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Father of Modem Punjaibi Literature / 33
The first issue was brought out in 1899 to coincide with
the birthday anniversary of Guru Nanak falling on November
17. Most of the number, like its successors for a longtime, was
the handiwork of Bhai Vir Singh. Yet his name appeared
nowhere as editor or sponsor. The periodical's purpose was
described thus:
...This is 1he age of education. Education alone can raise
the standard of the community. Among the means of
education and of national and religious advancement,
thenewspaperranksveryhigh. With a viewto enhancing
the prestige of our community and religion and to render
true service to s,ociety, the need was felt of starting from
thiscity [ofAmritsar] a newspaper. The presentnewspaper
supplies this need. The changes and improvements the
newspap1er has brought into the world are commonly
known. All ofEurope's progressis dueto newspapers. Most
of the people in those countries might forgo some of their
temporal wants, but not their newspaper. In our nation,
however, this taste for the newspaper has not yet
developed and this is the reason of our backwardness...
Forthepromotionofourlanguageandscriptitis necessary
that good journals are started, for every advanced
languagehasbeenchiselledinthenewspapercolumns... 1
This announcement about the birth of the newspaper
appearedinthenewscolumns, followed bybriefeditorialnotes
ontopics such as the observance of Diwali inAmritsar andthe
meetings oftheArya Samaj. Besidestheeditorialonthesubject
of the reformation of Sikh society, there were serials started
on Sikh history, theology and quotations from Scripture. An
essay on women's education and a solitary advertisement
completed the eight-page tabloid. Within this overall
framework, the only modifications subsequently made were
the provision for occasional verse and for readers'
1. Khalsa SamQlchar, Vol. I, No.1. November 17. 1899. p.1
Page 41 of 108