Durgeshnandini

Durgeshnandini is generally considered the first modern novel in Bengali, published by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1865. It is a historical romance set during the reign of Akbar, full of palace intrigue, sword fights, and a love story across enemy lines.

Reading it now you can feel how new this kind of writing was at the time. It opened the door for everything that came after in Bengali fiction.