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Feluda #17-35
The Complete Adventures of Feluda, Vol. 2
This second volume shows Feluda at the peak of his sleuthing career. He is at his inimitable best as he tracks down the last known letter of Napoleon, or investigates a sinister crime that has to do with Tintoretto's painting of Jesus. In The Case of Apsara Theatre, Feluda foils the insidious plans of a clever murderer, and in The House of Death, he investigates the theft of a priceless manuscript. Maganlal Meghraj, Feluda's arch-enemy, reappears in The Criminals of Kathmandu as the kingpin in a case involving spurious drugs, and again in The Mystery of the Pink Pearl, but Feluda is equal to the challenge. Also included here are the two final Feluda cases, Robertson's Ruby and The Magical Mystery, both of which were published posthumously.
757 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2000
272 people are currently reading
3596 people want to read
About the author
Satyajit Ray
672 books1,515 followersSatyajit Ray (Bengali: সত্যজিৎ রায়) was an Indian filmmaker and author of Bengali fiction and regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of world cinema. Ray was born in the city of Calcutta into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature. Starting his career as a commercial artist, Ray was drawn into independent filmmaking after meeting French filmmaker Jean Renoir and watching Vittorio De Sica's Italian neorealist 1948 film, Bicycle Thieves.
Ray directed 36 films, including feature films, documentaries and shorts. He was also a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, graphic designer and film critic. He authored several short stories and novels, primarily aimed at children and adolescents.
Ray's first film, Pather Panchali (1955), won eleven international prizes, including Best Human Documentary at the Cannes Film Festival. This film, Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959) form The Apu Trilogy. Ray did the scripting, casting, scoring, and editing, and designed his own credit titles and publicity material. Ray received many major awards in his career, including 32 Indian National Film Awards, a number of awards at international film festivals and award ceremonies, and an Academy Award in 1992. The Government of India honoured him with the Bharat Ratna in 1992.
Early Life and Background:
Ray's grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury was a writer, illustrator, philosopher, publisher, amateur astronomer and a leader of the Brahmo Samaj, a religious and social movement in nineteenth century Bengal. Sukumar Ray, Upendrakishore's son and father of Satyajit, was a pioneering Bengali author and poet of nonsense rhyme and children's literature, an illustrator and a critic. Ray was born to Sukumar and Suprabha Ray in Calcutta.
Ray completed his B.A. (Hons.) in Economics at Presidency College of the University of Calcutta, though his interest was always in Fine Arts. In 1940, he went to study in Santiniketan where Ray came to appreciate Oriental Art. In 1949, Ray married Bijoya Das and the couple had a son, Sandip ray, who is now a famous film director.
Literary Works:
Ray created two of the most famous fictional characters ever in Bengali children's literature—Feluda, a sleuth in Holmesian tradition, and Professor Shonku, a genius scientist. Ray also wrote many short stories mostly centered on Macabre, Thriller and Paranormal which were published as collections of 12 stories. Ray wrote an autobiography about his childhood years, Jakhan Choto Chilam (1982). He also wrote essays on film, published as the collections: Our Films, Their Films (1976), Bishoy Chalachchitra (1976), and Ekei Bole Shooting (1979).
Awards, Honors and Recognitions:
Ray received many awards, including 32 National Film Awards by the Government of India. At the Moscow Film Festival in 1979, he was awarded for the contribution to cinema. At the Berlin Film Festival, he was one of only three to win the Silver Bear for Best Director more than once and holds the record for the most Golden Bear nominations, with seven. At the Venice Film Festival, he won a Golden Lion for Aparajito(1956), and awarded the Golden Lion Honorary Award in 1982. In 1992 he was posthumously awarded the Akira Kurosawa Award for Lifetime Achievement in Directing at the San Francisco International Film Festival.
Ray directed 36 films, including feature films, documentaries and shorts. He was also a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, graphic designer and film critic. He authored several short stories and novels, primarily aimed at children and adolescents.
Ray's first film, Pather Panchali (1955), won eleven international prizes, including Best Human Documentary at the Cannes Film Festival. This film, Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959) form The Apu Trilogy. Ray did the scripting, casting, scoring, and editing, and designed his own credit titles and publicity material. Ray received many major awards in his career, including 32 Indian National Film Awards, a number of awards at international film festivals and award ceremonies, and an Academy Award in 1992. The Government of India honoured him with the Bharat Ratna in 1992.
Early Life and Background:
Ray's grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury was a writer, illustrator, philosopher, publisher, amateur astronomer and a leader of the Brahmo Samaj, a religious and social movement in nineteenth century Bengal. Sukumar Ray, Upendrakishore's son and father of Satyajit, was a pioneering Bengali author and poet of nonsense rhyme and children's literature, an illustrator and a critic. Ray was born to Sukumar and Suprabha Ray in Calcutta.
Ray completed his B.A. (Hons.) in Economics at Presidency College of the University of Calcutta, though his interest was always in Fine Arts. In 1940, he went to study in Santiniketan where Ray came to appreciate Oriental Art. In 1949, Ray married Bijoya Das and the couple had a son, Sandip ray, who is now a famous film director.
Literary Works:
Ray created two of the most famous fictional characters ever in Bengali children's literature—Feluda, a sleuth in Holmesian tradition, and Professor Shonku, a genius scientist. Ray also wrote many short stories mostly centered on Macabre, Thriller and Paranormal which were published as collections of 12 stories. Ray wrote an autobiography about his childhood years, Jakhan Choto Chilam (1982). He also wrote essays on film, published as the collections: Our Films, Their Films (1976), Bishoy Chalachchitra (1976), and Ekei Bole Shooting (1979).
Awards, Honors and Recognitions:
Ray received many awards, including 32 National Film Awards by the Government of India. At the Moscow Film Festival in 1979, he was awarded for the contribution to cinema. At the Berlin Film Festival, he was one of only three to win the Silver Bear for Best Director more than once and holds the record for the most Golden Bear nominations, with seven. At the Venice Film Festival, he won a Golden Lion for Aparajito(1956), and awarded the Golden Lion Honorary Award in 1982. In 1992 he was posthumously awarded the Akira Kurosawa Award for Lifetime Achievement in Directing at the San Francisco International Film Festival.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
May 21, 2021
ফেলুদা, তোপসে আর লালমোহন বাবুদের সাথে এ বছরের জানুয়ারিতে শুরু হওয়া জার্নির সমাপ্তি এখানেই। আর নেই তো কি হয়েছে! ঘুরিয়ে ফিরিয়ে আবার পড়া যাবে, মির্চি বাংলার দারুণ পরিবেশনা আবার শোনা যাবে B-)
যদিও শেষের দিকের কাহিনী ঘুরিয়ে ফিরিয়ে একই লুপে চলে গেছে প্রায়। কিন্তু উপভোগ করতে গিয়ে বিন্দুমাত্র ঝামেলাও হয়নি। ফুল অন এঞ্জয় করেছি। আর সত্যজিৎ রায়ের কি চমৎকার বর্ণনা! মনে হয়েছে আমিই বুঝি তোপসেদের সাথে নেপাল, লন্ডনসহ ভারতের ঐতিহাসিক জায়গাগুলো ঘুরে আসলাম। ঘরে বসে থেকে বিশ্ব ভ্রমণের এই অনুভূতিই আলাদা; এই অনুভূতি শুধু পাঠকরাই পেতে সক্ষম ^_^
লালমোহন নামের এই মানুষটাকে আমি সত্যিই মিস করবো অনেক!
