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Byomkesh Bakshi (1): Menagerie and other Mysteries
Byomkesh Bakshi's appeal as the self-styled inquisitor, a detective not by profession but by passion, found him a dedicated following among generations of readers. This collection of stories, all set in Kolkata of the 1950s and 1960s, brings together four mysteries that put the sleuth's remarkable mental agility to the ultimate test. In 'the Menagerie' (adapted by master film-maker Satyajit Ray for his 1967 film Chiriakhana ) Byomkesh cracks a strange case involving broken motor parts, a seemingly natural death and the peculiar inhabitants of Golap Colony who seem capable of doing just about anything to safeguard the secrets of their tainted pasts. In 'the Jewel Case' he investigates the mysterious disappearance of a priceless necklace, while in 'the Will That Vanished' he solves a baffling riddle to fulfil the last wish of a close friend. And, in 'the Quills of the Porcupine', the shrewd detective is in his element as he expertly foils the sinister plans of a ruthless opportunist. Sreejata Guha's translation captures brilliantly the thrill and ingenuity of Byomkesh's exploits just as it does Saradindu Bandyopadhyay's remarkable portrayal of a city struggling to overcome its colonial past and come into its own.
328 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
November 24, 2023
Four Byomkesh Bakshi stories have been translated in this collection by Sreejata Guha. The stories in this collection include:
The Menagerie
The Jewel case
The will that vanished
The quills of the porcupine
This is the first time that these timeless classics have been translated in English. The first story in the collection was adapted by Satyajit Ray as Chiriyakhana, starring Uttam Kumar. All the four stories have been translated with great care ensuring the period setting and the cultural nuances are well preserved. As a reader reading in a different language you experience the same thrill and excitement as you go on the who-dun-it chase with Byomkesh!
The Menagerie
The Jewel case
The will that vanished
The quills of the porcupine
This is the first time that these timeless classics have been translated in English. The first story in the collection was adapted by Satyajit Ray as Chiriyakhana, starring Uttam Kumar. All the four stories have been translated with great care ensuring the period setting and the cultural nuances are well preserved. As a reader reading in a different language you experience the same thrill and excitement as you go on the who-dun-it chase with Byomkesh!
May 22, 2017
Nice mysteries. Will read more of Bakshi
May 1, 2019
Good detective stories. I liked it.
April 7, 2013
A remarkably good set of stories set in the Kolkata of the 50s...It is hard not to like these set of stories of set piece mysteries, where the villain is unmasked through the sheer deductive and reasoning abilities of the detective. I have frankly never heard of the Byomkesh Bakshi mysteries nor of the DD serial based on these stories, so it was a pleasant surprise to stumble upon the book. The translation is also very good - Sreejata Guha deserves a big hand for the felicity with which she has managed this - and the stories read very well, quickly moving on to building the suspense leaving one with an intense desire to find out the murderer and the how. Human motives for crime remain the same, by and large, and the genius of Byomkesh Bakshi is to realize these and unmask them gently for us, the readers. The right side wins and all is well with the world. What more do you need on a Saturday when you are tied down because of a irritating viral?
This book has two largish stories interspersed with two much smaller ones. All are different and all are satisfying in their own way. The first one, which lends its name to the book, is probably a bit different in that the setting is tailor made for a crime to happen. There is this funny household in a remote area populated by misfits and people with much to hide, and a messy mix of love, lust, ambition and jealousy makes for the almost inevitable explosions of crime. Byomkesh is drawn into this almost against his will, much as we are, driven by a desire to just know, to just understand, what has happened.
The Jewel Case and the Will that Vanished are two light mysteries touching upon how motivations of greed and envy can drive people to defraud each other. Given the corruption of today, it is also revealing how quaint the relatively straight forward detection of those times were even as the crimes resonate now and do not seem out of place.
The final long story the Quills of the Porcupine is also satisfying in a different way. A mysterious killer seems to be stalking people at random in the dark of the night, killing with remarkable ease, but are his motivations all that random? In what context does murder become the only outlet for passions that are released by a feelings of envy, injustice, and fear?
This book has two largish stories interspersed with two much smaller ones. All are different and all are satisfying in their own way. The first one, which lends its name to the book, is probably a bit different in that the setting is tailor made for a crime to happen. There is this funny household in a remote area populated by misfits and people with much to hide, and a messy mix of love, lust, ambition and jealousy makes for the almost inevitable explosions of crime. Byomkesh is drawn into this almost against his will, much as we are, driven by a desire to just know, to just understand, what has happened.
The Jewel Case and the Will that Vanished are two light mysteries touching upon how motivations of greed and envy can drive people to defraud each other. Given the corruption of today, it is also revealing how quaint the relatively straight forward detection of those times were even as the crimes resonate now and do not seem out of place.
The final long story the Quills of the Porcupine is also satisfying in a different way. A mysterious killer seems to be stalking people at random in the dark of the night, killing with remarkable ease, but are his motivations all that random? In what context does murder become the only outlet for passions that are released by a feelings of envy, injustice, and fear?
July 15, 2020
Well, what can I say about this book?
