For The Love of Amar Chitra Katha And Tinkle Tales

Popular American animated sitcom The Simpsons crossing the 800th episode this week triggered a volley of thoughts in this columnist. Although she does not consider herself a fan of such series, she has loved reading comic books since childhood. One such iconic comic book was Amar Chitra Katha followed closely in popularity by its beloved companion magazine Tinkle.

Founded in 1967 by Anant Pai, popularly known as Uncle Pai, Amar Chitra Katha became a cornerstone of children's literature in our country, designed to connect kids with Indian heritage through comic books. Part of India Book House during its launch, Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) was very popular with school children decades ago.

It became a household name telling tales from mythology, history, folklore to even biographies. Interestingly, ACK focused on fostering character, confidence and courage in the younger generation. For several decades, it remained part and parcel of several households, adapting its narratives for changing generations.

Soon, Tinkle a popular monthly children's magazine was launched in 1980. Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle are intrinsically connected through their creator Anant Pai who also launched Tinkle, a children's anthology magazine featuring humour and adventure. While Amar Chitra Katha continues focusing on cultural, historical and mythological tales, Tinkle has humour and moral lessons through its well-known characters like Suppandi, Shikari Shambu and Tantri the Mantri. Together, both have been shaping generations of young readers by not only introducing them to cultural heritage but also by nurturing their imagination, wit and curiosity,

This columnist fondly remembers reading Amar Chitra Katha in her school library and asking her father to buy her Amar Chitra Katha from a stall next to the erstwhile Hotel Dasaprakash in Egmore. These books played a vital role in cultivating her love for reading, Simple language and engaging visuals made even complex stories easy to understand. Years later, she was fortunate enough to own several Tinkle digests and a few Amar Chitra Katha collections which she still treasures in her home library to this day.

This columnist is excited that her favourite Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle continue to attract young readers now by expanding into digital apps, e-books and animation while maintaining its iconic print legacy.