চমৎকার মানুষ তিনি :)
~২১ মে, ২০২১
যদিও শেষের দিকের কাহিনী ঘুরিয়ে ফিরিয়ে একই লুপে চলে গেছে প্রায়। কিন্তু উপভোগ করতে গিয়ে বিন্দুমাত্র ঝামেলাও হয়নি। ফুল অন এঞ্জয় করেছি। আর সত্যজিৎ রায়ের কি চমৎকার বর্ণনা! মনে হয়েছে আমিই বুঝি তোপসেদের সাথে নেপাল, লন্ডনসহ ভারতের ঐতিহাসিক জায়গাগুলো ঘুরে আসলাম। ঘরে বসে থেকে বিশ্ব ভ্রমণের এই অনুভূতিই আলাদা; এই অনুভূতি শুধু পাঠকরাই পেতে সক্ষম ^_^
লালমোহন নামের এই মানুষটাকে আমি সত্যিই মিস করবো অনেক!
চমৎকার মানুষ তিনি :)
~২১ মে, ২০২১
May 19, 2021
Absolutely spectacular! Satyajit Ray's whodunnit stories are amazing. It wasn't boring in the slightest, and I couldn't seem to put the book down.
The stories were clear and lucid, and the plots were really good.
Aside from 2 stories where I was pretty sure about the culprit, the rest of the stories had me baffled! I can definitely see why Feluda is a legend even now.
I just wish that Satyajit Ray had written more female characters in the book, and especially female criminals.
Gopa Majumdar did a really good job translating the book!
Definitely would recommend to someone looking to read detective fiction :)
The stories were clear and lucid, and the plots were really good.
Aside from 2 stories where I was pretty sure about the culprit, the rest of the stories had me baffled! I can definitely see why Feluda is a legend even now.
I just wish that Satyajit Ray had written more female characters in the book, and especially female criminals.
Gopa Majumdar did a really good job translating the book!
Definitely would recommend to someone looking to read detective fiction :)
August 22, 2022
আবার হয়তো আগামী বছর ফেলুদা, তোপসেও লালমোহন বাবুর সাথে দেখা হবে।
এই খন্ডের প্রিয় ফেলুদা হচ্ছে হত্যাপুরী, এবার কান্ড কেদারনাথে, টিনটোরেটোর যীশু। আসলে ফেলুদা সবই প্রিয়, তাইতো প্রতিবছর পড়ি।
এই খন্ডের প্রিয় ফেলুদা হচ্ছে হত্যাপুরী, এবার কান্ড কেদারনাথে, টিনটোরেটোর যীশু। আসলে ফেলুদা সবই প্রিয়, তাইতো প্রতিবছর পড়ি।
March 17, 2014
The first volume of FELUDA, penned by one of my favorite directors, was a refreshing and different take from the likes of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. In the first volume, we are introduced to the various likeable features and eccentricities of Feluda's style of detection and deduction that keep the readers hooked until the end. I had read the first volume from the point of view of a teenager (which is the original intended target audience of the FELUDA series)and liked it very much. However, this second volume is a disappointment and I successfully guessed the climax in most of the short stories mentioned in this volume. The original stories of FELUDA were authored in Bengali and I read the English translation. However, any original work in a regional language cannot be rendered completely effective in an English or any other language translation; the phenomenon which we love to call "Lost in Translation". I wish I had a versatile grip on my Bengali reading and comprehension skills so that I didn't miss digging in the goldmine of Bengali literature.
July 4, 2020
প্রথম খন্ডের চেয়ে দ্বিতীয় খন্ডে ফেলুদার জৌলুস কিছুটা কমেছে,কাহিনীগুলোও প্রেডিক্টেবল হয়ে যাচ্ছিলো।তবুও ফেলুদার কাহিনী পড়তে এমনই ভালো লাগে যে পাঁচ তারার কম দেয়ার কথা ভাবতেই পারি না।দ্বিতীয় খন্ডে আমার পছন্দের তিন হলো - যত কান্ড কাঠমুন্ডুতে,দার্জিলিং জমজমাট এবং শকুন্তলার কন্ঠহার!
October 20, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed reading the adventures of Feluda alias Pradosh Mitter and his fellow musketeers.
A book filled with short stories that's easy to read & will keep your mind racing to catch the culprit before Feluda does.
Satyajit Ray's writing is fun & effortless.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
A book filled with short stories that's easy to read & will keep your mind racing to catch the culprit before Feluda does.
Satyajit Ray's writing is fun & effortless.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
May 21, 2021
অনেক সাধনার পরে ফাইনালি শেষ!
যদিও আমি নিরব শ্রোতা।
যত পরিশ্রম করেছে আমার সিস। চা বানানো থেকে শুরু করে ফেলুদা সমগ্র ১ ও ২ পড়ে শোনানো সবই করেছে সে।
আমি নির্বিকারচিত্তে চা গিলিয়াছি আর মনোমুগ্ধ হয়ে তাহাকে শুনিয়াছি 😎
By the way, Satyajit Ray is still alive as ফেলুদা
যদিও আমি নিরব শ্রোতা।
যত পরিশ্রম করেছে আমার সিস। চা বানানো থেকে শুরু করে ফেলুদা সমগ্র ১ ও ২ পড়ে শোনানো সবই করেছে সে।
আমি নির্বিকারচিত্তে চা গিলিয়াছি আর মনোমুগ্ধ হয়ে তাহাকে শুনিয়াছি 😎
By the way, Satyajit Ray is still alive as ফেলুদা
July 26, 2020
Writing a review about this book is tough. This book is very close to my heart, the characters of Feluda, Tapeshda and Jatayu feel household for me. Moreover, Bengal forever has been close to my heart. Contribution of Bengal, people of Bengal has been immense, my respect for them has been second to none.
Satyajit Ray is a master, when it comes to combining history, places, travel, antiques, stones, science, story telling and of course observation. What he has described in these stories are priceless, the era, the people, the places, the history, all of which I should have read enjoyed, memorized and should have remembered as a kid, but I haven't which I have now feel more or less like a sin.
I have been to many places mentioned in the Feluda series, but many a place still remain. After having read these series back to back and completed them, I immensely feel the void by realizing that, there are no stories left.
How do I get more of the trio? Ahh. thats when reality kicks in and I realize, all good things do come to an end!
The story of Feluda in London was very special I felt, a student bowing to his teacher - Sherlock Holmes, though all the characters are fictitious, it still highlighted the importance of a teacher and an Indian tradition. (Priceless writing by Ray).
Reminded me of a story by Ruskin Bond, where Ruskin Bond meets Kipling in London, "The Man Who was Kipling" , somewhere I felt, Bond too was inspired by Kipling.
The preamble to a story where Ray himself admits Feluda getting old, which indirectly translates him getting old was very emotional. It was kind of sad to realize that the book was nearing end!.
Cheers,
5 on 5 and close to my heart because its got to do with India and Bengal in particular, who's history and people time and again impresses me a lot (nothing to hide though).
Thanks to Gopa Majumdar for excellent translation, not a nugget lost during the translation!
Satyajit Ray is a master, when it comes to combining history, places, travel, antiques, stones, science, story telling and of course observation. What he has described in these stories are priceless, the era, the people, the places, the history, all of which I should have read enjoyed, memorized and should have remembered as a kid, but I haven't which I have now feel more or less like a sin.
