POST OFFICE
Dear friends,
This posting is about thenostalgic memories and facilities of post office
system and anchal officesystem. Also I have mentioned somecurrent systems in
post office advantageous to us.
Sincerely,
Gopala krishnan 26-1-2011.
Reposted on 14-2-2021 after editing andupdating information.
1. Thapal petti and Anchal petti.
In Chennai city there is aplace itself called THAPALPETTI. It is on the way to
Madhavaram from Perambur. I have heardThapal petti was used to post letters to
go outside Travancore in ancient daysin Kerala. Anchal petti wasused to post
letters with in Travancore state. Thapal charge wasmore.
If I recollect old post offices were calledAnchal office and postmen were
called anchal sipayi. The anchal petti was painted in green and Thapalpetti in
Red Brown. There were anchal and thapal post cards separately at onetime.
2. Emblem sankhu
I have seen old post boxpainted and maintained in the front of PMG office
Trivandrum with emblem Sankhu(Conch) of oldTravancore state. The PMG office is
also having the emblem of Sankhuin the entrance. My Telecom circle office was
behind PMG office, carving area fromPost office.
3. Postmanae kananilla. (Not seeing post man)
There was a film also bythe name as above. It was a practice on olden days to
wait for the postman.There was a fixed time the postman would come to each
area. People anxiously used towait for his arrival. He would come to the area,
either 10 minutesearlier or later maximum.
Now too post man/post woman come at a specified time. They have becomemore
interactive and personal than olden days I think. Today our area postmenknow
well about me. If a letter comes to me in my old address, he brings to mein new
premises. Today a registered letter or parcel to me he delivers to my wife if
I am notthere. He feels freedom to ask for water sitting in the corridor or sit
out,and pleasingly accept cool buttermilk offered.
While I was in training centreat Trivandrum , there was a Post officewith in
the premises. Postman for the premises would call and intimate if any
registered document was there and the time of his arrival. This was to ensure
we should not go out.
The communication was by post cards andcovers. I recollectinland was
introduced when I was studying in 7th standard or so.The cards were the most
common form of communication. People used to getpension through money order
only by 1966’s. By 10th of every month, pensioners would be anxiously waiting
to get the money order oftheir sons. Unless it comes, many could not pay the
credits of peedika (shop).
4. Crowd before post office.
By 1960’s it was apractice for many to go Post office as a regular schedule.
Most used to get oneor two letters. Some times postmen used to hand over
ordinary letters to nearby houses also to the person visiting. For delivering
money order andregistered letters post men used to come in person, as continued
now too. Onthose days postmen would hand over letter, not to put on letterbox
or gate.
Update- Now post woman say post, keep the letters in gateand leave. For
registered she get in and address standing before sit out.
5. Salary by money order
I used to get my salary bymoney order till about 1975’s. Pay rolls and
distribution were later only.Lately crediting to bank account or through
cheque.
6. Post Master and postman VIPs
For any function thepostmaster and postman were VIPs yester years. They used
to attend after officetime. Now a day the postman has become busier. Surely he
will call one day andenquire about it.
7. Post and Telegraph office.
Even when I was about tenyears, my Pandalam post office was a P and T office
with telegraph facility.Telegrams were received at all time by post master
residing in the quarters.Telegrams were sent with late fee and postmaster used
to receive it. There were telegraph messengersseparately. Mostlypersons were
afraid of telegrams. The reason telegrams were sentonly for such purposes. If
not fornegative information the messenger first say it is not for negative
information. Postmaster wouldwait for latefee messages. He would get an alarm
if a message come as Late fee to his quarters.
8. Pandalam PCO.
When I was studying in thecollege, I found a big structure installed in the
post office and one peon usedto get in to and crank the handle of an equipment
and say hello, hello… Truly to say I just understood it is telephone. Later
only Istudied about Alexander Grahambal and invention of telephone and its
working. I never used the phone till Ientered telecom department.
I understood if atelephone call was there to any body it is received in the PO,
a messenger wouldgo and call him and the concerned person would come and talk.
I am talking a period of 1960’s in Kerala. - About fiftyyears back!!!
Update- My college had only a PCO extension at that time in the
Principal’sroom.
9. Penalty for less stamps.
While sending items incover for excess weight the postman used to collect
excess charge levied in person. This was mis-usedinstead of sending
registered articles by many businessmen. Some howit got stopped by some
stringent measures by postal department later.
10. Postal seal and date.
The postal seal with datewas considered as authority in olden days. New post
offices till establishedwell had no name. When a post office at Kulanada, my
exact home was opened, still I recollect the seal was EXPTL PO. (Experimental
Post office)
11. Express delivery and speed post
On those days, affixingadditional stamp and affixing EXPRESS DELIVERY strip
supplied, delivery wasdone on Sunday also. Now our speed post has taken its
place.(By the way affixing a stamp upside down was called invalid!!)
12. The post office savings bank.
The only bank known to themiddle class or common man was post office savings
bank. Richer people used tokeep thousands of rupees in post office. A sum of
Rs-5000 in post office was a very very big amount during 1960’s.
In fact the first salary Ireceived was 163-00 rupees in 1967 as junior
engineer. I recollect one gram of goldwas cost Rs 16-00,I have purchased when
my son was born for an aranjanam in 1971.
Today too many keep postoffice savings along with other bank accounts.
Update- Many people keep savings account in postoffice or as RD now . This is
inaddition to Bank accounts. In Chennai one can see queue beforesavings bank
counter all times.
13. Postal engraving machine.
To avoid wastage of stampsengraving machine was introduced. This is still in
use for bulk postings.
Concession posting,prepaid posting, pre approved posting are all additions
late.
Update- Now for registered article only charge engraving is done. Earlier it
was separate, now as a computer printed slip, one copy givento us.
14. Radio licence collection.
Licence fee for radio werecollected in post offices. Of late many facilities
are introduced every day.
Update- Radio license is not collected now. While wepurchase TV one time
license fee was collected for some period. Telegram hasstopped. No more
telegraphic service.
15. Postal charges.
The postal charges arecomparatively less today. It is less costly to send via
post office letters toforeign countries. Courier is cheap and convenient
onlylocally.
Now a day money order istransmitted on line. Mostlythe money order is paid the
same or next day.
For some period telegrams were for greetings after the development
ofTelephone and fax. Fax mostly replaced telegrams, which is more authentic
totelegram. Now telegram has completely stopped.
The speed post and chargesare most handy and convenient.
The money order charges ofRs 5-00 for one hundred rupees is practically very
less. Many people prefer tosend small amounts by money order.
16. Divine activity
Recently I read if anylost purse or documents are put in post box, it would be
delivered to the proper person, if detailsavailable with small fee. Whata
divine act?
17. Airmail.
Previously we had to fixairmail strip and additional charge for sending through
airmail. Now no suchthing. Intercity dak exchange is throughair mostly now.
Through RMS is also there. Not discontinued.
18. Courteous behaviour.
I do not know, whether a change of situationor any training, most staff
exhibit excellent behaviour. If you go to majorpost offices, the staffs in the
counter are found most pleasing really with motto service before self. This is
similar to personal bankingbranches of banks!!
19 Other services
Now telephone charges , EBcharges are collected in post office. Passport
service is processed. ATM areopened to operate SB with drawls. With cards.
Other institution cards also areaccepted in ATMs. Probably very efficiently
working, always there is queuebefore ATM st Tambaram HPO.
20. Open post office.
I conclude this postingwith an indirect saying that postoffice is opened , if
some body has for got to put zip of pant to remindof him of it now a day used!!
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