Chander is A History Buff Episode 2

 

Chander is a History Buff – Episode 2 – An Antique Weekly Newspaper published by Mahatma Gandhi.

In my last episode I shared about an antique booklet on America and American in wartime, a series of pocket books published by U.S.A.Publishing company during second world war.

In this episode let me share a most precious bound book containing the 52 volumes of the original Weekly Newspaper “Harijan”, received every week by post at THE HINDUSTAN SCOUT ASSOCIATION, MADRAS PRESIDENCY, which was functioning in Mylapore, Madras. This information is based on the rubber stamp of the association and postal rubber stamp dated 5 Feb 1947. How this has comes to me is an interesting news. I got this book from a close friend, who knows about my antique book collection hobby as well my interest on Indian political history.

About the bound book:

HARIJAN - Vol:XI No.1 dated February 2, 1947 to Vol.XI No.52 dated January 25, 1948.

Printed and published by Jivanji Dahyabhai Desai, Navjivan Press, Kalupur, Ahmedabad.Editor – Pyarelal.

Sub.rates: Inland: One Year Rs.6; Six months Rs.3, Foreign: One Year Rs.8 or 14 Sh or $3.

In 1933 Gandhiji started publishing a weekly newspaper, Harijan, in English. Harijan, which means "People of God", and was also Gandhi's term for the untouchable caste - lasted until 1948.

The first issue appeared on the 11th of February 1933 from Poona with R. V. Shastri as the editor. ‘Harijan’  dealt with questions regarding untouchability and was carried out in the socio-religious approach.

The Harijan was later edited by Mahadev Desai in 1935 and had its headquarters in Poona and then later in Madras. In 1940, it was suspended during the Indian Satyagraha movement. It was later revived by the Navajivan Press in January 1942 but was banned later that year by the British Government in India. It was revived once again in February 1946. The editor at the time was Pyarelal and he continued till 1948. 

The main contributor for this HARIJAN weekly is M.K.Gandhi  and there were so many contributors. I wish to list out some popular persons who were with Gandhiji in the freedom struggle and compiled Gandhiji’s various letters and  reported on many live issues of that time connected to our freedom fight, lives of people, economic condition and other important subjects.

Few names are listed here: Pyarelal, J.C.Kumarappa, Vinoba, Sushila Nayyar, Maharaj of Ratlam, T.N.Bang, Valji Govindji Desai, Gulzarilal Nanda, Devendra Kumar Gupta, Radha Kumud,Mookerji, T.N.Vagadisan, Dev Prakash Nayyar, Dilip Kumar Roy, S.N.Agarval, Sarojini Naidu, Acharya Kripalani, N.K.Bose, Horace Alexander, Giriraj Kishore and so many others.

One of the issue contains a Map of Noakhali District of East Bengal, Gandhiji walked on foot , first walk ended on 4.2.1947 and second one ended on 25.2.1947.

Another special feature noticed in this weekly was,  a dictionary of English words with its translation into Hindustani ( Hindi and Urudu ), lastly published September 28, 1947 (Instalment XXIX).

A few important news captions, I wish to share here, from the collection of 52 editions. The topics are: Communal Murders ( Vol.XI No.1), A Woman’s Dilemma (27.1.47), Gandhiji on Trusteeship (2.2.47), Socialism (20.7.47), Who and Where is God? (22.6.47), Ahimsa Never Fails (1.1.48), Learn from the experience of others (6.4.47), The ‘CUE’ method for ‘Grow more food” (22.6.47), Give and Take (6.12.47), Cow Slaughter (7.10.47). There were so many letters written by M.K.Gandhi and from others to him. Gandhji’s walking tour was also covered in many issues.

The last edition dated 25.1.48 contains Gandhiji’s Post-Prayer Speeches on 15.1.48. Gandhiji spoke about ‘Death a Deliverance” – “All must die someday. No one could escape death. Then why be afraid of it? In fact death was a friend which brought deliverance from sufferings.”  It also contains Gandhiji’s breaking of the fast on 25.1.48 at Birla House at 12.45pm.Last Danger Signals by Dev Prakash Nayyar was the last news in the last edition.

What to say more about this rarest of the rare collection? Wish to read all the 52 issues, but I wonder whether I can do justice to my wish!

But for sure we learn many lessons from history through autobiographies of famous leaders around the world and from historians who brings life to them in their words. Let me share few pages of the weekly “Harijan” of 1947-1948.

I will bring more interesting episodes on history in antique books.