Sukanta Gangopadhyay has contributed to the long line of Bengali goyendas with his own ‘goyenda’ (detective) series for children starring Deep Kaku (Dipankar Bagchi) and his young college going assistant, Jhinuk (Aankhi Sen).
About the author
Sukanta Gangopadhyay was born in Uttarpara, Hooghly in 1961. He is a popular Bengali author of various genres (not just Young Adult Literature in the form of Deep Kaku) and a well respected poet. His best selling romantic novels for adults include Sonali Orchid, Unish Kuri Premer golpo, Mayavumi, Glani, Jotsnapujo and Obuj Meye. In fact Obuj Meye was made into a Bengali movie released in 2014 called “Jodi Love Dile Na Prane” starring Abir Chatterjee and Ananya Chatterjee.
The main characters
Goyendas (sleuths / detectives /private investigators) continue to remain evergreen characters in Bengali literature and Deep Kaku set in the 2000s is a contemporary character based in Kolkata.
Dipankar Bagchi (Deep Kaku) is a Kolkata based professional private investigator - investigation is his profession as opposed to his hobby. He makes it clear that he is not a ‘shokher detective’ or hobby sleuth. He grew up in the small town of Kanakpur, in Midnapore (his desher bari) and presently lives alone in Kolkata in a small flat on Moore Avenue in Tollygunge (very familiar para for me as I lived in the vicinity during my teenage years). In the most recent story, he is said to moved to Bansdroni. He is extremely middle class and relatable - for instance in one of his cases he asks for an advance amount of Rs. 11,500 which is amount due to pay off his bike loan! His also grounded and connected to his roots as evidenced by his food habits in Mudra Rahasya where he has ghugni and muri for breakfast and finishes it off by pouring water in the muri. Dipankar is of average height and build, but his unremarkable exterior belies the sharp intellect and physical ability. However, he is shown to be forgetful and not very organised in his personal life. Also, he is quick to admit he doesn’t have all the answers and often looks to learn from others. He plays chess with Jhinuk’s father and seems to enjoy food - especially the dishes cooked by Jhinuk’s mother. The one mystery I have about Deep Kaku is whether he has a moustache or not - some Ananda Publishers book cover designs show him as clean-shaven while Anandamela Pujabarshiki illustrations show him moustachioed.
Aankhi Sen (Jhinuk) is Deep Kaku’s assistant in a few cases that are age-appropriate. She is a first year college student. Whilst she addresses Dipankar as "Deep Kaku" (Uncle Deep), she is actually not a blood relation. She is Deep’s childhood friend - Rajat’s daughter. Jhinuk and her family live near Dover Lane post office. In the most recent story, they are said to be now living in Kudghat. Jhinuk is portrayed to be in awe of Deep’s deductive prowess and really looks up to him - much in the same mould as Topshe did to Feluda. However, unlike Topshe and Feluda, the relationship is more formal and Jhinuk addresses Deep Kaku with the most respectful tone of ‘apni’ and not ‘tumi’. Jhinuk is far from just being the narrator. Her karate skills and timely interventions have often played a big part in solving many cases.
Jhinuk’s father Rajat is a "military man" who currently runs a security agency. He plays the third recurring character in these stories. Rajat likes to know how the cases are progressing and occasionally offers his views, and often helps by leaning out his car. The chauffeur is Ashuda and a keen, willing helping hand when asked. Rajat is supportive of Jhinuk wanting to emulate Deep Kaku as a private investigator and encourages her to assist him. While Rajat encourages his daughter to assist Deep Kaku’s cases, his wife is not. She’s portrayed as the typical Bengali housewife and protective mother. She would rather have Jhinuk focus on college studies and going to 'gaaner' class (music lessons) rather than face danger alongside Deep Kaku. However, she has a soft spot for Dipankar and likes cooking for him - her cooking skills are often praised by Deep Kaku!
Rajan is another recurring character. Ranjan is Deep Kaku’s college friend Ranjan and is based in Lal Bazaar Control Room. He helps Deep Kaku with vital police support helping her to solve her cases and get to the criminal. Deep Kaku seems to take his support for granted and often is seen to be impatient with Ranjan if he is seemingly late in getting back with a report to Deep - perhaps they are bosom buddies. This element of a policeman helping a private investigator is a familiar theme in Bangla goyenda kahini (detective stories) with similar instances seen in Byomkesh (whom Inspector Rakhal Babu helps) and Mitin Mashi stories (whom DC DD Asnischay Majumdar helps). In case of Feluda, there is no single recurring friendly police character but several police officers who help him myriad cases across the years.
