EP 222: Bengal-The Story of Swet-Basanta (Day)

Sandman Stories Presents

#Bengal #folktale

Today we are back in the book of Bengal folklore written down by Lal Behari Day. In today’s story we will learn about Swet Basanta. There are a couple of words I want you to know before we get into the story. Almirah is a closet or wardrobe. Ghataks are professional marriage brokers. Manik is a great jewel of incomparable beauty. And a howdah is a fancy seat for riding elephants. Please don’t ride elephants.

Source: Folk-Tales of Bengal by Lal Behari Day 1912

Narrator: Dustin Steichmann

Music: মুর্শিদি গান –murshidi gan village song

Sound Effects: frog sound by Balaram_Mahalder on freesound.org

Podcast Shoutout: And the podcast shoutout is to The Faerie Folk. If you love very local folklore in the UK, this is the podcast for you. Although the releases are sporadic, each episode is to be cherished and listened to again and again. And if you like her show as much as I do, go and give her a like, a rating, and a review.

Listener Shoutout: And the listener shout out is to Rabat Morocco. I don’t have a personal connection aside from wanting to live there, so here is Google’s quick rundown of the city. Rabat, Morocco's capital, rests along the shores of the Bouregreg River and the Atlantic Ocean. It's known for landmarks that speak to its Islamic and French-colonial heritage, including the Kasbah of the Udayas. This Berber-era royal fort is surrounded by formal French-designed gardens and overlooks the ocean. The city's iconic Hassan Tower, a 12th-century minaret, soars above the ruins of a mosque. Of course I would love to visit there someday. Just looking at the map gave me a few holiday ideas. And so to my listeners in Rabat I say Alif Shukran and Tisbalakheer. Thank you and goodnight