Suparna Mondal

From time immemorial, courtesans were an important part of Indian society and culture. Unlike normal prostitutes, courtesans were educated and had the power to choose. Some of them played an important role in the contemporary politics also. In her novel second novel, 'The Courtesans of Karim Street’, Debotri Dhar takes on this ancient cultural practice and engages in a dialogue between the past and the present. Dhar is a visiting Fellow and Lecturer at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her academic experience adds a flavour to this novel. Precisely, 'The Courtesans of Karim Street’ is the story of a journey of two women from different socio-cultural background, Megan and Naina. There is another character whom we must not miss, that is Megan’s mother Deborah. The author creates a kind of meta-narrative through her diary. Thus, the reader experiences both the truth and the perception of the truth. History is an important element of this novel. The ancestral house of Naina reminds us of khudhito pashan('The Hungry Stones’), one of Tagore's masterpieces. In this novel, the novelist traces the degradation of the courtesan culture in India under the British rule. All these accounts represent the writer's depth in history and sociology. Briefly, the novel can be read with much pleasure. The mystery of the anonymous letter makes the novel unputdownable. The writing is excellently rich in vocabulary which rings a bell inside you.

It was boring in the first few chapters but afterwards it was pretty interesting.

অসাধারণ ছবি। মানুষের জীবন যে সিস্টেমের শিকার, মৃত্যুর পরেও সেই সিস্টেম তাকে ছাড়ে না। অথচ সিস্টেমের চক্করে আসল মানুষটাই হাওয়া! এ বড় আজব খেলা। ছবিটা মনে দাগ কেটে যায়।

Best tv series. Must watch.

Entertaining. Family friendly show.