MALAVIKA

Intrigue and suspense, coincidence and adventure blend happily

together to join a handmaiden and a king in blessed matrimony.
Kalidasa, the greatest of Sanskrit poets, wove a tale that caters to
every reader s taste. Warring cousins, wily courtiers, jealous wives,
disguised princesses, all play their part in his play, which continues
to thrill centuries after it was first written.

OTHER ACK INDIAN CLASSICS:

SHAKUNTALA -
URVASHI RATNAVALI m VASAVADATTA

ALSO LOOK FOR

KRISHNA AND THE PANDIT AND
JARASANDHA ARA DESHBANDHU
THE MILKMAID CHITTARANJAN DAS

EPICS & MYTHOLOGY BRAVEHEARTS FABLES & HUMOUR

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DURING THE SECOND CENTURYB.C.THE TWO COUSINS,YAJNASENA AND MADHAYA-
SENA WERE ENGAGED IN A STRUGGLE FOP THE THRONE OF YIOARBHA. ONE DAY,
AT DUSK, TWO CHARIOTS STOLE AWAY FROM WDARBHA AND TOOK THE ROAD TO
V/DtSHA, A NEIGHBOURING KINGDOM PULED BYAGN/MITRA. ONE OF THE CHARIOTS
CARRIED PRINCE MADHAUASENA’,PRINCESS MALAY!KA,HIS SISTERiSUMATI, HIS
MINISTER AND KAUSHIKISUMATCS S!STER;THE OTHER, THEtR ATTENDANTS.
 amar chitra katha
MALAVIKA
I WISH I COULD FLY TO 1/fDISHA
SUMATLUNTIL I SUCCEED IN MY
MISSION, l*LL KNOW NO
*

hr

YOU WILL

MY LORD.

k T

\\

F 0O. IT’S AN \
ORDER,SUMATI. ^
AND REMEMBER
I WONDER YOU’LL SEE MY MISSION. PROM
WHAT KIND FOR YOURSELF ISE THAT YOU’LL
OF CITY o0 oo* WHEN WE I PROMISE,
FULFIL IT,SHOULD
VIDI5HA IS, REACH THERE ANYTHING MY LORD!
KAUSHIKI. MALAVIKA. , HAPPEN TO ME. j

DON’T BE FOOL-!
WE CANNOT LEAVE YOU
STARTED^- — THEY TU*N£C> A BEN& lN THE ROAD*MADHA VASENA SUDDBNLV ISH , MALAVIKA.I ’LL i
TO FACE THEM ALONE.
\BE ALL RIGHT NOW
SUMATi,DOYOU JkML THEY’LL KILL YOU.
WE’D RATHER ALL DIE DON’T WASTE I
SEE THOSE MEN
ANY MORE |
. THERE? ”” TIME. GO.
i

i£i***Mm \ do.the/re
SOLDIERS.

’4VV»

*> *

3
2
 amar CHITRA katha
MALAVIKA

WELCOME, MAPHAVA
YsENA.VAJNASEMA.THE
KIN6 OF VlPARBHA,
INVITES YOU TO BE HIS
honoured guest*

V
I
u
I r •i »
SUMAT/, RAUSHtK! AND MALAV/KA TR/ED TO RELAX BUT THE/R HEARTS WERE
HEA VK1
WHAT DOES I CANNOT REST TILL I
FATE HAVE REACH VI DISH A AND
fulfil rvry promise.

• ••AT HIS
PRISON CELL

'f > L

AA/O TA/E SOLDIERS MARCHED A WAV W/TH MADHA VA SENA, H/S CHAR/OTS AND HIS
ATTENDANTS.
COME,MY
CHILD. I SEE
A CARAVAN
MOVING
towards
\ZIDISHA.
WE'LL JOIN
^ THEM. A

& »
V

5
amar CHITRA katha
MALAVIKA
SUMATf PUT UP A BRAVE

THE CARAVAN UOfNEO HIM BUT THE

LET S FLEE*
WE CAN’T
MATCH THEM*

60, HIPE SOMEWHERE.AS LONG

AS l*M ALIVE,NOTHING WILL
HAPPEN TO EITHER OF YOU.
I’LL FIGHT THEM SINGLE-
HANPEP, IF NECESSARY.
OUT
BEHIND SOME BUSHES. j|
Y NO ♦ SUMATI, MY ^
s\ ’ PEAR,PEAR BROTHER*
SPEAK TO ME.
ALAS* WHAT WILL
^ I PO NOW ?
VkPOOR MALAVIKA*-/

