Episode notes
Numerous fictional detectives have been born in India. But in fame and popularity, none come close to Satyajit Ray’s Feluda. Today I take a look at Feluda stories with a new gaze, not as a young child reading them for the first time, but as an adult who has had the benefit of having read many many detective novels since, to try and understand why Feluda stories enjoy the kind of popularity that they do, decades after they were first created. Host: Suparna Chatterjee ( www.suparnachatterjee.com) Instagram: thedesidetectiveshow soup_and_chat Email: thedesidetectiveshow@gmail.com Guest: Mir…
The Desi Detective Show
by Suparna Chatterjee · English · Arts & Books
Exploring the history and the mystery behind the best detective stories from India
More from The Desi Detective Show
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14 Oct 2024 · 27 min
Ep 5: The Curious Case of the Bhawal Sanyasi - Part 2
The Curious Case of the Bhawal Sanyasi continues in this episode. Please do listen to Part 1 of the story, before listening to this episode. Host: Suparna Chatterjee (www.suparnachatterjee.com) Instagram : thedesidetectiveshow and soup_and_chat Email: thedesidetectiveshow@gmail.com Music by B. Prasanna and Khurshed Batliwala Instagram: b_prasanna and khurshedbatliwala Books and References: Wikipedia https://assets.press.princeton.edu/chapters/s7277.pdf Articles in The Dhaka Tribune The Mendicant Prince by Aruna Chakravarti A Princely Imposter? by Partha Chatterjee
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7 Oct 2024 · 31 min
Ep 4: The Curious Case of the Bhawal Sanyasi - Part 1
In this episode (and the next 2), I talk about the case that resulted in one of the longest legal battles in colonial India - a case so absurd, so improbable and so intriguing with its many twists and turns, that it lingers on the public imagination to this day. This was a story where the truth was certainly stranger than fiction! It's the curious case of the Bhawal Sanyasi. *** Spoiler Warning! There is a novelised version of the events in a book titled 'The Mendicant Prince' by Aruna Chakravarti. If you wish to read that book, then please do so, before you listen to these 3 episodes. Host:…
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E3 · 27 Sep 2024 · 26 min
Ep 3: Origins
Just how old is the oldest whodunnit from India? Who were the first writers of detective fiction in this country? And who were their inspirations? How did India get her first detective department? Find out in this episode of the desi detective show. Host: Suparna Chatterjee ( www.suparnachatterjee.com ) Instagram : thedesidetectiveshow and soup_and_chat Email: thedesidetectiveshow@gmail.com Music by B. Prasanna and Khurshed Batliwala Instagram: b_prasanna and khurshedbatliwala Books and references: Wikipedia Every Man his own Detective - Richard Reid Memoirs of Vidocq - Eugene Francois…
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E1 · 20 Sep 2024 · 9 min
Ep 1: Meet the Desi Detectives
They have been sleuthing for more than a 100 years - in Mughal courts and in Rajput palaces, in the crooked by lanes of Benaras and the bustling cities of Calcutta and Bombay, in the tea gardens of Darjeeling, in the deserts of Rajasthan. Sometimes dressed in dhotis and sherwanis, and sometimes in salwar kurtas and nine-yard sarees. These are the desi detectives. After all, who says a deerstalker is a must for solving crime? A turban would do just as well. Welcome to the desi detective show - the podcast that explores the history and the mystery behind the best detective stories from the…
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28 Sep 2026 · 18 min
Ep 28: The Bawla Murder of 1925 - Part 2
This is the final episode on the Bawla murder case of 1925, a brazen attack on Malabar Hill that shook British India. The case was raised in the House of Commons, and it ended with a Maharaja having to abdicate his throne. References: The Bawla Murder Case by Dhaval Kulkarni Article in BBC : A Murder that shook British India... Bawla Murder Case: A 1925 Trial analysis Podcast Theme Music by B. Prasanna and Khurshed Batliwala Haradhoner Doshti Chhele: https://youtu.be/z4S3fVtyCFc?si=XsuWsCUmXZ-GbrFr
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17 Sep 2026 · 20 min
Ep 27: The Bawla Murder of 1925 - Part 1
On the 12th of January, 1925, when four men of the British Army - Lt. Saegert, Col. Vickery and lts Batley and Stephen- set out for the Taj Mahal Hotel, after having enjoyed a game of golf at the Willingdon Sports Club, little did they know, they were about to change history. In this episode, host Suparna Chatterjee talks about the daring murder of Abdul Kader Bawla, which ended with a king being toppled from his throne. References: The Bawla Murder Case by Dhaval Kulkarni Article in BBC : A Murder that shook British India... Bawla Murder Case: A 1925 Trial analysis Podcast Theme Music by B.…
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26 Jul 2026 · 32 min
Ep 26: Death Comes to Matheran with Shabnam Minwalla
Thirteen friends and 1 unsolved murder. During a weekend trip to Matheran, Rakesh Jhaveri and his driver are found dead on a rainy night. The cops dismiss it as an unfortunate accident. Eleven years later, Rakesh's daughter Tara, now 17, has decided she wants answers. She's not the only one, though. A nameless, faceless friend has been patiently documenting evidence. And Tara's mother, Pramila, getting her memory back might just be the final clue they need to solve the case. In this episode, host Suparna Chatterjee chats with journalist-turned-author Shabnam Minwalla about Death Comes to…
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21 Jun 2026 · 31 min
Ep 25: The M4 Mysteries with Mallika Ravikumar
In this episode, Suparna Chatterjee speaks to lawyer-turned-author Mallika Ravikumar about her legal mysteries for children, the M4 Mystery series. Mallika tells us about her move from the courtroom to the writing desk, her legal experiences that led her to write this series, her writing style, her upcoming projects, and of course, her favourite desi detectives. Host: Suparna Chatterjee Instagram: soup_and_chat and thedesidetectiveshow Guest: Mallika Ravikumar Books by Mallika Ravikumar The Case of the Vanishing Gods The Case of the Missing Turtles The Case of the Mysterious Witches The…
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31 May 2026 · 29 min
Ep 24: The White Lotus with Aditi Krishnakumar
In a small town in the south of India, jewels of the temple goddess go missing. The accountant is found dead on the temple steps. An unfortunate accident, they all say, what with the rains the previous night. All, except young Arali, who cannot rest until she finds answers. But this is 1901. Arali is only 14. And, the aforementioned accountant's death has made her a widow. In this episode, Suparna Chatterjee talks to author Aditi Krishnakumar about her Young Adult historical murder mystery, The White Lotus. We learn about Aditi's interesting background in mathematics, literature, management…
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16 Apr 2026 · 25 min
Ep 23: The Fingerprint
In 1896, criminal investigation was revolutionised by a system developed by two real-life desi detectives, Azizul Haque and Hem Chandra Bose. In this episode, host Suparna Chatterjee traces the origins of the study of fingerprints, explains why a fingerprint at the crime scene is such an integral part of criminal investigations, and highlights the contributions of sub-inspectors Azizul Haque and Hem Chandra Bose, who sadly did not receive their due under a colonial government. Podcast Theme Music by B. Prasanna and Khurshed Batliwala Haradhoner Doshti Chhele:…
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