1939, Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma III Maharaja Travancore Anchel India 1½ Chuckrams overprint 2 Cash MN H

1939, Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma III Maharaja Travancore Anchel India 1½ Chuckrams overprint 2 Cash MN H

Text:  Travancore Anchel 1½ Chuckrams overprint 2 Cash 
Condition: MNH

Title:   Maharajah Bala Rama Varma III

Face value:     2#1,5

Stamp Currency:       Cash

Country/area:                     India - Travancore

Year:   1939

Set:     1939 Maharajah

Stamp number in set:           1

Basic colour:           Red

Exact colour:           Carmine red

Usage:            Franking

Type:   Stamp

Theme:           Temple

Stamp subject:           Heads of State

Michel number:         46

Yvert number:          

Scott number:                        

Stanley Gibbons number:   

Printing office:            

Perforation:    12½

Watermark:     Staatswapen

Paper:            

Printing:         Letter-press printing

Buy Now:                  Bid Now:

The currency used on stamps was Rupee, chuckrams & cash

This represented the currency arrangements during the transition period upto the establishment of the Indian Republic. The Monetary System remained unchanged at One Rupee consisting of 448 cash .

1 Rupee = 28 CHUCKRAMS (ch)

1 CHUCKRAMS = 16 cash (c)

Chithira Thirunal Maharaja (His Highness "Padmanabha Dasa" Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma III Maharaja) (November 7, 1912–July 19, 1991) was the last ruling maharaja of the princely state of Travancore, in southern India. Chithira Thirunal Maharaja is famous for his Temple Entry Proclamation.

Balarama Varma was the eldest son of HH Sethu Parvathi Bayi, Junior Rani of Attingal, by her consort, M.R.Ry Ravi Varma Kochu Koil Thampuran of Kilimanoor, a great-nephew of the celebrated painter Raja Ravi Varma. He was born on Deepavali day in 1912. Balarama Varma's mother was distantly related, by birth, to the royal house of Travancore in the direct female line. In 1900, following the absence of heirs in the Travancore Royal Family, she had been adopted by her maternal great-aunt. Thus, upon the death of his adoptive maternal uncle, Sri Moolam Thirunal Ramavarma, on August 7, 1924, Balarama Varma succeeded to the throne of Travancore under the Regency of his maternal aunt, the famous Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi.[1] As was customary, he took the regnal name 'Sree Chithira Thirunal,' as he was born under the Chithira nakshatram or star.

Sree Chithira Thirunal reigned under the regency of his maternal aunt, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, who was also his mother's first cousin. On November 6, 1930, upon his attaining majority, Sree Chithira Thirunal was invested with full ruling powers. He was instrumental in establishing the University of Travancore (now the University of Kerala) in 1937. He also had a beautiful palace built which is now a museum. He was able to secure the services of eminent statesmen such as C.P.Ramaswami Aiyar, who served as his chief minister for several years.

The period of HH Sree Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma who took the reign of administration in 1931, witnessed many-sided progress. The promulgation of "Temple Entry Proclamation"(1936), was an act that underlined social emancipation. But the Punnapra - Vayalar massacre and government involvement at the time would represent the negative.During his rule it is believed that more than a thousand people were killed in the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising.[2] Those who consider Travancore included in India as having contributed to its development would see the declaration of an Independent Travancore in 1947 also as a negative.