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Heart Lamp: Selected Stories

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Heart Lamp: Selected Stories
AuthorBanu Mushtaq
TranslatorDeepa Bhasthi
LanguageKannada
GenreShort stories
Published10 September 2024 (UK)
18 February 2025 (India)
8 April 2025 (US)
Publisher
Publication placeIndia
Media typePrint
Pages192
ISBN9781916751163

Heart Lamp: Selected Stories 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]

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"

Development and publication

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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]

Critical reception

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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

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Carvalho, Stanley (9 October 2024). "Heart Lamp: Banu Mushtaq's stories of Muslim life". The Hindu. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Heart Lamp: Selected Stories". And Other Stories. 10 September 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  3. ^ a b "'Heart Lamp' by Banu Mushtaq wins International Booker Prize". The Washington Post. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  4. ^ a b "International Booker Prize Winner". The New York Times. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b Swami, Poorna (17 April 2025). "Book review: Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq". Mint. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Debnath, Sayari (12 January 2025). "Heart Lamp: Banu Mushtaq's International Booker Prize-longlisted book is charged by women's anger". Scroll.in. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b PJ, Akhil (18 May 2025). "Banu Mushtaq's Heart Lamp: Stories of Muslim life, contradictions and textures". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 20 April 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  8. ^ a b Sharma, Kanika (2025-03-01). "Banu Mushtaq wrote Heart Lamp for 33 years. Now, it's nominated for the International Booker Prize". Vogue India. Archived from the original on 2025-03-01. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
  9. ^ "Reading guide: Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi". The Booker Prizes. 8 April 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  10. ^ a b Staf, The Wire (15 January 2025). "Banu Mushtaq's Heart Lamp: International Booker Prize longlist". The Wire. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  11. ^ a b Mansfield, Katie (21 April 2025). "Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq". Financial Times. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  12. ^ "Heart Lamp: extract" (PDF). And Other Stories. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  13. ^ Shah, Shubhangi (8 May 2025). "Heart Lamp book review: A sprinkle of humour in a serious read on the Booker shortlist". The Week. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  14. ^ McLoughlin, Kate (2025). "Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq". The Times Literary Supplement. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  15. ^ a b c "'Radical translation' of Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq wins International Booker prize". The Guardian. 21 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
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