6
 amar CHITRAKATHA
gflj MALAVIKA
V “ '; V/RASENAy FRONTIER COMMANDANT OF
* >.f Vh — ^ V/D/SHA, TOOK CHARGE OF THE G/RL.
malavika*

AS THE TLA MBS LICKED THE BODY OF HER BROTHER., KAUSH/Kf 'S DETERM(NATION
era
GREW STRONGER SUM AT I, YOU HAVE 60NE BUT I WILL ' WHO ARE YOU, GENTLE AS YOU WISH
FULFIL TME PROMISE YOU MADE 'jA ; MAIDEN P WHERE DO YOU l WILL TAKE
TO THE PRINCE. I MUST FIRST YOU TO OUP
‘ * FIND MALAVIKA,HOWEVER, QUEEN.YOU

MEANWH/LE, IN A FOREST NEAR OF V/D/SHA -

SHE’S UNCONSCIOUS! SHE LOOKS

VIRASENA TOOK MALAV/KA TO DHAP/Nf> AGN/M/TRA*S C QUEEN.
STARVED!
-r ^ TEST

[ / IT sS GOOD THAT YOU

8ROUGHT HER HERE,
VIRASENA. SHE SHALL
BE MY OWN MAID. I’LL
SEND HER TO CANA¬
DAS A TO LEARN TWTlTgCV

DANCING. y ^\
J-%]

LET’S TAKE HER 41V >

TO OUR COMMANDANT
VIRASENA. -
/WHAT WAS SHl ^ X *

,-Hdoim6 hei?e all

THUS THE TURN DESTINY TOOK FINALLY LANDED MALAV/KA IN THE PALACE
ViV^^-ONE IN THIS
?. I *1 \ V/D/SHA * HER DESTINATION, BUT fN A ROLE SHE HAD NEVER DREAMT OF.
'S ' V.W
- mp r j FOREST3
9
8
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA
MALAVIKA
A FEW PA/5 L AT ER¬
ONE /DAY, WHILE HE WAS ADMIRING THE PAINTINGS IN THE PICTURE-HALL WITH
QUEEN PHAPfNt, AGNfM!TRA * S EYES CAUGHT SIGHT OF A STRANGE BUT
BEAUTIFUL FACE. f

WHO IS THIS ft

GlRLjM/ QUEEN? JUST ONE

l*VE NEVER SEEN/^VS of r/iy
. MAIDS.^
»
v

AS SOON AS rAiJSHiKl ENTERED—

MALAVIKA' HERE!
OH, HOW IT'S KAUSHIKI!
RELIE/ED I AM! BUT I DISGUISED AS
MUST NOT DISCLOSE A MENDICANT'
HEP IDENTITY. I MUST
^ WAIT FOR THE RIGHT
MOMENT.

-/T
f !* M HONOUPED AS DHAPINI TURNED TO GYVE
TO HA^E fOU MAID ORDERS • • • |
WITH US,
RAPiVPAvJIKA! 77HE NAME STUCK IN HIS MEMORY. AND SO DID THE FACE. THAT NIGHT AGN/MITPA

’ * • W5///W AND MALAV/VA

A FEMALE MtHDtCAKT MADE A SILENT PACT.

10 11
 I

amar chitra katha MALAVIKA

CATS/?, AT HARAPATTA *5 HOUSE

W I SHOULDN’T ^
f MENTION THIS ^
r BUT SINCE I’M
VOUR WELL-WISHER, W | WILL
I CAN** T HELP IT.
SHOW THAT
GANADASA HAS been
SA/ING THAT THE
ocgan'what
DIFFERENCE BE¬
A' puddle"
l I AM. »*M
TWEEN HIM AND YOU
^ GOING TO
t IS AS GREAT AS y his
\ MAJESTY
THE OCEAN
\ RIGHT
AND A
V AWAY.
PUDDLE.

