Scots Beneath the Banyan Tree: Stories of Scots in Bengal

by Bashabi Fraser, Gurupada Chitrakar (Illustrator), Ruby Pal Chaudhuri (Contributor)

This book is done with an internationally renowned scroll painter from Bengal, Gurupada Chitrakar, whose scrolls unfold as you open the book. The book gives a brief history of Patuas by Ruby Pal Chaudhuri and an Introduction by Lord Charles Bruce. The book is about Scots who have more or less been forgotten in Scotland, but have become iconic figures in Bengal.

The research, writing and translations for the book have been done by Bashabi. The translations of Gurupada’s beautiful lyrics which tell the stories of these remarkable Scotsmen, are printed on the reverse side of the scrolls, once they have been folded back. This is an artist’s book, the outcome of a book project supported by the National Library of Scotland. All the scrolls have been sponsored by individuals and institutions.

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Bashabi Fraser is an Indian-born Scottish poet, children’s writer, editor, translator and academic. Bashabi writes about transnationalism, culture and identity. Her publications include Raga & Reels, Scots Beneath the Banyan Tree: stories from Bengal, From the Ganga to the Tay, Bengal Partition Stories: An Unclosed Chapter, Tartan & Turban and A Meeting of Two Minds: the Geddes–Tagore letters.

Reviews

[Uma Sarkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book on a visit to the Edinburgh national library, so cool, made me sit down to flip through the poems and the art work. Wish I could buy it as a coffee table book