ABSTRACT
The concern of the present essay will be to show how the 1857 uprising was reflected in the Bulgarian journal Bǔlgarska Dnevnitsa (The Bulgarian Diary), edited by the Bulgarian national leader, Georgi Sto턱kov Rakovski. He wrote profusely on the uprising and tried to draw the attention of his fellowmen towards this event. Unlike the European Renaissance, the Bulgarian Renaissance was not preoccupied with the renewal of classical culture; instead it combined its Enlightenment with European Romanticism and directed its energy towards modernisation of Bulgarian culture and economy and restoration of Bulgarian independence. The birth of the national states of Serbia, Greece and Italy infused the desire for political independence in the hearts of the Bulgarian thinkers and leaders. This national spirit and secular outlook is reflected in the literature and journalism of this period. Georgi Sto턱kov Rakovski was a Bulgarian revolutionary, an important figure of the Bulgarian National Revival and a crusader against Ottoman rule. He was also a well-known writer. The credit of establishing some sort of organ-isation in the chaotic movement for national independence goes to him. He inspired the Bulgarian emigrants to organise themselves and fight for national liberation. He laid the foundation of Bulgarian revolutionary journalism and wrote on political and public affairs. He believed in liberty, equality and justice for all and expressed his views in a very lucid, convincing and argumentative style. The subjects he touched on were problems affecting not only his country but also international problems. Especially those problems which were concerned with freedom struggles were closest to his heart. Rakovski believed that besides armed struggle the media could also play a vital role in awakening the people and building public opinion. During 1857, his revolutionary activities compelled him to cross over to Romanian territory. He first went to Bucharest and then to Novi Sad. Novi Sad had developed during those days into a centre of cultural and democratic ideas. Here Rakovski found a sincere friend in Danilo Medkovich, a distinguished Serbian journalist, who succeeded in procuring permission for Rakovski to edit the Bulgarian version of the Serbian journal Srubski Dnevnik (Serbian Diary). This new responsibility was welcomed by Rakovski because it provided him an opportunity of fulfilling his long-desired dream to voice the miseries and grievances of the Bulgarian people. The temperament of Rakovski was not prepared to accept the limitations imposed by the Srubski Dnevnik though he was given the freedom to choose the content from the Serbian journal and present it with his own interpretation. He wanted more space for the Bulgarian problems and events which reflected the struggle of the common people. During this time the only well-circulated newspaper in Bulgarian was Tsarigradski Vestnik (Constantinople Newspaper), which had a monotonous style of presenting facts and was a pro-Ottoman empire and bourgeois paper. In contrast to this, Bǔlgarska Dnevnitsa addressed issues relating to the exploitation of Bulgarian people and championed the cause of nations fighting for their liberation and rights. The news about the Indian mutiny was of special interest to Rakovski because he identified the struggle with his own national liberation struggle. He edited the journal from July 17, 1857 to October 16, 1857. However, when its 19th issue was under print it was confiscated before it could be circulated. The authorities dreaded the journal because of its wide popularity and the threat it signified to the Ottoman authorities. Our present concern will be to analyse reports about the Indian mutiny that appeared in these issues edited by Georgi Sto턱ov Rakovski.
