Colonel Samagra Vol XVI

One of the most boring of the Colonel volumes but for one that is short crisp and just as you begin to guess the criminal, the person is unmasked. Yes this is the story Kaktarua Brityanta that is just as Jayanta tells is completed in a very short time. The next best is the Apeman Rahasya which involves a sighting of a huge ape in three corners of the country followed by violent killings in two occassions and so the daring adventurerer in Haldermoshai start exploring the farthest cities while Colonel takes Jayanta to the nearer one where he expects to draw the curtain. Haldermoshai also holds cue for another incident Andhyakarer Nayak which is too much complex in plot that seems not worthy of the actual mystery that it has in store. A bit similar in complications is Lalgarher Ratnapetika that is narrated by Colonel which interestingly adds to the misery like always. As the Colonel with Jayanta takes on a scientific treachery coupled with murder in Rahasya Jakhan Samudrik it become obvious about the nature of the crime though Jayanta is here a remote observer and not an active member of the adventure.

Operation Red Herring

An unique Colonel Niladri Sarkar mystery told from the perspectives of three different persons, the sleuth, Jayanta and the client.

A case of disappearance, dormant for years, seems suddenly to come to prominence with a flood of threats and a sudden murder of an acquaintance. Was the disappearance a case of kidnapping or was it murder? With that there also appears a Godman with a skeleton that smokes which not only causes a hue and cry but also attracts challenges from the scientific minded. As Colonel is approached to look into the former, Haldermoshai is drawn to the latter. Some very obvious clues make the sleuth skeptic and the title perfect. As it nears the climax, the suspense heightens modulating the mood to keep the excitement at the right scale.

Inspector Brahmer 7 Tadanta

Contrasting to Mustafa Siraj's Colonel stories, Inspector Surapati Brahma is more of a professional detective. But as with the retired colonel he also exhibits a deceiving look that masks his shrewd thinking brain. An ex-professor of the English language, for which he is referred to as Sir by many of his contemporaries, he is a revered figure in the police force. Much to the dissatisfaction of his wife Suranjana, the responsible Brahma feels happy to remain busy even at home too. So the seven investigations that this compilation includes never for once will keep the reader idle. Assisted by the young, enthusiastic and intelligent sub-inspector Satyacharan Pathak he delves deeper into the human minds to unmask criminals and catch them red-handed. But the problem of the seven novels lie in the fact that more often the ambience that is described matches with each other in several of the instances. This repititiveness sheds a disappointment for the readers as do the incompleteness of several of the recurrent characters though it does not compromise the central theme at any time. But apparently the very best, that mixes a bit of science fiction with mystery remains incomplete in the sense that the detective never explains clearly how the clues led to the murderer in Tadanta 7. The investigations invariably starts with a murder and it remains upon the shrewd Brahma to unveil the criminals. Sometimes it is the case of a lecherous businessman in Tadanta 1, sometimes a renowned painter of yester years in Tadanta 4, sometimes an auditor who has stumbled upon a truth in Tadanta 6, sometimes a corporate killed in his flat in Tadanta 3, everytime the investigators catch hold of the truth by analysisng the clues. An intricate network of informers also help the police in several cases. Traps are sprung on the unsuspecting criminals as in Tadanta 2, web is weaved around the evil as in Tadanta 5 that completes the story satisfactorily. The curious point to note is Inspector Brahma considers the fictitious Colonel stories as trash but uses several of the phrases used by him while solving mysteries. Another interesting factor of the stories are these have been conceived during the time cell phones had not been so predominant. This adds an old world romance and the efficient use of technology during mystery solving.

Colonel Samagra Vol XV

The omnibus edition again presents five of the Colonel's adventures unmasking the criminals of which certain are by the Colonel's own narration of events. The stories are

• Coloneler Journal Theke

As evident from the name itself it is documented  in Colonel's journal and curiously enough not so exciting a narration as compared to the more popular Jayanta's perspective. The case is mysterious but not so exciting as the plot unfolds.

• Arale Mrityur Phand

A trap is sprung in the entertainment industry and it is upto Colonel and Haldermoshai to save the innocent while Jayanta remains the witness of the adventure.

• Alexander Rahasya

Though this mutiplot story, again narrated by Colonel begins quite interestingly, but becomes very obvious before the actual climax.

•  Lalubabur Antardhyan Rahasya

Clearly the best of the collection this fast paced thriller includes Colonel, Haldermoshai and is narrated by Jayanta involving an interesting riddle that, though is not the central plot, but keeps the suspense running.

