Rajyasamacharam 1847-50(The picture above).
June 1847 witnessed the birth of Malayalam Journalism as eight cyclostyled sheets in demy octavo size were produced from a litho press at Illikkunnu near Tellicherry (North Kerla).Its name was ‘Rajya Samacharam’.The pages were without columns or cross heads. The credit for this venture goes Dr .Herman Gundert ,a renowned western scholar as well as a religious propagator from German Basal Evangelical Mission society.Cost of one issue and annual subscription were not typed, so it is believed that it is given free of cost. Editor’s name was also missing. Its language was very simple. “Rajyasamacharam’ was mainly meant for the propagation of Christian faith. It featured stories like, how Christianity spread through out the world, material and spiritual benefits to people who practice the Christian faith etc.It also criticized the Hindu and the Islam faith . 42 issues were published before ‘Rajyasamacharam’ was stopped in 1850.
(Officially ‘Rajya Samacharam’ is considered as the first Malayalam Journal,but it is believed that there was another journal titled ‘Malayala Panchangam’ 1845 ?,brought out under the Editorship of Herman Gundert.).
Paschimodayam1847-51(The picture above).
In 1847 itself ,Gundert Started another venture titled ‘Paschimodayam’
from a litho press at Nettoor (Tellicherry) and its editor was Federick Muller.It
was in Royal size ,had 8 pages.It annual subscription was half a rupee.Science
,Astrology,History of Kerala and Geography were
given importance in ‘Paschimodayam’.Its presentation was objective and highly simple.It stopped its publication by 1851 August.
Jnananikshepam 1848(The picture above).
In 1848 November ,The first printed magazine in Malayalam
came out from Kottayam.It was titled ‘ Jnananikshepam’
("Treasury of Knowledge").Arch Deacon Koshi and Reverend George
Mathen were behind this venture.Benjamin Beiley(1805-71),a Christian missionary
from England is believed to the founder of ‘Jnananikshepam’.The second novel in Malayalam language ‘Pulleli Kunju’
came out through this magazine.It had foreign as well as local news. ‘ Jnananikshepam’ was the first paper,that came
out of printing machine.It continued its publication for a long time.
Vidya Sangraham1864-68(The picture above).
Under the auspices of
Kottayam college ,another
periodical was published under the title ‘Vidya Sangraham’ (1864-68)
,came out of CMS press. Its English title was ‘Cottayam college quarterly magazine’.It
was the first publication in Malayalam to be devoted to Education .Although the
life span of ‘Vidya Sangraham’ was very
short,it gave a great service to literature,language and education.Richard
Collins,the then principal of C.M.S college was the spirit behind ‘Vidya
Sangraham’.It closed its publication in 1868.
To be continued...
Key words :History of Malayalam Journalism notes, Rajyasamacharam,Paschimodayam,Jnananikshepam,Vidya Sangraham,Mass communication notes.
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