That it is masterfully written, that it is an immaculately done translation, that Byomkesh Bakshi takes us on a journey of human natures, that the stories are felt rather than read. Ha! This book contains some of the best detective fiction ever written by an Indian hand, to say the least.
Menagerie and other Byomkesh Bakshi Mysteries contains four stories. They are, The Menagerie, The Jewel Thief, The Vanished Will and The Quills of Porcupine. The first and the last of these are rather more like novella than a short story. Menagerie, made into an award winning Bengali film in 1967 by Satyajit Ray, is considered by many the best Byomkesh Bakshi story, owning to its setting of Golap Colony far away from the hum drum of Culcutta, and because of the psychological perspectives that the author goes at length in describing. However, my personal favorite will have to be The Quills, simply since it runs to the heart. There sure is a hint of misogynistic behaviour on various occassions, however, like the treatment of Steve Dixie by Holmes in Three Gables, this only reflects the contemporary social ideologies from the time of writing, and not any particular malice on the author's part. What I like the best about The Quills is the long narrative about Dipa and Debashish. Byomkesh infact only appears during the Prologue and the Epilogue, the whole of the primary tale focuses on the victim's life and leads up to the day of the crime. It is not often that one gets to read a detective story following the life of the victim rather than the detectives themself. The miraculous escape of Debashish due to his rare medical condition, proves vital for the capture of the culprit and the tale ends on a hopeful note of conjugal bliss for Dipa and him.
In the end, what can I say about this book?
Well, just that you would like it.
That it is masterfully written, that it is an immaculately done translation, that Byomkesh Bakshi takes us on a journey of human natures, that the stories are felt rather than read. Ha! This book contains some of the best detective fiction ever written by an Indian hand, to say the least.
Menagerie and other Byomkesh Bakshi Mysteries contains four stories. They are, The Menagerie, The Jewel Thief, The Vanished Will and The Quills of Porcupine. The first and the last of these are rather more like novella than a short story. Menagerie, made into an award winning Bengali film in 1967 by Satyajit Ray, is considered by many the best Byomkesh Bakshi story, owning to its setting of Golap Colony far away from the hum drum of Culcutta, and because of the psychological perspectives that the author goes at length in describing. However, my personal favorite will have to be The Quills, simply since it runs to the heart. There sure is a hint of misogynistic behaviour on various occassions, however, like the treatment of Steve Dixie by Holmes in Three Gables, this only reflects the contemporary social ideologies from the time of writing, and not any particular malice on the author's part. What I like the best about The Quills is the long narrative about Dipa and Debashish. Byomkesh infact only appears during the Prologue and the Epilogue, the whole of the primary tale focuses on the victim's life and leads up to the day of the crime. It is not often that one gets to read a detective story following the life of the victim rather than the detectives themself. The miraculous escape of Debashish due to his rare medical condition, proves vital for the capture of the culprit and the tale ends on a hopeful note of conjugal bliss for Dipa and him.
In the end, what can I say about this book?
Well, just that you would like it.
October 6, 2019
This is the first book I read for Diverse Detectives Month (Or rather the first three books :))
I decided to start with a book which had a collection of Byomkesh Bakshi mysteries. After finishing one book, I decided to read another and then another. I think there are only three translated collections of Byomkesh Bakshi mysteries in English. Now I have read them all. The three books I read were 'Picture Imperfect', 'The Menagerie' and 'The Rhythm of Riddles'. The first two were translated by Sreejata Guha, who was probably the first to translate Byomkesh Bakshi mysteries into English twenty years back, and then continued translating other Bengali classics into English. The third book was translated by Arunava Sinha, who is the current doyen of Bengali-English translators. The first book had seven stories, the second one four, and the third one three – that is fourteen stories in all. The first collection mostly had stories from the first part of Saradindu Bandyopadhyay's career, from 1932 to 1937. The second collection had stories from the second part of his career, from 1952 onwards. The last story in the second collection was written in 1967.
Byomkesh Bakshi was one of the first Indian fictional detectives. The first Byomkesh Bakshi mystery appeared in 1932 and the last one in 1969. There was a break of fifteen years between 1937 and 1952, when Saradindu Bandyopadhyay went to write screenplays for Bollywood, but he came back and continued from where he left off. While reading the stories, it is hard not to spot similarities between Byomkesh and Sherlock Holmes – the way the character gets introduced first, the way the narrator Ajit and Byomkesh become roommates. There is even a police officer similar to Lestrade who creates problems for Byomkesh. Sometimes, Byomkesh wakes up Ajit in the middle of the night, or early in the morning, to go out on a mission. He doesn't say, "Wake up, Ajit! The game is afoot!" though. However, as we read more stories, we discover that the two series diverge, because Byomkesh and his friend Ajit are quintessentially Indian and Bengali. In many stories, at some point we can make a list of suspects, and typically the culprit is one of them. But it is hard to guess who. Saradindu Bandyopadhyay almost never cheats by bringing an unknown character from outside the main cast and declaring he / she is the culprit. Which us a wonderful thing. There are beautiful, humorous passages in many of the stories, and though things get lost in translation (which is one of the essential aspects of humour, that it gets lost in translation), the humour typically peeps out through the translated English sentences and is a pleasure to read.
