The term Soruth (or Saurashtra) describes a sizable region that is situated in the western region of modern-day Gujarat. The princely realm of Junagadh, which became a British protectorate in 1807, produced the first stamps of Saurashtra.
Nawab Mohammad Mahabat Khanji II, who ruled from 1851 to 1882, was in power when the First Issue, which included four 1a black stamps on variously coloured lay and wove paper, first issued in 1864. The watercolour stamps were imperforate, ungummed, and hand-stamped in watercolour.
By 1818, British India had established the Kathiawar Agency, which was responsible for administering the Saurashtra region separately from the other princely states of Kathiawar.
The state of Saurashtra was created on February 15, 1948, by the merger of 217 princely states of Kathiawar, including the old Junagadh State, following India's independence in 1947. United State of Kathiawar was its original name till November 1948, when it changed to Saurashtra State. Saurashtra and Bombay state were amalgamated on November 1st, 1956. Bombay state was split into Gujarat and Maharashtra in 1960 following linguistic grounds. The entire province of Saurashtra, including Junagadh, was incorporated into the state of Gujarat.
Stamp Issuance Journey
All Soruth stamps were printed locally and up to the 1929 pictorial set all Soruth stamps were printed without gum.
The inaugural release consisted of stamps printed on four distinct types of laid and wove papers. These stamps were imperforate and featured a single one-anna handstamp in black watercolor ink. The first documented usage of these stamps occurred on 10/12 February 1867, which was more than a year after the introduction of the first Jammu and Kashmir stamp. The stamps were originally published in November 1864.
The second issue, which spanned from June 1868 to 1875, featured typeset stamps that were imperforate. Among the princely Indian states, Soruth's initial six typeset stamps are highly sought after as they are considered rare, and their specific arrangements are largely unknown. These first six stamps were printed on sheets of various colors, predominantly consisting of one anna stamps, as well as a particularly elusive two anna stamp. Following these six stamps, there were five additional issues of one and four annas stamps, showcasing various typeset variations. These included four significant settings with sheets of 20 stamps (4 x 5) and numerous sub-settings. The stamps were printed on white or colored paper, either laid or wove in texture.
From 1878 through 1929, the issues are typographic printings, and many of the sheets have decoartive margin inscriptions. The paper was laid and wove, and the stamps were imperforate and perforated in a variety of ways. From 1864 to 1929, Soruth stamps had just two denominations: one anna and four anna.
Soruth issued its first bi-coloured pictorial issue of eight values ranging from three pies to one rupee in 1929, and with the exception of a court fee stamp pressed into use by overprinting from the princely Indian state of Bhavnagar, the 1929 set and surcharges and overprints served Soruth for the remainder of its stamp issuing life. The 1929 bi-colored set was lithographed, printed on white wove paper, gummed, and perforated 14.
Soruth, which has changed its name a couple of times, stopped issuing postage stamps on March 30, 1950, as its postal service became integrated into that of India.
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