Development of Journalism in Rajasthan and National Consciousness
The Development of Journalism and National Consciousness in Rajasthan is an important chapter in Rajasthan’s history, examining the early background of journalism in Rajasthan, its major newspapers, and the spread of nationalist sentiment through revolutionary songs and literature. This topic explains how journalism generated public awareness and provided ideological direction to the freedom movement.
Contribution of Rajasthan Journalism to National Consciousness
Introduction —
The history of journalism in Rajasthan is not merely the history of newspapers; rather, it is the history of national consciousness, public awakening, and the freedom movement. During the period of the freedom struggle, Ajmer remained a major center of journalism in Rajasthan. Despite difficult circumstances, restrictions, and repression, journalists played a significant role in shaping public opinion.
Early Background of Journalism in Rajasthan –
The beginning of journalism in India is considered to be in 1780 AD with the Bengal Gazette / Indian Gazette.
Publisher: James Augustus Hickey
First Hindi newspaper: Udant Martand (1826 AD, Calcutta) – by Pandit Jugal Kishore.
Most newspapers in Rajasthan were published from Ajmer.
In 1864 AD, a litho press was established in Beawar – by Christian missionaries.
Major personalities in journalism –
Pandit Jhabarmal Sharma – the Bhishma Pitamah of Rajasthani journalism
Vijay Singh Pathik – revolutionary journalist
Jayanarayan Vyas – pioneer of political journalism
Haribhau Upadhyay – social reformer journalist
Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi – connected Rajasthan with national journalism
Mazharul Sarur (1849 AD) –
First newspaper of Rajputana
Place: Bharatpur
Language: Urdu and Hindi
Marwar Gazette (1866 AD) – Jodhpur
Sajjan Kirti Sudharak (1879 AD) – Udaipur
Under the patronage of Mewar Maharana Sajjan Singh
Editor: Pandit Banshidhar Vajpeyi
Weekly newspaper
Samachar Martand (1884 AD) – Jaipur
Rajputana Herald (1885 AD) – Ajmer (English)
Rajputana Times (1885 AD) – Ajmer (English)
Rajputana Gazette (1885 AD) – Ajmer
Language: Hindi and Urdu (Weekly)
Woman Journalist: Moti Begum
Rajasthan Samachar (1889 AD) – Ajmer/Beawar
First Hindi daily of Rajasthan
Editor: Munshi Samarthdan
Sarvhit (1890 AD) – Bundi
State-supported monthly magazine
Pratap (1910 AD) – Kanpur
Editor: Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi
Contribution: Raised the Bijolia peasant movement at the national level
Tyag Bhoomi (1927 AD) – Ajmer
Editor: Haribhau Upadhyay
Promotion of women’s education and social reform
Rajasthan Kesari (1919 AD) – Wardha
Editor: Vijay Singh Pathik
Naveen Rajasthan (1922 AD) – Ajmer
Editors: Kishore Verma, Vijay Singh Pathik Banned in 1923
Tarun Rajasthan (1923 AD) – Beawar/Ajmer
Editors: Jayanarayan Vyas, Ramnarayan Chaudhary
Arya Martand (1923 AD) – Ajmer
Editor: Pandit Ramsahay Sharma
Agi-Baan (1932 AD) – Beawar
Editor: Jayanarayan Vyas
First political newspaper in Rajasthani language
Akhand Bharat (1936 AD) – Bombay
Editor: Jayanarayan Vyas
Dainik Navjyoti (1936 AD) – Ajmer
Editor: Ramnarayan Chaudhary
Lokvani (1943 AD) – Jaipur
Editor: Devishankar Tiwari
Published in memory of Seth Jamnalal Bajaj
Jai Bhoomi (1940 AD) – Jaipur
Publisher: Gulabchand Kala
RiyasatNewspaper –
Published from Delhi and Jodhpur
Compared the Neemuchana massacre to Jallianwala Bagh
