A family is unable to decide whether a parrot who has landed in its garden is a Hindu or a Muslim. A courtesan loses her ancestral mirror to rioters. The family that now possesses it finds itself transformed. Mutta celebrates her freedom from domestic drudgery. Vatsyayana hands you the keys to sexual bliss. Hira Dom berates the caste system. Over the centuries, many great empires and kingdoms took root in Bihar and, along with advancements in mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, science and statecraft, they produced exemplary works of literature.The Book of Bihari Literature is a vibrant collection of writings-poems, essays, stories-that have flowed from the pens of the great poets, thinkers and writers across millennia, who were born or lived in what is modern-day Bihar. This book makes accessible to English-speaking readers the bounty of Bihari literature, and brings to the fore works in neglected languages by ancient philosophers and celebrated contemporary authors alike.