Sekaler Goyenda Galpa by Arindam Dasgupta [Hardcover]

The writing of detective stories in Bengali in the modern sense began in the last decade of the 19th century. These stories were scattered across various well-known and lesser-known newspapers and magazines of that time. Perhaps for the first time, these stories have been collected and reprinted in this anthology. The competition among writers and how the Bengali literary scene saw the emergence of amateur detectives and Sherlock Holmes, as well as how the writers and publishers of that time paved new paths for detective stories, is also recounted in these delightful tales.

For those interested in reading detective stories, this collection offers fresh material, and for those who wish to trace the history of detective literature, it provides valuable sources. Above all, this anthology presents, for the first time, a diverse array of information about the fascination with Sherlock Holmes in Bengali literature.

Not only did these detective stories gain immense popularity at the time, but they also had a significant indirect influence on Bengali society. The stories often featured examples of tea and cigarettes—two of the most sought-after consumer goods worldwide at the time. Through these stories, detective fiction subtly promoted these products, portraying tea and cigarettes as social discoveries, thus becoming a part of urban living and the identity of a particular class. While reading the detective stories, one cannot ignore their multifaceted impact on society as well.