[1][2] Some of the finest literary work in Malayalam language were initially published in Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly, including Uroob's Ummachu (1954), Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai's Enippadikal (1964), O. V. Vijayan's Khasakkinte Itihasam (1968) and M. Mukundan's Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil (1974).

[3] This independent status makes Mathrubhumi unique in India, where most media outlets and publications tend to be tightly held private companies owned by a single powerful family.

Mahatma Gandhi was featured as the first cover photo due to his influence on the company and the editors’ desire for the magazine to emanate his political teachings.

In the opening section of the magazine the editors declared their mission statement followed by the first featured Malayalam literature, Ahimsa, a poem by Vallathol.

This first issue of Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly is a truncated version of how the magazine is structured today with editorials from various Keralan figures, poems, book reviews and extracts of Malayalam literature.

[6] The arrest by British backed Indian officials came alongside a slew of actions including the deportation of Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai in 1910, the banning of Kesari in 1930, and the confiscation of the properties of Malayala Manorama in 1938.

Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly was a touchpoint for the movement supporting the dismantling of British Raj in India and played a significant role in the eventual resolution proposal.

[10] The writer is among many that were afforded an audience by Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly, with the publication facilitating the early careers of many authors and literary contributors in India.

[11] The magazine’s influence as a mouthpiece for the Indian independence movement earlier in the century led them to eventually be an agent supporting trade unions and elected figures in both parliament and various industries.

The magazine upholds its interests in politics and literacy from great Malayalam minds including prominent writer Ramachandra Guha and biologist Krishna Anujan.

Currently its managing editor P. V. Chandran continues to uphold the magazine’s mission statement promoting literary freedom and creative expression in a media landscape fraught with familial ties and restrictive commercial obligations.

[2] Mathrubhumi Illustrated is published weekly and is one of the top circulating literary magazines in the Indian State of Kerala[12] consisting of Malayalam short stories, novels, travel diaries, interviews, and editorials.

For example, Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly’s interview with central secretariat member of the Dalit Human Rights Movement, Seleena Prakkanam,[16] investigates struggles with leadership in Indian politics and caste issues.

Early in the novel a conversation takes place between two male characters in which one states that Hindu women dress up to go to temples so they can declare readiness for sexual relations.

The character then continues to suggest women do not visit temples whilst menstruating because they aren’t ready for sex and that Brahmin priests are notorious womanisers.

[19] The politicisation of Meesha as well as the outrage from Hindu women and the Brahmin community led to Hareesh withdrawing the novel from Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly after only three chapters were published.

S. Hareesh spoke on the pulling of his serialised book from the publication in late July 2018; “My novel published in Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly has finished three episodes.