Here, translation unlocks stories from languages afar, people unknown yet familiar in voices that stun you and resonate with you. Here is your book of world stories

 

FICTION

Tale of a Christmas Day – Tanwi Haldar

Translated from the Bengali by Archi Chakraborty I amβ€”I mean my name is Swarna Ghosal. My husband left for his office yesterday, that is, on 24th December and has not returned yet. He said he’ll…...

The Abandoned House – Marzia Rahman

Every house has chests. Secrets folded under the stacks of silks and starched cotton. Some houses evoke fairytales. Roses and marigolds swaying in the front yard, giggling child on a swing. Some, on the…...

Beef Festival – Sheeba E. K.

Translated from the Malayalam by K. M. Ajir Kutty Joemon tarried a while before opening the packet after slamming shut the door of the makeshift tent pitched with tarpaulin. The expression on his face then…...

Blindness – Prasanta Kumar Das

Translated from the Assamese by Anindita Kar In the beginning, was the music, and the music was with God, and the music was God. Among the handful of people who managed to arrive at this…...

Malti – Marzia Rahman

My name is Malti. I was named after a flower, my grandmother told me, but she couldn’t tell my birthyear. She only remembered that it was the month of Sraban, the courtyard was filled with…...

Silhouette in the Window – Zoe Huot-Link

Shortlisted for The Antonym February Poetry ContestArtwork by Sumona Rahman Choudhury Sinking in and out of shadow;the silhouette in the window.His eyes look like mine.…...

Why Birds Sing in the Night – Jayant Kashyap

Shortlisted for The Antonym February Poetry ContestArtwork by Sumona Rahman Choudhury for Sania Dar At your door it’s a message; they peek first through the window and…...

Blackbird – Jasper Glen

Shortlisted for The Antonym February Poetry ContestArtwork by Sumona Rahman Choudhury A sweep of solid oakwood upLike whiplash; the chargeOf a hawk or other bird-Streak in a…...

early yiddish instrumental music – Lorelei Bacht

Winner of The Antonym February Poetry ContestArtwork by Sumona Rahman Choudhury bird of my breath uncaged, warpingits feathered ribs around a petrol night. did I ever imagine…...