The Urdu newspaper, ‘The Musalman’, one of the oldest newspaper in India and probably the only newspaper in the whole world, which is still ‘hand-written’ and struggling to carry on its legacy.
Urdu, the language of the Quran, was considered to be one of the holiest and most important languages in India. Those who mastered the Urdu language held high posts in the courts of the kings.But today there are hardly a handful of those, proficient in the language who can sustain in the tradition of Urdu calligraphy. Hence, ‘The Musalman’, the handwritten newspaper has been struggling to carry on.
‘The Musalman’ established in 1927, has the following hurdles,like the dwindling Urdu-speaking community, lack of Urdu calligraphy experts who are fading due to lack of opportunities.
Syed Arif Ullah, the editor of the paper explains that they have only three calligraphers and determined to maintain their unique identity as the last hand-written Urdu newspaper in the world. The editor is concerned about the Urdu calligraphers (called Katibs), who were honoured for their works in the olden time but they were a part of history. The newspaper is constantly in search of calligraphy experts in India.
With just three calligraphers to fill up the four pages of the newspaper, the newspaper is trying hard to stay alive in the age of e-papers and 24×7 news channels.The calligraphers are paid Rs 50 per day.The calligraphers are only part-timers and they cannot afford to pay full time salary.Only out of passion for their language and the art of calligraphy for which they work.It has nothing to do with the money and that makes all the difference.
The paper has a readership of only about 20,000 in the whole country comparatively a large number.
Dr.Habeed Ahmed, Professor of Arabic, Persian and Urdu in the MadrasUniversity says that though Hindi speaking people can understand Urdu but they cannot read and write Urdu. Hence, the scope for calligraphy is limited.
But today only a few individuals use the Urdu language.And this is the only newspaper in the whole of Asia.The newspaper cannot afford to pay better to their employees.
When it is questioned why the newspaper cannot switch over to computers, keeping in tune with the technological advances as Urdu typeface is also available, the editor Syed said that it is being held as a tradition since the time of its inception.It was the way his grandfather wanted it to be and so will it be.The newspaper will go on for as long as the road takes it.
It is astonishing to learn the story of the Urdu newspaper, ‘Musalman’. Is tradition opposed to growth or modernization ?