The only poet to ever be hyphenated with Tagore is nearly not as well-known for his short stories. 'Rakkhushi' combines the lilting, rustic cadences of the speech of the Bagdis of Birbhum with the artful sophistry of Robert Browning's crazed dramatic monologuists. This is twenty minutes of pure reading heaven, and I hope it makes you want to pick up the text for yourself.

Kahaaniyaan Nai Purani/ Nana Ronger Golpo

Rakkhushi by Kazi Nazrul Islam (Bangla)

Leela Majumdar's stories are all kinds of delightful. Though she is best known for her children's writing, she was equally adept at churning out the occasional dissection of adult emotions. This one is a simple, slice-of-life story to make you smile on a dull afternoon. Happy listening! :)

Mandakini ki Prem Kahani by Leela Majumdar (Hindi)

In a tale for our time and a tale for every time, Basu explores the eternal human condition: that of the best in us trying to ward off the worst. We are people above all else. A shared greeting is all it takes to convey that to another, he seems to say.

Aadaab by Samaresh Basu (Bangla)

A one-of-a-kind gem that could only have flowed out of the inimitable Nabaneeta Dev Sen's pen. Published way ahead of its time in the early 1980s, 'Baap Re Baap' is a supremely original take on the experience of gender transitioning, in that it manages to be tongue-in-cheek, unflinching, sympathetic and unabashed all at once. There's no way you wouldn't enjoy it.

Baap Re Baap by Nabaneeta Dev Sen (Hindi)

The greatest Bangla poet since Tagore, yes, but also the most beguiling writer of prose. Each time you read a line of Jibanananda's short stories, you re-examine your ideas of sentence structure and word association. You are forced to question your own abilities of comprehension. And yet, this man isn't difficult to read at all. All he wants to do is to show you a new way of expressing yourself, a fresh route to arrive at wonder. What a man, what a poet, what a teacher.

Kuashar Bhitor Mrityur Shomoy by Jibanananda Das (Bangla)

A poet writes a short story. Read it as an extended metaphor, or make of it what you will.

Pul by Sunil Gangopadhyay (Hindi)

The first man of one of Bengal's most illustrious families, Upendrakishore contributed much more to Bangla prose than just the Tuntuni stories. Listen in for a story of exploration and experience.

Shohoje Ki Borolok Howa Jay? (Bangla) by Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury

A bittersweet tale about writing, writers and priorities. While the story barely extends beyond a single conversation between two characters, Bose manages to casually infuse it with the flavours of 1930s Calcutta. Happy listening!

Virupaksh Dev ki Kahani (Hindi) by Buddhadeva Bose

Modern-day minstrel Nazrul imbued his short stories with a dense, mellifluous lyrical quality. Poet-like, the narrator of this story hankers after and is imprisoned by the quest for an ideal. His quest is endless and inescapable.

Shaanjer Baati by Kazi Nazrul Islam (Bangla)

Love, lust, fertility and travel -- nearly all of Buddhadeb Guha's pet themes make it to this story. Happy listening!

Sanshay by Buddhadeb Guha (Hindi)

What does it take to keep challenging society from your grave? It takes to be Mahasweta Devi. This work of historical fiction transports us to a time when nothing, not even the emergence of a great reformer, could change the lives of India's millions. Little has changed today, and true to form, Mahasweta gives us a story of and for all time.

Baan by Mahasweta Devi (Bangla)

Nobody dissects the mind of the modern Bengali middle class like Bani Basu does. Here's a beautiful story from her about a very modern-day problem. Hope you enjoy it!

Chhod-Di by Bani Basu (Hindi)

A very weekly magazine-esque short story from author-civil servant Agnihotri, known better for her gritty tales about India's most marginalised. Hope this story lights up your day like springtime.

Oleek Bawshonto Din by Anita Agnihotri (Bangla)

A translation of one of Ray's best-known and most confounding short stories. Though the master auteur liked to indulge his pulpy side in stories like this one, he still manages to leave us with so many questions. Happy listening!

Neel Aatank by Satyajit Ray (Hindi)

Sharp humour and a characteristic earthy flavour spice up this Siraj story. Happy listening!

Manush Bhooter Golpo by Syed Mustafa Siraj (Bangla)

This is a bilingual podcast in Hindi and Bangla for those interested in short stories in the two languages. The Hindi pieces are my own translations from the Bangla originals. Hope you like them! :)