Madras Central Railway Station, British Era Greeting Card 1920
An old 1920 British-era greeting card showing the Madras Central Railway Station. The first Christmas card was brought out in 1843 by a Britisher Henry Cole in England. Since then greeting cards have become vogue the world over cutting across all religions or communities. Many of the civil servants and military personnel fell homesick while serving in the countries under the British Empire.
One of the ways to keep in touch with their loved ones back home was by way of exchanging postcards and greeting cards. It also became a handy tool to express friendship and affection with friends and acquaintances without wasting too much time on long-drawn letters. Especially for those on duty in the countries under colonial rule. This rare British-era greeting card with a red satin bow and a classic picture of the city is unused.
It includes Christmas and New Year greetings an apt couplet. The front picture displays the Madras, now Chennai Central Railway Station (Terminus), and Buckingham Canal. The river was once a major water lifeline of the city for transportation and irrigation purposes but now almost died out. The Chennai Central Railway station is an iconic landmark of the city if not the whole of Southern India.
See post Chennai Central Railway Station & Canal – 4 Old Postcards. Read also greeting cards in India.
Did you know- greeting cards go back to ancient Egypt using papyrus scrolls dating to 600 BC.
From the collection- Raja Ravi Varma’s “Birth of Shakuntala” Oleograph 1894., British Companies In Colonial India – Old Photo 1923., Birds Eye View of Delhi In 1902 – Old Print., Page From Rare 1713 Latin Book on Calicut