Some of the stories in the book are short, but others are long, while some approach the length of a novella. I liked the stories from both the time periods, but I think I liked the longer stories more than the shorter ones. In one story, which runs to more than a hundred pages, called 'The Quills of the Porcupine', Byomkesh Bakshi and Ajit come only in the beginning and in the end. The middle, which is the biggest part of the story, features a young couple who are newly married, and describes how their relationship evolves. If we remove the mystery aspect of the story, it almost reads like the story told in one of my favourite Tamil movies, 'Mouna Ragam'. I wonder whether Maniratnam just lifted Saradindu Bandyopadhyay's story (maybe from its film adaptation), made some changes to it and called it 'Mouna Ragam'. If that is true, then it will be one more case of a famous Tamil movie being a copycat of another. I feel sad just contemplating on it. The longest story in the book is 'The Menagerie', which runs to more than 150 pages. It has a complex plot with many murders and suspects and an ending which is hard to guess. It was made into a famous movie by Satyajit Ray, and I want to watch that sometime.
I enjoyed reading these three Byomkesh Bakshi mystery collections. It was interesting to read about India of a different time, and about this famous detective, or truth-seeker as he called himself, and how he discovered the truth about strange happenings, and how he brought bad guys to book, with a little help from friends. There is an acclaimed TV adaptation of the Byomkesh Bakshi stories starring Rajat Kapoor. I think I have watched one or two episodes of it. I hope to watch it properly one of these days.
Have you read Byomkesh Bakshi stories? What do you think about them? Which ones are your favourites?
I decided to start with a book which had a collection of Byomkesh Bakshi mysteries. After finishing one book, I decided to read another and then another. I think there are only three translated collections of Byomkesh Bakshi mysteries in English. Now I have read them all. The three books I read were 'Picture Imperfect', 'The Menagerie' and 'The Rhythm of Riddles'. The first two were translated by Sreejata Guha, who was probably the first to translate Byomkesh Bakshi mysteries into English twenty years back, and then continued translating other Bengali classics into English. The third book was translated by Arunava Sinha, who is the current doyen of Bengali-English translators. The first book had seven stories, the second one four, and the third one three – that is fourteen stories in all. The first collection mostly had stories from the first part of Saradindu Bandyopadhyay's career, from 1932 to 1937. The second collection had stories from the second part of his career, from 1952 onwards. The last story in the second collection was written in 1967.
Byomkesh Bakshi was one of the first Indian fictional detectives. The first Byomkesh Bakshi mystery appeared in 1932 and the last one in 1969. There was a break of fifteen years between 1937 and 1952, when Saradindu Bandyopadhyay went to write screenplays for Bollywood, but he came back and continued from where he left off. While reading the stories, it is hard not to spot similarities between Byomkesh and Sherlock Holmes – the way the character gets introduced first, the way the narrator Ajit and Byomkesh become roommates. There is even a police officer similar to Lestrade who creates problems for Byomkesh. Sometimes, Byomkesh wakes up Ajit in the middle of the night, or early in the morning, to go out on a mission. He doesn't say, "Wake up, Ajit! The game is afoot!" though. However, as we read more stories, we discover that the two series diverge, because Byomkesh and his friend Ajit are quintessentially Indian and Bengali. In many stories, at some point we can make a list of suspects, and typically the culprit is one of them. But it is hard to guess who. Saradindu Bandyopadhyay almost never cheats by bringing an unknown character from outside the main cast and declaring he / she is the culprit. Which us a wonderful thing. There are beautiful, humorous passages in many of the stories, and though things get lost in translation (which is one of the essential aspects of humour, that it gets lost in translation), the humour typically peeps out through the translated English sentences and is a pleasure to read.
Some of the stories in the book are short, but others are long, while some approach the length of a novella. I liked the stories from both the time periods, but I think I liked the longer stories more than the shorter ones. In one story, which runs to more than a hundred pages, called 'The Quills of the Porcupine', Byomkesh Bakshi and Ajit come only in the beginning and in the end. The middle, which is the biggest part of the story, features a young couple who are newly married, and describes how their relationship evolves. If we remove the mystery aspect of the story, it almost reads like the story told in one of my favourite Tamil movies, 'Mouna Ragam'. I wonder whether Maniratnam just lifted Saradindu Bandyopadhyay's story (maybe from its film adaptation), made some changes to it and called it 'Mouna Ragam'. If that is true, then it will be one more case of a famous Tamil movie being a copycat of another. I feel sad just contemplating on it. The longest story in the book is 'The Menagerie', which runs to more than 150 pages. It has a complex plot with many murders and suspects and an ending which is hard to guess. It was made into a famous movie by Satyajit Ray, and I want to watch that sometime.
I enjoyed reading these three Byomkesh Bakshi mystery collections. It was interesting to read about India of a different time, and about this famous detective, or truth-seeker as he called himself, and how he discovered the truth about strange happenings, and how he brought bad guys to book, with a little help from friends. There is an acclaimed TV adaptation of the Byomkesh Bakshi stories starring Rajat Kapoor. I think I have watched one or two episodes of it. I hope to watch it properly one of these days.
Have you read Byomkesh Bakshi stories? What do you think about them? Which ones are your favourites?
