I was a voracious reader as a child. Our library at home was stocked with old, dog-eared copies of classics and the more recent Readers Digests. 

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My exposure to Tinkle comics happened once I joined church Catechism classes. Our (then) parish priest had a glass cupboard, one shelf of which was dedicated to the latest issues of Tinkle and Champak. Every Sunday evening, after classes were done, while the rest of the children went out to play football or carom, I would sneak back to that cupboard. I would pick up the latest copy, settle myself on a chair in the balcony and proceed to finish off the entire comic before it became dark. I was the only one who read Tinkle faithfully and they kept coming every month. 

When we moved house I found another glass cupboard stocking my favourite digests, at a nearby library. My mother had an account there and I was a regular visitor. 

Today, the one thing I regret is that I don’t have a collection of Tinkles because I always read them at a library or someone’s home. I’ve stopped reading the comic digests because I prefer the older versions. The new editions have become up to date, have new characters and some wonderful illustrations by artists like the very talented Alicia Souza and Abhijeet Kini. My allegiance however is with the well-thumbed older copies telling me the stories of Suppandi, the failed attempts of Tantri the Mantri, the intelligence of Kalia the crow and fun experiments from Uncle Anu’s club. 

This November, Tinkle celebrated its 34th anniversary and to celebrate they have released a special 100-page issue, Wish Upon a Tinkle Star (Rs. 75). The Collector’s Edition had an All-Star toon mash-up story and a Tinkle and I Selfie Contest. The contest invites readers to click a selfie (single or group) with a Tinkle element present - a toon costume, a cut-out, a magazine and upload it to tinkleonline.com. 

I asked a few readers to give us their memories of the comic, summed up in a line. 

Here’s what they had to say. 

@arpithadesai  Arpitha DesaiTrain journeys were incomplete without Tinkle. Since I had a subscription, mom bound the entire years issues into one fat bundle.@diptakirti DiptaKirti Chaudhuri Shikari Shambhu's antics and the names in Kaalia the Crow (Chamataka, Doob Doob, Kichu Michu etc)@TheHumerus  Sukanto MukherjeeSaving up enough from my pocket money every month to buy a new Tinkle issue.@foodchants  Shirin MehrotraSupandi, Raja Hoja and sceamy Mantri Santri. I had a drawing teacher in my animation class who worked on Suppandi’s character, also looked a bit like Suppandi himself@saileenasarkar  Saileena Sarkar

Entertainment was ltd, no tv in hostel but had lot of tinkles. Evenings in sick dorm meant putting up 'plays' and evry1 wanted 2b suppandi. My memory of rly stn was stocking up on tinkle 4 train journey back to school. Those comics kept my spirits high when vacations ended. 

Also Read: Despite its newness Tinkle is still the same old friend, says editor Rajani Thindiath