringing back news and messages. The Epics
Ramayan and Mahabharat are dotted with stories relating to these emissaries. Let
us look at a few examples.
1. Jatayu awaits Ram in an injured condition to give him the news of Sita being
abducted.
2. Hanuman being sent as emissary to convey messages to Lanka.
3. The swan as messenger from Prince Nal to Damayanti.
4. Sanjay relating the exact unfolding of the war between Kaurav and Pandav in the
Mahabharata.
5. Chanakya Arthashastra mentions Doots, for messages/collection of revenue and
doubling up as spies.
6.In the Atharvaveda message carriers were known as Palagala.
7. Pigeons were then and are even now used as carriers in remote areas.
8. Camels were used in Rajasthan and arid areas of Orissa, Jajanagar, etc. by
Emperor Ashoka in 4th Cent. BC.
9. Horses were used as carriers for military purposes.
10. The earliest reference is during the reign of Chandra Gupta Maurya (322 – 298
BC), of message delivery, gathering of intelligence, revenue collection, etc, by Doots
(emissaries) and pigeons.
10th century BC onwards the dispatching of posts can be divided roughly into 4 periods.
1. Pre Mughal.
2. Mughal
3. Maratha
4. British
1. Pre Mughal 1030 CE onwards
Each Ruler had his own postal system.
a) Mahmud of Ghazni:
Names of messengers were according to their post.
Sarran – Intelligence gathering.
Khail Sarran – Horse Couriers for urgent directives.
Askudars – Mounted courier service.
Sahib – I – Barid – Postal head for each province.
b) Mohammad Ghori:
Jamaza – Camel riding couriers.
c) Qutub ud din Aibak:
Dak Chowki’s – Expansion of Postal service.
d) Gengizkhan and the Mongol invasion:
Yam – messengers who worked as a relay team.
Horse Post House – these were established every 25 miles. They acted as
intermediary posts which were also used as sleeping quarters for Imperial foot
soldiers. They were furnished with bells on their girdle and were essentially relay
runners.
e) Allauddin Khilji:
Improved courier system. The postal routes had rest houses or Sarais, markets,
wells and mosques. Guides along the way provided directions for speedy deliveries.
Ibn Batuta, the explorer and scholar, mentions the postal system as Barid. There
were 2 types of Barid.
Barid-I-Khail was the House post
Barid-I-Rajalah was the Foot post
Dhawah were Postal stations
f) Sikand Lodhi:
Dak Chowki’s, runners and horse post continued in his reign.
2) Mughal period
This period is known as the turning point of Postal Systems, making it a Unified
Communication System. Evolution of the system can be credited to Sher Shah Suri.
Primary in this was the laying of roads and administrative reforms. The beginning
of colonial post lay in the Mughal postal system. The colonial rule brought the
country under one postal structure.
a) Sher Shah Suri:
The Suri Dynasty came from Pashtun and cannot be come under the Mughal period.
However, it was a boon for the postal industry. In this period, was laid the
foundation of a Mounted horse post, which also extended to the traders. It is the
first known record of the postal system for trade and business purpose. This was
between 1540-1545.
b) Babur:
His contribution was to construct:
Char Dwari’s – watch Towers
Dargah-i-Dak Chowki – for intelligence and posts.
A post runners journey began with a written permission signed by the Darogah-I-
Dak Chowki, which made it mandatory for the Darogah and Farydar to provide a
safe journey. The permits were signed by Sawanih-Navis. All of them were on the
payroll of the state.
c) Humayun:
The same postal process continued in Humayun’s period.
d) Akbar:
He revamped the Mansubdari system.
The Chief Darogah or Postmaster served the dual needs of espionage and
administration.
Nazir took charge at the pargana level.
Ferishta another scholar has noted that there were 4000 mail runners on
permanent pay. They were exceptional, even travelling 700 kos in 10 days,
communicating urgent messages.
Harkara was of the lowest rank in postal administration. He not only carried mail
but also gave reports to the governor of the province. The letters were carried in a
gilded box on the head.
