Post office · Punjab
KalkaPostal Covers & Pre-1854 Postal History
Kalka postal covers and handstruck postal markings of pre-1854 British India, recorded in an open census: 1 Kalka handstamp recorded in 1854, Punjab, with 1 Kalka cover traced to them.
- Handstamps
- 1
- Recorded
- 1854
- Rare
- 1
Kalka (recorded under the same name) is a town in Panchkula district, Haryana, at the very foot of the Shivalik hills where the plains meet the road to Shimla. It was the staging point for the ascent to the Simla hill stations and later the railhead beneath them. As a post town of the north-western plains its pre-1854 markings record the mail feeding the Himalayan hill route.
Kalka has 1 pre-1854 hand-struck postal marking from 1854 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Brown border = community submission, verified by editors
Kalka handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
| Mark | Type | Colour | Dates | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HG 1 | Handstamp | Red | 1854 | 1 example recorded |
Frequently asked — Kalka postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Kalka?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Kalka are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Kalka post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Kalka was a post office of the Punjab, British India, and this census records 1 distinct postal marking used there, dated around 1854.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Kalka?
- 1 hand-struck postal marking is recorded for Kalka 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.
- How do I identify a Kalka 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 Kalka 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.
For background on the material itself, see the guides to the handstruck stamps of India, the pre covers of India and the pre stamp covers of India, which explain how marks like those recorded at Kalka were struck, catalogued and graded for rarity.
Also searched as: Kalka, Kalka HG 1, Kalka handstruck stamps, Kalka pre stamp covers, Kalka postal history.
How to cite
“Kalka, Punjab — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/kalka (accessed 13 November 2026).
Updated: 13 Nov 2026
An unrecorded mark from Kalka?
If you hold a cover or strike from Kalka 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 Punjab
Explore the pre-1854 postal history of other Punjab post offices — each page lists its recorded handstruck markings, dates and surviving covers.