Tales of Banaras- The Flowing Ganges

by Shiv Prasad Mishra, Paul R. Golding (Translator), Virendra Singh (Translator)

This unique collection of short stories is the one book that most literary-minded citizens of Banaras (also known as Benares or Varanasi) unequivocally recommend as the best modern work of historical fiction.

191 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 1997

Reviews

[Amrendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really good historical fiction. Translated from the original - 'बहती गंगा' a popular book by 'शिव प्रसाद मिश्रा', it contains 13 tales woven around the tradition, culture and lores of काशी.

The sacred city of Banaras is one of the oldest inhabited cities on earth and one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites of the flowing Ganges. A place of faith, death and cremation ghats for millions of believers since time immemorial, it is also a city of drugs, prostitutes, thieves and abandoned widows.

In these wistful, interconnected tales, translators Paul Golding and Virendra Singh have offered an experience of the inner life of the otherwise inscrutable Banaras shrouded in morning mists and evening smoke.

In addition to revealing the mythology, customs and history of Banaras, these evocative psychological tales are also notable for their human tragedies of unrequited love and nostalgia for a romantic past that is gone with the flowing Ganges.

[Kiran Reddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in pre-independence times the tales are mostly socio-political in narrative. They offer a glimpse of society, strife and conflicts of those times which are familiar even now! (So have we changed at all!!??)
Would interest readers who have an emotional connect with Banaras!

[Abhilasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading a book in translation is not always the best experience. It makes one wonder what a masterpiece the original book, Bahti Ganga, is in its form, selection of characters to tell stories and taking the reader through the history of Varansi. A must read.