1001 Indian Nights: The Trials of Narayan Lal

Sarath Kumar Ghose, 1001 Indian Nights: The Trials of Narayan Lal, London: William Heinemann, 1906

viii, 248 pages, 9 illustrations; original decorated cloth
7.7 x 5 in (19.2 x 12.5 cm)

The present lot is the story of a royal servant, the eponymous Narayan Lal, sentenced to death for daring to fall in love with a princess. Much like Theseus or Hercules who fought off terrible monsters, Lal has to overcome multiple challenges over 21 days, including battling a poisonous snake, fighting off thugs, literal trial by fire and poison, amongst other tests. The author of the novel was as fascinating to readers as the book itself.

"Some accounts referred to Sarath Kumar Ghose as the "first Hindu writer in English" to be recognised in London. The absence of detail implies some exaggeration, but Ghosh, whom newspapers were soon referring to as Prince - he claimed descent from a royal house (Ghoshpara near Calcutta) - was quite a novelty, and his lectures received wide attention.??? (Anu Kumar, "When an Indian writer's visit caused a stir in the US scroll.in, 2021, online)

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