Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp (translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi) is a beautifully crafted and thoughtfully assembled collection of short stories. Originally published in the UK by And Other Stories, the collection has now found its way to readers all over the world.
If you’re seeking wild plots or hysterics, this may not be for you. Heart Lamp leans more toward the everyday drama, less theatrical than the soap opera seen onscreen. Most of the stories allow us to briefly step into a family’s life as they navigate various challenges. While there’s no shortage of emotional outbursts and meltdowns, the characters generally emerge relatively unaffected.
Family is clearly a central theme, with many of the stories revolving around some form of domestic conflict.
Red Lungi, the 5th story from Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, explores the intricate and often unsettling realities tied to the religious ritual of circumcision, blending sharp wit with weighty themes. The story revolves around a well-off household, and particularly Razia, a mother plagued by migraines as she manages 18 children, all living together in a joint family, during the scorching summer days. In a humorous turn, she decides to send six boys, including her own son, for circumcision as a tactic to enjoy some temporary peace.
Beneath the humour, however, the story confronts serious social issues. The family’s decision to offer free circumcision for underprivileged boys starkly contrasts with the careful hospital procedure arranged for their own children. Mushtaq sharply critiques the public ceremonies that often lack proper medical care, raising thought-provoking questions like: Why delay circumcision until the boys can remember the ordeal? Why must such rituals be carried out in ways that are both traumatic and humiliating, affecting both children and their parents?
Across the first five stories in the collection, through wives, daughters, and young boys, Mushtaq vividly portrays the deep emotional toll of cultural and religious expectations. Her characters reveal that while suffering may vary in intensity, no one escapes unscathed.
The book features twelve captivating pieces, drawn from two separate Kannada works by Mushtaq. The result is a rich and engaging volume that invites readers to slow down and savour each story, reflecting the calm and intimate tone of the narratives, with much credit due to Bhasthi’s sensitive and skilful translation. The International Booker Prize winner is a feel-good, must-read, nicely done book, a collection of intriguing stories to be read leisurely as befits the mood and pace.
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