A curation of fourteen short fictions by seven most prominent women authors writing in Bengali, translated for the first time into English by a cohort of fine translators. This anthology holds a moving tapestry of tales crafted with mastery and grace with empathy for the muffled voices and an unwavering confidence into the miracle of stories as they carry lights and truth across deepest trenches to the eager ears and hearts.

The poems in this book are an oblation to a small- time colonial mofussil by the Ganges, nestled in one remote corner of West Bengal. The landscape with faces known and foreign has wrapped the poet with unwarranted warmth and simultaneous heartaches. These verses are a tribute to “life’s magnificent fraternity to the modest town corners of Ichapore, Palta Park, Baranagore, Suri with Nawabgunj as its ever shining centerpiece.

The stories collected in this volume of The Year’s Best Bengali Fiction were all written in 2022 and were translated into English over the next year. These works of fiction are aware of their times as they throw light on the edges and depths of our communities and characters. In these troubled times, when it seems often that a lot of the ears have gone dead, like a lot of those mouths that instead of screaming, turn into stones, these stories, seeped in deep empathy for human lives and conditions, glowing in poised craftsmanship of narration and translation, offer a space of possibility, of conversation and resonance. Starting with this edition, we aspire to form a representative yearly archive of contemporary Bengali short fiction for global anglophone readers.

বাছাইয়ের সুনির্দিষ্ট নিয়মের বাইরে বেরিয়ে ২০২২-য়ে প্রকাশিত পত্রিকা, বই এবং সামাজিক মাধ্যমে প্রকাশ হওয়া কবিতা নিয়ে তৈরি এই সংকলন। এর বাইরেও রয়ে গেল বহু কবিতা যা হয়ত আমাদের নজরে আসেনি। সুতরাং এই সংকলন শ্রেষ্ঠত্বের দাবি করে না। বরং ২০২২-য়ের বাংলা কবিতার একটা প্রবণতা চিহ্নিত করার প্রয়াস করে মাত্র।

When M.F. Husain loses his shoes, Jai offers to help find them. The two zoom in and out of his paintings, passing milestones in the artist's life

Bumoni’s big backyard, just outside the Kaziranga National Park, is bursting with banana trees. Then one night a herd of wild elephants crosses the river, discovers the trees, and gorges on them. Bumoni’s family is very upset – how do they keep the elephants away? Bumoni has an idea! But then, what will the elephants eat now? Spare but dramatic pictures create mood and atmosphere in this affectionately told story, set in Assam, of a family’s sustainable relationship with the environment – and elephants!

Ammachi can’t find her glasses one morning and everything goes topsy-turvy! Page after page spills with drama, humour, detail and local flavour as Priya Kuriyan spins a hilarious tale about a crazy day with unforgettable Ammachi — “the archetypal grandmother from memories of my own childhood in Kerala,” as Priya says. The celebrated illustrator is at her best in her first wordless picture book.

Introducing Mayil Ganeshan, a lively 12-year-old who finally has the opportunity to express herself fully in her diary. This is a significant step towards achieving her goal of becoming a writer, as she hopes to make up for all the unfinished stories and the aimless novel she had written before. In her diary, Mayil shares a spontaneous, sensitive, honest, intimate, and often humorous account of her life and thoughts as a perceptive young girl going through the ups and downs of adolescence. This coming-of-age book is a must-read, with enough humor, heart, and wisdom to entertain and inspire readers of all ages. Age 10+

Ayeshaís favourite day is Sunday, for itís her Abbaís day. Come, letís find out what happens at Ayeshaís home every Sunday and what makes it so special!

A collection of short stories written by students at DPS

What does it take for a person to alter the course of a nation? Spotlighting 25 such change-making individuals, the book looks at the times in which they lived, the challenges they dealt with, and the paths they forged. Quick introductions position personalities as game changers, chatty stories sketch their profiles, crisp timelines fill in the gaps, insightful quotations balance perspectives, and creative collages present visual montages. What emerges is the powerful journey of a country at the threshold of change, committed to charting its own course, helmed by its richest resource – its people. Age 10+

Zai’s uncle is the famous 'birdman of India' Salim Ali, everyone in her family is a birding expert, and she herself can’t so much as identify the pipit sitting right under her nose. In this delightful portrait of childhood, Zai Whitaker recounts her early birding woes and how she winged it. Prabha Mallya’s pictures pick up the humour, and are an arresting collage of a bird-filled Bombay of the past, and a troubled little girl with a ‘superstar’ uncle!