WELL, MAY I TAKE

CLEVER INPEEP, YOUR LEAVE NOW?
, GAUTAMA! > V THERE’S WORK TO
be DONE, a
AT ATbNIMlTPA *5 PALACE - PEACEjMV
JUSTICE, GOOD MEN I
YOUR MAJ6ST / • THE TRIAL;
l HAVE BEEN SHALL BE I
HELD.
INSULTED
BY THIS
HARADATTA
IXwV
i v i

T ''
rrwf v 1 \1
7
_¥ U HE BEGAN
IT, YOUR MAJESTY' \
LET THERE BE
7TTTTfn-

A FAIR TRIAL OF OUP

TALENTS,AND THE
MATTER BE

* J
13
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA
MALAVIKA
~A rf^rrctrr WAS ARRANGED* KAUSHIKI WA*> 5ELtL lt:U /U ^i/oc rnc
J^mancL WAOASA'S FVPtL,MACAWS ms thb first to PERFORM WHEN THE PERFORMANCE CAME TO AN END —
~F VT S~7-Tr-77-
IT WAS PERPECTj)
CON6RATUL AT IONS>:
#v■
6ANADASA!

IT*S MEALTIME NOW. r

SHOULDN’T WE POSTPONE
HARADATTA* S TURN YOU ARE WHAT DO
FOR TOMORROW? RIGHT, YOU SAY,
6AUTAMA. harapatta?

Y KNOW5M/
BELOVED,
THAT I /EARN
L for you.
AS YOU
WISH,YOUR
- >
MAJESTY.

NOW WHAT,GAUTAMA? I‘M

MORE RESTLESS THAN
EVER

"E"0P°S OF THE SONG 1

\tXPP£S5£0 MALAV/RA'S
OWN PEELINGS.

14 15
 amar chitra katha MALAVIKA

LATER, THE PALACE GARDENS PESOUNOEO W/TH LAUGHTER AS THE DHARINI TOO WAS THERE, W/TH MALAY/KA ATTENDING ON HER. SUDDENLY, GAUTAMA
rHE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD, BATHED >N THE FRAGRANCE OF FRESH
CELEBRATED THE . . BBk

DHARINI LANDED WITH A THUD. [

HELP!
-V7 —r-
I*M
SLIPPING!

rO GAUTAMA,
HOW CARE¬
LESS OF YOU!
I’VE TV/1 STEP
v MY ANKLE!

I’M SORRY
YOUR
MAJESTY

ENOUGH, ENOUGH! NOW X'J

I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FUL¬
FIL THE LONGING OF THE
GOLPEN ASHOKA?MALAVIKA,
JUST YOU TRY.IF THE ASHOKA
AS I BLOSSOMS WITHIN FIVE PAYS,
’LL GRANT YOU

16 A TREE WHICH WOULD BLOSSOM ONLY IF

 AMAR CHITRA KATHA MALAVIKA

MEANWHILE) /RAVFTI, AGN/M/TFA ’ S SECONP WIFE, SEN T HIM A GIFT OF REP

ASHQKA BLOSSOMS ALONG WITH AN /HV/TAT/ON f ' ~
ALAS! I AM SICK WITH §
YEARNING FOR THE KING.
BUT HOW CAN I SPEAK OF
accept IT? WHY HAVE I COME HERE?f
IT, YOUR
majesty
XC ccccccr IT SUITS
OOCXXOnro
my plan ■ 1

xrccccoca ui w / TV4
\: j
■L/Jl
V'NVbv1' ^
^sj ^ VI

v.O«0'S 0 8 -rss yuLynl

If A j f\
rr -tuesw'^ fj VLj

fr iVffi

MALAVIKA, COME. THERE! YOUR FOOT

IN AGNIMITFA^S PALACE GARPEN - LET ME APPLY THE LOOKS LIKE A THOUSAN
PEP P/E ON YOUR PETALLED LOTUS. YOU
feet.remembep, / : DESERVE TO BE A
HERE WE YOU HAVE TO / m 1

' PATIENCE, N STRIKE THE

APE, FRIEND.
YOUR MAJESTY. ASHOKA TREG.jpX
LOOK! SPRING •
HAS TOUCHED BAKULAVALIKAs
THE MAID,HAS
EVERYTHING.
PROMISED TO PO
NOW WHERE IS
V HER BEST a
.HER LAD/SHIP?.

AH! THERE
SHE IS!
OH,MALAY»KA!
Y HUSH, \
YOUR
MAJESTY.
_ET US CREEP
BEHIND THAT
BUSH AND r
WATCH |
M

L HEP.