March 6, 2025
Intrigue at Every Turn
I have always cherished Bengali fiction writers, and among them, Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay—creator of Byomkesh Bakshi—stands out as my favorite.
Byomkesh Bakshi is the Indian counterpart to Sherlock Holmes—a detective with an unwavering passion for solving crimes through pure deduction. Set in the 1950s and 1960s, this character is every bit as brilliant as Holmes, and Bandyopadhyay crafts mysteries as enthralling as those penned by Arthur Conan Doyle. Every minute detail is meticulously attended to, and each case is resolved with a thoroughly convincing approach.
This book, the second installment in the Byomkesh Bakshi series, reached me before I had read the first volume, yet I never felt like I was missing out. While the first book lays the foundation by introducing Bakshi and his early cases, this volume follows Byomkesh and his trusted companion Ajit (the narrator and the Indian counterpart to Dr. Watson) as they unravel some of the most perplexing crimes in Calcutta (now Kolkata).
The collection features four captivating stories, each more compelling than the last:
The Menagerie: A retired judge, living in seclusion on his farm and employing several former convicts, turns to Byomkesh when a missing actress and a mysterious case involving motor parts left in his house hint at a potential threat from one of his ex-employees.
The Jewel Case: This mystery revolves around the sudden disappearance of a precious necklace.
The Will that Vanished: A father, intent on righting the wrong done to his daughter, drafts a will—but the document goes missing, deepening the intrigue.
The Quills of the Porcupine: A slow-burn mystery set against the backdrop of Calcutta, this tale delves into a series of killings that initially appear random, leaving readers to wonder if there is a hidden pattern.
Each mystery is engrossing, ensuring you remain hooked from start to finish. Originally written in Bangla, the translation is exceptional and flawlessly rendered. I loved this collection, and if you have a thirst for a good mystery, this book will undoubtedly satisfy it.
I have always cherished Bengali fiction writers, and among them, Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay—creator of Byomkesh Bakshi—stands out as my favorite.
Byomkesh Bakshi is the Indian counterpart to Sherlock Holmes—a detective with an unwavering passion for solving crimes through pure deduction. Set in the 1950s and 1960s, this character is every bit as brilliant as Holmes, and Bandyopadhyay crafts mysteries as enthralling as those penned by Arthur Conan Doyle. Every minute detail is meticulously attended to, and each case is resolved with a thoroughly convincing approach.
This book, the second installment in the Byomkesh Bakshi series, reached me before I had read the first volume, yet I never felt like I was missing out. While the first book lays the foundation by introducing Bakshi and his early cases, this volume follows Byomkesh and his trusted companion Ajit (the narrator and the Indian counterpart to Dr. Watson) as they unravel some of the most perplexing crimes in Calcutta (now Kolkata).
The collection features four captivating stories, each more compelling than the last:
The Menagerie: A retired judge, living in seclusion on his farm and employing several former convicts, turns to Byomkesh when a missing actress and a mysterious case involving motor parts left in his house hint at a potential threat from one of his ex-employees.
The Jewel Case: This mystery revolves around the sudden disappearance of a precious necklace.
The Will that Vanished: A father, intent on righting the wrong done to his daughter, drafts a will—but the document goes missing, deepening the intrigue.
The Quills of the Porcupine: A slow-burn mystery set against the backdrop of Calcutta, this tale delves into a series of killings that initially appear random, leaving readers to wonder if there is a hidden pattern.
Each mystery is engrossing, ensuring you remain hooked from start to finish. Originally written in Bangla, the translation is exceptional and flawlessly rendered. I loved this collection, and if you have a thirst for a good mystery, this book will undoubtedly satisfy it.
December 22, 2020
Another of my childhood favourites alongside Poirot, Sherlock and Feluda. The only detective in fiction who detested the word "detective" and rather using the title of "Satyanweshi" (aka "Truthseeker" in milder terms but "Inquisitor" more formally). Byomkesh too had his own Watson/Hastings in the form of Ajit and together they solved many head-scratchers! The plots are not usually overtly complicated but rather revelatory towards the climax which is rather a pleasant sensation for any reader!
The English translation here is rather good (as attested by a Bengali script knowing a literary friend of mine) and I would strongly recommend this to anyone who would want to have a taste of Bengali mystery writing set in and around the world wars and thereafter.
My Rating - 5/5
The English translation here is rather good (as attested by a Bengali script knowing a literary friend of mine) and I would strongly recommend this to anyone who would want to have a taste of Bengali mystery writing set in and around the world wars and thereafter.
My Rating - 5/5
March 8, 2024
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It's our very desi Byomkesh babu!
This was a wonderful read, with four amazing bymokesh bakshi mysteries. There is no doubt that Saradindu Bandyopadhay was a true genius, not only of his time, but for all millenia. For those unfamiliar, it was Mr. Byomkesh Bakshi who predated Sherlock's science of deduction to solve quirky mysteries by more than a few decades! The sheer fun of this is palpable even today.
The translation was very well done, and it beautifully brought out that nostalgia of old Kolkata.
Light. Brain raking. Page turning. Laugh out loud funny and publicly gasp-worthy. What more would you want in a detective mystery!
