Jal Rajar Katha Bardhamaner Pratapchand by Goutam Bhadra [Hardcover]

Not just a hundred and fifty years ago, but even today such an event would have left people astonished. In 1835, the deceased Raja Pratapchand of the zamindar household of Burdwan returned in the flesh, 15 years after his death. The whole place was in an uproar. It was like a stone thrown into a calm pond, causing ripples. Some waves rose and vanished, while others spread throughout the pond. The incident was linked to various circles: aristocratic scandals, claims of ownership, the intrigues of Company officials, factionalism in Bengali gentleman society, the rush of lawsuits, and the transformation of courtroom testimonies.

Though the incident was singular, its branches spread into different facets of contemporary society. The alleyways of the mystery were endless. Nearly fifty years later, in search of Bengali self-examination documents, Bankimchandra's elder brother Sanjibchandra, a sleuth, embarked on this tangled history. He produced a historical book in the manner of a mystery investigator. There was no end to the controversy surrounding that book, as no one wanted to miss out on the sensational story of Pratapchand's return. Everyone recounted the tale in their own way. The list of storytellers included the eminent names of the time, such as the balladeer Dasharathi Ray, the natural poet Krishnakanta Bhaduri, and the lion-child of Kolkata, Kaliprasanna Singha.

Standing alongside them was the devotee of Aguri, Anupchandra, who was not hesitant to narrate his guru's tales. The mystery of the king's return, interwoven with the tension between the upper and lower classes, serves as a diverse showcase of past explorations in various forms and styles. This case of determining entitlement and identity through conversations between the present and the past became a chapter in the formation of 19th-century Bengali life, society, and historical consciousness.