Kikira Samagra II

Consisting of six novels, the volume is adventure combined with magic, suspense and mystery. It starts with Mayurganjer Nrisingha Sadan which revolves about a cursed family heirloom. A magical appearance of a fire walking ascetic unnerves the sole witness which is followed by a death in the same place. The eerie magical mystery seems a problem for a wizard sleuth. So came Kikira, self abbreviated Kinkar Kishore Ray. With him are the duo Tarapada (Tara), an accounting clerk and Chandan (Ch(n)adu), the doctor, who is lovingly referred lovingly by Kikira as sandalwood, the literal translation of his name. Next is the Jadukarer Rahasyamoy Mrityu where a magician is killed on stage and his magical harmonium vanishes. Though it mainly revolves around smuggled goods, it is a bit of a disappointment as the fate smuggled items are never revealed. Case closes without a hint to how all clues are obtained by the investigators. In Circus Theke Palie a performing motorcyclist escapes from circus accusing his fellow senior of threats and attempt to murder. As Kikira takes up the case on insistence of Chandan only to find that all concerned are not revealing the truth. It seems mysterious about why the motorist escapes and goes to hiding. Abrupt ending mars the climax in this thriller that is gripping yet satisfyingly slow. The following is Holod Palak B(n)adha Teer where the story reveals the magician turned detective's MO which is to collect as much information as possible so that others understand the solutions without the sleuth requiring to spell it out specifically. A businessman suffers a paralysing stroke while visiting a place to negotiate a deal in Ghatsheela. But two persons think otherwise. So Kikira is called to take the case. Tarapada accompanies him to Ghatsheela. Mystery revolves as the place of murder reveals some curious clues like a glove with a missing place for a finger, yellow feathers. Chandan is present for short crucial chapters. The mystery actually increases the appeal of the volume which somehow was dampened before this. An odd advertisement, sets the tone of Turuper Shesh Tas, hinting foul play to a death startles the business partner of the deceased. Along with that there is a constant blackmail by a supposed relative. The victim is confused and Kikira is consulted in the matter. A slight similarity with a previous adventure is felt in the plot but the finale is pleasantly different. The case of a missing young man is apparently central to Sonar Ghorir Kh(n)oje but Kikira feels that the gold watch, kept as a fond remembrance to his grandfather and also as a family heirloom, which is also missing, holds the key to the mystery.
The stories of the unassuming Kikira are a bit different from others in the genre and adds another dimension to the tradition of detective fictions. Bimal Kar allows the stories to meander easily but they never loose focus on the actual course.

Chandragirir Rajkahini

A tremendously exciting novel with a touch of one of the greatest classics of all times but the moment you expect it to turn towards the obvious direction a twisting revelation makes it all the more rivetting.
A petty mercenary is hired by an aquintance of a dwindling kingdom to act as one of the successors of the dead king due to his close resemblance to the king's elder son who is living a life of the hunted after his step brother, the other  claimant of the title, failed in his attempt of killing him. Bargaining for the adventure with his life at stake, little did he know what awaits him as the deeper he delves, the royal secrets smeard with treachery make him shudder. A tale of royal vengeance where the common man is held as pawn in the name of fallen prestige keeps the suspense high. Though some queries remain unanswered still it remains a thrilling anecdote of an adventure with a touch of the romsnce. I had read several stories of the author but this surely is unique in its character

Saras Galpo

A pack of hilarious romantic comedies, nothing could have been a better buy than this Bimal Kar collection. Warming up with not so hilarious Chaar Taas and Basanta Bilap which proved to be less comic than the film, the actual pace was set by Kaalidas o Chemistry and the rhythm by PremShashee. Again the spirit seemed a bit dampened to some extent in the couple Hridoe Binimoe and Atmadarshan but it was compensated doubly by the woes and pathoes without which the conjugal life remains incomplete but wrapped up in classic comedy in Bridhasya Bharya. Abhilashee, Bou nie Khela, Chumbak Chikitsa and PhaneeManasa followed the monotonous yet enjoyable style set by the previous few but uniqueness again unfolded with Gorachand, Rasatal and to me, one of the quality stories of the set in Rangalal. But Milonatsab was not so good and seemed to miss the general goal of the book but was followed by, my fabourite of the set, Ratnalabh. The next couple were again romantic, though I will keep Ratkiller a bit lesser in the fun side than Bichitra Prem. The book culminated with the charming Beauty ebong GG filled with old world values but a little less convincing. The striking thing of the narratives is that while exploring the old world values along with the funny side of romance, that sometimes bordered the crude innstincts, it rarely crossed aesthetic limits which proved the command that Kar possessed in Bengali literature.

Harano Diaryr Khonje

Bimal Kar’s detective other than Kikira, used to bore me with maybe his only appearance in the novel Harano Diaryr Khonje but for the fact that I was somewhat optimistically biased about Bimal Kar in recent days that I again took up the ebook to refresh my memory about the story which I’d once read in Anandamela. To say that it felt excellent would be not true but the adventure or the slow evolution of the plot seemed now to be so akin to traditional detective novels which I’m sure I was not matured to appreciate at my younger days. But the slowness of the pace seemed to get the better of the story and the climactic revelations that ought to be more splendid seemed not so astounding. It is more of a standard adventure story than detective but for the last two pages, where suspense was created very rapidly and there too detection never seemed a prime motive and so the readers can enjoy Kar’s easy paced storytelling but for the fans of stories involving true investigators this may not be so much of an enthusiastic choice.