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Heart Lamp: Selected Stories
2025 International Booker Prize winning collection of short stories From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Heart Lamp: Selected Stories (Kannada: ಎದೆಯ ಹಣತೆ, romanized: edeya haṇate) is a collection of short stories by Indian writer Banu Mushtaq, originally written in Kannada between 1990 and 2023 and translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi. Published by And Other Stories in the UK on 10 September 2024, the collection comprises 12 stories exploring the lives of Muslim women in southern India, focusing on themes of patriarchy, gender inequality, and resilience.[1][2] The book won the International Booker Prize in 2025: the first Kannada-language work and the first collection of short stories to receive this award.[3][4]
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Summary
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Heart Lamp: Selected Stories consists of 12 short stories written by Banu Mushtaq over three decades, translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi.[1] The stories focus on the experiences of Muslim women in southern India, addressing themes of gender inequality, faith, and societal pressures, often with dry humour and emotional depth.[5][6]
Key stories include "Stone Slabs for Shaista Mahal" and "A Decision of the Heart", which explore gender roles and societal expectations.[7] The title story reflects an incident in Mushtaq's own life when, struggling with marriage, motherhood, and domesticity, she doused herself in kerosene. In the story, the protagonist's children intervene, reminding her that she is loved and understood.[8][9]
The collection is part of the Bandaya Sahitya movement, a Kannada literary tradition critiquing caste, class, and religious oppression.[6][10] The translation retains Kannada, Urdu, and Arabic words to preserve cultural authenticity.[1][11]
The compilation comprises the following stories:[12]
- "Stone Slabs for Shaista Mahal"
- "Fire Rain"
- "Black Cobras"
- "A Decision of the Heart"
- "Red Lungi"
- "Heart Lamp"
- "High-Heeled Shoe"
- "Soft Whispers"
- "A Taste of Heaven"
- "The Shroud"
- "The Arabic Teacher and Gobi Manchuri"
- "Be a Woman Once, Oh Lord"
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Development and publication
The stories in Heart Lamp: Selected Stories were selected by translator Deepa Bhasthi from Banu Mushtaq's six Kannada short story collections, written between 1990 and 2023.[8] Bhasthi translated the collection to introduce Mushtaq's work to an international audience.[1] The project built on the success of Mushtaq's earlier translated collection, Haseena and Other Stories, which won the English PEN Translates Award in 2024.[10] Heart Lamp was published by And Other Stories in the UK on 10 September 2024.[2]
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Critical reception
Heart Lamp: Selected Stories was widely praised. The Hindu called it a "serious read with a sprinkle of humour", highlighting its focus on Muslim women's lives and the translation's retention of regional linguistic elements.[1] Mint described it as a "textured exploration" of gender dynamics.[5] The Week noted its blend of humor and serious themes, deeming it a "worthy Booker contender".[13] The Times Literary Supplement commended its "emotional depth and cultural specificity".[14] Scroll.in praised its "anger-driven narratives" and critique of patriarchy.[6] The Indian Express lauded its depiction of the "contradictions and textures" of Muslim life.[7] The Guardian highlighted the translation's "radical" approach in retaining regional words.[15] Some reviewers noted that untranslated words could challenge non-regional readers but enriched authenticity.[1][11]
The book was awarded the International Booker Prize in 2025, at London's Tate Modern.[15]
Awards
- International Booker Prize (2025) – A prize of £50,000 shared between author and translator[3][4][15]
References
External links
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