Arthamanartham

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Arthamanartham (Bengali: অর্থমনর্থম্‌, English translation: Where There's a Will) is a 1933 detective novella by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, featuring the fictional sleuth Byomkesh Bakshi and narrated by his friend Ajit Bandyopadhyay. It is part of the classic Byomkesh series.

Plot

Karali Charan Basu is a wealthy, eccentric, and short-tempered Bengali gentleman living in Calcutta in the 1930s. He has no children of his own and lives with his extended family, which includes his nephews Sukumar and Phanibhushan, as well as nieces such as Satyabati. Known for his unpredictable behavior and frequent quarrels, Karali Charan controls the family’s wealth and property, making him the centre of both respect and resentment in the household.

One night, Karali Charan is found dead in his bed. There are no signs of forced entry, and his bedroom door was locked from the inside. The only clue is a faint smell of chloroform lingering in the air. Upon examination, it is revealed that the cause of death is not suffocation, but the insertion of fine sewing needles between the medulla oblongata and the vertebra — a method requiring both anatomical knowledge and precision.

Deputy Commissioner Bidhu Bhushan calls in Byomkesh Bakshi to assist with the case. Byomkesh, accompanied by his friend and chronicler Ajit, begins to investigate. They learn that Karali Charan had recently altered his will, leaving a large portion of his estate to his nephew Sukumar. This immediately places Sukumar under suspicion, especially when a bottle of chloroform is discovered in his room. Sukumar admits to having the chloroform but insists he is innocent, explaining that he kept it for non-criminal purposes.

Byomkesh meticulously interviews each family member, paying special attention to Satyabati, who appears intelligent and composed under questioning. He also discovers that Phanibhushan, the youngest nephew, is highly educated but has a crippled leg, making him appear physically incapable of committing such a precise murder. However, Byomkesh notes inconsistencies in Phanibhushan’s statements and subtle clues indicating he could have committed the crime despite his disability.

After carefully piecing together the evidence, Byomkesh deduces that Phanibhushan is, in fact, the murderer. Motivated by jealousy and greed, Phanibhushan had used chloroform to render Karali Charan unconscious and then killed him using the specialized needle technique. He had also attempted to frame Sukumar by planting the chloroform bottle in his room.

When confronted with the evidence, Phanibhushan admits his guilt but refuses to face public trial. That very night, he takes his own life by ingesting poison, leaving behind a note that confirms Byomkesh’s deductions.

The case concludes with a personal twist: during the investigation, Byomkesh is impressed by Satyabati’s intelligence and moral strength. Over time, their mutual respect develops into affection, and Satyabati later becomes Byomkesh’s wife, marking this story as a pivotal moment in the detective’s personal life.

Characters

• Byomkesh Bakshi – the insightful detective (Satyanweshi)
• Ajit Bandyopadhyay – his friend and chronicler
• Karali Charan Basu – the murder victim
• Satyabati – niece of Basu, later becomes Byomkesh’s wife
• Sukumar – Satyabati’s brother, initially suspected
• Phanibhushan – the real killer, youngest nephew
• Bidhu Bhushan – deputy commissioner requesting Byomkesh’s help

Themes

The story explores how greed, familial jealousy, and inheritance disputes can drive individuals to crime. It also highlights Byomkesh’s logical and forensic reasoning.

Publication history

First published in 1933 by P.C. Sorkar and Sons, Arthamanartham remains a part of popular collections like Byomkesh Samagra by Ananda Publishers.

Adaptations

Television

Adapted in the 1993 Doordarshan series starring Rajit Kapur, the episode was titled Wasiyat.

In the Byomkesh (2014) Bengali TV series, Arthamanartham spans episodes 13–18 under the direction of Gopal Chakraborty.

Film

A full-length movie, Arthamanartham, was released in 2015 (dir. Swapan Ghosal). It closely follows the original plot with the same suspenseful twist.

In popular culture

Elements from Arthamanartham, particularly the introduction of Satyabati, were incorporated into the 2015 Bollywood film Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!.

See also

• Byomkesh Bakshi
• List of Byomkesh Bakshi stories
• Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay

References

• Chatterjee, Partha (2012). Byomkesh Bakshi O Tar Rahasya. Kolkata: Ananda Publishers. ISBN 978-81-7756-938-0.
• Bandyopadhyay, Sharadindu (2000). Arthamanartham. In Byomkesh Rachanabali (Vol. 1). Kolkata: Ananda Publishers. ISBN 978-81-85626-73-5.
• "Byomkesh Bakshi’s timeless appeal". The Hindu. 5 January 2014. [1]
• Bhattacharya, Ranjan (2015). "The Enduring Popularity of Byomkesh". The Telegraph. [2]
• Chatterjee, Srijato (2018). "Why Byomkesh Bakshi Remains Bengal’s Favourite Detective". Scroll.in. [3]

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