Identify 3 Stamps

Well, I will admit to a growing interest in the stamps of Cochin, but Travancore ...

What fascinates me about Travancore (as much as do the stamps) is its history and the unique relationship that its rulers had with their subjects. Also, Travancore is also at the same relative latitude as my home town.

When I realised that the weird shape in the middle of Travancore stamps is in fact a conch shell, I at last had a place to keep them - with the molluscs in my Animals topic.

But (sorry, rod222!) they are STILL very weird stamps!

Quite right, David. Poor old Rod222 has been sitting in that Western Australian sun for far too long. It's addled his brain.

On the other hand, if you're a mollusc collector, I'm pretty sure (and Rod will correct me if I'm wrong) every stamp of Travancore, and Travancore-Cochin too, had a conch somewhere in the design. Travancore's smaller next door neighbour, Cochin, also had a conch in the designs of all but one set of its stamps. (It didn't appear in Gibbons Types 3-6 of 1898-1905.)

Not only a Conch...
but a special Conch
The spiral of the shell is anti clockwise
rare and especially sought after in Travancore.

I may have a scan somewhere.

Rodney, you don't suppose, do you?, that this interest in conchs is becoming the tiniest bit unhealthy? Are you in danger of becoming a monomaniac? Should you seek the assistance of a qualified alienist for it?

Not to stick my nose into the middle of a rousing good conversation but why do these people have conches on their stamps to start with? Are they bordering the ocean? Or have them left behind by a glacier or what? Why do they spiral anti-clockwise? What are they used for besides decoration on stamps and the national symbol? Are they edible? Do little animals (or large) live within their spirals?

Now, Puzzler, don't encourage Rodney. You know what he's like when he stops taking the pills.

Conch is blown in certain ceremonial functions connected with Hindu rituals. Lord Krishna, a God of worship for Hindus was holding a Conch. Even now Conch is blown in the wee hours to wake up the deity in temples. Travancore and Cochin were basically Hindu kingdoms before India became independent. Further possession of conch with anti clock spiral is considered as a good omen.

...Aaaah Travancore, beautiful Travancore,
Heaven on Earth.

Her motto is "Justice is our shrine"

The traditional conch, and the Laxmi Conch




Come with me, as I seduce you with images of Travancore...

Thank you Thomas Paul and Rod. Great info and pics. Looks magical.

Why isn't there a 'biting the tongue, hard' icon?

Can you smell the faint waft of teakwood ? Tony
or is something else getting up your nose? Hehehe

Resistance is futile,
you know Travancore is what you always wanted to collect.

Ah, Rodney, Rodney, none so blind ...

What mere Travancore emission could match the crystalline purity, classical beauty, incomparable lines (and catalogue value) of Barwani SG 15?

I am hopelessly confused, bothered and bewildered and do not understand a word... but here are some from what I just scanned, and maybe you can help out with ID / nominal value.








<edit - what / why can't we import the code from the coin forum posting site so we do not have to go thru so many redundant steps to post multiple images? - It is Just a SIGNIFICANT Bother this way.>