Grandmother’s Satchel

The name of the village is Bishnupur,  Bankura district, West Bengal. Jaggyaseni, a student of Criminal Psychology, has come to spend a few days with her grandmother, Girija Bala Sanyal. She also intends to attend her friend, Amrapali Singha Roy’s wedding. Amrapali hails from an influential political family.

In Bengali weddings, Shubho Drishti, is an important and most entertaining custom wherein the bride and groom see each other’s face for the first time. Till then the bride covers her face with two betel leaves held by both hands. Shubho Drishti also precedes the next crucial step of Maala Badol that is the exchange of garlands by bride and groom. The brothers or friends of the bride carry her on a peedee, a very low plank-like wooden stool, to the groom who waits under the Chhandna tola (a makeshift decorated shelter) for the first sighting. The bride sitting on the stool is rotated round the groom a few times before the garlands are exchanged amidst a lot of fun and teasing.

Imagine the shock and surprise of the family and other attendees when Amrapali topples over from the stool held high during the ritual and falls flat on the ground. Is it an accident? Is Amrapali too exhausted as she has to fast throughout the day of marriage as per tradition ? Is she unconscious? No… She is dead!!!!

The local police arrive to take the body for the postmortem. The family resists. But a firm voice from the crowd insists that an autopsy is required in this case – it’s Girija Bala’s calm and composed instruction!! The family gives in before the village elder. The finding of the report says Amrapali has been poisoned.

Soon thereafter, a series of murders, all cases of locally unavailable poison-ing, take place one after the other, shattering the peace of the laid back village. Six in total but according to  Girija it’s seven. She cannot discount Harimati’s cut throat and a blood stained note of warning stuck to her collar. Yes, Hari or Harimati is Girija’s pet cat – the mother of the grieving siblings – Bella and Fonte named after Girija’s favourite singer – Harry Belafonte!!!!

Bishnupur, in fact the entire Bankura district, being dominated by Vaishnav culture and tradition (Krishna devotion), it is not surprising that symbols of Lord Krishna are found beside all the dead bodies indicating some kind of divine retribution.

Thus, pair up the unlikely duo – a sexagenarian grandmother leading a quiet and lonely life in her ancestral home and her London returned, very young and fresh granddaughter – to nab the coldblooded serial killer – a task, as Girija surmises, is beyond the calibre of the confused and harassed local PS In-charge Brihaspati who alleges her of unnecessarily trying to be the indigenous Ms Marple.

Srabanti Chatterjee (38) as Girija Bala (in her sixties) shines. A shout out to the village cop Brihaspati underplayed by Rahul Arunoday Banerjee.

Thakumar Jhuli or Grandmother’s Satchel on Hoichoi is a coming of age investigative journey of an unusual pair – a disciplined , dignified, quietly strong baby boomer and an impatient and quick to jump to conclusions GenZ.

Incidentally, Thakumar Jhuli is also the name of the book of folk lores and fairytales which all Bengali kids are brought up on. But this thakuma (granny) has only whodunnits and howdunnits popping out of her jhuli (satchel).

Considering this is just the maiden Season be ready for more to come.

Postscript: This post is a kind of teaser for Hoichoi Series fans – Rajendraji and Aparna.

Trivia : Could not resist incorporating the link of HB’s famous Jamaican Fairwell, amusingly tweaked to Jamai Ka Fairwell – a tongue-in-cheek humour the Series is replete with.