• Mukhosher Mukh

Another good short story that traps the villain in an abrupt move.

Though these mystery stories are quite good to read but a major dissapointment is the undue fast pace and the less focus on diversification of characters.

Ghari Rahasya

Syed Mustafa Siraj's detective story, once read in Anandamela and now preserved in digital form, brought some more nostalgic memories and along with it a thrill for the suspense that seemed promising at first. But it was too quick in the finale and doesn't do justice for a bit old readers. Infact the ridiculous coincidence seemed too much in the story but seemed to be kept just for the sake of justification which I think may have been very well crafted in a different manner. All the same the story will be an addition to my prize collection just for bringing with it the fortnightly that I was once fan of.

Colonel Samagra Vol III

Again we encounter Colonel Niladri Sarkar in a series of mysteries but the quality of detective novel deteroriates in this volume. The best novel seems to be Nishuti Raater Daak but its humane part is more touching than the detection part. Infact, Colonel's realization of himself growing old seem at places justified and although he ultimately solves the mystery but the parallel story of an entirely different nature suppresses the mystery content. Also, as unlike most the Colonel stories, this is not narrated by Jayanta and infact he is not involved here at all. Dakinitantra started on a promising note, and Jayanta's narrative refreshed the reading, but again it was just an ordinary piece when it ended. In Mafia Rahasya, though Jayanta is involved but it is again narrated passively and also the story is made more complex with added events. Nababi Mohor seems a better story in this chain and when the villain is unmasked the readers are bound to be astonished. Both Hirer Necklace and Kaalo Suto unveils a complicated mode of crime for its end result and though the later could have been more intense as the adventurous duo later exclaims the former seems unduly complicated just for the sake of making it a longer story. Some personal insight into the Colonel's life is the only contribution of the author and the reader will know why the Colonel mysteries mostly revel in murder rather than just theft and smuggling.

Colonel Samagra Vol II

The volume starts with Patal Khandyok when Colonel Niladri Sarkar is requested to find the truth behind the death of a young man reportedly killed by a pet leopard in Kanjola district. As the aged sleuth starts investigating the case digs up sinful past and deadbodies but the Colonel had to wait for the ultimate solution as the puzzling events are ultimately solved, not by the detective, but in the note of a criminal. Sundar Bibhishika involves Jayanta in a grim position with a deadbody and though the climax is good but the plot seemed to be unrealistically complicated. Macbether Daini is a nice relief after the not-so-good first two and ends with a final twist that leaves the reader in awe at the solution so peculiar but convincing. Swarger Bahan starts with an inkling of excitement as it speaks of graveyards and an yester year murder of relative to the royal lineage of Jahanabad but the excitement dies away soon but interest remains till the final chapters. The next Bigraha Rahasya starts with a hallucinating elder, a strange mystery and a gentle pace but quickly paces up from the middle onwards. Danielkuthir Hatyarahasya is on the other hand a straight forward case and the interesting point in this story is the style of narration which, in the absence of Jayanta throughout, is narrated by one of the individuals in the case for the first half and from a third person's perspective in the later chapters. The final, Kakcharitra is probably the most praiseworthy which, though seemed a bit quick near the end, but the ingenuity of the author is felt at the smartly crafted episodes.

Colonel Samagra Vol I

Colonel Niladri Sarkar, the truth seeker as invented by Syed Mustafa Siraj held my fascination at a very young age. Maybe his Santa Claus appearance was the most lovably appealing feature that was so unnatarual for an investigator to me who used to associate a grim and serious looking soul with that profession. Though through times that outlook on the appearance of detectives changed as I grew more familiar with Holmes, Feluda, Byomkesh, Father Brown, Poirot, Marple, Tommy & Tuppence and Arjun but still this wonderful personality had always found a ready fan in me. Actually the fusion of a retired army officer with the characteristics of a genial grandfather held its charm to me and in the same way as people craves for the warmth of their grandparents, I also have a fondness for Colonel Niladri Sarkar.

So in the bookfair of 97 when I came across the consolidated volumes published by De's I couldn't resist the temptation of buying the 1^st one. But two disappointments awaited me, the 1^st one being that the stories did not seem to be chronologically ordered. But the more serious one was that it seemed the Colonel of my dream whose adventures in crime was supposed to be read with awe by readers of all ages seemed to have special cases reserved for the adult readers that immediately worsened my feelings. Actually I had always found the inclusion of adult content makes the crimes and motives somewhat unidirectional and the mystery portion is somewhat slightened.