This was a wonderful read, with four amazing bymokesh bakshi mysteries. There is no doubt that Saradindu Bandyopadhay was a true genius, not only of his time, but for all millenia. For those unfamiliar, it was Mr. Byomkesh Bakshi who predated Sherlock's science of deduction to solve quirky mysteries by more than a few decades! The sheer fun of this is palpable even today.
The translation was very well done, and it beautifully brought out that nostalgia of old Kolkata.
Light. Brain raking. Page turning. Laugh out loud funny and publicly gasp-worthy. What more would you want in a detective mystery!
January 7, 2016
http://www.njkinnysblog.com/2016/01/b...
Byomkesh Bakshi is an evergreen character of a Bengali Investigator who despised the word "Detective" to describe his profession but instead liked to call himself a "Truth Seeker". Resembling a little like Sherlock Holmes, Byomkesh can be said to be the Indian Sherlock.
I truly fell in love with him after watching the very famous TV series based on his cases that aired on Doordarshan and featured Rajit Kapoor as Byomkesh. It was this TV series in Hindi that brought the Bengali character created by Saradindu Bandopadhyay into our non-Bengali knowledgeable homes and made this character so well known outside the Bengali community.
Menagerie and other Byomkesh Bakshi Mysteries contains four cases of Byomkesh that are translated in English by Sreejata Guha. I had been on the lookout for good translations of Byomkesh's cases either in Hindi or English to read and when a friend recommended this book, I just had to read it myself to know if the true essence of the mysteries had been preserved in these translations or not.
The cover of the book is not attractive and it is only the title, the author's name and the blurb that will attract readers towards this book at first glance.
4 mysteries are covered in the book, namely: The Menagerie (Chidiyakhana), The Jewel Case (Monimondon), The Will That Vanished (Khunji Khunji Nari) and The Quills of the Porcupine (Shajarur Kanta). The cases are not in any order but this does not hamper the entertainment value in the least.
The English translation by Sreejata Guha is skillfully done and she manages to capture the essence of Bengal in the year range of 1953 to 67. Her descriptions create a mental picture of that time when life was not as chaotic and yet crime and criminals were just as cunning as today!
For people like me who don't understand Bengali and so cant read the original work of the author, her translation of the four later cases of Byomkesh Bakshi's life are like a breath of fresh air and very enjoyable. Nowhere did the translation feel odd but instead merged beautifully to bring out dialogues just like they would have been woven in the Bengali original.
All the four cases covered in this book are among the best of Byomkesh's career and I loved reading them. A great addition to my book collection, this book is a must have and one that can be read and re-read any number of times. The cases are intelligent, brain exercising and still as shocking in their solution even after decades and after leaps in scientific development!
All in all, Menagerie and other Byomkesh Bakshi Mysteries by Saradindu Bandyopadhyay is a must read and I strongly recommend it to all lovers of mystery and suspense. Take a ride down the history lane to a Bengal in India of the past and follow Byomkesh and Ajit as they tackle unconventional crimes and criminals. 4.5 out of 5 to this book and I hope the publishers and Sreejata bring out translations of the other Byomkesh stories too!
Byomkesh Bakshi is an evergreen character of a Bengali Investigator who despised the word "Detective" to describe his profession but instead liked to call himself a "Truth Seeker". Resembling a little like Sherlock Holmes, Byomkesh can be said to be the Indian Sherlock.
I truly fell in love with him after watching the very famous TV series based on his cases that aired on Doordarshan and featured Rajit Kapoor as Byomkesh. It was this TV series in Hindi that brought the Bengali character created by Saradindu Bandopadhyay into our non-Bengali knowledgeable homes and made this character so well known outside the Bengali community.
Menagerie and other Byomkesh Bakshi Mysteries contains four cases of Byomkesh that are translated in English by Sreejata Guha. I had been on the lookout for good translations of Byomkesh's cases either in Hindi or English to read and when a friend recommended this book, I just had to read it myself to know if the true essence of the mysteries had been preserved in these translations or not.
The cover of the book is not attractive and it is only the title, the author's name and the blurb that will attract readers towards this book at first glance.
4 mysteries are covered in the book, namely: The Menagerie (Chidiyakhana), The Jewel Case (Monimondon), The Will That Vanished (Khunji Khunji Nari) and The Quills of the Porcupine (Shajarur Kanta). The cases are not in any order but this does not hamper the entertainment value in the least.
The English translation by Sreejata Guha is skillfully done and she manages to capture the essence of Bengal in the year range of 1953 to 67. Her descriptions create a mental picture of that time when life was not as chaotic and yet crime and criminals were just as cunning as today!
For people like me who don't understand Bengali and so cant read the original work of the author, her translation of the four later cases of Byomkesh Bakshi's life are like a breath of fresh air and very enjoyable. Nowhere did the translation feel odd but instead merged beautifully to bring out dialogues just like they would have been woven in the Bengali original.
All the four cases covered in this book are among the best of Byomkesh's career and I loved reading them. A great addition to my book collection, this book is a must have and one that can be read and re-read any number of times. The cases are intelligent, brain exercising and still as shocking in their solution even after decades and after leaps in scientific development!
