Random Ramblings
K and I work at the same office. While many people think of it as a curse I really enjoy it. Part of it might have to do with the fact that our professional lives hardly intersect. The morning rides are filled with warm and funny conversations like today. Not sure how we ended up discussing children’s books in India circa 1980’s but our thoughts meandered through Suppandi stories, Amar Chitra Kathas and Chandamama.
K was recounting how watching Suppandi devour milk white idlis against the backdrop of green green banana leaves made him like idlis or how the story of Buddha teaching a lady about death impacted him. These seemingly simple tales have had a great impact on how we perceive things.
I remember growing up on these stories filled with dense forests, demon slaying devas and fierce asuras. Vikram and Betaal stories haunted me for many many years. The trademark beginning of Chandamama stories that started “Long time ago in the kingdom of…” bring back fond memories of rich kingdoms and wealthy and wise kings that ruled over them. Names like Vijayapuri and Anandnagar in my mind are synonymous with Chandamama.
By the time we reached work, I was ready to call in sick and revisit my stock of books at home 
Only that I did not do that and instead decided to blog it.
PS: For those interested the Buddha tale, it goes something like this. A lady came to Buddha with her dead son and wept. She asked him to bring her son back to life. Buddha smiled and said, I will definitely bring your son back to life but under one condition. You will have to bring me a cup of water from a house that has not experienced death. The lady went and it was a long time before she returned. She came back tired but wise to the fact that death is a great leveler. There is no escaping it.
I remember the Buddha story but not Suppandi eating idlis though! I love those books and wish I had my collection around. Well, they had been borrowed and never returned!
Amma used to get me one of each book and a ladybird book each month…wow! those times…wish they were back! *sigh!*
@Apar: I used to borrow them from friends and from the local library. Those really were the days!
Do you recall a magazine called Gokulam from Kalki publishers? I was hooked to it..and vaguely remember sending them a story - which never got published..! Suppandi - was not in my world somehow..but AmbuliMama was.
I was reminded of Gokulam when I read the post and saw anamika’s comments. I remember that we subscribed that magazine for almost 10 years or so - remember taking part in various competitions held by the magazine. AmbuliMama and Tinkle (did I get the name right? ) are a few more that I remember. There was also this Russian Children’s magazine (started with an “M” - Mia or some such name) that I remember reading at my aunt’s place…
Laks/A-kay,
All this talk about books has made me so nostalgic. The Russian book is Misha and it is wonderful collection of stories. This it was a monthly magazine. Appa used to regularly get Misha/RD/Gokulam and Chandamama which was looked forward to and fought for at home. Sigh! Wish I could get some of those books here and read them for old times sake
Lakshmi
Hi Lakshmi
We used to get the Amar Chitra Katha comics in Singapore too - and to be honest, that’s how my brother and I learnt about so many of the “Hindu God” stories. Our childhood copies are with my brother and I know that he is not parting with them
I’d love to have them again for my daughter to grow up with - just don’t know where to get them.
Another one in this series used to be “Wisdom”
Those days were fun - when there was a “plot” among the neighbourhood friends to get one magazine each (ACK,Tinkle,Wisdom,Gokulam) and share 
We mastered the art - what gr8 mgmt skills!!
I also remember my mom painfully “binding” the ACK for “preservation”!!
We really used to boast abt the collection till one day when i went back from hostel they had been gladly “donated” to a younger cousin
Can you also believe that ACK is Rs.150 today???? I just got a few for V.
I got reminded of Gokulam on reading your post
Haven’t read mush of Amar Chitra Katha and Chandamama though I have read many Suppandi stories
@Bavani: I remember seeing ads for the entire ACK collection on The Hindu Shopping page. Check it out when you have a chance.
@Maggie: Totally remember Wisdom too though it was not as popular. We never got any “English” magazine at home so I would borrow them from friends or from the library.
@Aparna: Ahh! Gokulam. That used to be another favorite too but I wonder if it was local to TN?
@Anamika/Akay/Laks: Yes Gokulam was a favorite too. I remember Champak but it never captured me like the others did. Ambulimama was the tamil version of Chandamama I think. Anyways! has been fun remembering and reliving those days.
@all - great to hear there were so many of us reading Gokulam..i thought i wont be able to share that with anyone..i am wrong..
Hi,
I know i am late in replying, Just wanted to let you know we used to subscribe for tinkle,champak,chandamama and gokulam. I loved chandamama the best for all the stories based on olden days.When the number of issues for each magazine grew,my mother gives it for binding with all the issues in order.
Is there any similar children’s magazine in US.I want to subcribe for it.
My another favourite magazine is RD.i have been subscribing for it for 2 1/2 years.
@Anila - I just discovered couple of months back a children’s magazine called Highlights. We subscribed immediately. Check http://www.highlights.com. I think this is the first one of this kind I have seen in US!
Another one I would recommend Anila is the Dr Seuss series (http://www.seussville.com/), Meera loves it. And you can also check out this blog by a fellow blogger of mine -
http://allkidswrite.blogspot.com/
If you scroll to the bottom of the page and look toward the right, on the side bar you can see some really good links for children’s reading, learning and other activities-
It’s a one stop place for all kids/parents alike. Esp. take a look at starfall.com mentioned there….it’s a site that promotes reading…
And I loved the Readers Digest too, and some mallu books like balarama and poompattha - seems like the Seuss link doesnt work, so here it is again -
http://www.seussville.com/
Laksh - hope you are ok, havent seen your daily post yet?
@UL/Anamika: Thanks for the links. Will check them out to pander to the child in me.
@Anila: Just curious, does your mom have the bound books still? If so, could you bring them back when you go next time?
I grew up reading Amarchitra katha and Misha. Then there were Balarama, Boban and Molly also kuttikalude deepika (Children’s Deepika). However, if I could, I like to get all the text books from my school days from grade 1 to 10 and go over them again.anyone knows resource for buying old school text books??
shy
Shy, I think I had quite a lot of those old text books stored at my grandma’s …but the last I heard it might’ve been given away as it was gathering dust not used by anyone….:(
Hello,
Anamika/UL: thanks for the links.i will check it out.
Lakshmi Akka:I guess all the copies are still there.Next time when i go home i will root it out and bring it with me.