The editor’s credo

The Parsi contribution to the Gujarati language, journalism and printing is legendary. The first Gujarati types were cut by a Parsi, the first Gujarati newspaper and the first Gujarati almanac were published by a Parsi.

Dr Ratan R. Marshall of Surat, a giant in the field of Gujarati literature, over 55 years ago submitted a dissertation on the "History of Gujarati Journalism.” He notes this was the first dissertation accepted for a PhD in the Gujarati department of Bombay University.

Two years ago Marshall prepared a paper on the contribution of Parsis to Gujarati journalism for a seminar on Irani-Parsi culture. The paper was translated into English by Prof Ashok N. Desai, head of the English department, Z. F. Wadia Women’s College and N. K. Jhota College of Commerce.

An edited and abridged version of Marshall’s paper is being serialized in four parts in Parsiana.

The first section deals with the founding of the first Gujarati printing press in India and the launch of the Mumbai Samachar, the oldest newspaper in India and Asia.

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There has been a very significant initial contribution of the Parsis to the well-established present-day Gujarati language, literature and journalism. Jeejibhai Behramji Chhapgar was the first to have made printing types in the Gujarati language. In those days, scattered advertisements in Gujarati could be seen in an English newspaper named The Bombay Courier published in Bom­bay. Perhaps, lack of adequate knowledge of English among the average readers was the reason why advertisements were published in Gujarati. Such advertisements were proportionately very marginal and therefore, the types set by compositors were limited in number.

Fardunji Marazban, born in Surat, went to Bombay for career advancement. He used to go to the Courier press to meet Chhapgar. The humming sound of the printing machine excited him. "If a handful of Britishers who had come to India for trade and commerce ventured to start a printing press and published a newspaper in their own language, why can we not?” he thought. The penniless Fardunji plunged headlong into printing. It was difficult for him to make two ends meet. In such circumstances, it was a Herculean task to set types of the intricate Gujarati letters such as long and short vowels, conjunct consonants of every letter, maatra (the oblique stroke written above the horizontal line of Devanagari characters), etc. But, somebody had to initiate the process. With the help of the female members of his family, the penniless Fardunji started a small printing press. It being the only Gujarati press, no name was given to it in the beginning. The press was established in the year 1812 and in 1822 the first Gujarati newspaper Mumbai Samachar began its publication. Since then, the press has been known as Mumbai Samachar Press. During the decade from 1812 through 1822 Marazban published the first almanac and a few books in Gujarati. The majority of the books that Fardunji Marazban published were translations of Persian books into Gujarati, the Gujarati version of Erbadistan being the chief, since he himself was well versed in the Persian language. In the year 1818 he published the Khordeh Avesta. For the first time Fardunji presented in a book form in Gujarati the Parsi religious literature preserved either in oral or written translations. It was the first book published with a Gujarati translation of the religious Khordeh Avesta. Later on, he published Gujarati translations of Shaikh Saadi’s Karima and of the Bundahishn, a religious scripture of the Parsis. The 52nd edition of Murray’s English Grammar, was translated into Gujarati by Ardesar Behramji Laskari and was printed in Marazban’s press.

Before that, a couple of Christian missionaries had already started the publication of Samachar Darpan in the Bengali language in the year 1818. Besides, Sangbad Kaumudi, advocating Ram Mohan Roy’s ideology of social reformation, was one more journal that was published in the native Indian language prior to Mumbai Samachar. It is indeed a matter of pride for Gujarat and the Gujarati language that the first news bulletin in Gujarati still continues its march whereas the Bengali newspapers we talked about have already disappeared.

It was a time when the concept of a news agency was unknown. There were no means of getting news from a cross-section of society. There was hardly any academic atmosphere in the contemporary society and people had little interest in the issues related to politics or social welfare. Nor did people have adequate knowledge of the language. Therefore, the present journal was not a ‘newspaper’ in the true sense of the term. The focus in it was chiefly on the oft discussed socioreligious issues with an aggressive defense of tradition. Therefore, Mumbai Samachar was more a critical journal than a newspaper in the initial stages — a ‘views paper’ rather than a ‘newspaper.’ Because of its wide circulation in the business community, considerable news items relating to trade and commerce were carried. This tradition has continued till the present times and has been of immense help to the business community.

Fardunji was the helmsman of Mumbai Samachar for 10 years. During that period he had to pass through a grave financial crisis and was compelled to put an end to his attachment with the newspaper he had started against all odds.

On August 13, 1832, he broke his ties with the journal and in the issue of the same day he released his statement in which he refrained from stating the reasons for severing his relations with the journal but gave an account of his contribution to the journal for a decade. The statement proved to be an invaluable guide for novice editors. He advised new editors to remain aloof from prejudices and religious intolerance. Filthy language was frequently used in the journals published by other Parsi owners. Abusive language was frequently used to criticize and look down upon the opponents. Ruthless assaults were made on those who held contradictory views. One wonders how Fardunji could have managed to remain detached from such pitfalls. His published views on journalism bear testimony to the fact that he must have moved heaven and earth to maintain the high standard of journalism. According to him, a journalist should never write anything with a malafide intention that might mar somebody’s reputation. He should neither react sharply to contradictory views nor should he indulge in unnecessary controversy with others. Nor should he ever entertain quarrelsome letters from the readers. As far as possible, he should never indulge in religious controversies and if need be, he should consult the religious head of the respective religion with a view to ascertaining the facts regarding the root of discord. He should develop a sense of discretion and should avoid using Arabic and Persian words with Gujarati so that the non-Parsi readers, especially Hindus, could comprehend the report in a true perspective. By and large, Fardunji’s approach to journalism is highly commendable. The caravan of editors of the journal comprised persons of a high morale. They made an in-depth study of the issues relating to Bombay and proved to be the lighthouse for society at large. It may be said that the history of Mumbai Samachar is in turn a history of Bombay.

Navroji Belgamwala took over the said journal during the period when Gandhiji’s influence was deeply felt in the political arena. The journal, then, supported the policy of Gandhiji and of the Hindu Rashtriya Mahasabha (Congress) that was functioning under the leadership of Gandhiji. The strong support that the Mumbai Samachar gave to the Congress years ago proved to be of immense help to the party. During the Satyagrah movement of 1930, the British imprisoned the then editor Sorabji Kapadia.

The Samachar’s readership comprises chiefly the Hindus in general and the business class in particular. But when it comes to evaluating the contribution of Parsis to the development of Gujarati journalism, it becomes pertinent to elaborate the characteristic features of Mumbai Samachar at length. Its owners have always been Parsis. After the retirement of Jehan Daruwala, a Hindu lady has so far been in charge of the daily. The breeze of reformation and keen competition has influenced this old newspaper and its layout has been changed to suit the taste not only of the business community but also of the younger generation.