Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Oct 7: Mangala, the very well-known Kannada weekly magazine drew curtains to its publication with the last edition of this week.
Mangala magazine began after Prajamatha weekly stopped its publication and won the hearts of readers. It started six novels, one different from another and won the minds of readers in a short span of time.
Founder editor Babu Krishnamurthy was responsible for the quick success of the magazine. Novels of popular novelists like Usha Navaratnaram, Sayisute, C N Mukta, B L Venu, Sudarshan Desai and Kaundinya were published in the magazine.
After Babu Krishnamurthy, editors like B M Maniyat, N S Sridharmurthy and Ennebi Mogral also strived for the development of the magazine.
The popularity of the magazine can be gauged by the fact that 10000 copies were being sold on a single footpath at Hampankatta every week. Mangala had the highest readership in Dakshina Kannada. Many writers used to send their first articles to this magazine.
A contributor said, “Twenty-five years ago, when I began writing, though my novels were published in other magazines, Mangala did not publish any of my novels. Mangala was at its peak during that time. Many novels were continuously rejected. A special technique was required for the serial stories published in Mangala. The then editor Babu Krishnamurthy made an attempt to organize a group of novelists of that time through some resource persons. I do not think any other magazine made such an attempt.
“Later, the same magazine published nine of my novels continuously and gave me a permanent place and confidence. Mangala is the magazine that has nurtured many novelists like me. It is really painful that it will be history from this week. Magazines that show light to novelists are required urgently. It is really a pity that such opportunities are depleting.
“Changing lifestyle and tastes of young generation has forced a 40-year-old magazine to stop its publication. This is just an example. The founder and management of Mangala is the Varghese family of Kerala. I wholeheartedly thank the family and all editors, especially Ennebi Mogral Puttur who worked alone to prevent the closure of the magazine. This is the last front page of the magazine. I have many memories with Mangala. They will remain forever,” he said.
Lalitha, an avid Mangala reader said, “I have been reading Mangala for the last 20 years. It has good content with stories, serials and many more. It was a famous among housewives. Earlier, there was no TV or social media and hence, we had an emotional attachment to Mangala.”
Journalist Nikhil Kolpe said, “Mangala’s reader base used to be mainly housewives and literature students. The stories were like TV serials. Readers could understand the simple content which had family dramas, detective stories and popular literature.
“Mangala had competitions for children like essay and story writing, Patra Mitra before email came into existence, Dinga - superhero, desi cartoon strips, recipes and health-related advise,” he said.
“Mangala had good circulation. Covid affected the print and also circulation. We had started on the exact day on the death of Indira Gandhi. In 1993, Mangala circulation picked up as it was alternative to Prajamatha and Vanitha which had closed down. Back then, people were addicted to print media as it was publishing selected novels. Our achievement was gaining number 1 in the year 2000 with a circulation of more than a lac. Credit has to go for readers for our growth. Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Madikeri and Kasargod were the strong belt of Mangala circulation. M C Varghese, the founder was insisted by his friend to start the Kannada version Mangala. Balamangala, Chitrakatha, Gilivindu, Jyothishya Mangala were the magazines which were all closed earlier,” said Sunil state circulation manager.