Gold Sand, Gold Water

The Subarnarekha River shimmers with legend; once said to carry flecks of gold, it remains a source of both promise and hardship for those who live along its banks. In Gold Sand, Gold Water, Nalini Bera conjures a world where folklore and reality flow together, and forbidden love defies caste. Through the eyes of young Lolin, we witness the daily struggles of the Hatua people--part of the marginalized Adivasi and Dalit communities--as they navigate a world where ancient traditions are slowly being eroded by modern industry.

The novel paints an intimate, kaleidoscopic portrait of a vanishing way of life. Lyrical and haunting, Gold Sand, Gold Water is an essential addition to Bengali literature in translation--one that ensures these overlooked stories, like the river itself, continue to flow.

Nalini Bera lives in Howrah, West Bengal, and is the author of novels such as Amrit Kalash Yatra, Dui Bhuban, and Panchali. He was awarded the Ananda Puraskar in 2019 for Subarnarenu Subarnarekha, of which Gold Sand, Gold Water is a translation. Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar writes in English and translates from his mother tongue, Santali, as well as from Hindi and Bengali into English. His translations have been published in Asymptote, Scroll, Usawa Literary Review, and Dalhousie Review.

Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar writes in English and translates from his mother tongue, Santali, as well as from Hindi and Bengali into English. His translations have been published in Asymptote, Scroll, Usawa Literary Review, and Dalhousie Review.