Continuing my romance with Tinkle

I thought I should mark March 16, 2006 as an important date in my diary. It was the day I introduced my daughter to Tinkle. Yes, our old lovable Tinkle comic with whom I must say I had my first romance.

Buying my daughter her first copy made me take a walk down the memory lane. I can still remember vividly the days spent with Tinkle. It must have been the early eighties when my father introduced me to the magical world of Tinkle. We then lived in the Northeast –  Kohima, a small town that had only two bookstores selling the comic – one close to my school. The supply was never regular and it came as no surprise if we were reading the April issue in August.

The wait for new issue always generated excitement, wherein every morning, a  thought would knock and say – today the issue is bound to be there, it cannot get later than this.

I still remember clearly the bookstore. It used to have a huge window through which I regularly scanned the collection of books and comics. I used to visit the shop everyday to ask if any new issue had arrived. It had become such  a habit that as soon as they saw my approaching silhouette, they would either wave a bye conveying – No issue – or wave excitedly – Come over, it is here.

After taking a peek at the new issue, I would rush home to get the money. Then it used to cost Re 3. The rush up and down used to be a marathon. Kohima, being a a hilly region, had many slopes and winding roads….  I had to climb up and down a flight of 200 steps as well as walk through narrow tarred roads, which looked like lines drawn amid trees and bushes. But I used to scale all these in no time.

Once the copy was in my hand, all the effort seemed worth it. I used to start reading it immediately and my way back used to be a very slow one.  The cover story was always the first to catch my attention. After  I had taken in every  word and lived their adventure, I would move to other stories. RajaHooja and Tantri – the Mantri used to be an all time favorite, followed by Supandi, whose stupidity always evoked laughter. Then came Nasseruddin, Raghu, Anwar, etc. I always saved Kalia or Shikari Shambu for the last. All these characters used to instantly come to life and I would be in their world as I walked home. Once I reached home, I would always find my father waiting eagerly waiting for the issue.  After he read it, I would go and read it over and over again. I never got tired of it. It was indeed magical.

So, the other day when I bought Tinkle after about two decades, I was envisaging a similar experience and I must tell you I was not disappointed. Though the price had risen to Rs 20 and Raja Hooja and Tantri had given way to their children – Junior Hooja and Junior Tantri, the essence was still there. I have to admit Uncle Pai is still at his best.

Now, when I see my daughter sit with the comic trying to take in every picture (as words are still a mumble-jumble for her), I proudly feel I have introduced her to a world where she can sneak in whenever she wants to and have her own adventures. I bet my father must have felt the same, though I always feel he introduced me to Tinkle to continue his illegal flirtation with the comic. But today, I don’t blame him as I intend to do the same – continue my romance with Tinkle.