The Marathi language has a long history of literature and culture.
The first Marathi newspaper, Darpan, was started on 6 January 1832 by Balshastri Jambhekar.
[1][2] Founded in 1881 by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the daily Kesari was a prominent newspaper of the pre-Independence era with a large readership.
It claimed to have circulation of 3500 within two years of establishment and reached up to 22,000 during 1908.
[3] Narayan Meghaji Lokhande's Marathi daily Din Bandhu, which focused on social causes of labour class, was the second largest circulation in Bombay Presidency with 1650 copies a week in 1884.