I have been to many places mentioned in the Feluda series, but many a place still remain. After having read these series back to back and completed them, I immensely feel the void by realizing that, there are no stories left.
How do I get more of the trio? Ahh. thats when reality kicks in and I realize, all good things do come to an end!
The story of Feluda in London was very special I felt, a student bowing to his teacher - Sherlock Holmes, though all the characters are fictitious, it still highlighted the importance of a teacher and an Indian tradition. (Priceless writing by Ray).
Reminded me of a story by Ruskin Bond, where Ruskin Bond meets Kipling in London, "The Man Who was Kipling" , somewhere I felt, Bond too was inspired by Kipling.
The preamble to a story where Ray himself admits Feluda getting old, which indirectly translates him getting old was very emotional. It was kind of sad to realize that the book was nearing end!.
Cheers,
5 on 5 and close to my heart because its got to do with India and Bengal in particular, who's history and people time and again impresses me a lot (nothing to hide though).
Thanks to Gopa Majumdar for excellent translation, not a nugget lost during the translation!
July 6, 2016
Rating is a little lower than for d first volume. The stories started getting a little tired and this was particularly so in the second half of this volume. But nonetheless a good breezy read if u r a fan.
July 19, 2014
See review of Vol 1
February 28, 2024
Some stories were predicatable and some were very good
August 20, 2025
Satyajit Ray’s The Complete Adventures of Feluda, Vol. 2 gathers the remaining cases of Bengal’s most celebrated sleuth, and in doing so offers readers not only a continuation but a deepening of the Feluda universe.
Where the first volume built Feluda’s reputation as a witty, razor-sharp observer in the Sherlock Holmes mould, this second collection ventures into darker, more complex territory. The thirty-five stories conclude here, and they trace a shift from the youthful energy of the early adventures to a more mature, even brooding engagement with crime, society, and morality. Reading them in sequence, one feels almost as if Ray were sketching the growth of Feluda himself—from a charming young detective solving puzzles across India to a more seasoned figure grappling with layered psychological and cultural dilemmas.
What strikes a reader immediately is the way Ray’s prose in these later stories becomes richer in atmosphere, sometimes even tinged with melancholy. His cinematic eye sharpens the mood: shadows stretch longer, motives are cloudier, and the stakes are higher.
In “Robertson’s Ruby,” greed and heritage collide in a way that forces Feluda to navigate not just crime but questions of ownership and cultural value. “Tintorettor Jishu” expands the setting beyond Bengal, placing Feluda in a web of international intrigue involving art theft, a story that could easily sit beside the best of global detective fiction. By the time we arrive at “Joto Kando Kathmandute” (The Criminals of Kathmandu), the detective is firmly embroiled in adventures that carry global resonance, involving smuggling networks and criminal conspiracies that reach beyond the borders of India. There is also “Dr. Munshir Diary,” which tilts towards the philosophical, probing memory, ethics, and the human mind in ways that hint at Ray’s lifelong engagement with questions larger than crime and punishment.
The beauty of these stories lies in how Ray adapts the detective genre to mirror a changing India. The world Feluda inhabits in Volume 2 is no longer only about dusty manuscripts or family wills but about corporate espionage, cross-border crime, and the anxieties of modernization.
In this sense, the collection reads like a chronicle of social transformation, where detective fiction becomes a lens through which to examine shifting moral landscapes. Feluda himself remains unwaveringly rational, his methods always rooted in logic and observation, yet his cases expose the cracks in modern life—avarice, betrayal, and corruption that feel distinctly contemporary.
As in the first volume, the trio of Feluda, Topshe, and Jatayu remains central. Topshe’s narration still provides youthful warmth, but his voice also reflects the passage of time, registering Feluda’s growing seriousness. Jatayu’s comic relief punctuates the darkness, though even his bumbling presence sometimes feels tinged with poignancy. These tonal shifts make the stories more layered; they entertain, but they also leave the reader contemplating the complexities of human behavior.
Gopa Majumdar’s translation once again serves as the bridge between Ray’s Bengali and an international readership. While Bengali readers may still lament the inevitable loss of idiomatic sparkle or the special rhythm of Calcutta speech, Majumdar conveys Ray’s clarity and wit with admirable precision. She ensures that Feluda’s adventures remain accessible without erasing their Indianness. For those encountering Feluda in English, this volume remains indispensable, as it completes the arc of the detective’s journey and makes visible the breadth of Ray’s imagination.
If the first volume embodied the romantic youthfulness of Feluda, Volume 2 represents his mature gravity. Together, they form more than a set of detective stories; they offer an evolving portrait of intellect, curiosity, and morality shaped by the Bengali imagination yet resonant far beyond.
Reading them back to back, one cannot escape the feeling that Ray used Feluda to articulate something larger than mystery plots—perhaps a vision of how intelligence and integrity can survive in a world increasingly fraught with chaos.
That is why Feluda endures: as an icon of reason and culture, as sharp as Holmes and as enduring as Poirot, but forever grounded in the soil of Bengal.
Where the first volume built Feluda’s reputation as a witty, razor-sharp observer in the Sherlock Holmes mould, this second collection ventures into darker, more complex territory. The thirty-five stories conclude here, and they trace a shift from the youthful energy of the early adventures to a more mature, even brooding engagement with crime, society, and morality. Reading them in sequence, one feels almost as if Ray were sketching the growth of Feluda himself—from a charming young detective solving puzzles across India to a more seasoned figure grappling with layered psychological and cultural dilemmas.
What strikes a reader immediately is the way Ray’s prose in these later stories becomes richer in atmosphere, sometimes even tinged with melancholy. His cinematic eye sharpens the mood: shadows stretch longer, motives are cloudier, and the stakes are higher.
In “Robertson’s Ruby,” greed and heritage collide in a way that forces Feluda to navigate not just crime but questions of ownership and cultural value. “Tintorettor Jishu” expands the setting beyond Bengal, placing Feluda in a web of international intrigue involving art theft, a story that could easily sit beside the best of global detective fiction. By the time we arrive at “Joto Kando Kathmandute” (The Criminals of Kathmandu), the detective is firmly embroiled in adventures that carry global resonance, involving smuggling networks and criminal conspiracies that reach beyond the borders of India. There is also “Dr. Munshir Diary,” which tilts towards the philosophical, probing memory, ethics, and the human mind in ways that hint at Ray’s lifelong engagement with questions larger than crime and punishment.
The beauty of these stories lies in how Ray adapts the detective genre to mirror a changing India. The world Feluda inhabits in Volume 2 is no longer only about dusty manuscripts or family wills but about corporate espionage, cross-border crime, and the anxieties of modernization.
In this sense, the collection reads like a chronicle of social transformation, where detective fiction becomes a lens through which to examine shifting moral landscapes. Feluda himself remains unwaveringly rational, his methods always rooted in logic and observation, yet his cases expose the cracks in modern life—avarice, betrayal, and corruption that feel distinctly contemporary.
As in the first volume, the trio of Feluda, Topshe, and Jatayu remains central. Topshe’s narration still provides youthful warmth, but his voice also reflects the passage of time, registering Feluda’s growing seriousness. Jatayu’s comic relief punctuates the darkness, though even his bumbling presence sometimes feels tinged with poignancy. These tonal shifts make the stories more layered; they entertain, but they also leave the reader contemplating the complexities of human behavior.
