Hindi:Durgesh Nandini

Durgesh Nandini is the first Bengali novel written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. It was published in March 1865, when the author was about 24 to 26 years old. The publication of this novel marked the beginning of a new era in Bengali fiction. Set in 16th-century Odisha, against the backdrop of conflicts between the Mughals and the Pathans, the novel weaves together history and imagination. However, it is not considered a purely historical novel, as it carries a strong element of fiction.