It’s Monday morning. Time for school. And his model of the earth…? Chintu Chitnis suddenly remembers he hasn’t made it! There’s a last-minute scramble to finish the project, with his little sister Pihu pitching in not very helpfully. And then, in school, Chintu finds an entire continent missing! Where did it go? Set in a Konkani household, this light and humorous story with playful pictures is a quick first introduction to the continents of the world.

“Let’s play house-house!” decide Sunehri and her friends. So they put together some old plates and bowls, empty packets of chips, plastic bottles, a broken helmet… things they’ve collected going about their work in the city on whose streets they live. The game loved by children everywhere takes on a poignant layer when played by those who have never known a home¬. Pictures full of exuberance and detail bring out their spontaneous joy in a make-believe world, which trips side by side with the harsh reality of their lives.

A magically beautiful story about Malar and her grandfather. A laptime, bedtime, anytime story for you to share. Enjoy! A beginnerís book for children learning to read.

नंदिता की कहानी भारत के सबसे प्रसिद्ध फोटोग्राफर, होमाई व्यारवाला के जीवन का जश्न मनाती है। होमाई का साहस और शिल्प कौशल पुस्तक में खूबसूरती से सामने आता है। प्रिया कुरियन के चित्रण होमाई की कार्यशैली को इतनी सटीकता से बनाए रखते हैं कि कभी-कभी ऐसा लगता है मानो होमाई ने ही पुस्तक का चित्रण किया हो। शिल्प और जीवन के बीच निरंतर बदलाव पाठकों को रंगमंच की जीवंतता की याद दिलाता है। किताब हिंदी और अंग्रेजी दोनों भाषाओं में उपलब्ध है।

Moyna lives in a little tribal village. She cannot go to school because she has to tend goats, collect firewood, fetch water… But she is so full of questions that the postmaster calls her the ‘why-why girl'! In this inspiring and delightful story, her first picture book, acclaimed Jnanpith award-winning writer Mahasweta Devi tells us how she meets Moyna (and her mongoose) and helps her find answers to all the why-whys – in books, that Moyna herself learns to read. Some of the translations have been done by well-known writers: Malayalam by Paul Zacharia, Tamil by Ambai, and Kannada by Girish Karnad. CBSE recommended

Ismat the shoemaker decides to buy his family special gifts for Eid. He is persuaded by the shopkeeper to buy a pair of trousers for himself. However, there is only one last pair and it's too long. But long trousers can always be shortened, can't they? Eid arrives, and with it comes a shock and a surprise. This crisp adaptation of a delightful Turkish tale has been affectionately told and illustrated, replete with cultural resonances.

It is raining and there is not much one can do outdoors. Come and listen to Aajis story about the Kolis, the original inhabitants of Bombay, their favourite fish Bombay Duck and the citys magnificent docks.Written by Fleur D’Souza and Illustrated by Kripa.

Secret Wild Vet Kalyani is a book inspired by N Kalyani, Tamil Nadu’s first woman veterinarian who graduated from Madras Veterinary College in 1952, challenging gender norms within the profession. Through a cheerful poem set in the Nilgiri hills, the author and Katha’s Founder President Geeta Dharmarajan imagines her Irular protagonist as a kind of superwoman who helps rescue animals, birds and reptiles in danger. Filled with everything from guns to ropes and jungle antics, this adventure story truly comes alive with the help of lively illustrations by designer Boski Jain. According to the book, the DNA analysis (2018) of a skeleton from the Indus Valley Civilisation found in Rakhigarhi showed greater affinity with the Irula people than any other ethnic group in India. “A study by Yelmen et al (2019) found that the Irula were the closest likely proxy for the indigenous “AASI”, or Ancient Ancestral South Indian, one of the presumed founders and autochthonous original populations,” informs the book.