All in all, Menagerie and other Byomkesh Bakshi Mysteries by Saradindu Bandyopadhyay is a must read and I strongly recommend it to all lovers of mystery and suspense. Take a ride down the history lane to a Bengal in India of the past and follow Byomkesh and Ajit as they tackle unconventional crimes and criminals. 4.5 out of 5 to this book and I hope the publishers and Sreejata bring out translations of the other Byomkesh stories too!
October 28, 2014
Reading a well written book with lot of thought & homework put into it gives a pleasure of the time well spent and gives you a feeling of great satisfaction. This is what I felt when I read it. I am not particularly fond of mysteries or detective stories but sometimes these mysteries are like stories with a missing link which gets connected only in the end. But otherwise they are like any other normal fiction with ofcourse murder, criminals & planning thrown in.
I watched Byomkesh Bakshi on Dorrdarshan as a kid and like all children of that age I fell in love with teh character and never missed a play. since then I had been enamoured with the character and his simple but yet enamouring approach. Moreover 'Rajit Kapoor' brought this character to such life that I could actually imagine im as a living person and when I was reading this novel I actually imagined Rajit kapoor as the face. Please if you have loved Byomkesh serial then you must & must read this book. and Infact I am looking forward ro the 'Picture Perfect & other stories'.
I dont think I connect with Calcutta as much and neither I have great fondness for Bengali people. But the authors & characters do give me an artistic bent towards such a literary city.
I watched Byomkesh Bakshi on Dorrdarshan as a kid and like all children of that age I fell in love with teh character and never missed a play. since then I had been enamoured with the character and his simple but yet enamouring approach. Moreover 'Rajit Kapoor' brought this character to such life that I could actually imagine im as a living person and when I was reading this novel I actually imagined Rajit kapoor as the face. Please if you have loved Byomkesh serial then you must & must read this book. and Infact I am looking forward ro the 'Picture Perfect & other stories'.
I dont think I connect with Calcutta as much and neither I have great fondness for Bengali people. But the authors & characters do give me an artistic bent towards such a literary city.
May 12, 2017
The whole time while reading this, in my head played the background music from that nostalgic DD1 TV series of 90s. And the reading was very pleasant, because I did not remember any of the story details, and hence there were no spoilers :)
Collection of four stories, two big and two small. All of them leaving that pleasant feel.
Judging by how much I enjoyed this, will read the full collection.
Collection of four stories, two big and two small. All of them leaving that pleasant feel.
Judging by how much I enjoyed this, will read the full collection.
April 12, 2020
This was my third Byomkesh Bakshi book and somehow none of the dozen stories that I have read gave me a wow feeling. The 2 short stories in this book had a single idea on which everything was spun about and “The Jewel Case” was relatively good.
Of the 2 novellas, the last one - “the quills of the porcupine” was bloated and dissatisfying. The Menagerie was relatively good.
I think ppl who have watched the TV series earlier may have enjoyed more due to nostalgia. I have enjoyed Ray’s Feluda a lot more.
Of the 2 novellas, the last one - “the quills of the porcupine” was bloated and dissatisfying. The Menagerie was relatively good.
I think ppl who have watched the TV series earlier may have enjoyed more due to nostalgia. I have enjoyed Ray’s Feluda a lot more.
May 13, 2023
Never disappoints!
May 31, 2016
Byomkesh Bakshi is a fictional detective in Bengali literature created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. He is cigarette puffing dhoti clad detective who loves to call himself a truth seeker instead. He is handed the most elusive cases and he cracks this most inconceivable cases in a most astounding manner. He deals more with ideas and logic and goes about his case with calm and composure and hardly chases clues and suspect. His investigation style is devoid of action, emotion and melodrama. He has the knack of picking clues from the most trivial conversation which the reader tends to ignore.
The narratives are so enchanting that it has managed to enthrall more than 8 decades of readers. It has managed to pervade to different age groups. Each generation is Bengalis has been discovering Byomkesh Bakshi with delight.
Piggybacking on the character success, films have been made on him. Last 6-7 years, almost every ever, a new film is being released. The first film was made by legendary Satyajit Ray with Uttam Kumar enacting the main role. Both went on to win the National award. However, if you have read Byomkesh Bakshi then you will be disappointed with the films that are churned out recently. Present films barely manage to do any justice. Even Diwakar Banerjee attempt to make a Hindi film has few takers. However, outside Bengal many had their first brush with the character on Doordarshan , 2 decades back. Directed by Basu Chatterjee, the character was enacted by Rajat Kapoor , who did a decent job.
There are 4 stories, out of which 2 stories takes 90% of the book space. These are “The Menagerie “and “The Quill of Porcupine”. There is love, lust, deception, greed, resentment and revenge. You keep on guessing about the actual perpetrator of crime and his motive until Byomkesh Bakshi simplify you at the end. Read the first story and I’m sure you will be hooked to the end.
