This Amar Chitra Katha contains seven short stories about Gopal Bhand, the clever barber, who could be described as the “Birbal of Bengal”. Gopal’s native shrewdness helped him turn every situation to his advantage to the Nawab of Murshidabad. Whenever the eccentric Nawab gave Krishna Chandra an impossible assignment, it was Gopal who came to the king’s rescue. Stories about him are extremely popular, particularly in Bengal and Bihar.

The stories in this book are varied. In one, Gopal outwits the Nawab, much to the delight of his king, while in another he pilfers sweets form the local sweet shop. From time to time, Gopal traps a group of dacoits, solves the king’s dilemmas and even manages to change the flow of conversation in the entire town! Being the king’s favorite, however, did not turn his head. He mingled freely with the common people and often helped them too. That explains the popularity of this folk-hero to this day.