Two city mags undergo a makeover

The guys behind these 2 mags don't quite believe in 'don't judge a book by its cover'. With an overhaul in design and fresh content, marg and better interiors are out on the stands in a new avatar

Marg:
Arts magazine
For: Rs 260
This influential arts magazine that was launched in 1946 under the editorship of writer Mulk Raj Anand, sees a relaunch today. Get to the last page of the latest issue and you realise there's an irony of sorts. Though the magazine has managed to pull off a holistic revamp, it doesn't forget its roots, taking you back in time by revisiting its archives for a glimpse into its "excavated mines". Rashmi Poddar, associate editor says, "Any Marg issue is unchallenged. Through publishing our legendary archives, we want to bring that wealth of material into the public domain."



So while the earlier issues were often used by students of art for their research and thesis, the new ones will go beyond their academic orientation and include contemporary topics. This issue of the quarterly magazine is dedicated to early photography in India, and has a spread on the photography archive at the City Palace Museum in Udaipur, that's a result of a series of trunks that were uncovered at the palace in 2008, each holding several thousand loose photographs, folios and framed images.

Better Interiors:
Decor magazine
For: Rs 100
The new boho-chic avatar of Better Interiors is in sync with the upcoming festive season, offering you 50 smashing ideas. This is where you find out where you can buy a table that comes with a glass tabletop that holds 110 dried floating peepal leaves under it. Or what the difference between vinyl flooring and hardwood flooring really is. It's a better visual experience, with larger, delectable photo spreads and focus on pictorial guides.



We like the fact that it's packed with DIY tips that might make it an interesting read not just for professionals from the interiors industry, but lay readers too. "The thrust is on the lay man," says editor Rupali Sebastian. "So even if the influences come from known designers, they are presented in a way that readers can follow."