Chandamama,Baljyothy and Balamitra.

Period:-1978-1989
Location:Andhra Pradesh.

I got a subscription for English Chandamama when I am third class around 1979
,then shifted to telugu version(around 3rd & 4th Classes)as English
become overboard for me, but my interest sustained on
it for only few months, and moved to new entrant at
that time‘Balajyothi’. Though Chandamama has got good
pictures and stories, I liked Balajyothi very much and
had first day rush to read the magazine (like
wathching Chiranjivi cinema firstday).

Chandamama stories follow very classical style and bit
like seeing B&W movies (still it maintains same old
style narration even, when I read it in
2002.).Balajyothi is a mix of classical stories and
modern stories (but a little dose of Mythology) and
‘How it works’ Stuff and we used to barter BJ with
Bommarillu and Balmithra. Afternoons in Summer
Vacations are full of reading times and Friendships
are strongly built around this magazines.

Now and then had a chance to read Twinkle and Amar
Chitra katha Comics.

In between churned out Chitti pustakalu,in each and
every book the story is same and repetitve( Typical
Bairava Dweepam Story).

Balajyothi and Bommarillu is no more now, from above
article I came to know,TTD is going to digitally
archive on complete Chandamama Issues.Which I added
to my future shopping list.

My Final Analysis on the magazines:

Chandamama:Nice pictures and rural set up stories and
Full dose of Mythology,(My favorite is '25 years back
story').

Balajyothy:Historical and Folklore stories.Modern and
rational in its aprroach.

Balamithra:Modern stories and Devotional content like
Tirupati Venkateswara Swami /Gurvayur/Devi Mugabika
Mahtyam Stories.

Hope you all have gone through the same phase.