Nirantar Radio

Episode 09

Bolti Kahaniyaan Ep 9: Amar Bel

Sounds of mourning and celebration are overlapping in the neighbourhood. Sharafat Bhai’s life is going to change completely after his first wife’s death as he is set to marry a younger girl. Will the doe-like youthful beauty that he adores and worships age well? Or, will time play its game and turn happiness into jealousy? Sexuality is, after all, a fickle mistress.
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This thrilling story is written by Ismat Chughtai and has been published in the book ‘Chidi ki Dukki’ by Vani Prakashan. We have edited this story for the purpose of this podcast. We hope the narration helps you initiate conversations on gender, desire and sexuality.

This story is a part of our edition ‘Pleasure and Danger’. Stay tuned for more stories from the Bolti Kahaniyaan series in this edition.

‘Bolti Kahaniyaan’ is a series of audio stories on gender, sexuality, power, caste, and violence. These stories, selected from Nirantar’s treasure trove as well as from the vast repository of Hindi literature, can be narrated in gender workshops, where these stories can facilitate discussions on serious and complex topics. These stories can also be used by schools, community libraries, youth groups, adult education centres, and men’s discussion groups to kickstart conversations and experience-sharing. Nirantar Trust has used these stories in field workshops and these have led to deep, interesting and even surprising discussions.

Production by Sadia Saeed

Narrated by Rizwana Fatima

Cover Image by Samiksha Kherde

Check out other essays and stories from the ‘Pleasure and Danger’ edition by visiting our website.

  • Sadia Saeed is the Technical Head and Editorial Coordinator of The Third Eye.

Sadia Saeed is the Technical Head and Editorial Coordinator of The Third Eye.