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Articles: Literature | Amar Chitra Katha
- Mr. Ratnakar Sadasyula
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Amar Chitra Katha- A Mirror to India
The Year,1967 - A man was watching a quiz program on TV. He saw that kids from English medium schools were able to answer questions on Greek Gods and Tarzan, but they could not name the mother of Lord Ram. It was then that he hit upon the idea of using comics to bring alive the wonderful culture and heritage of India to it’s readers.
The Man - Anant Pai
The Comic Series - Amar Chitra Katha
It started off with a story on Lord Krishna and soon started to publish stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata, two of India’s most loved epics. And it spread to great people of India, folk tales as well as stories based on Sanskrit classics. Initially printed in English & Hindi, they were translated into all major Indian languages. As well as foreign languages like French, German, Spanish and even Swahili. As a kid, most of my reading used to be pretty western based, Tintin, Asterix and the like. Even books were also mostly by western authors. But if there is one thing that prevented me from totally forgetting my Indian roots and made me aware of the rich heritage of India, it was my Amar Chitra Katha comics. The way kids wait today for Harry Potter, we used to hang out for the latest edition of Amar Chitra Katha. Anant Pai, I owe my gratitude to you, a million times over for not letting me forget my Indian roots, and becoming a rootless person, like our youngsters today.
Why did ACK, become so popular? Well because it spoke to it’s viewers in a simple language, which they could understand. And more importantly it did not dumb down to reach the masses. The stories and histories were not changed to cater to lowest common denominator. ACK provides ample proof that if you can educate a reader without sounding too preachy. ACK not only showcased India’s history, mythology and literature. It also bought to light an often neglected aspect of Indian culture, the folk tale. India has a rich tradition of folk tales passed down orally, and Amar Chitra Katha bought out these fascinating stories. From Orissa to Gujarat, from Kerala to Kanyakumari, from Assam to Maharashtra, ACK enthralled us with these wonderful tales. For me ACK, provided me more valuable knowledge on India, than those hazaar documentaries on Door darshan did. So here are the various ways in which ACK bought out to me the wonderful diversity of India.
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