Dharmyug

Dharmyug was a Hindi-language pictorial weekly published by the Times of India Group in India. It began in Bombay in 1949, shortly after Indian independence, and incorporated the legacy of Nav Yug, an earlier pictorial magazine founded in 1932. Although the magazine originated under a Dalmia press, it remained associated with Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. after the Dalmia group's divestment of its interest in the company in 1948. The publication combined popular magazine appeal with substantial literary and cultural ambitions. Its coverage extended across literature, fiction, poetry, visual art, fashion, culture, science, current interests and comics. It serialized the work of prominent Hindi authors and playwrights and offered an important route into print for emerging writers, poets and artists. Among the notable literary landmarks associated with the magazine was its serialization of Mohan Rakesh's play Aadhe Adhure. The magazine also published stories by Shivani and helped introduce or promote writers including Mrinal Pande and Rajesh Joshi. In visual culture, it provided an early platform for painters such as J. P. Singhal. Dharmyug's reputation was shaped especially by its long-serving chief editor, the writer and playwright Dharmveer Bharti. Bharti, whose earlier work included the play Andha Yug, became chief editor in 1960 and held the position until 1987. Under his editorship, the magazine became widely read and was regarded as one of the most respected Hindi publications of its period. His editorial approach was admired for its seriousness and cultural range, though some fellow journalists viewed him as authoritative. Pandit Satyakam Vidyalankar was another important editor associated with the magazine. The magazine also maintained a strong popular-entertainment dimension. Abid Surti's cartoon character Dhabbuji appeared regularly, while the work of cartoonist Kaak was also featured. This combination of serious literature, art, popular fiction and humor enabled Dharmyug to reach a broad readership rather than functioning solely as a specialist literary journal. At its height, it reportedly sold more than 400,000 copies per week, demonstrating the scale of its influence in the Hindi periodical market. After Bharti's retirement, Ganesh Mantri became editor, followed by Vishwanath Sachdev. The Times of India Group later decided to close the publication. Reference material gives conflicting end dates: the article's introductory description places its publication period at 1949–1993, while the historical account says the group decided to close it in 1997. Dharmyug is therefore treated here as a defunct magazine whose final publication date requires further verification. Its legacy rests on the role it played in Hindi literary culture, its support for new creative voices and its ability to bring high-cultural material to a mass weekly readership.

Dharmyug emerged in Bombay in 1949, in the early period after India's independence. It was published by a Dalmia press but incorporated the legacy of Nav Yug, a pictorial magazine that had begun in 1932. The corporate setting changed around the same period: after the Dalmia group divested its interest in Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. in 1948, Dharmyug remained with the Times of India Group. This connection placed the magazine within one of India's major publishing houses and gave it access to a broad national distribution network. From the beginning, Dharmyug operated as more than a narrowly literary publication. Its pictorial weekly format allowed it to combine essays, fiction, poetry, art, fashion, science, cultural reporting and comics. The magazine's editorial model brought literary and artistic material to a general Hindi-speaking readership, helping bridge the divide between elite cultural journals and popular weeklies. Its regular use of serial fiction and illustrated features encouraged repeat readership and made the magazine a significant part of Hindi print culture. Pandit Satyakam Vidyalankar was among the publication's chief editors. The decisive phase in Dharmyug's development began in 1960, when Dharmveer Bharti was appointed chief editor. Bharti was already known as a Hindi writer and playwright, including for Andha Yug, and he remained in the role until 1987. His tenure is widely associated with the magazine's rise in prestige and circulation. Dharmyug became known for publishing respected writers while retaining the accessible format and broad subject range expected of a weekly pictorial magazine. Bharti was admired as a committed and influential editor, although accounts also describe him as demanding or authoritative in dealings with some journalists. The magazine served as a platform for both established and emerging creative figures. It serialized Mohan Rakesh's Aadhe Adhure, an important work in modern Hindi and Indian theatre, and was among the early outlets for stories by Shivani. Writers and poets such as Mrinal Pande and Rajesh Joshi received an important platform through its pages. The magazine also supported visual artists: J. P. Singhal published his first painting in Dharmyug in 1954. Its popular side included Abid Surti's Dhabbuji cartoon character and recurring contributions by cartoonist Kaak, demonstrating that the publication's cultural authority did not exclude humor or mass entertainment. At its peak, Dharmyug reportedly sold more than 400,000 copies per week. That scale made it one of the most influential Hindi magazines of its era and allowed it to shape public exposure to literature, theater, art and popular culture. Its influence came not only from circulation but also from the editorial legitimacy it conferred on contributors: appearing in Dharmyug could provide a significant introduction to a large Hindi readership. Following Bharti's retirement in 1987, Ganesh Mantri became editor, and Vishwanath Sachdev later succeeded him. The publication eventually faced closure by decision of the Times of India Group. The supplied reference material is internally inconsistent about the precise endpoint: its opening description states that Dharmyug was published from 1949 to 1993, whereas the historical section says the group decided to close it in 1997. The magazine is consequently recorded as defunct, with 1997 retained as the reported closure-decision year and the exact final issue left for verification.