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay excelled in short stories, novel, stage play and screen play. However, it was Byomkesh Bakshi that propelled him to him to greater popularity even though his other works too had many takers. The characters, backdrop and language are tagged with Bengal. However the crime committed and investigation followed cannot be parochial. So, the character should not be restricted to Bengal or Bengali alone, but should reach non-bengali readers as well. The translation work carried out by Sreejata Guha is a noble, commendable, splendid and right effort in that direction. This should act as a vehicle to carry Byomkesh Bakshi to both non-bengali and probhasi Bengali(those Bengali who are born and bought up elsewhere) readers
The narratives are so enchanting that it has managed to enthrall more than 8 decades of readers. It has managed to pervade to different age groups. Each generation is Bengalis has been discovering Byomkesh Bakshi with delight.
Piggybacking on the character success, films have been made on him. Last 6-7 years, almost every ever, a new film is being released. The first film was made by legendary Satyajit Ray with Uttam Kumar enacting the main role. Both went on to win the National award. However, if you have read Byomkesh Bakshi then you will be disappointed with the films that are churned out recently. Present films barely manage to do any justice. Even Diwakar Banerjee attempt to make a Hindi film has few takers. However, outside Bengal many had their first brush with the character on Doordarshan , 2 decades back. Directed by Basu Chatterjee, the character was enacted by Rajat Kapoor , who did a decent job.
There are 4 stories, out of which 2 stories takes 90% of the book space. These are “The Menagerie “and “The Quill of Porcupine”. There is love, lust, deception, greed, resentment and revenge. You keep on guessing about the actual perpetrator of crime and his motive until Byomkesh Bakshi simplify you at the end. Read the first story and I’m sure you will be hooked to the end.
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay excelled in short stories, novel, stage play and screen play. However, it was Byomkesh Bakshi that propelled him to him to greater popularity even though his other works too had many takers. The characters, backdrop and language are tagged with Bengal. However the crime committed and investigation followed cannot be parochial. So, the character should not be restricted to Bengal or Bengali alone, but should reach non-bengali readers as well. The translation work carried out by Sreejata Guha is a noble, commendable, splendid and right effort in that direction. This should act as a vehicle to carry Byomkesh Bakshi to both non-bengali and probhasi Bengali(those Bengali who are born and bought up elsewhere) readers
November 14, 2017
The Menagerie and The Quills of the Porcupine are two of my favorite stories of Byomkesh Bakshi. The tension, The drama, The suspense kept me on the verge of biting my nails. These two stories, in particular, had such incredible antagonists. Their motives and ruthlessness sent shivers down my spine and for Byomkesh to be able to apprehend them just make me want to bow down to the master detective and thereby also to the author. For creating such incredible characters Byomkesh, who is not a detective but a seeker of truth i.e 'Satyanveshi' and his best friend Ajit. A hero is only as good as the villain and with such heinous, deviant, ruthless antagonists. My deepest respect and appreciation to the author for creating such villainous characters, worthy of Byomkesh.
August 30, 2015
I liked this book as well - though only the first story - The Menagerie was really gripping. But it is quite long and at over 50% of the length of the book, it makes the book worth it.
This is followed by a couple of really short stories which were okay and a little predictable.
The final story - The Porcupine's Quill is also quite large (around 35% of the length of the book) but not as gripping as the first one.
Overall, the translation is excellent and I had fun reading the book - but if I had to compare, I like the first book by Penguin much more enjoyable.
This is followed by a couple of really short stories which were okay and a little predictable.
The final story - The Porcupine's Quill is also quite large (around 35% of the length of the book) but not as gripping as the first one.
Overall, the translation is excellent and I had fun reading the book - but if I had to compare, I like the first book by Penguin much more enjoyable.
December 3, 2018
Brilliant & Gripping Detective Stories!!!
Byomkesh Bakshi stories are really gripping!!! Difficult to put down. Saradindu is a Genius writer. The translation in English has been done superbly. Much better experience reading this book, compared to watching the movies. Our imagination can run wild while reading, which is the fun part.
Byomkesh Bakshi stories are really gripping!!! Difficult to put down. Saradindu is a Genius writer. The translation in English has been done superbly. Much better experience reading this book, compared to watching the movies. Our imagination can run wild while reading, which is the fun part.
November 24, 2019
I'm taken quite a liking to Byomkesh babu and Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. His finesse in constructing the stories only has increased as years progressed. I understand that the stories included in this volume are written towards the latter part of his career, and the refinement and evolution are evident. Well, without too many words, the simple statement would be to go and read it and enjoy!
However I've a small niggle over the translation. It seems that, at some places the translator was deliberately trying it up the ante with regards to the word game, almost as if replacing some words with their synonyms, just for the effect. I am not one for replacing a word with a synonym where it wasn't exactly needed. For example the translator says in context of refusing an invitation, 'but it would be churlish to refuse', now that's a phrase we don't hear often and also was rather unnecessary. A more simple rude to refuse would work very well, besides, it is more common in the language, to the extent that the phrase 'rude to refuse' appears around 76 times more in general than the phrase used by the author. The author's original style of writing in plain-speak is lost in such cases when the translated work picks the rarer word usage to the most common one. It would have been totally fine by me if the original text by the author was more about flowery language, but as I talked with my Bengali friends I realised that wasn't the case. That is my small quibble here.
Nevertheless a must read, and I am very thankful for the translator for giving us non Bengalis a chance to read the work of a great master.