Rajan is another recurring character. Ranjan is Deep Kaku’s college friend Ranjan and is based in Lal Bazaar Control Room. He helps Deep Kaku with vital police support helping her to solve her cases and get to the criminal. Deep Kaku seems to take his support for granted and often is seen to be impatient with Ranjan if he is seemingly late in getting back with a report to Deep - perhaps they are bosom buddies. This element of a policeman helping a private investigator is a familiar theme in Bangla goyenda kahini (detective stories) with similar instances seen in Byomkesh (whom Inspector Rakhal Babu helps) and Mitin Mashi stories (whom DC DD Asnischay Majumdar helps). In case of Feluda, there is no single recurring friendly police character but several police officers who help him myriad cases across the years.
What are the stories like
Deep Kaku series gained popularity through its publication in Anandamela Pujabarshiki magazine (annual magazine Anandamela that comes out before Durga Puja). The stories started with the duo solving simple cases but their cases have got progressively more complex.
Deep Kaku stories in Anandamela Pujabarkshiki
I came across Deep Kaku stories via various YouTube channels. For me, the stories bring out the old worldly charm of the Kolkata I grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s. Deep Kaku is also quite tech savvy - for example, he uses a mobile phone and has relied on reviewing CCTV camera footage to solve a case. The cases are based on a range of plots - from chasing a rare stamp in Daak Rahasya, advertisement concept theft in Adrishya Najardar to mysterious murders and blackmail in Nishoddo Mrityu.
List of stories
List of stories
I believe there are 15 stories in the series. Currently, 8 stories have been narrated on YouTube by various channels (the links to the stories are listed below):
- Nishobddo mrityu
- Mudra Rahasya x 2 channels
- Daak Rahasya x 2 channels
- Mayur Barir Rahasya
- Chena cheray achena manush
- Rahasyamay Uppotika
- Adrishya Najardar
- Arale atotai
There are several that have not been read yet, including:
- Diarier Sanket
- Heyalir Andhakare
- Chabi Rahasya
- Libraryte Murti Chor
- Fandibaj Bandi (2009 Anandamela)
- Chitranatye Kiser Ingit (2010 Anandamela)
I do hope to hear the other stories soon.
Arale atotai was published episodically online @ thewall.in - you can read it here.
Arale atotai was published episodically online @ thewall.in - you can read it here.
How does Deep Kaku compare with other Bangali Goyendas?
Let’s be clear Byomkesh and Feluda are incomparable. With that out of the way, the other Bengali goyenda protagonists (that I know of) include Kiriti Roy, Jayanta-Manik, Colonel Niladri Sarkar, Shabor Dasgupta, PK Basu, Inspector Bhaduri, Akida, Mitin Mashi, Pandob Goyenda, Goyenda Gogol, Goyenda Gargi, KiKiRa, Kakababu and Arjun.
I think Deep Kaku’s contemporaries are Mitin Mashi, Colonel, Kakababu and Arjun.
Deep Kaku stories are most comparable to Mitin Mashi stories by Suchitra Bhattacharya with both Dipankar and Pragyaparomita (Mitin) being professional investigators with their own agencies and have a young college going niece as their ‘assistant’ - i.e. Jhinuk and Tupur respectively.
Colonel Niladri Sarkar, Kakababu and Arjun, despite their popularity, are not really professional detectives.
Kakababu and Arjun stories were mostly adventures with very few elements of puzzle solving characteristic of a typical detective story. Things just happened in those stories - the villain revealed himself to Kakababu and Arjun at some point, they didn’t really follow clues to reach the villain.
On the other hand, like Mitin Mashi stories, Deep Kaku series epitomises typical detective whodunnit fiction, with the detective finding clues and unraveling them to get to the villain. The other similarity is the help these 2 detectives get from friends in Kolkata police. In case of Deep Kaku his childhood friend Ranjan is helpfully in the Lalbazaar Control Room. However, while Mitin travels across India (Kerala, Uttarakhand) and indeed abroad (to Singapore), Deep Kaku stories are all set in Bengal and mostly in Kolkata. Further, Mitin Mashi has recently debuted on the silver screen while Deep Kaku is yet to.
Colonel Stories are interesting whodunnits as well. A unique commonality between Colonel series and Mitin Mashi series is that there are some stories written for adults consumption only.