ook,’ said Lalmohan Babu, ‘I have been with you since your visit to Jaisalmer and the golden fortress there, but before that you had been to Lucknow and Gangtok, hadn’t you? I didn’t know you then, so I have not had the chance to see these two places. I am particularly interested in Lucknow. It’s got so much history. Why don’t we go back there in the Puja holidays this year?’ The idea appealed to both of us. Feluda loved Lucknow. I was quite young the last time we had been there, when Feluda had solved the mystery of the stolen diamond ring that had once belonged to Aurangzeb. If we went back to Lucknow, I knew I’d enjoy seeing it more than I had done the last time. It didn’t take Feluda long to make up his mind. ‘Yes,’ he agreed. ‘I must admit any mention of Lucknow makes me feel quite excited. It’s a beautiful place. How many cities in the country have a river flowing through it, tell me? Besides, it still hasn’t lost the old Mughal atmosphere. You can find signs of life from the time of the nawabs, and of course the mutiny of 1857. You’re right, Lalmohan Babu. I had been wondering where we might go this year. Let’s go back to Lucknow.’ Feluda was earning pretty well these days. He was easily the best known among all the private investigators in Calcutta. He usually got seven or eight cases every month, and he charged two thousand for each. Even so, it wasn’t possible to get anywhere near Lalmohan Babu. He had once told us that his annual income was in excess of three hundred thousand. He published two new books every year, and each ran into several editions. We completed all the arrangements without further ado. Feluda bought three first-class tickets on the Doon Express. It would leave Howrah at 9 p.m., reaching Lucknow at half past six in the morning. He also made our hotel bookings at the Clarks Avadh. ‘We couldn’t really enjoy ourselves if we didn’t stay somewhere comfortable,’ he said. ‘What’s Avadh?’ Lalmohan Babu wanted to know. ‘Avadh is the Urdu name for Ayodhya.’ ‘You mean Lucknow is in Ayodhya?’ ‘Yes, sir. Didn’t you know that? The name “Lucknow” has come from “Laxman”.’ ‘Laxman? You mean, as in the Ramayana?’ ‘Right. Clarks Avadh is the best hotel in Lucknow. The river Gomti flows by it.’ ‘Lovely. Avadh-on-the-Gomti, one might call it. Is it going to be cold?’ ‘Take a woollen pullover. The evenings may well be cool. Or a warm waistcoat will do, depending on whether you wish to wear western clothes, or dress as a traditional Indian.’ ‘I think I’ll take both.’ ‘Good.’ ‘A lot of Bengalis live in Lucknow, don’t they?’

‘Oh yes. Some families have been there for several generations. There’s a Bengali Club where they have Durga Puja every year. Who knows, you may even find people who have read your books!’ ‘You think so?