• 1997

  Closure decision

  [1]Dharmyugen.wikipedia.org

  The Times of India Group decided to close Dharmyug. The exact final publication date is uncertain because the reference account also cites 1993.

• 1987

  Bharti retires as chief editor

  [1]Dharmyugen.wikipedia.org

  Dharmveer Bharti left the chief editor role after serving from 1960 to 1987.

• 1960

  Dharmveer Bharti becomes chief editor

  [1]Dharmyugen.wikipedia.org

  The noted Hindi writer and playwright began the editorial tenure most closely associated with Dharmyug's cultural prominence.

• 1954

  J. P. Singhal publishes an early painting

  [1]Dharmyugen.wikipedia.org

  Painter J. P. Singhal published his first painting in Dharmyug, illustrating the magazine's role in supporting visual artists.

• 1949

  Dharmyug launches in Bombay

  [1]Dharmyugen.wikipedia.org

  The Hindi pictorial weekly began publication in Bombay in the period immediately following Indian independence.

• 1948

  Dharmyug remains with the Times of India Group

  [1]Dharmyugen.wikipedia.org

  Following the Dalmia group's divestment of its interest in Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., Dharmyug remained associated with the Times of India Group.

• 1932

  Nav Yug begins publication

  [1]Dharmyugen.wikipedia.org

  The earlier pictorial magazine Nav Yug began publication and was later incorporated into Dharmyug's publishing heritage.

A mass-market Hindi pictorial weekly positioned at the intersection of literature, culture, visual arts and popular entertainment. Dharmyug combined accessible magazine formats with respected literary content and was known for giving established and emerging Hindi writers, poets, playwrights and artists a prominent national platform.

• Hindi pictorial weekly · 1949

  Dharmyug weekly magazine

  The core product was a Hindi-language weekly magazine combining illustrated general-interest journalism with literature, fiction, poetry, art, fashion, cultural coverage, science and comics. Its broad editorial mix made it accessible to mass readers while retaining a reputation for serious literary and artistic content.

• Literary publishing

  Serialized literature

  Dharmyug regularly serialized fiction, poetry and dramatic works by Hindi authors. Its publication of Mohan Rakesh's Aadhe Adhure and stories by writers such as Shivani helped establish the magazine as an important channel for modern Hindi literature.

• Popular entertainment

  Cartoon and comics features

  The magazine balanced its literary identity with recurring humor and cartoon content. Abid Surti's Dhabbuji was a regular feature, and the work of cartoonist Kaak also appeared in its pages.

• 1997

  The publisher decides to close DharmyugOther

  Background

  After decades as a major Hindi weekly, Dharmyug was scheduled for closure by the Times of India Group. The supplied reference material conflicts on whether publication ended in 1993 or 1997.

  Action taken

  The Times of India Group decided to discontinue the magazine.

  Aftermath

  Dharmyug became defunct, ending a publication associated with Hindi literary, artistic and popular culture. The precise date of its final issue requires verification.

  Source

1. 1Dharmyugen.wikipedia.org