A Pair of Nepal 1881 Issue Rarities
 

Richard C. Frajola (September 2020)

The Postal Himal, issue No. 178, 2^nd. Quarter 2019 included an Auction Report on the H.R. Harmer auction of the Richard Frajola collection of classic Nepal by Leo Martyn. This article is intended to update that article and provide further insight on two important Nepal postal artifacts.

That article mentioned:

Also, two first issue, registered covers did not sell, as their authenticity has not been established (lots 106 - $20,000, and 122 -$12,500). Both covers have been sent to Europe to be expertized, or re-expertized in the case of one that had a previous Geoffrey Flack certificate.

Since that article was published, both covers have received British Philatelic Association (BPA) certificates stating that they are genuine.

The first cover, lot #106 in the H.R. Harmer auction is shown in Figure 1 below (click image to enlarge). The BPA certificate is shown here.

Figure 1. A native, registered cover to Kathmandu, 23 June 1881 Kadarban postmark, prepaid 7 annas with pair and single 2 annas pin-perforated plus l anna imperforate, with original letter. The reverse of the cover is shown here.

The first cover contains a letter written in Devanagari. Translating these early letters requires expertise of a well trained linguist. I was very thankful when I found Dr. Hom Acharya, Lecturer of Nepali Language at Cornell University, Department of Asian Studies at Cornell University, Department of Asian Studies who was able to give me a full translation of the letter as well as additional helpful information. A cropped image of first several lines is shown in Figure 2 (click the image to view complete letter).

Figure 2. Cropped image of first several lines of the original letter.

The June 19, 1881 letter reads:

SHREE (above all)

Your excellency (or General) Sanman Shingh Sijapati Kshetri,

I, Ambar Giri, and Faujdar Gosai Lachhuman Giri send blessing for your well-being. We are fine here, and if you are well there that would give us joy and contentment in every moment. When we came here, by your permission and guidance, from Nepal (Kathmandu), Mahabir Giri (probably refers to a family servant) and I started living in the Ayaan Monastery as everyone here suggested that we do. After ten or fifteen days, some unscrupulous people instigated Mahabir Giri so that he stole all the jewelry as well as a horse and ran away to Nepal (Kathmandu). Because of that, I have sent a letter beforehand explaining the situation here. In Nepal, we are indebted to your mercy and support. As monastics, we beg your mercy and request you to help us so that our case is not further misunderstood or complicated. When Sukhit Mandar came here from Nepal, he got seriously ill and took bed rest. He may recover from illness in four to seven days, and then I will send him along with Lachhuman Giri. You may obtain further explanation about the situation here from Sukhit Mandar himself. Your mercy for us as monastics is incredibly great. If you would please reply to this letter with news about the state of the court, your well-being, and that of your family, it would give us joy and peace. Friday, June 19, 1881

From:  Ambar Giri, Ayaan Monastery

To: Shree Sanman Shingh Sijapati Kshetri

Dr Acharya also noted that the first several lines of the letter matched the address on the front of the envelope. He translated the word at bottom center of the envelope front as "Nepal" which was the name used for Kathmandu. In the same ink and handwriting at the top of the reverse are two lines in which translate as "number 3 / tola 1."

The letter was obviously of great importance to the sender and it is easy to understand why haste and security of delivery may have been worth spending the extra postage required to send registered.

After I received the translation, I tried to locate the Ayaan Monastery. Luck prevailed when I used Google Translate and typed in the word "Ayaan" and translated into Nepali. When I did a map search for the Nepali word, I found a map showing the location that is now Netrakali 45900, Nepal. The location is surrounded by other monasteries in an area northwest of the location of the 1881 Kadarban post office. Dr Acharya, after consulting friends in Nepal, confirmed this identification. (I will add a route map here when I am able to make a suitable map)

The second cover, lot #122 in the H.R. Harmer auction as shown in Figure 3 below (click image to enlarge). The BPA certificate is shown here.

Figure 3. An October 1881 Jaleswar registered cover used to Kathmandu, prepaid 7 annas rate with a complete set of 1a, 2a, and 4a imperforate first issue stamps. The earliest of three known uses with complete set of the first period. The reverse of the cover is shown here.

Richard Frajola (September 2020)