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{{Short description|Weekly Sikh newspaper}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| motto = The Monthly English Organ of the Sikhs (original)
| image = Front page of the first issue of The Khalsa Advocate, a weekly Sikh newspaper published by the Chief Khalsa Diwan, 20 September 1903 issue.jpg
| caption = Front page of the first issue, 20 September 1903
| type = [[Weekly newspaper]]
| founder = [[Jodh Singh]]
| publisher = Chief Khalsa Diwan
| founded = 20 September 1903 (first issue)
| language = [[English language|English]]
| ceased_publication = 1923
| relaunched = Relaunched as ''The Khalsa Te Khalsa Advocate'' (in Punjabi) in 1923 onwards
}}
{{Sikh literature}}

'''''The Khalsa Advocate''''' was a [[Sikhs|Sikh]] newspaper in [[English language|English]] founded in 1903 by the [[Chief Khalsa Diwan]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Khalsa Advocate |url=https://www.jstor.org/site/south-asia-open-archives/saoa/thekhalsaadvocate-35202683/ |access-date=14 June 2024 |website=JSTOR}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Chief Khalsa Diwan - History |url=https://www.chiefkhalsadiwan.com/history |access-date=14 June 2024 |website=Chief Khalsa Diwan}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Barrier |first=Norman Gerald |title=The Encyclopedia of Sikhism |publisher=Patiala Punjabi University |year=2004 |isbn=817380530X |editor-last=Singh |editor-first=Harbans |edition=2nd |volume=4: S–Z |pages=161–166 |chapter=Sikh Journalism}}</ref> It was one of the most prominent and influential Sikh periodicals prior to 1920.<ref name=":022">{{Cite book |last=Grewal |first=J. S. |title=Master Tara Singh in Indian History: Colonialism, Nationalism, and the Politics of Sikh Identity |date=March 2018 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780199089840 |edition=Online |pages= |chapter=2 - Colonial Rule and the Sikhs: (1849–1919) |quote=The most important Sikh periodicals were the ''Khālsā Akhbār'' in Punjabi and the ''Khalsa'' in English, both of which were brought out from Lahore. The ''Nirguṇiārā'' and the ''Khālsā Samāchār'' in Punjabi and the ''Khalsa Advocate'' in English were published from Amritsar.}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Barrier |first=Norman Gerald |title=Religious Controversy in British India: Dialogues in South Asian Languages |date=3 January 1992 |publisher=SUNY Press |isbn=9780791408285 |editor-last=Jones |editor-first=Kenneth W. |edition=Illustrated |series=SUNY Series in Religious Studies |pages=226 |quote=Also important in focusing the issues and personalities involved in Sikh pamphleteering are articles and correspondence in the three primary Sikh newspapers prior to 1920, ''The Khalsa Akhbar'' (Punjabi, c. 1889–1905), the ''Khalsa Samachar'' (Punjabi, 1899 to the present), and the ''Khalsa Advocate'' (1903–23, then becoming the Punjabi ''Khalsa Te Khalsa Advocate'').}}</ref>

== History ==

=== Background ===
By the turn of the 20th century, English-language journals had become popular amongst the literate Sikhs of the Punjab.<ref name=":2" /> In 1899, an English newspaper titled simply as ''The Khalsa'' was founded by Bhagat Lakshman Singh.<ref name=":2" /> The Khalsa had a lifespan of two years, after which its production ceased.<ref name=":2" /> However, the paper had an impact on showing the resoluteness of the Sikhs to reach a [[Western world|Western]] audience, such as the British and Punjabis who did not know how to read their ethnic language.<ref name=":2" />

=== Establishment and work ===
The newspaper was launched in 1903 as a monthly newspaper that acted as the official mouthpiece of the Chief Khalsa Diwan.<ref name=":0" /> It was founded by a group of Sikhs led by [[Jodh Singh]].<ref name=":2" /> Its purpose was to provide a medium of expression for Sikh feelings and aspirations.<ref name=":0" /> It led the deliberations on Sikh issues of the time.<ref name=":2" /> It was published out of Amritsar.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=The Khalsa Advocate (July 27, 1923) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/saoa.crl.35195200 |access-date=14 June 2024 |website=JSTOR}}</ref> The newspaper was the foremost of the Sikh newspapers published in English of the era and had a circulation of around 1,000.<ref name=":2" />

The newspaper supported the [[Akali movement|Gurdwara Reform movement]].<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Grewal |first=J. S. |title=Master Tara Singh in Indian History: Colonialism, Nationalism, and the Politics of Sikh Identity |date=March 2018 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780199089840 |edition=Online |pages= |chapter=}}</ref> In the summertime of 1906, the newspaper advocated that it was a necessity that the administration of the Golden Temple and other gurdwaras be changed so social evils could be extinguished from their premises.<ref name=":02" /> It supported an idea of the appointment of a manager (''sarbrah'') of the Golden Temple that was elected by the wider Sikh community (''[[panth]]''), not personally appointed by the government.<ref name=":02" /> In the 9 June 1917 issue of the newspaper, it complained about the corruption and mismanagement widespread in the Golden Temple.<ref name=":02" />

The newspaper was a supporter of Punjabi being used as the language of instruction and that the decision over the script used should be left for the parents to decide.<ref name=":02" />

The newspaper was a supporter of the [[Women's empowerment|empowerment]] of [[Women in Sikhism|women]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Kaur |first=Ramandeep |date=May 2019 |title=Position of women in Punjab as Reflected in Khalsa Advocate Newspaper (1903-1947) |url=http://www.socialresearchfoundation.com/upoadreserchpapers/5/290/2002190716011st%20ramandeep%20kaur.pdf |journal=Remarking An Analisation |volume=4 |issue=2 (Part 1) |pages=326–29 |eissn=2455-0817}}</ref><ref>Singh, Joginder. “Women's Education and Sikh Reformers: A Study of Sikh Newspapers and Periodicals in the Early 20th Century.” ''Proceedings of the Indian History Congress'', vol. 61, 2000, pp. 939–44. ''JSTOR'', <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/44148169</nowiki>. Accessed 18 June 2024.</ref> It spoke out against the practice of [[Dowry system in India|dowry]], child marriage, domestic violence, polygamy, marriage mismatch, lavish weddings, and observing ''[[purdah]]''.<ref name=":4" /> It promoted the acceptance of widow remarriage.<ref name=":4" /> The periodical stigmatized prostitution.<ref name=":4" />

After 1923, the newspaper was continued in Punjabi rather than English under the title ''The Khalsa Te Khalsa Advocate''.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" />

The newspaper often published writings by Vir Singh and also covers the activities of all the institutions, schools, and colleges run by the Chief Khalsa Diwan.'''<ref name=":0" />'''

==== Taglines ====
The newspaper used multiple [[tagline]]s throughout its existence, they are as follows:<ref name=":1" />

* "The Monthly English Organ of the Sikhs."<ref name=":1" />
* "The Only English Weekly of the Sikhs."<ref name=":1" />
* "An English Weekly of the Sikhs"<ref name=":1" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://www.jstor.org/site/south-asia-open-archives/saoa/thekhalsaadvocate-35202683/ Issues preserved and available for online viewing by SAOA (South Asia Open Archives)]
* [http://ddsnext.crl.edu/titles/34387 Issues preserved and available for online viewing by the South Asia Materials Project (SAMP)]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khalsa Advocate, The}}
[[Category:Newspapers established in 1903]]
[[Category:1903 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Defunct English-language newspapers published in India]]

The Khalsa Advocate - Revision history

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