Exposed the secret agreement between the Bhopal Nawab and the Jodhpur Maharaja
Praja Sevak – Weekly newspaper
Publisher: Achaleshwar Prasad Sharma
Development of Journalism : Major Newspapers of Rajasthan
Newspaper
Location
Year
Founder/Editor
Majharul Saroor
Bharatpur
1849
—
Marwar Gazette
Jodhpur
1866
—
Sajjan Kirti Sudharak (Weekly)
Udaipur
1876
Maharana Sajjan Singh
Rajputana Gazette
Ajmer
1882
Maulvi Murad Ali
Desh Hitaishi
Ajmer
1882
Munshi Munna Lal Sharma
Samachar Martand
Jaipur
1884
—
Rajputana Gazetteer
Ajmer
1885
Maulvi Murad Ali
Rajputana Herald
Ajmer
1885
Hanuman Singh
Rajputana Times
Ajmer
1885
Bakshi Lakshmandas
Rajasthan Patrika
Ajmer
1885
Bakshi Lakshmandas
Rajasthan Samachar
Ajmer/Beawar
1889
Munshi Samarthdan
Rajputana Samachar
Ajmer
1889
Munshi Samarthdan Charan
Sarvahit
Bundi
1890
—
Gyanodaya
Calcutta
1905
Pt. Jhabarmal Sharma
Marwari Bandhu
Calcutta
1905
Pt. Jhabarmal Sharma
Bharat Saptahik (Weekly)
Bombay
1909
Pt. Jhabarmal Sharma
Calcutta Samachar
Calcutta
1914
Pt. Jhabarmal Sharma
Saraswati
—
—
Haribhau Upadhyaya, Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi
Rajasthan Kesari
Wardha
1920
Vijay Singh Pathik
Navin Rajasthan
Ajmer
1922
Vijay Singh Pathik
Tarun Rajasthan
Ajmer
1923
Vijay Singh Pathik
Rajasthan
Beawar
1923
Rishidutt Mehta
Arya Martand
Ajmer
1923
Ramsahay Sharma
Hindu Samachar
Delhi
1925
Pt. Jhabarmal Sharma
Tyag-Bhumi
—
1927
Haribhau Upadhyaya
Yug Rajasthan
—
1929
Shobhalal Gupta
Sevak (Handwritten)
Dungarpur
1929–30
Gaurishankar Upadhyaya
Sarvodaya Vahak
Banswara
1930
Chimanlal Malot
Agiban
Beawar
1932
Jai Narayan Vyas
Prabhat
—
1932
Siddhraj Dhadda,Satyadev Vidyalankar
Deepak
Abohar
1935
Swami Keshwanand
Navjyoti
Ajmer
1936
Shri Ramnarayan Chaudhary, Durgaprasad Chaudhary
Akhand Bharat
Bombay
1938
Jai Narayan Vyas
Sangram
Bombay
1939
Bhudhar Tripathi
Jaybhumi
Jaipur
1940
Gulab Chand Kala
Jaipur Samachar
Jaipur
1942
Shyamal Sharma
Swarajya
Dausa
1942
Ram Karan Joshi
Lokwani
Jaipur
1943
Pt. Devishankar Tiwari
Dainik Riyasat
Jodhpur
1945
Sumnesh Joshi
Aaj ka Bikaner
Calcutta
1945
Raghuvar Dayal Goyal
Senani
—
1950
Shambhu Dayal Saxena
Rashtra
—
1951
Sumnesh Joshi
Prerna
Jodhpur
1950
Padma Shri Komal Kothari
Gyanodaya (Weekly)
Calcutta
1954
Padma Shri Komal Kothari
Jwala (Weekly)
Jaipur
1955
Padma Shri Komal Kothari
Rajasthan Patrika
Jaipur
1956
Karpoor Chandra Kulish
Janjagran
Jodhpur
—
Manak Chopra
Pratap
Kanpur
—
Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi
Praja Sevak
Jodhpur
—
Achaleshwar Prasad Sharma
Riyasat Newspaper
Delhi / Jodhpur
—
—
Rajasthan Times
Jaipur
—
Vasudev Sharma
Dainik Hindustan
—
—
Manak Chopra
Janmabhumi
—
—
Amritlal Seth
Bharat Tilak (Weekly)
Madras
—
Narsingh
Ojaswar
Varanasi
—
Haribhau Upadhyaya
Gramraj
Jaipur
—
Siddhraj Dhadda
Lok Sudhar (Weekly)
Jodhpur
—
Baldev Ram Mishra
Peep
Delhi
—
Jai Narayan Vyas
Rajasthan Sandesh
Ajmer
—
Vijay Singh Pathik
Revolutionary songs and literature
Creator
Major Work
Jai Narayan Vyas
Danke ri Chot Sunadesi O Raj
Manikya Lal Verma
Panchhida Geet (Bijolia Movement)
Hiralal Shastri
Pralay Pratiksha Namo Namah
Arjun Lal Sethi
Khuniya ro Raj
Udayraj Ujjwal
Bhamiya ra Duha
Other Books and Magazines
Book/Magazine
Author
Mewar ka Vartaman Shasan (Present Governance of Mewar)
Manikya Lal Verma
Jaisalmer mein Gundaraj (Rule of Hooligans in Jaisalmer)
Sagarmal Gopa
Raghunath Singh ka Mukadma (The Case of Raghunath Singh)
