Anandamela (আনন্দমেলা) Magazine is a highly popular and historic children’s Bengali periodical published by Ananda Publishers in Kolkata, India.
Established in 1957, Ananda Publishers is widely recognized as the largest and most prominent Bengali-language book publishing house in the world. Based in the historic literary hub of College Street in Kolkata, India, the firm was founded to provide a premium platform for Bengali literature. Over the decades, it has built a formidable reputation not only for the caliber of its literary catalog but also for its high technical standards in book production, pioneer typography, and exceptional cover art illustrations.
The publisher operates as a vital arm of the ABP Group (Ananda Bazar Patrika), one of India’s oldest and most powerful media conglomerates, which dates back to 1922. Through this powerful media network, Ananda Publishers has maintained an iron grip on both intellectual adult literature and children’s pop culture. It is the definitive home for legendary Bengali authors and creators, famously publishing the works of icons like Satyajit Ray (including the Feluda and Professor Shonku series), Sunil Gangopadhyay (Kakababu), and Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay.
Beyond native literature, the publisher has been a crucial cultural bridge for introducing international comic strip icons to the Indian subcontinent. Ananda Publishers holds a legendary status among comic book collectors for translating and distributing highly successful Bengali editions of classic global properties, most notably Hergé’s The Adventures of Tintin and Lee Falk’s The Phantom. By housing these international legends alongside domestic pulp heroes within periodical flagships like Anandamela magazine, the publisher shaped the imaginative landscape of multiple generations of readers.
Anandamela has a rich history of publishing the Phantom under the localized Bengali name “Aranyadev” (অরণ্যদেব), primarily serializing King Features Syndicate’s Sunday strips. The Phantom made his initial regular debut in the magazine on the 3rd of March 1993, kicking off with the classic storyline “The Fourth Son“, and this first consecutive serialization run lasted until 2003, concluding with arcs like “The Wharf Rats” and “The Shipwreckers“.
After a five-year hiatus, the publication officially revived Phantom comic strip adventures from May 2008 until 2015, translating modern tales such as “Plutonium Pirates“, “The Jungle Lesson“, and “The Shadows of Rune Noble“. Beyond these regular fortnightly issues, the magazine expanded its Phantom portfolio through highly sought-after annuals like the Pujabarshiki bumper editions (which printed Sunday stories in a distinct black-and-white landscape format) as well as the short-lived Jamjamat Aranyadev Comics series in 2003 and 2004.
The Phantom has also featured on the front covers of serval editions of Anandamela, usually as part of a montage of various other comic strip characters published in the magazine series. Two examples can be seen below.
A special edition commemorating the 50th anniversary of Anandamela magazine was released in May 2026, featuring the Phantom prominently on the front cover. This specific edition of Anandamela, dated 20 May 2026, is a momentous release marking the Subarna Jayanti (Golden Jubilee) of the legendary Bengali children’s and teenager’s magazine.
Edited by Sijar Bagchi and published by Ananda Publishers, this 170 page, full color special edition serves as a collector’s item to properly honor the magazine’s half-century legacy. The Phantom is found on the front cover and also published in an editorial of comic strips which were historically published in Anandamela publications. Both the front cover and the internal page featuring the Phantom can be seen below.
Inside the pages, the edition shifts from a typical fortnightly routine into a grand retrospective and celebration of Bengali juvenile fiction. It features exclusive Golden Jubilee content, including a curated treasury of classic short stories and retrospective essays honoring the master wordsmiths, such as Sunil Gangopadhyay and Satyajit Ray, who built the magazine’s identity. This special blend of nostalgic comic reprints, thrilling mystery novellas, and informative features perfectly captures the distinct intellect, curiosity, and imagination that Anandamela has nurtured for fifty years.
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