Gopa Majumdar’s translation once again serves as the bridge between Ray’s Bengali and an international readership. While Bengali readers may still lament the inevitable loss of idiomatic sparkle or the special rhythm of Calcutta speech, Majumdar conveys Ray’s clarity and wit with admirable precision. She ensures that Feluda’s adventures remain accessible without erasing their Indianness. For those encountering Feluda in English, this volume remains indispensable, as it completes the arc of the detective’s journey and makes visible the breadth of Ray’s imagination.
If the first volume embodied the romantic youthfulness of Feluda, Volume 2 represents his mature gravity. Together, they form more than a set of detective stories; they offer an evolving portrait of intellect, curiosity, and morality shaped by the Bengali imagination yet resonant far beyond.
Reading them back to back, one cannot escape the feeling that Ray used Feluda to articulate something larger than mystery plots—perhaps a vision of how intelligence and integrity can survive in a world increasingly fraught with chaos.
That is why Feluda endures: as an icon of reason and culture, as sharp as Holmes and as enduring as Poirot, but forever grounded in the soil of Bengal.
June 15, 2011
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I had of course heard about Satyajit Ray’s movies and his international following but when I came across the books written by him, I was surprised and picked it up out of curiosity. I was surprised to see that it was a short story book and on top of that detective stories. I have now read all of them and I am glad that I came across this series. Feluda is a private detective. The stories are written from a viewpoint of his cousin who lives with him.
All the stories are actually very simple in their formulation and characterization. That was not the age of organized crime or terrorism. So Feluda mostly deals with issues related to theft within some family or organization and sometimes with murder. Most of the time he is with his cousin and another writer friend and all of them travel together to solve the cases that keep on coming to Feluda in all the stories.
Typically, each story starts with Feluda receiving a visitor with a case for him or Feluda receiving a letter or Feluda travelling to some holiday destination and then coming upon some case at that place. The story moves with Feluda and sometimes his cousin or friend making investigation and slowly finding more clues. Feluda can change appearance very easily in the course of investigation. But he normally does not tell all his clues to his friends. The stories normally end with all the characters present at the same place and Feluda unfolding the mystery in front of them. The stories are about using investigative skills and intelligence to solve the case rather than using power.
Even though the stories are detective in nature, it is actually a comfort reading. These stories were written for kids but I have enjoyed them a lot.
I had of course heard about Satyajit Ray’s movies and his international following but when I came across the books written by him, I was surprised and picked it up out of curiosity. I was surprised to see that it was a short story book and on top of that detective stories. I have now read all of them and I am glad that I came across this series. Feluda is a private detective. The stories are written from a viewpoint of his cousin who lives with him.
All the stories are actually very simple in their formulation and characterization. That was not the age of organized crime or terrorism. So Feluda mostly deals with issues related to theft within some family or organization and sometimes with murder. Most of the time he is with his cousin and another writer friend and all of them travel together to solve the cases that keep on coming to Feluda in all the stories.
Typically, each story starts with Feluda receiving a visitor with a case for him or Feluda receiving a letter or Feluda travelling to some holiday destination and then coming upon some case at that place. The story moves with Feluda and sometimes his cousin or friend making investigation and slowly finding more clues. Feluda can change appearance very easily in the course of investigation. But he normally does not tell all his clues to his friends. The stories normally end with all the characters present at the same place and Feluda unfolding the mystery in front of them. The stories are about using investigative skills and intelligence to solve the case rather than using power.
Even though the stories are detective in nature, it is actually a comfort reading. These stories were written for kids but I have enjoyed them a lot.
October 25, 2011
After reading the first volume I kicked myself for not having bought both volumes when I was in India. I could not find it on sale in the major bookstores and copies that existed in libraries were lost. Online i could pick up ridiculously overpriced volumes with insane shipping costs from india; often turning a $15.00 book into a $100.00 book. Finally, by using the goodreads bookseller search I found a well priced volume and was not disappointed. Anyone who can get there hands on a copy and who likes the pace and reveal of Conan Doyle stories will get enjoyment from these stories. Knowing something of Indian culture helps, but this also is a nice way for those unfamiliar with that country to be introduced to the variety of life there.
January 10, 2014
'5 Super Special Stars' go with it without saying...
Pradosh Mitra, Topesh Mitra and Lalmohan Ganguly aka Jataayu -- are my so-so-much favorite characters from Bengali writings.. I love their all successful adventures, witty convos, nice-described places and persons.. I was so into it,you know.. :D
#MustMustRead
#TeamFeluda
Pradosh Mitra, Topesh Mitra and Lalmohan Ganguly aka Jataayu -- are my so-so-much favorite characters from Bengali writings.. I love their all successful adventures, witty convos, nice-described places and persons.. I was so into it,you know.. :D
#MustMustRead
#TeamFeluda
June 14, 2020
শেষের দিকে এসে গল্পগুলো একটু বেশি প্রডিক্টেবল হয়ে গেছে বলে মনে হয় প্রথম খণ্ডের তুলনায়। তাও ভক্ত হিসেবে যতবার পড়ি আলাদা একটা অনুভূতি হয়। একমাত্র সত্যজিৎ ই পারেন ভেতো বাঙালীর মধ্যে থেকে এমন চমৎকার প্রদোষ মিত্রকে তুলে ধরতে। তাই জটায়ুর ভাষায় বলতে হয় এতো কেলেংকারিয়াস গল্প পড়ে তৃপ্তি হবে অ্যাবসুলুটলি!
November 15, 2021
প্রতিটা গল্প অসাধারণ যদিও খারাপ লাগছে এজন্য যে ফেলুদা’র আর কোন নতুন গল্প পড়তে পারবো না। যখন মন খারাপ থাকবে তখন আবার শুরু থেকে একটা একটা গল্প পড়বো আমার সুখ দুঃখের সঙ্গী হবে ফেলুদা, তোপসে, লালমোহন বাবু ওরফে জটায়ু।
December 7, 2022
বাংলা সাহিত্যে যেসকল গোয়েন্দা চরিত্র বর্তমান - তাদের মধ্যে জনপ্রিয়তার নিরিখে ফেলুদার স্থান যে সর্বোচ্চে - তা আর বলার অপেক্ষা রাখেনা।
October 13, 2017
I have read a lot of books from a lot of writers from all over the world but no one comes any closer to the way Satyajit Ray writes. Yes, call me a biased Indian, I am one but my love for the man and his art just keeps growing by the day and by every book that I come across by him and even "on him" too. There are books, there are writers and then there is "The Legend called Ray". Hats off to him and the way he wrote. Every-time I come across a book by him I get totally excited but by the time it comes to an end it starts making me sad to have finished the fantastic book and will have to wait till the next one come in my kitty. But the journey is simply amazing, never fails to keep a permanent smile plastered on my face and at times his anecdotes, jokes and comments on his own team by him make me laugh out loud totally. He is almost as good as PG Wodehouse, If I may say that in making me laugh while reading a book, no other author other than these two have that magic on me so far. And this one was special as it actually made my dream come true of seeing FeluDa go to Holmes land and pay a tribute. Just imagine how amazing it is when you see one of your fictional character visit his own fictional character's birth place and pay a tribute. The scene as written by Ray in the story "FeluDa in London" brought tears of joy to my eyes and made me totally breathless as he steps At 220 Baker Street and says "Guru, you showed us the way. If I am an Investigator today, it is only because of you. Now I can say coming to London was truly worthwhile". Very few writers, books and stories have that impact on a reader what this one did to me.
