Ghandasamagra I

The contents of this wonderful collection runs as

• Ghanadar Galpo
• Masha
• Poka
• Nuri
• K(n)ach
• Maach
• Tupi
• Chari
• Lattu
• Adwitiya Ghanada
• Dada
• Phuto
• D(n)aat
• Ghari
• H(n)aas
• Suto
• Aabar Ghanada
• Dheel
• Ch(n)uch
• Shishi
• Ghanadake Vote Deen
• Ghanadake Vote Deen
• K(n)echo
• Machi
• Ghanadar Nitya Natun
• Jol
• Chokh
• Chata
• Ghanda Kulpi Khan Na
• Ghanadar Juri Nei
• Tel
• Bhasha
• Maap
• Maati

Premendra Mitra had created maybe one of the unique personalities in the world of fiction in Ghanada whose exploits narrated in first person (in general) though are filled with thrilling suspense but the underlying humour and a trace of twist makes each episode livelier with its hilarious finishes.

His four avid listeners-cum-fans, Shishir, Gour, Shibu and the author, the inhabintants of a mess in 72, Banamali Naskar Lane enjoys listening to Ghanada narrating his exploits that involves unmasking international criminals and his hobnobs with the American and British intelligentsia which proves to be their ultimate enjoyment during the leasurly weekends. Ghanada's stubborn logics justifying his claims of the mess rights sometimes proves too much for them but they are easily soothed by the fantastic events that he narrates as a way of justification. The stories that he weaves from the slightest provocation, though seems to be all bluff but sometimes some surprising revelations pose a serious question to the listeners - isn't Ghanada really a bundle of talents? The quad sometimes poses some deceptive traps for Ghanada but his high IQ, a trivial opportunity and sometimes his remarkable intelligence helps him to maneuver the traps quite easily.

These exploits, though if we consider to be all bluffs, contain all accurate facts and infact Surajit Dasgupta's introduction quite correctly summarizes one very universal truth about Ghanada novels - it was Premendra Mitra's interest of inspiring the youngs with science that he created this unique personality. Also several of the writings addresses the pollution and serious scarcity of natural vegetations and also extinction of species that really makes these a class apart in Bengali literature. The stories that will ultimately make you a fan of Ghanada and Co. all mask some very interesting scientific events that can be expected to eventually inspire some on the course of research on the topics.

Parashar Barma Samagra 1st

Thanks to one of my web acquintances, I could locate this book in the A. Mukherjee & Co. stall in this year's bookfair. Actually though Premendra Mitra had not been my favourite detective writer but the charm of his writing had always appealed to me. Also in my younger days I'd read stories of Parashar Barma and though he had never seemed like a serious person in his field, but once again the style of writing was unique as far as crime fiction was concerned. The collection that I bought, contained

1. Ghora Kinlen Parashar Barma
2. Ghuri Oralen Parashar Barma
3. Parashar Barma o Bombai Dhandha
4. Du-Noukoe Parashar Barma
5. Premer Prante Parashar
6. Nijer Jobanite Parashar

Each of the stories, except the last, is written from the perspective of Parashar's friend-cum-assistance Krittibas and in almost each of them the utter irritation of Krittibash in Parashar's apparent casual approaches has automatically seeped inside the reader's mind till the final showdown where Parashar's apparently obscure methods are justified and the reader can't help but compliment Parashar in his solutions.
The starting novel originates and culminates in the racing grounds and those that are not conversant with the intricacies of the racing rules will however won't be baffled much as the required regulations are well explained in the story itself. The problem stems when a prize horse is suddenly withdrawn from the race by Parashar that sparks of anger in the audience and the reason, when revealed by Parashar in the end, seemed to establish a heinous crime.
The 2nd story is quite prolonged and the actual mystery is camouflaged till the very end and thus an ordinary reader like me can understand the real culprit well before the criminal is caught red-handed. Though it contains both fortune telling and smuggling, of which the mystery concerning the later is ultimately solved but the author remains silent about the former.
The 3rd mystery, though is an old and proven plot, but the fabrication of the same is done with the ingenuity that really makes one wonder who the criminal is till the very end. It is really satisfying and is one of the superb ones in the collection.
The 4th story is set in the backdrop of Puri beach and Krittibas boards a hotel booked by Parashar with the instruction of sending data of the inmates daily to Parashar. As he religiously does that, suddenly he received a postcard from the sleuth that suggests that a murder is going to be committed there and Krittibas is asked to keep a sharp lookout. Following this Parashar himself arrives and a series of persons go missing. Whether the crimes can be stopped and the criminal identified from the long list of inmates keeps the suspense high for the readers.
The 5th concerns Parashar's sudden interest in astrology and a foreign lady and Krittibash is led to a hotel near the airport where an international criminal on the lookout of looting tourists seems to lurk and it is upon Parashar to unearth the criminal and save the innocent.
The final in the book is again based on false identities and its twist in the final pages again makes it a gem in the collection. Also Parashar's literary ability is revealed as is the author's ingenuity in using a slightly different way of narration so as to properly identify Krittibas's style with that of the detective. Also Krittibas's actual character subjected to Parashar's scrutiny is revealed and is unique in the style of the criminal novels where sleuth is not accustomed to acknowledge the level of intelligence, if any, of the satellites.