Dread Of Hauntings

I do not recall when I became interested in Suchitra Bhattacharya’s writings. I had heard one of her short stories on an app. I liked it. I then happened to learn about her female detective, Prognyparomita Mukhopadhay aka Mitin (Maashi) (nickname) who is married, has a kid and a laid back husband who does not mind basking in the glory of his (karate) black belt  wife. My interest doubled. And then I learnt more about the author which intrigued me to no end.

Suchitra Bhattacharya joined public service but left her secure government job to become a full fledged writer in 1970. Not many people have the guts to make such a bold choice and take such a drastic leap in life. She died young of cardiac arrest at the age of sixty five (1950 – 2015)  and left an unbridgeable chasm in Bengali literature.

I believe she was a very vocal, politically conscious person and did not hesitate to criticise the then Leftist and the current government. This again is a reflection of her undaunted spirit. In West Bengal it is not easy or , may I say, safe to be forthright about the existing ruling government.

I guess, she is the first author to bestow Bengali Literature with the first female sleuth who is knowledgeable as well as physically fit. On top of it, she juggles successfully between homely duties being married and her professional life wherein she has to deal not only with  criminals but also the  Kolkata and the State Police. At times she asks her husband to help out in securing information under disguise. This is the part I love the most. Her husband runs a Press but it does not take two minutes for him to do her bidding as he is an enthusiastic amateur stage artist in his leisure. Cute, isn’t it? A camaraderie seldom seen in Indian marital life wherein the woman of the house is either shunned to the kitchen or has to struggle to balance out between home and work life where the former is always the priority even if she is holding a stressful, demanding  job.

In Paalaabar Path Nei (No Way To escape) Bidisha, an uncommonly beautiful girl from a lower middle class family, is handpicked by Dinanath Rudra, to be the daughter-in-law of the rich and famous Rudra family. His  son, Archishman Rudra, is years older to Bidisha. Both have nothing in common either. Yet Bidisha is so called ‘happily married’ not to her husband but to the luxurious living she has always craved for which riches can only afford. She will not leave any stone unturned to retain her status of an adorable daughter-in-law and an apparently loving but insecure wife. She knows if her past gets known to her suspicious and possessive husband she will have to forego what she has earned through her physical beauty.

Try, as she may, to not  let her past mess up her present, it does intrude wreaking havoc in her seemingly peaceful life. During a vacation to Digha with her husband, she meets one of her ex-boyfriends, Arko, who covertly threatens that he is still in possession of her love letters. Bidisha returns to the hotel and finds her husband drinking. His insinuating remarks makes her uncomfortable. She suspects that he may have seen her with Arko from the hotel balcony.

A few days later she receives the first telephone call. The caller demands ₹50000/- in lieu of maintaining silence about her pre marriage life. Bidisha confronts Arko to elicit a confession that he is the anonymous caller. But he appears to be innocent. From where will Bidisha get the money to silence the blackmailer? Though she belongs to a rich family now but her husband keeps a strict tab on her money matters. She only has limited cash in hand. In a twisted plan Bidisha sells her late mother-in-law’s jewellery. Arko helps to get her the money by selling the jewellery. He also, on her request and out of goodness of heart, accompanies her to leave the money at the venue as instructed by the caller. But Arko goes a step further and decides to nab the culprit and by an unfortunate stroke of luck accosts him as well. However, before he can divulge his name to Bidisha, Arko is ruthlessly killed. Bidisha is a nervous wreck now. So, one fine evening, Archishman Rudra, having extracted the details from a frightened Bidisha, arrives at Mitin’s doorstep to help find the blackmailer. He does not wish to go to the police as that may mar the family name. Mitin takes up the case after meeting Bidisha and finally catches the miscreant.

There is nothing novel about the premise. Beautiful wife with a Bohemian past getting blackmailed after her marriage to a rich guy. But what is unique is the way the story unfolds, the characterization and their relationships and the very oblique, unobtrusive way the author delivers a message.

I will not go into the narrative as it will be a spoiler. About the characters and their interrelations –  Bidisha has only beauty in her favour which she has misused a number of times in the past. Surrounded by a diffident mother, braggart of a penniless father and an extremely jealous sibling she has none for an anchor. Her husband is not a forgiving soul. Her father-in-law dotes on her whom she does not want to hurt. Her sister-in-law and her husband are in the backdrop who are not her best of confidantes. Here, we have characters of flesh and blood. What happens to a girl in such a situation who has a past to hide ?

The author says beauty is not good enough  for a girl without strong moral fiber. Feminists may argue that this holds true for both the genders. True. Irrespective of gender, the author acceeds that if you have an ugly past it is surely going to catch up at any point of time. Noone can escape from misdeed.

I am indecisive with respect to whom should  I  call the protagonist in a detective story. Is it Bidisha or Mitin?

Suchitra Bhattacharya, in her short span of career, has written twenty novels and many short stories, some of  which have been made into films and  translated in many languages including English. If you are interested do pick up one. Apart from the Mitin Maashi series, she has written stories revolving round social issues. She has said to have been inspired by her personal experiences.

This post is just to give a glimpse of her work.

Happy Reading