Ashwanama by Aditya Mukhopadhyay [Hardcover]

There are various types of horses: clay horses, wooden horses, paper horses, artistic horses, cultural horses, saints' horses, and Dharma Raja's horses. The speed, agility, and vivacity of real, flesh-and-blood horses make them quite spectacular. The beauty and connection of horse-drawn carriages have historically been adorned with the elegance of their galloping. Primarily, the prominence of horses in Bengal increased after the Turkish invasions. The white horses of the saints have galloped across Bengal. However, horses were rare during the Harappa-Mohenjo-Daro era. Horses symbolize both auspicious and inauspicious events, as well as sexuality. In many parts of Bengal, the horse, as the vehicle of the local deity Dharma Thakur, itself assumes the seat of the folk deity.

Aditya Mukhopadhyay, a pedestrian field researcher, has seen such horses in various ways during his travels, and has also observed the joys and sorrows of the people whose lives and livelihoods are connected to horses. His book, "Ashwanama: Sanskritir Ghoda," is a valuable research-based work on horses.