Important mail that was carried was:
· Farmans, (Royal Orders)
· Shuqque, (Emperors letters to a specific person)
· Nishan, (Letter from a Prince or a Royal person)
· Mas-Ul-Hukum, (a letter by a minister with orders from the Emperor)
· Sanad, (Letter of appointment)
· Parwanaah, (an order to a subordinate officer)
· Dasstak, (short official permit).
e) Jahangir:
He speeded up the mail runner system by building more roads with speed of
delivery at 80 kos in a day.
f) Shahjahan:
Continued the same system.
Raja Chuk Deo of Mysore from Southern India too had an efficient postal service in
1672 which was improved upon by Haider Ali.
g) Aurangazeb:
Stricter rules were implemented. The postal runners were bound by structures. If a
runner did not reach 2 miles in an hour, a penalty of cutting a quarter of his salary
was imposed.
3) Marathas:
By and large a similar system of Postal services was followed.
Sending and receiving mail was not a public endeavor.
Jasud - (Couriers / Messengers). They were employed to deliver official letters. The
Sardars and Sahukars had their own Jasud. With their Masters mail, the Jasud
would also take correspondence from the general public.
Harkare and Kashid - (Lackey, Poster). They were runners carrying mail. They were
helped by the Patil and Kulkarni of the area. Mail was taken from Pune to far
destinations like Calcutta, Srirangapattam, Arcot, Delhi, etc.
The distances were vast. They had to cross rivers, mountains and jungles. Incase of
ill health, or adversities. If a messenger was intercepted by enemies, the system was
to send 2 messengers or couriers by different routes so that atleast one of them
delivered. Just like Pune, each capital had their own Harkare, Jasud and Kashid.
Depending on the distance travelled between two destinations, the time of travelling
was fixed. If the Harkara did not reach on time his wages were cut., but if he
reached before the allotted time, he was given a bonus.
A letter sent from Pune to Delhi to a Balaji Mahadev in 1753-54, its was noted that
“If the harkara delivers the letter on the 16th day, he is to be given an equivalent of
Rs. 50/-, 17th day, Rs.40/-, 18th day, Rs. 30/- and if he reached on the 19th day,
then he was not to be remunerated.”
The distance between Pune to Delhi is approximately 1470 Kms. So going by the
distance and time to reach, the Harkara would have to travel 75 kms everyday on
horseback. The messenger travelled on mud roads and in places there were no
roads, crossing mountains, jungles, and rivers. There were no highways
, expressways, or motels. It was not always possible to find a village by nightfall. The
man and his horse would often get tired.
These Harkare, Jasud and Horsemen were screened for their fitness. They had to be
fast runners, expert horsemen with healthy bodies. It was a tough job but the
incentive of a good pay and bonus at the end was worth the effort. They were also
completely loyal to their Masters.
Major Browton has praised these Harkare, saying they are intelligent and sprightly.
Aside of delivering mail they would also gather information. There remuneration
was equivalent to Rs.3/- a day. Such Jasud, Harkare and Kashid were in thousands
all over the country.
The spread of fake or elusive news just as it is even now, was also spread on
purpose. In the Maratha period, we find plans shared of the Maratha warriors
going on a certain route. When the enemy was prepared to to ambush them, the
Marathas reached their destination from another route.
In the later Peshwa period, Nana Phadnis reorganized the Postal Service, making it
more efficient. His reporters were spread far and wide and he could receive news in
a very short time. As relations between the Maratha Kingdom and the English,
French and Portuguese grew, Nana Phadnis was able to get information from far
off places like Calcutta, Pondichery, Mumbai, etc. He was well informed about the
movements of the British and the French even outside of Hindustan. The news for
example about General Bussey reaching Mauritius with an army and the Dutch and
French being enemies of the British was known to him. He had an efficient spy
system in every corner of Hindustan. These were mainly Telang Brahmins,
Gosavi’s, Hermits, etc.
Under the British, the Postal System underwent complete modernization. The
System as it stands today has over the years adapted to digitization, but by and
large the foundation remains the same.
This article is an attempt to bring into the limelight, those sturdy men who inspite
of adversities and dangers forged ahead delivering messages and information.
We would have been in the dark regarding our past if the letters, the scrolls, the
information which was passed on by them had not been delivered.
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