These enchanting stories from early modern Bengal reveal how Hindu and Muslim traditions converged on timeless themes of human morality, social culture, and survival.
Across religion, class, and gender, what binds these fabulous stories together is the characters\' pursuit of living honorably and morally in a difficult, corrupt world..
Sufi protagonists travel through a world of wonder where tigers talk and men magically grow into giants, a Hindu princess falls in love with a Muslim holy man, and goddesses rub shoulders with kings and merchants.
Stewart, Needle at the Bottom of the Sea brims with fantasy and excitement.
Translated by award-winning scholar of early modern Bengali literature Tony K.
Each story in Needle at the Bottom of the Sea underscores the need for people to work together--not just to overcome the challenges of living in the Sundarban swamps of Bengal, but also to ease hostilities born of social differences in religion, caste, and economic class.
The Bengali stories in this collection are first and foremost Tales of survival.
These enchanting stories from early modern Bengal reveal how Hindu and Muslim traditions converged on timeless themes of human morality, social culture, and survival