The book starts with a novel titled 'Paragacha' or the weed, where the retired Colonel and his friend-cum-story narrator Jayanta, the journalist of Dainik Satyasevak, involves themselves in the murder of a call girl, Chandrika who again relates herself with a parallel case presented to Col. Sarkar by his acquintance Mr. Amarendra Singha Roy, of the scenic village of Rangatuli. The story starts with the Colonel and Jayanta attending a drama by Sourav on the express wish of the owner-cum-actor Indrajit Bannerjee. Chandrika was a member of the drama company and on their way home a visibly distressed Chandrika requested lift in their car. Though there was no serious conversation in the way but later Jayanta discovered that she had left her handbag in the car. On the next morning, Chandrika's murder was revealed and the Colonel sets off on the mission to unravel the secrets that points to the murderer and also the motive. Though the story had quite a number of twists but there are also several coincidences that makes the investigator's job quite easy. Interesitingly, the private eye and the ever bumbling acquintance of Colonel, whom the author has used as a refreshing relief, Haldarmoshai appears only in this story in the whole collection and I admit that this sincere and honest soul has been my favourite from the start. The second story is quite good but the name 'Phand' (Bengali for trap) gives away much of the excitement very early during the narration. 'Zero Zero Zero' involves attempt of sabotage that is cleverly foiled by the veteran Colonel. 'Sonar Damaru' seems to be a classic case where Colonel's loses his voice temporarily due to severe cold and cannot prevent dual murders before catching the criminal and a gang of smugglers. I think 'Prem, Hatya ebong Colonel' is probably the best and the shortest of the lot in the collection where also for a change, a third person narration is used and the entire plot with its solution evolves magnificently and quite unlike the other stories. Infact the third person narration seems to be deliberate, else the story would have lost much of its novelty. The naming of the story 'Khokan Gaache Maach Dhorte', has been taken from a Bengali nursery rhyme and is kind of synonymous with the way a mishap happens during a fishing hike which the Colonel again solves with the help of his intuitions. But again super simplification seems to mar the thrill in this story as much of the mystery behind the dissapearance of a mystic monk seems to be childishly explained. But in 'Janalar Neeche Ekta Lok', the brilliance of story telling masked the perpetrator(s) of crime masterfully and though it had appeared quite boring when I read it initially but its appeal seem to have increased with time. Actually what I think is as I knew the story beforehand, this time I could appreciate the literary content and how poetically it had been handled throughout, quite unlike a traditional detective story. Also in 'Dui Nari', though the narration is in 1^st person but this time it is not Jayanta but a married writer Gautam Chowdhury who involves himself in a case of theft while on a secret holiday with one of his lady fans. A deadbody worsens the situation more but when the criminal is unmasked, the tortuous way of organizing the crime seems to be too far fetched. In 'Hangor', the mysterious happenings in a hotel named 'The Shark' at Chandanpore-on-sea on a rainy night followed by a deadbody in the premises of a political activist in the morning required Colonel's interference to solve the murder. The monsoon season adds the additional adventurous back drop to this story but here again the theme seems to be highly unrealistic. The plot in 'Kalo Pathar' is quite a good one but the use of supernaturals remained unexplained and of the two seances though one seemed to be staged but the reality regarding the other one remained a mystery till the very end. A bizarre series of murders in 'Trishule Rakter Daag' makes it highly interesting but how the Colonel gathered some clues are upto the readers to unravel. The final in the collection, 'Toy Pistol’ again would have been a highly interesting plot but it started in a very abrupt manner and seemed to conclude hurriedly without giving necessary time for the complexity of the plot to evolve significantly. Altogether the compilation is well balanced and if you love the character you, at least, won’t hate the book.

An interesting observation regarding Colonel adventures that highly contrasts with traditional detective fictions is that the retired Colonel doesn’t seem to be in the bad books of the police or the professionals and in fact a nice understanding seems to develop between the veteran crime solver and the local security in almost all cases. Infact there are instances where the local police and the Colonel both seek help of each other and the local security personnel in several cases seems actually happy to get the help of Colonel to unravel the bizarre happenings. This may be an automatic choice for the author owing to Colonel’s background but in any case, I personally liked the general trend of non-cooperation between professionals and amateurs in the trade being eradicated in the cases.