Had the act continued, the weight of the elephant would have pressed Reba’s body down onto the knife loosely stitched into the mattress placed below her and killed her ... As little Reba explored the wilderness with the rising sun lighting up her face, she knew she would chart her own path of endless adventures and daring feats someday. A few years later, the rapidly evolving society of early twentieth-century Calcutta, her adopted home, provided just the right launch pad for her dreams. She found a guru in the legendary Bishnu Charan Ghosh.With her Bishtuda by her side and the stage to perform her death-defying stunts, Reba reached dizzying heights with practice, precision and perseverance. Her petite frame belied the strength of her conviction and the power of her intent. Strong Woman Reba Rakshit is a captivating account of a daredevil who courted controversies and movie stars with equal ease. A woman who dared to dream and had immense courage, steely determination and enough ambition to fulfil it. The stuntmaster who worked shoulder to shoulder with men to give her country its first ‘strong woman’. She was the first Indian woman to lift an elephant on her chest. But the ‘Circus Beauty Queen’ was wearing a crown of thorns until one day she decided to take matters into her own hands ... Reba’s is no ordinary story because she was no ordinary woman. Ida Jo Pajunen’s well-researched narrative brings to life not only the legend, but also the sights and sounds of Kolkata of a bygone era.