In 24 hours, we will celebrate Satyajit Ray’s 104th birth anniversary. One of the greatest Indians ever, Ray will forever be a beacon of pride for us in India. The truth is we continue to look to the west on many counts. We continue to admire their universities, their libraries, sense of history, architecture, beautiful parks and, most of all, the opulence. We have fashioned our shopping malls, which have become synonymous with development in most Indian cities, on the Western model and follow Hollywood religiously. Yes, we have the Indian Premier League (IPL), but most English-language commentators are still foreigners, and almost all the franchises have foreign coaches and support staff. The English Premier League (EPL) has a huge viewership in India, and many of the leading EPL clubs are looking at the huge Indian market to add to their support base.
The one arena where we shun the West rather abrasively, however, is in our selection of sleuth. It is not for lack of choice though. From the father of all detectives, Sherlock Holmes, to Agatha Christie’s little Belgian superman with grey cells, Hercule Poirot, to the quintessentially British Inspector Morse, or the Swedish Kurt Wallander, detectives with impeccable credentials have dominated the Western cultural imagination for decades. For us, however, these men were never the primary draw.
Yes, we have all read Holmes or Poirot, Simenon and Chandler, watched Morse and Wallander, but never do we want to become anyone but Feluda, Ray’s immortal creation. While some would prefer Byomkesh, there’s little doubt that for the more globalised and progressive middle-class intelligentsia, the choice is a non-starter. Feluda is the quintessentially Bengali brand in the world-detective supermarket.
Prodosh C Mitter has every quality that we aspire to have. He is the best sport, if I can call him such. He is at ease doing a Kung-Fu stunt as he is in trying his hand at cricket. He is great at playing mind games and knows many a card trick. He perfectly embodies the sportsman spirit in the way we have known it. For him, it is always about ethics and fair play. Never did he trick his adversary into something. Rather, it was always about outdoing the opponent based on the principles of fair play and ethics. From practicing yoga every morning to training himself in martial arts, Feluda is the perfect example of what sports can do for a person.
Also, in Feluda, we find the archetypal foodie, which we all are. From the traditional chanachur to his other culinary tastes, no Kolkatan will ever have a problem identifying with Ray’s immortal Rajani Sen Road resident. Having said that, it is all in moderation. And it is also about being healthy and fit. As we celebrate Ray’s birth anniversary on May 2, this is a personal tribute to his immortal creation, one who taught me all the values that I grew up associating with sport.
Also Read: Prodosh C Mitter: The Feluda Legacy and Sport- A Tribute to Satyajit Ray