Post office · Bengal Presidency
Soorool
- Handstamps
- 1
- Recorded
- 1852
- Rare
- 1
Surul (Soorool) is a village adjacent to Visva-Bharati University, founded by Rabindranath Tagore. A major part of this central university, including the entire Sriniketan campus, lies within Surul Mouza. Surul has a diverse population comprising mainly Bagdis, Bauris, Haris, Doms, and traditional weaver communities. The Sarkars of Surul Raj, who were Zamindars of Birbhum District, brought Brahmins and other upper-caste communities to the area. The Sarkar family of Surul played an important role in the socio-economic development of the region and also contributed significantly towards the establishment and growth of Visva-Bharati, an Institution of National Importance. During British rule, Surul (Soorool) was an important centre of business, commerce, and trade. It was also the location of an East India Company commercial residency under John Cheap. After the East India Company discontinued its mercantile activities in 1835, the residency gradually fell into decay. Postal-history identification: Soorool (Surul), Birbhum District, Bengal Presidency — present-day Surul, near Bolpur, Birbhum District, West Bengal, India.
Soorool has 1 pre-1854 hand-struck postal marking from 1852 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Brown border = community submission, verified by editors
Soorool handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
| Mark | Type | Colour | Dates | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HG 1 | Handstamp | Black | 1852 | 1 example recorded |
Frequently asked — Soorool postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Soorool?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Soorool are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Soorool post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Soorool was a post office of the Bengal Presidency, British India, and this census records 1 distinct postal marking used there, dated around 1852.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Soorool?
- 1 hand-struck postal marking is recorded for Soorool in this census, of which 1 is graded rare or better. Each mark carries its Hammond Giles catalogue figure number, colour, date range, evidence-based rarity grade, and links to every surviving cover recorded with it.
- What is Soorool called today?
- Soorool is the colonial-era name of present-day Surul, India. Covers and postmarks are catalogued here under the historical name used on the marks themselves.
- How do I identify a Soorool postmark or cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impressions on this page — each figure shows the mark's design, ink colour and recorded date range. If your Soorool cover bears a mark that matches a figure, open that figure's page to see every recorded example with provenance. If it matches none, it may be unrecorded: submit photographs through the form on this page and the editors will review it for inclusion in the census.
Also searched as: Soorool, Surul, Soorool HG 1, Soorool handstruck stamps, Soorool pre stamp covers, Soorool postal history.
How to cite
“Soorool, Bengal Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/soorool (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026
An unrecorded mark from Soorool?
If you hold a cover or strike from Soorool that does not match any figure above, submit it below. Approved additions appear here as new entries in the census — every submission is reviewed first.
Same presidency
Other post offices in the Bengal Presidency
Explore the pre-1854 postal history of other Bengal Presidency post offices — each page lists its recorded handstruck markings, dates and surviving covers.