Chaturang Katha
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| Chaturang Katha | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lakshmi Lal |
| Owner | India Book House |
| Current status/schedule | Ended |
| Launch date | 1976 |
| End date | 1980 |
| Syndicate(s) | Amar Chitra Katha |
| Publisher | H. G. Mirchandani |
| Genre | Mythology |
| Original language | English, Hindi |
Chaturang Katha (subtitled Pictorial Classics for Young and Old) was a line of comic books published in English and Hindi by India Book House between 1976 and 1980. It consisted of 20 issues which dealt with stories from Indian folklore and history.[1]
Chaturang Katha was one of several comic book lines that were established in India in the 1960s and 1970s that dealt with Indian themes, in contrast to older publishers like Indrajal Comics that mainly republished superhero comic strips from western marques.[2] H. G. Mirchandani published the issues in Mumbai for India Book House. Each consisted of 32 pages in full colour, and were initially sold for ₹2 each. While the word Chaturanga refers to an ancient Indian board game that was a precursor to Chess, it is not featured in any of the stories.
Lakshmi Lal edited the issues and wrote the scripts along with other authors. The artwork was similar to the Amar Chitra Katha line of comics (also owned by IBH) because illustrators like Ram Waeerkar, Pratap Mulick, and C. M. Vitankar worked on both. However, Chaturang Katha stories were taken from Indian folklore, history, and literary classics like Vetala Panchavimshati, Kathasaritsagara, and regional works. This differentiated it from ACK, which also focused heavily on mythology, religious works, and political figures. Some stories were later republished by ACK after publication ended.[3]