First Hindi Newspaper: How It All Began
Ever wonder which paper started the whole Hindi press? It was Udant Martand, rolled out in 1826 from Calcutta. A visionary named Lala Lajpat Rai’s grandfather, Lala Raghunath Mulchand, decided Hindi needed a voice, and he made it happen. Back then, the idea of a Hindi daily was radical – most news came in English or Persian.
Udant Martand didn’t just print news; it gave Hindi speakers a platform to discuss politics, culture, and social reform. The paper covered everything from the British East India Company’s moves to local festivals, and it used simple language so anyone could read it. That accessibility made the paper popular among the emerging middle class.
Why Udant Martand Mattered
The launch of Udant Martand marked a turning point. First, it proved Hindi could handle serious journalism, breaking the myth that only English or Urdu were fit for news. Second, it inspired a wave of Hindi publications – Hindustan Times and The Pioneer later traced their roots to this early experiment.
Politically, the paper gave a voice to early reformers advocating education, women’s rights, and the fight against oppressive taxes. By printing editorials in Hindi, it helped spread nationalist ideas to people who didn’t read English, fueling the early seeds of the freedom movement.
Where to Find the Old Issues
Getting a hold of original Udant Martand copies isn’t easy, but several archives have digitized the pages. The National Library in Kolkata holds microfilm reels, and the Digital South Asia Library offers a searchable PDF collection. If you prefer a quick look, the British Library’s online catalogue has a few scanned pages you can browse for free.
For anyone researching Hindi journalism, these archives are gold mines. You’ll see the evolution of typefaces, the shift from Sanskrit-heavy prose to more colloquial Hindi, and the early use of cartoons to comment on politics.
So, next time you scroll through modern Hindi news sites, remember the humble beginnings with Udant Martand. It set the stage for the vibrant Hindi press you see today – from regional dailies to national e‑papers. And if you’re curious, a quick visit to any of the suggested archives will give you a real taste of 19th‑century Indian journalism.
