Nepal 1949 Pashupati Temple & King Tribhuvan Airmail Stamps on Cover

Nepal · 1949 · Various (2p, 4p, 6p, 8p, 12p, 16p, 24p, 32p, 1r)

This set of nine definitive stamps features two primary designs. The lower values depict the sacred Pashupati Temple, a significant Hindu shrine in Kathmandu. The higher values feature a portrait of King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah, who reigned during a pivotal period in Nepal's history. The stamps are notable for their simple, two-color designs and were issued for regular postage.

Issued in 1949, these stamps represent the final years of the Rana dynasty's autocratic rule in Nepal, just before King Tribhuvan helped usher in a new era of democracy in 1951. The cover itself is an example of early airmail from the then-isolated Himalayan kingdom.