Book: Ba’az of the Bengal Lancers
Publisher: Juggernaut
Author: Uttiyo Bhattacharya
The book opens with a scene set in 1857, during the time of
the fall of the Mughal Empire. This scene introduces us to the context of the
story, though that connection comes to light at the perfect time in the book.
Cut to present times, an unwilling architect, who suffers a
personal tragedy, comes back to his hostel and comes to know that his roommate’s
village has an old connection with history. Deep down, our protagonist is
interested in history and off they go to his village near Ambala. It is there
that events are spun into motion, events that form the crux of the storyline.
There is an old village’s tale that our roommate’s
grandfather tells and has been telling for a long time, every day. The next day,
he decides to roam around the village and it is then he discovers something
that connects the dots in the tale. When this is brought to the notice of the
grandfather, he handovers some letters to him to read and make out the rest of
the story.
Spanning from Haider Kalan to Delhi, Udaipur and finally Delhi,
Ba’az of the Bengal Tigers is full of twists and turns. A story that seems to be
a straightforward hunt for remnants of history turns out to be a maze of
wordplay and cunningly placed clues. It is a well-researched book which comes
out in the details of places and historical events. The style of writing is
simple and relatable and the story moves effortlessly, forcing you to turn
page-after-page until you read the climax.
And believe me, the twist in the tale would leave every
reader gasping……
My Review, 4/5.
P.S. A special mention to the last line on the "A Note on the Author".
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