India, May 28 -- An unexpected postcard from a long-lost friend peered out of a heap of dusty mail at the apartment entrance. A heart-tugging one-liner on its verso, it felt like a 14 x 9 centimetre-time capsule from our school days. The cramped busy afternoon suddenly felt breezy with portable memories. The simplest form of open communication and the most heartfelt messaging system, these cream yellow postcards and their variations were once all over the place.

The first one printed in mocha brown was issued by the British administration. It had the Royal Coat of Arms bang at the centre and a head shot of Queen Victoria at top right. It read 'East India Postcard' and was priced at three paise. Lakhs of them were sold in the early years....