The Spoilt Child

A Satire of Colonial Calcutta

Alaler Gharer Dulal (আলালের ঘরের দুলাল)

Considered the first Bengali novel, 'Alaler Gharer Dulal' is a sharp social satire set in colonial Calcutta. Through the fortunes of Baburam Babu—a cunning, wealthy patriarch—and his reckless heir, the story paints a vivid tableau of 19th-century Bengali society. With humor and a critical eye, Peary Chand Mitra explores themes of corruption, family intrigue, and the pitfalls of privilege. Colorful episodes—from courtrooms to river storms—capture both the follies of the upper class and the shifting moral tides of the era. A pioneering modern classic, it is essential reading for anyone interested in early Indian literature.