This is the second book of the FeluDa series which he started writing in 1965 and wrote a story each till 1992 (34 in total). Later all these stories got printed in form of two books called "The Complete Adventures of Feluda" Part 1 and 2. He was a huge fan of Sir Doyle and had read all Sherlock Holmes stories before leaving school :). The best part about the success of his stories and his characters was that they were all normal human beings like you and me and no superman. But look at the impact it had on his fans especially children for whom he initially wrote and later realized that even parents too weren't untouched with the stories. I totally loved the way almost all the stories are told in a simple way, no way they made me feel that it was actually Ray who has written them and no Topshe his teenage cousin (to start) was writing them. FeluDa the detective is such a nice warm character that one just couldn't help but fall in love with him. Loved his lopsided smile, the way he will get up in the morning before everyone and finished off with his yoga, shave and dress up, almost in all the stories is simply unbelievable. His acute power of observation and a razor sharp brain on top of that the plethora of knowledge that he had on all the subjects under the sun from history to hypnotism is simply outstanding. Imagine he was not only good in sports, he could actually write with both hands, he could even write in Greek too as its mentioned all over the stories about his "Blue Diaries" that he kept his secrets written so no one could read them.
What I love almost equally well the way I loved FeluDa was his side kicks. Topshe (his Watson) and Jatayu (Lalmohan Ganguli) the ever so comical cheap thrillers writer, always at his service with his green Ambassador. Hilarious I tell you. Just thinking of his name makes me grin from ear to ear, what a man, what a character, he was actually as good as Jeeves (PGW Character) at the service of his master FeluDa :), if you ask me. This part gives him some much deserved footage where FeluDa actually let him fill in his shoes a couple of times to a hilarious outcome. But Ray's love and affection to his other characters was simply superb. Not only these two there is another third character, the Google of then era for FeluDa, Uncle Sidhu, who knows anything and everything about everything but to know more about his character you've got to read the book. The knowledge that Uncle Sidhu possessed is simply out of this world, just one word and he will open up the details without batting an eyelid. Terrific it is. I just fail to understand one thing though that I had so much fun reading the "Translation", I just cant imagine how much fun the original will be only if I knew "Bangla" to really enjoy it. Still I fell I haven't missed much (hope so) and have no idea as what to look forward to now since I am done with this.
One question I have especially from the people from that part of India who have read the FeluDa stories. Is this character "Jatayu" Lalmohan Ganguli actually based on some real life Author? If yes, I would seriously loved to read one of his translated works too. Do let me know if you know anything about that. I will be on the lookout for Ray's other works now, any recommendations will be very highly appreciated.
This is the second book of the FeluDa series which he started writing in 1965 and wrote a story each till 1992 (34 in total). Later all these stories got printed in form of two books called "The Complete Adventures of Feluda" Part 1 and 2. He was a huge fan of Sir Doyle and had read all Sherlock Holmes stories before leaving school :). The best part about the success of his stories and his characters was that they were all normal human beings like you and me and no superman. But look at the impact it had on his fans especially children for whom he initially wrote and later realized that even parents too weren't untouched with the stories. I totally loved the way almost all the stories are told in a simple way, no way they made me feel that it was actually Ray who has written them and no Topshe his teenage cousin (to start) was writing them. FeluDa the detective is such a nice warm character that one just couldn't help but fall in love with him. Loved his lopsided smile, the way he will get up in the morning before everyone and finished off with his yoga, shave and dress up, almost in all the stories is simply unbelievable. His acute power of observation and a razor sharp brain on top of that the plethora of knowledge that he had on all the subjects under the sun from history to hypnotism is simply outstanding. Imagine he was not only good in sports, he could actually write with both hands, he could even write in Greek too as its mentioned all over the stories about his "Blue Diaries" that he kept his secrets written so no one could read them.
What I love almost equally well the way I loved FeluDa was his side kicks. Topshe (his Watson) and Jatayu (Lalmohan Ganguli) the ever so comical cheap thrillers writer, always at his service with his green Ambassador. Hilarious I tell you. Just thinking of his name makes me grin from ear to ear, what a man, what a character, he was actually as good as Jeeves (PGW Character) at the service of his master FeluDa :), if you ask me. This part gives him some much deserved footage where FeluDa actually let him fill in his shoes a couple of times to a hilarious outcome. But Ray's love and affection to his other characters was simply superb. Not only these two there is another third character, the Google of then era for FeluDa, Uncle Sidhu, who knows anything and everything about everything but to know more about his character you've got to read the book. The knowledge that Uncle Sidhu possessed is simply out of this world, just one word and he will open up the details without batting an eyelid. Terrific it is. I just fail to understand one thing though that I had so much fun reading the "Translation", I just cant imagine how much fun the original will be only if I knew "Bangla" to really enjoy it. Still I fell I haven't missed much (hope so) and have no idea as what to look forward to now since I am done with this.
One question I have especially from the people from that part of India who have read the FeluDa stories. Is this character "Jatayu" Lalmohan Ganguli actually based on some real life Author? If yes, I would seriously loved to read one of his translated works too. Do let me know if you know anything about that. I will be on the lookout for Ray's other works now, any recommendations will be very highly appreciated.
August 15, 2020
ফেলুদার মগজাস্ত্র
তোপসের বুদ্ধি ও
জটায়ুর সাহিত্যিক
মিলে হলো
3 MUSKETERS
Book: ফেলুদা সমগ্র, Feluda Series
Writer: Satyajit Ray
Favourite character: Feluda
The most famous reader of literature in West Bengal, even the most casual one will name Feluda. Feluda, the self-portrait imagination of Satyajit Ray himself would believe to be a smart, alert, brainy, sharp-witted, good and sarcastic nature, well-read Bengali ভদ্রলোক detective, armed with a keen sense of observation applying মগজাস্ত্র having deduction skills with a good sense of humour, idolizes as the Asia's Best Crime Detective said by লালু দা urf জটায়ু. The all-time favourite detective, believed to be an ideal investigator, yet a fictional character in Bengali literature since the last 50years. Feluda has been an integral part of lives of all Bengalis. Satyajit Ray has captured his crystal clear memory to implement his fictional character Feluda by imposing the self-portrait through his imagination and intelligence.
