Publisher’s Note

Summary

The “Publisher’s Note” marks the return of The Jaina Gazette to its original home after an extended period during which it was issued from other centres. The editors explain that various difficulties delayed the publication of the first number from Saharanpur but assure readers that the magazine is again on a regular footing. This inaugural issue from Malhipur‑Saharanpur comprises forty‑four pages, and the publishers promise that the remaining numbers of the year will not fall below forty pages. They observe that over the past fifty years the normal size of an issue has been twenty‑four pages and that the total annual output rarely exceeded three hundred pages. The expanded page count signals an ambition to provide more substantial reading material. At the same time the note candidly acknowledges the precarious financial situation of the Gazette, describing it as “starving and penniless.” Its continued publication depends on the support of readers who can read and understand English. The publishers appeal to every Jain to consider it a religious duty to subscribe and to contribute the small sum of half a pice per day—about eight rupees per year—for the maintenance of the paper. They emphasise that The Jaina Gazette is the only monthly journal in the entire Jain community edited in English and that it enjoys a readership in England, Germany, France, America and Australia. Therefore, supporting it is not only a local obligation but also a contribution to the international dissemination of Jain teachings. The note expresses hope that if subscriptions increase the Gazette will gain strength, expand its reach and perhaps even increase its frequency from monthly to bi‑monthly, weekly or daily. By appealing directly to the conscience of readers and reminding them of the journal’s unique role in promoting unity and spreading the faith, the publishers seek to transform passive readers into active patrons. The note closes by asking subscribers to send their eight‑rupee subscriptions promptly and to persuade friends and relatives to do the same, underscoring the collective responsibility for sustaining this cultural and religious asset.