Covers of Chandamama Magazine. Pic 1: 1957, Pic 2: 1979, Pic 3: 1987 (Hindi), Pic 4: 1968 (Telugu), Pic 3: 1979 (Bengali), Pic 4: 1980 (Bengali),

Some of the covers really require a Women in Art History deconstruction (though no one can do it better than Mallory). The Urvashi of pic 5 is Nope, not taking you with me, Pic 6looks mighty pleased at her order delivery and Pic 5 is nope that long sheathed sword is that overcompensation. Even the Savitri of Pic 1 is like OK…. what fresh hell is this.

As someone on tumblr pointed out the illustrations are a little more lurid and voluptuous than those on Amar Chitra Katha.

Interestingly in the 1970s there are a number of covers that portray foreign stories. Though Chandamama (Uncle Moon) always carried a tales from afar kind of section it is rare to see a cover dedicated to the story but this seems to have been the norm in the 1970s before changing in the 1980s.

Anyone who has read Chandamama will also remember the serialised Vikram and Vetal  stories (vetala is commonly translated as vampire).  They are present in the 1950s Chandamamas (Plate 1) but the beginning sentence of Dark was the night etc. is seen from the late 70s editions onwards (Plate 2). The illustration is pretty consistent over the decades.

I do not think a Gupta emperor would have worn this Rajput ensemble but we will let that pass:)

Vintage Chandamama is available online here.