| ID | 168777 |
| Title Proper | Saritā and the 1950s Hindi Middlebrow Reader |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | AAKRITI MANDHWANI ; Mandhwani, Aakriti |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | The article discusses Saritā, one of the best-selling Hindi magazines of the 1950s, and the part it played in the establishment of the Hindi ‘middlebrow’ reader. While a rich and vibrant journal culture in Hindi had existed since the nineteenth century, what distinguishes the post-1947 Hindi popular magazine is the emergence of the middle class as a burgeoning consumer. Saritā defied prescriptions of Nehruvian state building, as well as the right-wing discourses of nationalism and national language prevalent in the post-Independence space. In addition, it reconfigured biases towards gendered reading and consumption processes, as well as encouraging increased reader participation. This article argues for Saritā’s role in the creation of a middlebrow reading space in the period immediately following Independence, since it not only packaged what was deemed wholesome and educational for the family as a unit, but also, most significantly, promoted readership in segments, with a focus on each individual's reading desires.
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| `In' analytical Note | Modern Asian Studies Vol. 53, No.6; Nov 2019: p.1797-1815 |
| Journal Source | Modern Asian Studies 2019-12 53, 6 |
| Key Words | Saritā ; 1950s Hindi Middlebrow Reader |