BOOK #13 “HEART LAMP” BY BANU MUSHTAQ, TRANSLATED FROM KANNADA BY DEEPA BHASTHI, SHORTLISTED FOR #INTERNATIONALBOOKERPRIZE2025

Heart Lamp is a powerful and poignant collection of twelve short stories originally written in Kannada by Banu Mushtaq—a writer, lawyer, and activist who is part of the Bandaya Movement, a progressive literary movement in Kannada literature. Deepa Bhasthi’s sensitive translation brings these deeply rooted, emotionally resonant stories to a wider audience without losing their cultural essence.

At the heart of the collection are the lives of women and girls in a Muslim community—obedient, unquestioning, and burdened by societal expectations. These women toil endlessly within the confines of their homes, often accepting their fate without protest, while the men remain largely unaffected by the pressures that weigh so heavily on them.

Mushtaq masterfully brings out the quiet resilience of these women through stories that are both tender and thought-provoking. Each tale is deeply human, capturing the injustices, sacrifices, and small hopes that define their everyday lives. From a woman yearning for a kafan sprinkled with zam-zam water, to a man fixated on seeing his wife in stilettos, to a father getting a second marriage while his child lies dying in the arms of his first wife—these vignettes reflect not only personal longing but also the harsh social realities that shape them.

One standout story for me was Gobhi (Cauliflower) Manchurian, a seemingly simple tale about a man’s craving for a specific dish. What made it special was how it connected with my own memories—my grandfather used to tell me a different version of this story. As Mushtaq herself notes, oral storytelling in India is a rich tradition, with tales passed down through generations—stories that live on even when they are never written down.
The book is sprinkled with Kannada words like doddamma, ajji, ajja, and chikkappa, adding authenticity and warmth. As someone who speaks six Indian languages, including Kannada, I found these touches, especially delightful—they brought the stories closer to home.
While many of the stories are marked by pain—abusive husbands, distant fathers, and uncaring brothers—each carries a deeper message. They don’t just portray suffering; they spotlight resilience, voice the unspoken, and ask us to reflect on our own roles within the social fabric.

Thank you, "And Other Stories Publishing," for sending the ebook the moment I purchased it the day before it was published.

Heart Lamp is a heartfelt tribute to unheard women’s voices, told with sincerity and strength. It’s a quiet but shining light in contemporary Indian literature and a worthy contender on the International Booker Prize shortlist.