Baalarama
 |
|
| Editor-in-Chief | AV Harisanker |
|---|---|
| Former editors | NM Mohan |
| Categories | Comic magazine |
| Frequency | Weekly |
| Circulation |
25,02,000 (National Readership Survey) |
| Publisher | V Sajeev George |
| Year founded | 1972 |
| Company | Malayala Manorama Publications Limited |
| Country | India |
| Based in | Kottayam, Kerala |
| Language | Malayalam |
| Website | Official website |
| ISSN | 0975-0339 |
25,02,000 (National Readership Survey)
Balarama (literally "Joy of Kids") is an Indian comic magazine published by MM Publications Ltd., of Malayala Manorama group from Kottayam, Kerala in Malayalam-language. It is one of the most largely read comic magazines in India. Starting as a monthly in 1972, it became a fortnightly periodical in November 1984, before finally settling as a weekly in 1999.
Balarama played a major role in the development of children's literature in Malayalam. The magazine also helped to promote reading habit among the Malayalee children. Along with the comics (original or syndicated), the content includes fables, rhymes, literally classics and various puzzles. Much like Disney, most of the artists in Balarama usually work under the restrictions of anonymity. Other members of the balarama family includes the Balarama Digest,a weekly that covers a different general topic in each issue this publication has won critical and public appreciation owing to its rich content and accuracy.
The American comics syndicated by the magazine include Disney comics, Henry, Dennis The Menace and also Batman, The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician, presently discontinued. The popular Children's series Dora the Explorer and Chhota Bheem have been recently included.
Balarama was started in 1972 by the house of Malayala Manorama, one of the most widely read dailies in Kerala. From the beginning, the monthly magazine was noted for its high standard of content. The publishers were mainly focusing on more grown kids, rather than young in this early period. Over the years, it became a comic magazine, with more comic strips and less children's stories, fables and rhymes.
Some earlier attempts to publish children's periodicals in Malayalam were proved failures. Among them, a magazine known as Ambili Ammavan (the Malayalam version of Chandamama) survived for a long period. However, it was Pai and Pai Company's comic magazine Poompatta that established among the readers for the first time. NM Mohan, the editor of Poomatta of the time, is considered as the architect and designer of all typical children's magazines in Kerala.
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