The Hungry Stones

The Hungry Stones is a collection of short stories written by Rabindranath Tagore and first published in 1895.

The main story, The Hungry Stones, tells the story of a tax collector who stays in an old abandoned palace near the river, where he begins to experience mysterious visions and feels trapped by echoes of the past.

The story explores themes of the supernatural, the history that lingers in places, and the influence of time on the mind.

Overall, the collection combines realism, symbolism and spirituality, while also addressing social and human issues with Tagore's characteristic sensitivity.

"My kinsman and myself were returning to Calcutta from our Puja trip when we met the man in a train. From his dress and bearing we took him at first for an up-country Mahomedan, but we were puzzled as we heard him talk. He discoursed upon all subjects so confidently that you might think the Disposer of All Things consulted him at all times in all that He did. Hitherto we had been perfectly happy, as we did not know that secret and unheard-of forces were at work, that the Russians had advanced close to us, that the English had deep and secret policies, that confusion among the native chiefs had come to a head."