Fig. 17: Workshop of the late P. N. Subbaiyar, Madurai, 1982. Photograph: S. Inglis.

Fig. 01: Puja, Mutharam, magazine cover, date unknown. Collection: S. Marieswaran.

Fig. 01: Artist: K. Mahadevan

Fig. 02: Artist: K. Mahadevan.

Fig. 03: Artist: K. Mahadevan.

Fig. 04: Artist: K. Mahadevan.

Fig. 05: Artist: K. Mahadevan.

Fig. 06: K. Madhavan, ca. 1970, courtesy of K. Pankajachiammal, Chennai.

Fig. 01: Cover of the Hindi novel Larazte Ansu (the Quivering Tears) by Gulshan Nanda, a romantic saga of two hearts steeped in a poignant love. The second line is translation of a quote from the back cover of the novel.

Fig. 02: Cover of the Hindi novel Balatkari (The Rapist) by Dinesh Thakur. Character Vijay Chauhan solving a heist of millions, which was already full of a dozen obstacles for Vijay Chauhan, is now joined with more trouble by Reema Bharati.

Fig. 03: Cover of the Hindi novel Doctor Dev. This highly popular and appreciated novel of Amrita Pritam is a passion-filled tale of Mamata who resists the entire world to secure her true love.

Fig. 04: Cover of the Hindi novel Taur grah ke devta (the gods of the Taur planet) by Raj Bharati (Agniputra Series).

Fig. 05: Cover of the Hindi novel Vaishali ki Nagar Vadhu (The Town Bride of Vaishali) by Acharya Chatursen.

Fig. 06: Cover of the Hindi novel Nishani (A Memento) by Surendra Mohan Pathak (Sunil Series).

Fig. 07: Cover of the Hindi novel Paap ki duniya (the World of Sin) by Amit Khan (Godfather Series 3) Naya Upannyas.