under review

Udhayatharagai

From Tamil Wiki

இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: உதயதாரகை

Udhayatharagai

Udhayatharagai (Morning Star) (1841) is considered to be the first Tamil newspaper. It was published as a bilingual magazine called Udhayatharagai in Tamil and Morning Star in English.

Publication

In 1841, Christian preachers Henry Martin and Seth Payson who worked in the American mission located at Manipay, a town in northern Jaffna, Sri Lanka started Udhayatharagai. Nathan Strong a.k.a Ambalavanar Sitrambalam from Manipay was its editor. Udhayatharagai was printed at Tellippalai. When launched, it was printed as a bi-monthly newspaper. It was published weekly from 1856. Karol Viswanatha Pillai and Arnold Sathasivampillai worked as editors in Udhayatharagai. Vaddukoddai Gurumadam was behind this magazine.

Content

Udhayatharagai provided summaries of contemporary news. Literature, Agriculture and multi-sectoral news on agriculture were featured. Religious news and explanations about religious policies were provided. Udhayatharagai's first issue has the below information.

"Udhayatharagai newspaper will feature articles on learning, shastra, general education, cultivation, dominion, religion and important fiction works.

It will be in the Tamil language, in-between a combination of Tamil and English with eight pages which can be folded 4 times and published on every first and third Thursday of every month.

It will be charged at 2 pence or 16 silver salli.

The price for those who book for 10 newspaper and pays every month in advance is either 1.5 pence or for those who book 20 newspapers and pays the money every year in advance, the price is either 1 penny or 8 silver salli per paper. Those who wish to be subscribers can write to the publishers in American Mission.

Those who want to print can write down what they need to declare to the publishers of Udhayatharagai.

This newspaper can be bought at the Jaffna and Madurai Missions."

To read the original in its interesting old Tamil syntax and language, refer to உதயதாரகை

References

  • Katiresu. S A Hand Book to the Jaffna Peninsula and a souvenir of the opening of the railway to the North; Yazhpanam, 1905. (Reprinted: Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 2004).
  • John H. Martyn, Notes on Jaffna, Chronological, Historical, Biographical, Tellippalai, Sri Lanka, 1923. (Reprinted: Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 2003).
  • Jebanesan. S, The growth of Tamil and Chiristian missionary in Sri Lanka, Kumaran book house, Colombo 2007 (Reprint).


✅Finalised Page