New anthology brings together ghost tales from Bengal
New anthology brings together ghost tales from Bengal
New Delhi, A spooky collection of ghost stories from Bengal, titled "The Phantom's Howl", brings together some of the scariest and humorous tales of hauntings by masters of Bengali literature to a new generation of readers.
Written for adults and children, the collection, touted to be a quintessential representation of Bengal and its fascination with its many 'bhoots' and their tales, is a series of spine-chilling and often bizarre encounters with the other-worldly.
Translated by debutante Arundhati Nath, the anthology comprises stories from legendary authors such as Rabindranath Tagore, Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay and Hemendra Kumar Roy, to lesser-known writers like Jogeshchandra Bandyopadhyay, Niradchandra Majumdar and Amarendranath Munshi.
"Translating these stories for a modern readership was both an act of nostalgia and rediscovery - I reread works by many known authors and stumbled upon several lesser-known ones; each one of them spoke to me in their unique way blending suspense with intrigue, and subtle foreboding with mystery. I hope modern readers find these treasures enigmatic and engrossing," Nath told PTI.
So, be it a half-burnt shadow dancing on the walls, a vain-glorious skeleton reminiscing about her past beauty, the lonely spirit of a young girl forever rows its boat in the marshes, or a proud English ghost creates trouble on a train from Kolkata to Kashi, intrigue and horror are abound in the pages of this one-of-its-kind collection.
"There is the cursed bed of a Chinese man; the possessed pair of boots of a hunter; a Mughal-era house that wants to suck the soul of its inhabitants; and an innocuous black cloth that spells danger for all who wave it," reads the description of the book.
"The Phantom's Howl", priced at ₹399, is currently available for purchase across online and offline stores. It is published by Speaking Tiger.
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