This lecture is cosponsored by the U-M Center for South Asian Studies, the Global Islamic Studies Center, and the Digital Islamic Studies Curriculum.

There is a vast body of imaginal literature in Bengali that introduces fictional Sufi saints into the complex mythological world of Hindu gods and goddesses. Dating to the sixteenth century, the stories—pir katha—are still widely read and performed today. The events that play out rival the fabulations of the Arabian Nights, which has led them to be dismissed as simplistic folktales, yet the work of these stories is profound: they provide fascinating insight into how Islam habituated itself into the cultural life of the Bangla-speaking world.

Tony K. Stewart is Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in Humanities at Vanderbilt University and a specialist in the religions and literatures of early modern Bengal. His works include "The Final Word: The Caitanya Caritāmṛta and the Grammar of Religious Tradition," "Fabulous Females and Peerless Pirs: Tales of Mad Adventure in Old Bengal," and "Witness to Marvels: Sufism and Literary Imagination."

If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation to attend this event, please reach out to us at least 2 weeks in advance of this event. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.