Khalsa Akhbar Lahore

Summary

The Khalsa Akhbar (Punjabi: ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਅਖ਼ਬਾਰ (Gurmukhi), خالصہ اخبار (Shahmukhi)), Lahore, was a weekly newspaper and the organ of the Lahore Khalsa Diwan, a Sikh society.[1] Published from Lahore in the Punjabi language (Gurmukhi script), the newspaper was established in 1886 and functioned sporadically till 1905.[2][3] Founded by Bhai Gurmukh Singh, a professor of Punjabi at the Oriental College, Lahore, who also established the Khalsa Press in Lahore, the paper was taken over by Giani Ditt Singh, a scholar and a poet.[4]

Khalsa Akhbar Lahore, 15 May 1893. Digitized by Panjab Digital Library.

History edit

 
Photograph of Prof. Gurmukh Singh (1849–1898). He was a professor of Punjabi at Oriental College Lahore, and was the founder of the Khalsa Akhbar Lahore. He also was one of the founders of Singh Sabha Lehar (Singh Sabha movement).

The newspaper was published with effect from 13 June 1886 through the efforts of Bhai Gurmukh Singh from Lahore.[1] It was a weekly newspaper of the Khalsa Diwan society being published in Lithography and in Gurmukhi script. Its first two editors were Giani Jhanda Singh Faridkot and Sardar Basant Singh. Later on, it was handed over to Giani Ditt Singh. The newspaper continued to be published until 1889. After this, its publication stopped for sometime due to a legal suit filed by the Amritsari party regarding the publication of a play called Swapan.[5][6]

It resumed publication again on 1 May 1893 with Giani Ditt Singh as its editor. An experienced scholar and an expert in debates and discussions, he entered into many heated debates with representatives of Arya Samaj.

Giani Ditt Singh was an excellent writer of Punjabi prose and poetry and wrote many of his editorials in verse. He was the right-hand man of Bhai Gurmukh Singh and one of the pillars of Singh Sabha Lahore. He died in 1901. After him, Sardar Maeeya Singh Ahluwalia became the editor of Khalsa Akhbar and continued until 1905. The newspaper ceased publication after the dissolution of Singh Sabha Lahore and due to some other reasons.

References edit

  1. ^ a b Singh, Jagjit (1995). Siṅgh, Harbans (ed.). Khālsā Dīwān Lahore (3rd ed.). Patiala, Punjab, India: Punjab University, Patiala, 2011. pp. 481–482. ISBN 9788173805301. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  2. ^ Khalsa Akhbar, Lahore Religion and Nationalism in India: the case of the Punjab, by Harnik Deol. Routledge, 2000, p. 72. ISBN 0-415-20108-X.
  3. ^ Sikh Journalism:From 1800s to 1900s Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine sikhcybermuseum.org.uk.
  4. ^ History of Punjabi Journalism Archived 19 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine By Harpreet Singh, Daily Excelsior, 20 June 2000.
  5. ^ Biography of Giani Ditt Singh Archived 2 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine sikh-history.com
  6. ^ Giani Ditt Singh Biography

External links edit

Archived editions via Panjab Digital Library:[1]

  • From 1 May 1893
  • From 4 September 1893
  • From 18 January 1901
  1. ^ Panjab Digital Library