3 Review(s)

"Heart Lamp" is a monumental first collection in English from Banu Mushtaq, a lawyer, activist, and one of Karnataka’s leading progressive voices. Translated by Deepa Bhasthi, winner of the English PEN Award (2024), this book exquisitely captures the everyday lives of women and girls in Muslim communities in southern India.Originally written in Kannada between 1990 and 2021, these powerful short stories shine with wit, humor, and deep emotional resonance. Through sparky children, audacious grandmothers, hapless husbands, and courageous mothers, Mushtaq portrays human resilience against oppression.An essential read for anyone who loves award-winning world literature, women’s voices, and contemporary Indian fiction.