The Eken: Ruddhaswas Rajasthan 2023

Eken Babu, Bapi, and Promotho are enjoying a relaxing vacation in Rajasthan, staying at the home of Bapi’s brother Sayan and his wife Anusuya in the desert city of Jaisalmer. Between leisurely walks through sunlit streets, evening views of the dunes, and shared meals of local fare, the trio encounters new company: Shatadru Ghosh, a Professor of Archaeology at Oxford University. His student, Rajyashri Sen, serves as the curator at Jaisalmer Museum and has invited him for a close look at the exhibits. Shatadru explains that he has come to verify troubling rumors about a valuable Natesa idol he once saw in London, hinting that many idols sold at Tarokiv Auction House may have origins tied to India—especially Rajasthan—and that he plans to confirm or dispel these suspicions during his stay. The air is one of curiosity and quiet tension as a real investigation begins to form around their holiday backdrop.

Eken Babu meets Rajyashri Sen and her Bengali boyfriend, Sumanta Roy, who acts as the museum’s administrator. As they inspect the Natesa idol together, they uncover that the piece is a fake, a startling reversal that suggests a more intricate plot behind the museum’s displays. Simultaneously, the famous Kalibangan bull statue vanishes from the museum, setting off alarms about a potential smuggling operation. The ensuing investigation reveals that both the idol and the statue have been smuggled out of the country, hinting at a broader network. The clues begin to point toward deception, as [Sumanta Roy]’s whereabouts on the night of the statue’s disappearance are called into question, leading to his arrest. He reveals that the object he was paid to smuggle in exchange for money was also a fake, deepening the mystery and casting doubt on everyone around him. The case widens, and Eken Babu’s sense of doubt grows about whether Shatadru Ghosh is truly who he presents himself to be, or if there is a hidden motive at play.

Rajyashri turns to Ananda Gupta, a chemistry professor renowned for his artefact-preserving work, for help. He explains that Rajyashri had hidden the real Kalibangan bull statue and replaced it with a replica because she anticipated the theft. He also hands over a note left by Rajyashri to Eken Babu, a message that seems to be a riddle filled with clues about the statue’s true location. The note challenges Eken Babu’s intellect and powers of observation, pushing him to connect disparate details from the museum, the missing idol, and the conspiracy at large. In this moment, the investigation leans on careful reasoning, patient reading of clues, and the trust of a few key allies. Ananda Gupta’s information reshapes the hunt and keeps the team focused on the real target.

As Rajasthan’s mystery deepens, Eken Babu and his friends push forward, testing their limits to solve the riddle embedded in Rajyashri’s note. With the unexpected aid of Shatadru Ghosh, the puzzle begins to untangle, and what initially seemed like a straight theft operation reveals itself as a carefully crafted smuggling racket. The decoding process helps clear Shatadru of any impersonation concerns, steering suspicion toward the true mastermind behind the scheme. In the final turn, Eken Babu identifies and captures the culprit responsible for Rajyashri’s disappearance and for masterminding the smuggling operation, bringing the case to a compelling resolution. The journey from a leisurely holiday to a high-stakes investigation showcases keen observation, collaborative problem-solving, and the quiet bravery of those who seek the truth.