As Satyajit Ray, in his childhood days, had deep interests in Sherlock Holmes fictions, he inspired the character Sherlock Holmes in his writings and so he pen down Feluda's character of Sherlock Holmes and Topshe's character resembles Dr. Watson, based on Arthur Conan Doyle fictions. Feluda is displayed as a big admirer of Sherlock Holmes and considers him as his master. In one of his case কৈলাশ চৌধুরী'র পাথর (Kailash Choudhury's Jewel), he praises Sherlock Holmes the way he used to draw large conclusions from observations in his cases and in another case plot in London titled লন্ডন এ ফেলুদা (Feluda in London) where Feluda visits Baker Street, he praises Sherlock Holmes as the master of all private detectives, the line being told as "গুরু, তুমি ছিলে বলেই আমরা আছি | আজ আমার লন্ডন আসা সার্থক হল |" Feluda stories are the bunch full of fast paced actions with mysterious twists and turns sets the plots in different parts of the country and even in foreign lands too like which sets in লন্ডন এ ফেলুদা (Feluda in London), তিনতোরেত্তোর যীশু (Tintoretto's Jesus), যত কান্ড কাঠমান্ডু তে (The Criminals of Kathmandu). The stories are the compact pack of adventure, suspense, murder mysteries and thriller. ফেলুদা urf Prodosh Chandra Mitra is the main protagonist who plays the main sleuth and like in detective novels, there has to be a সহকারী or we should say an assistant or sidekick. Feluda's younger cousin, তোপসে urf Tapesh Ranajn Mitra, an intelligent and clever boy, is his assistant or in Feluda's words, আমার Satellite. Topshe is the narrator of the Feluda adventure book. Then comes the third musketer, Lal Mohan Ganguly urf জটায়ু, the famous thriller writer on children's literature, whom they befriend on their trip for Mukul's safety to Jaisalmer from দুস্টু লোক sets the most famous সোনার কেল্লা (The Golden Fortress) case plot, which completed 46years of Satyajit Ray's first Feluda adventure film. Together the 3 Musketers travel all over India to uncover many shady crimes, defeating several sinister criminals, especially Feluda's most encountered one, মগন লাল মেঘরাজ, in জয় বাবা ফেলুনাথ (The Mystery of the Elephant God), যত কান্ড কাঠমান্ডু তে (The Criminals of Kathmandu) and in গোলাপি মুক্ত রহস্য (The Mystery of the Pink Pearl), managing to wriggle out of some very sticky situations albeit always emerging victorious in the end. As Darjeeling happens to be Satyajit Ray's favourite holiday destination so he portrait Feluda into plot cases being captured in North Kolkata especially in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Gangtok titled দার্জিলিং জমজমাট (Murder in the Mountains) and গাংটোকে গন্ডোগল (Trouble in Gangtok). Feluda is also good in disguising himself in different different roles as per needed for cases, likewise Sherlock Holmes, completely a changed look. The great thing about the stories is that nobody really gets to know what's going to happen next and likewise there's always a high level of curiosity waiting just to know who the culprit is. The most awaited part of the whole story line is the climax where Feluda calls a meeting while solving the mystery, where he cajoles the culprit in admitting their crime. Feluda used to collect information and suggestions from সিধু জেঠা urf Siddheshwar Bose, an aged character who resembles to be Sherlock Holmes's brother Mycroft. Feluda always used to say that Sidhu Jetha owns to have a 'photographic memory' and having a vast knowledge of informations being gathered into his collection of varied kinds of newspaper clippings which he has accumulated over the years which comes in handy when Feluda is in need.
If Feluda is Holmes, the role of Watson is equally apportioned between his two goodies, his cousin তোপসে and his friend জটায়ু. Satyajit Ray had never designed any women to intrude Feluda's male world, unlike in another Bengali detective adventure, Byomkesh series by Sharadindu Bandhopadhyay. The level of continuity falls down. As Feluda stepped from early 1970s to today's world, the atmosphere have changed dramatically around him. Jatayu's ambassador turned into maruti; Feluda's favourite cigarette brand Charminar just disappeared. In সোনার কেল্লা, the 3 Musketers travelled a long distance journey to Ramdevra by camel, but now-a-days, the characters found themselves taking flights instead of the trains, likewise in case plots sets in কৈলাসে কেলেঙ্কারি (A Killer in Kailash), বোম্বাইয়ার বোম্বেটে (The Bandits of Bombay), ভূস্বর্গ ভয়ংকর (Peril in Paradise), বাক্স রহস্য (The Mystery of the Box). But still, the world always remains curious about him. He comfortingly remained constant for lifetime, always steady and সতর্ক in Feluda's words. Topshe and Jatayu remained by his side throughout life, with every cases solved and victory over sinister criminals at the end and his corner of Calcutta, Feluda's ঠিকানা would forever stay, precisely because his house, 21 no. রজনী সেন রোড, বালিগঞ্জ, কলকাতা-700019 never really existed, just like Him.
Feluda | Swarnakshi’20
তোপসের বুদ্ধি ও
জটায়ুর সাহিত্যিক
মিলে হলো
3 MUSKETERS
Book: ফেলুদা সমগ্র, Feluda Series
Writer: Satyajit Ray
Favourite character: Feluda
The most famous reader of literature in West Bengal, even the most casual one will name Feluda. Feluda, the self-portrait imagination of Satyajit Ray himself would believe to be a smart, alert, brainy, sharp-witted, good and sarcastic nature, well-read Bengali ভদ্রলোক detective, armed with a keen sense of observation applying মগজাস্ত্র having deduction skills with a good sense of humour, idolizes as the Asia's Best Crime Detective said by লালু দা urf জটায়ু. The all-time favourite detective, believed to be an ideal investigator, yet a fictional character in Bengali literature since the last 50years. Feluda has been an integral part of lives of all Bengalis. Satyajit Ray has captured his crystal clear memory to implement his fictional character Feluda by imposing the self-portrait through his imagination and intelligence.
As Satyajit Ray, in his childhood days, had deep interests in Sherlock Holmes fictions, he inspired the character Sherlock Holmes in his writings and so he pen down Feluda's character of Sherlock Holmes and Topshe's character resembles Dr. Watson, based on Arthur Conan Doyle fictions. Feluda is displayed as a big admirer of Sherlock Holmes and considers him as his master. In one of his case কৈলাশ চৌধুরী'র পাথর (Kailash Choudhury's Jewel), he praises Sherlock Holmes the way he used to draw large conclusions from observations in his cases and in another case plot in London titled লন্ডন এ ফেলুদা (Feluda in London) where Feluda visits Baker Street, he praises Sherlock Holmes as the master of all private detectives, the line being told as "গুরু, তুমি ছিলে বলেই আমরা আছি | আজ আমার লন্ডন আসা সার্থক হল |" Feluda stories are the bunch full of fast paced actions with mysterious twists and turns sets the plots in different parts of the country and even in foreign lands too like which sets in লন্ডন এ ফেলুদা (Feluda in London), তিনতোরেত্তোর যীশু (Tintoretto's Jesus), যত কান্ড কাঠমান্ডু তে (The Criminals of Kathmandu). The stories are the compact pack of adventure, suspense, murder mysteries and thriller. ফেলুদা urf Prodosh Chandra Mitra is the main protagonist who plays the main sleuth and like in detective novels, there has to be a সহকারী or we should say an assistant or sidekick. Feluda's younger cousin, তোপসে urf Tapesh Ranajn Mitra, an intelligent and clever boy, is his assistant or in Feluda's words, আমার Satellite. Topshe is the narrator of the Feluda adventure book. Then comes the third musketer, Lal Mohan Ganguly urf জটায়ু, the famous thriller writer on children's literature, whom they befriend on their trip for Mukul's safety to Jaisalmer from দুস্টু লোক sets the most famous সোনার কেল্লা (The Golden Fortress) case plot, which completed 46years of Satyajit Ray's first Feluda adventure film. Together the 3 Musketers travel all over India to uncover many shady crimes, defeating several sinister criminals, especially Feluda's most encountered one, মগন লাল মেঘরাজ, in জয় বাবা ফেলুনাথ (The Mystery of the Elephant God), যত কান্ড কাঠমান্ডু তে (The Criminals of Kathmandu) and in গোলাপি মুক্ত রহস্য (The Mystery of the Pink Pearl), managing to wriggle out of some very sticky situations albeit always emerging victorious in the end. As Darjeeling happens to be Satyajit Ray's favourite holiday destination so he portrait Feluda into plot cases being captured in North Kolkata especially in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Gangtok titled দার্জিলিং জমজমাট (Murder in the Mountains) and গাংটোকে গন্ডোগল (Trouble in Gangtok). Feluda is also good in disguising himself in different different roles as per needed for cases, likewise Sherlock Holmes, completely a changed look. The great thing about the stories is that nobody really gets to know what's going to happen next and likewise there's always a high level of curiosity waiting just to know who the culprit is. The most awaited part of the whole story line is the climax where Feluda calls a meeting while solving the mystery, where he cajoles the culprit in admitting their crime. Feluda used to collect information and suggestions from সিধু জেঠা urf Siddheshwar Bose, an aged character who resembles to be Sherlock Holmes's brother Mycroft. Feluda always used to say that Sidhu Jetha owns to have a 'photographic memory' and having a vast knowledge of informations being gathered into his collection of varied kinds of newspaper clippings which he has accumulated over the years which comes in handy when Feluda is in need.
