Aparadha jagate nari : Bangla goyenda sahitye mahila goyendar goyendagiri/ অপরাধ জগতে নারী : বাংলা গোয়েন্দা সাহিত্যে মহিলা গোয়েন্দার গোয়েন্দাগিরি

Abstract

Once upon a time Bengali detective literature was a world dominated by male characters. In this world, the idea of ​​a female detective was a strange fantasy that was considered as impossible as a ‘golden stone bowl’. In the eyes of literary critics, detective literature itself was second-class and female characters were even more neglected. But with the change of time, this idea broke down and a new horizon opened up in literature that opened the way for women’s empowerment and self-reliance. This journey began with the character of Krishna, created by the influential goddess Saraswati, who broke the barriers of traditional society and opened up a new horizon of women’s freedom. Then, the emergence of teenage detectives in Nalini Das’s ‘Gandalu’ series proved that it is not age or gender but intelligence and courage that are important for solving mysteries. Manoj Sen’s character of Damayanti Duttagupta gave birth to a new trend where analytical intelligence became more important than professionalism. However, the fulfillment of this journey came in the modern era when the characters of Tapan Banerjee’s Gargi and Suchitra Bhattacharya’s Mitin Masi arrived. Gargi has established a perfect balance between her family life and detective work, showing that a woman can be a successful professional detective and a skilled housewife at the same time. On the other hand, Mitin Masi started a new chapter in Bengali literature as the first fully professional female detective. She took her profession not just as a hobby but as a livelihood and said- People work for their stomachs, I do detective work. These female detectives have not only solved the mystery of crime but have also broken the old customs of society and opened new paths for women. Their popularity is now not limited to the pages of books but their presence is also increasing in films and web series. This proves that the path of women in Bengali detective literature is now a new, strong and well-established chapter. In the modern era, these female detectives have gained further perfection.