A Demon in Dandi – Where History Meets Mystery [Review]

Rate this Book / Post

A page-turner and a true treat for a historical fiction buff.

The Songs of Freedom series is well known for its theme – India’s fight for freedom from the British rule. This book is that, and more – it is a gripping read, with a terrifying demon and a murder mystery in the mix.

Set in 1930 during the salt satyagraha, the book follows Dinu, an ardent Sherlock Holmes fan and a reluctant volunteer of the Arun Tukdi. It is a small group of teenage students and young teachers, tasked with travelling ahead, making arrangements for Gandhiji and the other marchers on their way to Dandi. If not for his father, Dinu would be sitting by a cozy fire, reading his beloved Sherlock Holmes! Once in the Tukdi, the hardships of the journey and the quiet hostility of the other Tukdi members only increase his resentment.

The most fascinating feature of historical fiction for me is how real and relatable history feels when interlinked with everyday lives of people of that time. This story has all the elements that make it relatable and fascinating at the same time. We see Dinu’s struggle in coming to terms with the frugal life of the Tukdi in a village full of salt water puddles and swamps, while longing for his luxurious family home. To top it all, Dandi seems to be gripped by the fear of a demon! The villagers are all leaving food at their doors for the demon, so that it doesn’t eat them instead! The demon has a shrine where people lit a lamp and left gifts and offerings of fruits, flowers, and betel nuts.

Wandering about on his own in Dandi and stealthily reading Holmes (it’s prohibited to the Tukdi because it’s angrez), Dinu makes friends with a young boy from a wealthy family with a big mansion overlooking the beach. Very soon afterwards, this mansion becomes the centre of a mystery that involves the death of its steward and the devil’s mark painted beside his lifeless body. Everyone in the village is now sure that the demon is behind this death, but not Dinu. He doesn’t believe in demons. So, he starts investigating and collecting clues to solve the mystery, the way he thought the masterful Sherlock Holmes would! But the mystery only thickens with a second murder.

Though the rest of the book takes us through how Dinu unravels the mystery, it has much more to offer. Throughout the book, there are glimpses of the society in 1930 – untouchability still prevalent, education of girls still taking a backseat, and the far corners of the country still unaware of the important developments surrounding the freedom fight. It made me wonder if and how the Indian society has changed at its core since then. The book also offers a peek into how ‘Bapu’ captured not only the hearts and minds of Indians, but also the imagination of the world through his bold and simple-yet-hugely-impactful ways.

You can read the reviews of all the books in this series which explore the lives of children across India during the struggle for independence like The Chowpatty Cooking Club , That Year at Manikoil , A Melody in Mysore , The Battle for Baramulla on this website. You can also explore the other newly released books in the Songs of Freedom series here.

Songs Of Freedom: Tales Of The Freedom Movement From All Over India (Box Set of 8 books) is NOW AVAILABLE!

If you enjoyed this review and wish to join Dinu to solve the mystery, you can order this book from Amazon (kbc affiliate link),

CLICK & BUY NOW!

Disclaimer: Kimeera is a part of the #kbcReviewerSquad and received this book as a review copy from the publisher via kbc.