Breaking the Bow: Speculative Fiction Inspired by the Ramayana

One of literature’s most enduring stories, now retold by literary luminaries the world over.

A long time ago, a daring young prince, the heir to a great kingdom, wielded Siva’s mighty bow and won the heart of a brave princess.

The story of what happened next—the Ramayana—told and re-told countless times, in innumerable forms, over the centuries and across all cultures, begins where most stories end. These twenty-five stories in Breaking the Bow take a courageous leap into the unknown. Inspired by the Ramayana and its cultural importance, the anthology dares to imagine new worlds sprung from a tale as old as time.

Breaking the Bow features a lineup of international authors, from stars of South-Asian fiction like Abha Dawesar, Rana Dasgupta, Priya Sarukkai Chabria, Tabish Khair, Kuzhali Manickavel, Mary Anne Mohanraj and Manjula Padmanabhan, as well as interpretations from noted authors from India, Sri Lanka and Thailand, Holland, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States.