If Feluda is Holmes, the role of Watson is equally apportioned between his two goodies, his cousin তোপসে and his friend জটায়ু. Satyajit Ray had never designed any women to intrude Feluda's male world, unlike in another Bengali detective adventure, Byomkesh series by Sharadindu Bandhopadhyay. The level of continuity falls down. As Feluda stepped from early 1970s to today's world, the atmosphere have changed dramatically around him. Jatayu's ambassador turned into maruti; Feluda's favourite cigarette brand Charminar just disappeared. In সোনার কেল্লা, the 3 Musketers travelled a long distance journey to Ramdevra by camel, but now-a-days, the characters found themselves taking flights instead of the trains, likewise in case plots sets in কৈলাসে কেলেঙ্কারি (A Killer in Kailash), বোম্বাইয়ার বোম্বেটে (The Bandits of Bombay), ভূস্বর্গ ভয়ংকর (Peril in Paradise), বাক্স রহস্য (The Mystery of the Box). But still, the world always remains curious about him. He comfortingly remained constant for lifetime, always steady and সতর্ক in Feluda's words. Topshe and Jatayu remained by his side throughout life, with every cases solved and victory over sinister criminals at the end and his corner of Calcutta, Feluda's ঠিকানা would forever stay, precisely because his house, 21 no. রজনী সেন রোড, বালিগঞ্জ, কলকাতা-700019 never really existed, just like Him.
Feluda | Swarnakshi’20
January 12, 2025
আমার ফেলুদার সঙ্গে জার্নি শেষ হলো। শুরু হয়েছিল পাঁচ বছর আগে ‘বাছাই বারো’ বইয়ের ‘ফেলুদার গোয়েন্দাগিরি’ গল্পের মধ্য দিয়ে। এর পর দেখেছি লেখকপুত্রের পরিচালিত ডবল ফেলুদা’য় দুটো গল্পো। সত্যজিৎ রায়ের পরিচালিত সোনার কেল্লাও দেখেছি পরে। এরপর থেকে শুরু হয় সমগ্র কিনে প্রতি মাসে একটা-দুটো করে পড়া। মাঝখানে রয়েল বেঙ্গল রহস্য সিনেমা দেখেছি; এটা আর পড়া হয়নি পরে। রবার্টসনের রুবি পড়েছি কমিক ভার্সন। আর সানডে সাসপেন্সে শোনা হয়েছে তিনটে অথবা চারটে; শুধু মাত্র সব্যসাচী চক্রবর্তী আর জগন্নাথবাবুর ম্যাজিক্যাল ভয়েস শোনার জন্যই। ফেলুদার প্রথম দিকের বড় গল্পগুলো সেরার সেরা। শেষে মান পড়ে যাওয়ার অন্যতম কারণ প্রতি গল্পে রিপিটেড কিছু ঘটনা। আমার মোস্ট ফেভারিট রয়েল বেঙ্গল রহস্য এবং জয় বাবা ফেলুনাথ। বাংলায় ছোট থেকে বড় সবার জন্য সেরা গোয়েন্দা সিরিজ নিঃসন্দেহে ফেলুদাই। সামনে শত বছরেও এর চাহিদা একটুও কমবে না।
August 26, 2017
A solid read...though not as good as the first one...a wee bit repetitive and simple at times...but true to form in beautiful descriptions of locales as diverse as Kashmir, Kedarnath and Mahabalipuram... particularly enjoyed crime in kedarnath, the criminals of kathmandu, peril in paradise and dr munshi diary!
July 26, 2025
ফেলুদার সাথে দীর্ঘ জার্নির এখানেই সমাপ্তি! বেশ উপভোগ্য ছিল এই জার্নিটা। যদিও সমগ্র ২ এর চেয়ে সমগ্র ১ আমার কাছে বেশি ভাল লেগেছিল তবুও ২ এর কিছু কিছু গল্প অনেক ভাল লেগেছে।
সমগ্র দুটো কিনেছিলাম ২০১৫ সালে, আর পড়ে শেষ করলাম ২০২৩-২০২৫ সালে! প্রায় দশ বছর পর, কি যে অবস্থা আমার!! দেরিতে হলেও ফেলুদার ভক্ত হতে দেরি হয়নি!
সব বই শেষ করার পর বলতে হচ্ছে-ফেলুদা, তপসে আর জটায়ু কে অনেক মনে পড়বে!
সমগ্র দুটো কিনেছিলাম ২০১৫ সালে, আর পড়ে শেষ করলাম ২০২৩-২০২৫ সালে! প্রায় দশ বছর পর, কি যে অবস্থা আমার!! দেরিতে হলেও ফেলুদার ভক্ত হতে দেরি হয়নি!
সব বই শেষ করার পর বলতে হচ্ছে-ফেলুদা, তপসে আর জটায়ু কে অনেক মনে পড়বে!
January 4, 2019
Can't imagine my childhood without this one. Enough said
January 31, 2022
সমগ্র ১ এর গল্পগুলা বেশিই দারুণ 🙂
January 14, 2023
Love the personality of Feluda!
And Satyajit Ray is magic! The way he tells stories is modern, classy and beautiful!!
A great read.
And Satyajit Ray is magic! The way he tells stories is modern, classy and beautiful!!
A great read.
February 4, 2012
http://avadhutrecommends.wordpress.com/
Summary –
Feluda, the razor sharp and witty young detective investigates some very curious cases along with his cousin Tapesh and friend Jatayu through the length and breadth of India.
Review –
A recent article about the release of a new Feluda movie brought back happy memories of this childhood series. We know Satyajit Ray as the Oscar winning filmmaker but not many Indians, especially non-Bengalis know that he was also an author par excellence. Fortunately I became familiar with the “Author” Ray through his translated short stories in “Kishor” magazine much before I had watched any of his films. So when one day my local librarian showed me a new book titled “The Golden Fortress” by Satyajit Ray, I immediately lapped it up and since then became a huge fan of Feluda, Topshe and Jatayu.