18 19
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA MALAVIKA

IT WAS IRAVATt, WWO, UNSEEN BY THEM,

Sjjf> / DON'T \ WITNESSED THE WHOLE SCENE.
f WORRY. \j
i‘ll help ^
YOU .NOW STPiice
THIS GOLDEN
ASHQKA WITH
✓OUP BEAUTIFUL
REET SO THAT )
IT CAN
B LOSS Of/I

FORGIVE MEiJRAVATI.
I HAVE NO INTEREST
WHATSOEVER IN THE
maid. i was Just
AMUSING MYSELF AS
YOU WERE LATE. > THESE ARE NOT ^
MALAVIKA’S FEET
WHICH WOULD FULFIL
YOUR LONGING
V BY THEIR TOUCH. .

THAT WAS TH£ MOMENT /HPSEP LATER) IRAVATI TOLP DHARfNt WHAT HAP HAPPENEP.

petti
S WILL SUCH AUDACITY MUST NOT ^ w ^ I A

YOU FULFIL GO UNPUNISHED. TAKE

MY LONGING THEM TO THE TREASURE-CELLAR.
TOO, AND REMEMBER,THEY MUST NOT
L MALA VIKA? BE RELEASED UNTIL YOU
ARE SHOWN THE SEAL
OF MY RING. H

AONtMITRA'S QUERY WAS

ANSWERED. BUT NOT BYMALAY!KA.

21
 MALAY! KA
AMAR CHITRA KATHA
GAUTANIA WAS CARRIED AWAY. A LITTLE LATER- VICTOR/
■ ■ *-

J
r * t | '
0 -V/ • *V»N/r V,
IN THE CELLAP - 1
TO THE
HEl KING! ^
' A\f. w*yNO,My FRIEND* THE YAID
mr NOW WHAT, BAKULA? *W IF I KNOW THE
" WILL WE HAVE TO VI7 VIPU5HAKA, WE’LL A SOME-
SPEND THE PEST OF I THING
SOON BE OUT. AND
OUR UVES HERE? •r HAYING
YOU’LL BE SPEND¬
v THE
- ■ > , i ING THE REST OF ] IMAGE
JisMt' YOUR LIFE / OF A
WITH THE KING. K SNAKE.,
w
HERE,TAKE lYiy RING
- l V7,TH THE SERPENT-
SEAL. BUT RETURN IT
TO ME ANP
moNR

trfc.
WITHIN MOMENTS , GAUTAMA, WHO WAS ONLY PRETEND!NONNAS AT THE DOOR OF
BAKULAVAL!KA WAS RIGHT. THE KING WAS V/SITING THE INJURED DHAR/Nt WHEN TREASURE-CELLAR WfTH THE RfNG.X J j
i< 'loruutiTr" J| T~n7 ^
c tree coi-> THE KING HAS
HELP! HELP! ococ reel
oooocce! ORDERED THE RELEASE
iVE BEEN cococo^ OF THE PRISONERS,
BITTEN BY A c c OOOCOI
IYIALAVIKA AND
SNAKE. . BAKULAVALlKA.HERE *S
.THE QUEEN'S RlNG.^i

*
C»!! ^

LATER IN THE GARDEN -

I HAD GONE TO THE VAID!#W/LL SOMEONE YOUR MAJESTY
ALAS! I*VE
PICK FLOWERS FOR YOU TWO WAIT HERE COME WITH
BECOME THE TAKE HIM TO THE VAID?^
THE QUEEN WHEN CAUSE OF HIS I GOING TO BRING . ME.QUICK! .
■i
IT BIT ME. AHJ T DEATH! v THE KING. ^
DYING •♦•PLEASE S
LOOK AFTER MY
AGED MOTHER*
1
loom
O OOOOr* YOUR
o lommI
ladyship. r r>*
t

lJL
22 * PHYSICIAN 23
 MALAVIKA
COULD SAY ANOTHER WORD
AS SOON AS A6NiMfT*A 5A// YOUR MAJESTY, YOUR MAJESTY, I MUST
PRINCESS VASULAXMI IS i RUSH
BUT THE QUEEN» UNCONSCIOUS. SHE WAS A TO HER
|’M afraid of VFRI6HT6NEP BY A MONKEY^
v THE QUEEN, a
'COME ,
cor/IE TO
ME, PEAR
k ONE. >

» i «V v£
5<vj%: * v;r
- M ** 5 '*V^

| MALAV/KA AND BAKULA WERE LEFT

ft ALONE,
WHAT NOW* WHEN
1 THINK OF THE
QUEEN,! TREMBLE,

mini] TAKE HEART,

MALA VIKA.
LOOK! THE
ASHOKA HAS
BURST INTO
BLOOM.