However I've a small niggle over the translation. It seems that, at some places the translator was deliberately trying it up the ante with regards to the word game, almost as if replacing some words with their synonyms, just for the effect. I am not one for replacing a word with a synonym where it wasn't exactly needed. For example the translator says in context of refusing an invitation, 'but it would be churlish to refuse', now that's a phrase we don't hear often and also was rather unnecessary. A more simple rude to refuse would work very well, besides, it is more common in the language, to the extent that the phrase 'rude to refuse' appears around 76 times more in general than the phrase used by the author. The author's original style of writing in plain-speak is lost in such cases when the translated work picks the rarer word usage to the most common one. It would have been totally fine by me if the original text by the author was more about flowery language, but as I talked with my Bengali friends I realised that wasn't the case. That is my small quibble here.
Nevertheless a must read, and I am very thankful for the translator for giving us non Bengalis a chance to read the work of a great master.
July 13, 2020
"In my experience of life and people, I had discovered a natural law: Those who were humorous by nature, seldom succeeded in acquiring wealth. In fact, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, only smiled upon the dour owl, her chosen mount." Good thing my father is so dour.
Translation is stiff. Snacks and tea take up a lot of time.
Liked the experiment of keeping Byomkesh away from much of the proceedings in the Porcupine quills story. Imagine letting James Bond show up only in the final 30 minutes of a James Bond movie. A neat trick.
2.5
Translation is stiff. Snacks and tea take up a lot of time.
Liked the experiment of keeping Byomkesh away from much of the proceedings in the Porcupine quills story. Imagine letting James Bond show up only in the final 30 minutes of a James Bond movie. A neat trick.
2.5
April 22, 2023
Highly recommended.
Byomkesh is a self-styled "satyanweshi", truth seeker, inquisitor - dedicated to revealing the whole truth. Like Sherlock holmes, he is a thinking sleuth, preferring to work the case out in his head rather than chasing clues and suspects.
Menagerie or 'Chiriakhana' is set in the 1950s when our protagonist is at the height of his investigative powers. The other stories, "Jewel case," "Elusive will," are fitting part of this collection.
Byomkesh is a self-styled "satyanweshi", truth seeker, inquisitor - dedicated to revealing the whole truth. Like Sherlock holmes, he is a thinking sleuth, preferring to work the case out in his head rather than chasing clues and suspects.
Menagerie or 'Chiriakhana' is set in the 1950s when our protagonist is at the height of his investigative powers. The other stories, "Jewel case," "Elusive will," are fitting part of this collection.
October 25, 2021
One of the greatest fictional detectives of Bengali and Indian fiction, in the style of Holmes and Poirot, solving crimes through deduction and logic. The quaint names, the simpler life, transport us to a different time and place - Calcutta in the 1950s, but the crimes, motives and human passions are universal and timeless.
January 4, 2025
What an absolutely riveting collection of tales!
Saradindu Bandyopadhyay’s intellect is clearly reflected in each story and the manner in which the plot of each stories progresses is sure to keep you hooked. I found myself unable to put the book down. Sreejata Guha’s translation is impeccable, I found the language simplistic and the text was easy to engage with.
Saradindu Bandyopadhyay’s intellect is clearly reflected in each story and the manner in which the plot of each stories progresses is sure to keep you hooked. I found myself unable to put the book down. Sreejata Guha’s translation is impeccable, I found the language simplistic and the text was easy to engage with.
September 5, 2025
Was way funnier than anticipated. Intriguing mysteries which led me guessing till the last minute which I loved because there have been many detective stories which I have read where one can guess before hand on who the culprit is.
An incredible page-turner where there reader just cannot get enough…Ajit and Byomkesh are an iconic duo.
An incredible page-turner where there reader just cannot get enough…Ajit and Byomkesh are an iconic duo.
March 30, 2020
Contains 2 big and one small story. I have to say there have been better books on Byomkesh Bakshi. The storyline here was too long to my taste and was trying too much to distract the reader from a criminal. The mysteries were easy to crack. It's a good book for reader's first ever mystery.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2021
Nice reading
After having read a couple of books on Byomkesh adventures, this also was on the same scale. Sedate, but arousing curiosity. The last story alone dragged a bit too much because of the background information and premises being injected in detail.
After having read a couple of books on Byomkesh adventures, this also was on the same scale. Sedate, but arousing curiosity. The last story alone dragged a bit too much because of the background information and premises being injected in detail.
May 27, 2021
This is Sherlock Holmes with an Indian touch. No doubt about it. The inspiration takes nothing away from the actual work. The author has brought to life a nuanced and beautiful character by the name of Byomkesh.
Makes one nostalgic.
Makes one nostalgic.
September 2, 2023
Amazing stories of Byomkesh as always
The four stories in this collection are all amazing. The best one though is the first story: Menagerie, which is quite unique and engrossing. Recommended for crime buffs.
The four stories in this collection are all amazing. The best one though is the first story: Menagerie, which is quite unique and engrossing. Recommended for crime buffs.
June 19, 2018
The Menagerie was made into a movie called "Chiriakhana" by Satyajit Ray.
July 5, 2018
This was good.
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