In 1961 Ray revived children’s magazine “Sandesh” started by his grandfather. He started writing Feluda stories in 1965 and between 1965and 1992 wrote 35 stories featuring Pradosh C. Mitra, nicknamed “Felu”, a young, athletic and brilliant detective. Feluda (‘da” in Bengali means elder brother) is accompanied in his adventures by his 14 year old cousin Tapesh. Tapesh or “Topshe” as he is fondly called is the young Watson to this modern day Indian Sherlock Holmes and chronicles the mysteries for us. Like all the children who have read these stories, Topshe is in awe of Feluda’s deduction skills and knowledge and Feluda is his idol though Feluda teases him a lot. Feluda is very choosy in his cases and accepts only the ones that intrigue him most. Their cases take them all over India from Sikkim to Rajasthan and Darjeeling to Maharashtra and also to Nepal and England. Many of the stories are set in Feluda’s hometown Calcutta. Ray introduced Lalmohan Ganguli a.k.a. Jatayu, writer of bestselling thrillers whose hero – Prakhar Rudra is nothing short of a superman. In Ray’s own words Jatayu offers “dollops of humour” in the otherwise sombre stories. Jatayu is a fumbling caricature with his misspelt English and love for rhyme-less poetry, who almost always makes wrong deduction, a male version of Ariadne Oliver from Agatha Christie’s Poirot stories. In fact we can see the influence of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot throughout the series. As Feluda himself says “we have nothing new to do, we just follow the paths of the past masters Holmes and Poirot”.
Ray had to walk on a tightrope as the stories were meant for children. He had to keep the violence to the minimum even in case of murder mysteries and the fair sex is conspicuously absent in almost all the stories. Despite this constraint Feluda became instant hit among children and grown-ups alike due to stimulating plots and twists in climax. All the stories are riveting though some of them are clearly a class apart. My particular favourites are The Emperor’s Ring, Trouble in Gangtok, The Golden Fortress and Tintoretto’s Jesus.
Reading the stories takes us back in time and it’s a pleasing ride worth taking especially in the city of Calcutta due to Ray’s minute attention to details. Reading about the by lanes of Calcutta is reminiscent of Sjowall and Wahloo’s Stockholm during the same period.
Read it to your children or read it for yourself; I am sure you will definitely enjoy it.
Summary –
Feluda, the razor sharp and witty young detective investigates some very curious cases along with his cousin Tapesh and friend Jatayu through the length and breadth of India.
Review –
A recent article about the release of a new Feluda movie brought back happy memories of this childhood series. We know Satyajit Ray as the Oscar winning filmmaker but not many Indians, especially non-Bengalis know that he was also an author par excellence. Fortunately I became familiar with the “Author” Ray through his translated short stories in “Kishor” magazine much before I had watched any of his films. So when one day my local librarian showed me a new book titled “The Golden Fortress” by Satyajit Ray, I immediately lapped it up and since then became a huge fan of Feluda, Topshe and Jatayu.
In 1961 Ray revived children’s magazine “Sandesh” started by his grandfather. He started writing Feluda stories in 1965 and between 1965and 1992 wrote 35 stories featuring Pradosh C. Mitra, nicknamed “Felu”, a young, athletic and brilliant detective. Feluda (‘da” in Bengali means elder brother) is accompanied in his adventures by his 14 year old cousin Tapesh. Tapesh or “Topshe” as he is fondly called is the young Watson to this modern day Indian Sherlock Holmes and chronicles the mysteries for us. Like all the children who have read these stories, Topshe is in awe of Feluda’s deduction skills and knowledge and Feluda is his idol though Feluda teases him a lot. Feluda is very choosy in his cases and accepts only the ones that intrigue him most. Their cases take them all over India from Sikkim to Rajasthan and Darjeeling to Maharashtra and also to Nepal and England. Many of the stories are set in Feluda’s hometown Calcutta. Ray introduced Lalmohan Ganguli a.k.a. Jatayu, writer of bestselling thrillers whose hero – Prakhar Rudra is nothing short of a superman. In Ray’s own words Jatayu offers “dollops of humour” in the otherwise sombre stories. Jatayu is a fumbling caricature with his misspelt English and love for rhyme-less poetry, who almost always makes wrong deduction, a male version of Ariadne Oliver from Agatha Christie’s Poirot stories. In fact we can see the influence of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot throughout the series. As Feluda himself says “we have nothing new to do, we just follow the paths of the past masters Holmes and Poirot”.
Ray had to walk on a tightrope as the stories were meant for children. He had to keep the violence to the minimum even in case of murder mysteries and the fair sex is conspicuously absent in almost all the stories. Despite this constraint Feluda became instant hit among children and grown-ups alike due to stimulating plots and twists in climax. All the stories are riveting though some of them are clearly a class apart. My particular favourites are The Emperor’s Ring, Trouble in Gangtok, The Golden Fortress and Tintoretto’s Jesus.
Reading the stories takes us back in time and it’s a pleasing ride worth taking especially in the city of Calcutta due to Ray’s minute attention to details. Reading about the by lanes of Calcutta is reminiscent of Sjowall and Wahloo’s Stockholm during the same period.
Read it to your children or read it for yourself; I am sure you will definitely enjoy it.
January 16, 2019
Inspired writing. The stories are just Unforgettable. Best Ever ❤️
July 20, 2022
The complete adventures of Feluda Volume 1 and 2 are a treat for all mystery and adventure lovers. Written by the filmmaker and writer Satyajit Ray, these books take the reader into the world of a private detective Pradosh Mitter ( Feluda), and his cousin and aide, Tapesh Mitter ( Topshe), as they go about solving and unraveling mysteries. Feluda is multitalented, knowledgeable, and a master of deduction. In no time, he graduates from being an amateur detective to a highly respected and much-sought investigator. He gets employed by people from various backgrounds and from different parts of the country to help solve their problems. He is one of the top sleuths in the country, and word about his excellent work spreads far and wide.
Topshe is in complete awe of his elder cousin and loves accompanying him. He participates actively in solving the case and is enthusiastic about being a part of this exciting life, solving crimes and mysteries. Sometimes, they are accompanied by Lal Mohan Babu ( Jatayu), a budding author of crime novels. Jatayu wants to take inspiration for his upcoming stories and needs someone to bounce off his ideas, so he joins the duo in their travels. He adds a comic element to the otherwise serious narration of the events and incidents. Along with the trio, the reader travels across India from Darjeeling to Lucknow, from Mumbai to Kolkatta, and sometimes even outside the country, uncovering the truth and revealing the faces of criminals.
The books comprise multiple stories, each with a different setup, a distinctive plot, and peculiar characters, making the reading experience unique and stimulating. This work by Satyajit Ray, inspired by Sherlock Holmes and Dr.Watson, is a masterpiece and a must-read for anyone about 12 years of age.
Topshe is in complete awe of his elder cousin and loves accompanying him. He participates actively in solving the case and is enthusiastic about being a part of this exciting life, solving crimes and mysteries. Sometimes, they are accompanied by Lal Mohan Babu ( Jatayu), a budding author of crime novels. Jatayu wants to take inspiration for his upcoming stories and needs someone to bounce off his ideas, so he joins the duo in their travels. He adds a comic element to the otherwise serious narration of the events and incidents. Along with the trio, the reader travels across India from Darjeeling to Lucknow, from Mumbai to Kolkatta, and sometimes even outside the country, uncovering the truth and revealing the faces of criminals.
The books comprise multiple stories, each with a different setup, a distinctive plot, and peculiar characters, making the reading experience unique and stimulating. This work by Satyajit Ray, inspired by Sherlock Holmes and Dr.Watson, is a masterpiece and a must-read for anyone about 12 years of age.
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