SUDDENLY
SHE ONLY CAME TO WHEN DHAR/Nf HEARD THE GOOD
THANK ME FOR NEWS— I
I’M SORRY RELEASING HER*
and the QUEEN l REQUEST MY LORO TO MEET
if i’ve
IS ONE WHO KEEPS ' ME BY THE FLOWER! NG^arf
PISTURBEP
V YOU. y A PROMISE,
XMALAVIKA! ^ SHALL WITNESS THE
SPLENDOUR OF THE
v BLOSSOMS, a

43
Wj/m *t i|

lEDSn
L JfijK • NV*
)n>j

\W IT r ft i w
25
Iftiuv

24
 amar chitra katha
MALAV1KA
FOR PHAPINI -

mid GAUTAMA mnEDjvj^ f'L % JUST AS DHARINI TURNED TO TAKE ONE LAST LOOK ATT MlALEV/KA
------Ainivi/* &:,>r nnrvPESSlNG THE K/NS-A-
m
i

SOaBVEN THE Mini

GOLDEN ASHOK*
HAS BLOSSOMED.
WILL THE SPRING
LEAVE ONLY
MY LOVE
UNFULFILLED? \
NOT FOR
MUCH LON6ER,
MY LORD.
LOOK THERE!

AND WHEN AGNIMITRA LOOKED^ HE COULDN'T HIS EYES. ^

-3- —

A MESSENGER BURST UPON THE SCENE. A GREAT

DEAL HAD HAPPENED AT V/D/SHA *5 FRON TIER. KtNO
I KNOW WHY THE QUEEN YAOA/AS ENA HAD BEEN DEFEATED AND MADHAVA SaV,
HAS BROUGHT ME HERE LIBERATED, - -'V
VIA LA VIKA IN 1| DECKED OUT AS A BRIDS two ivia^s presentedX ,
r 'UT l
BRIDAL FINERY! * YET I AM NERVOUS* by THE N6W king of \ g
Va> I WONDER WHAT THE
3U6EN‘S INTENTIONS
' VIPARBHA AWAIT YOUR /
Vk" >'«^SvMAVESTY>S PLEASURE.y
ft
V
^ ^ ARE? /v

•».#

YOU MAY ^
SEND THEM
TO ME. A

27
 amar chitra katha
malavika
WHEN THE MAIPS CAME
she’s the SISTER OF prince
MADHAVASENA ,WHO WAS
MALAVIKA,
ARRESTED B/ YAJNASENA*S A PRINCESS!
AND WHAT MAY nW'
SOLDIERS, WE,TOO,WERE AND | TREATED
VOUR SPECIAL i ARRESTED WITH HIM AND HER LIKE A
BROUGHT TO VIDARBHA. S MAID!

Er /

! LORD! WE ARE
k
\ WELL - VERSED/ AND MALAVIKA?
\ IN MUSIC. / / MY \ HOW DID SHE
' QUEEN,
TAKE ANY REACH HERE?.
ONE OF
JVIALAVIKA , WHICH
One would you WE DO NOT
LIKE? KNOW, YOUR
TVYO MAJESTY.
I KNOW!
I'Ll TELL

THE NAME SURPRISED IT WAS KAUSHtKL

3i fO&Eur r~r\ . MAIDS AS MUCH AS THEIR REACT/OH yes,the moment has come
TO TELL ALL. BEFORE
MADHAVASENA WAS CAPTURED
OUR HE URGED SUMATI, My BROTHER,
PRINCESS TO FLEE WITH MALAVIKA ,YOUR
ALIVE! BETROTHED, AND ME, TO ViDlSHA.
ON THE WAY*••

y.J.

28
29
 amar chitra katha
malavika

MY LORD, PLEASE
ACCEPT MALA VIKA
\ AS YOUR y
V BRIPE. S

WHEN MALAVIKA WASA CHILP* THUS W£RB AGNtMlTRH AND MALAWKA UN/TSD
IT WAS PROPHESIES THAT SHE
WOULP SO THROUGH THE STATUS
r OF A SERVANT FOR ONE YEAR.
/ , THEN SHE WOULP MARRY A KIN6./

f
/M /i
LL4-
m T
/

/ >

' THAT'S WHY I

KEPT THE SECRET FOR
v A WHOLE YEAR. >

/OU PIP WELL

TO KEEP THE

30 31