Discover Putulbari, the Ghostly Doll House of Kolkata

Would Anyone Like to Visit The Haunted Doll House of Kolkata?

Putulbari in Kolkata or the Doll House of Kolkata is famously known for its haunted stories. To date, anyone who would visit this place experienced something unusual in the air. But the question arises, how does this enormous property become haunted? In this article, my aim is to draw back to its history and understand the reason behind the real horror.

The Doll House of Kolkata

The history of Calcutta during the Colonial rule is predominantly known to many, but people are not very familiar with the existence of the spooky history of Indian ghost stories or legends of the same period. Located opposite the tranquil banks of the Hooghly River, there is a run-down mansion in the bustling city of Kolkata known as “Putulbari” or the doll house. Even though it is listed among the heritage buildings in the city, this place is haunted. Seeing the current condition of this mansion one can easily draw back the glory of its time. The elaborate architecture, intricate designs on the pillar and beautifully carved wooden window panels scream its glorious past. During the 20th century when the Hooghly River was instrumental to the Britishers for all kinds of foreign trade, this area of Shovabazar became famous for its warehouses. Putulbari was also one of them. However, the Doll House of Kolkata was not always a warehouse. This had existed even before the advent of the Colonizers in Calcutta. It is believed once upon a time, this place belonged to one of the influential and affluent “babus”, the aristocrats of the city.

A sideways view of the Putulbari in Kolkata
Source: https://www.whatshot.in/kolkata/the-haunting-of-putul-bari-in-shobhabazar-truth-or-a-fluke-c-16445

Why the name- Putulbari?

View of the Putulbari in Kolkata and the creepy doll statues on its facade
Source: https://www.whatshot.in/kolkata/the-haunting-of-putul-bari-in-shobhabazar-truth-or-a-fluke-c-16445

As the locals would suggest, either the owner of this mansion or his daughter had an excessive obsession with dolls. Even today some of the doll statues on its terrace are identifiable. Their fascination was so intense that they called their mansion, Putulbari- a doll house. There are countless Indian horror stories associated with this place, let’s take a quick stroll around them. One of the popularly believed stories is related to the unknown cause of death of the owner’s daughter. The daughter of this house had an obsession with dolls. After her sudden death, the people in the mansion felt her soul had stuck within the dolls as she admired them the most. They would report hearing unnatural noises, and women screaming and crying in the middle of the night. Ghost hunters and paranormal enthusiasts often try to prove souls or ghosts often connect with inanimate objects. As in most cases, they are seen possessing something that was close to them when they were alive.

Harnessing this notion, movies like Anabelle, Chucky, and more,  are created. Another story of the haunted “Putulbari” is related to a missing person. It is said that one of the freedom fighters had taken refuge in this mansion and never came out of it. Since then the neighbors started reporting they could hear unpleasant noises coming from the house. However, the most widely believed tales of this haunted house date back to the affluent babu of Colonial Calcutta, who owned this place. As word of mouth has spread, this mansion has been a true witness to the real horrors of sexual abuse and rape of countless innocent women. The owner of this house did not have a good reputation. He often abused and raped the house helps, and other innocent girls. His sins do not end here. To silent them from spreading the news, he would kill and bury them in the mansion itself.

What was the actual horror?

An inside image of Putulbari in Kolkata
Source: https://www.whatshot.in/kolkata/the-haunting-of-putul-bari-in-shobhabazar-truth-or-a-fluke-c-16445

The unjust raping of women or possessed dolls- which is more disturbing?

Even though the Indian laws on rape were introduced in 1860, it only became effective after several amendments. Sir Matthew Hale, a jurist during the 17th century commented an accusation of rape could easily be made but hard to be proved, and harder to be defended by the party accused, who were never so innocent. This highlights how the colonial courts were possessed with such a prejudiced attitude towards innocent victims. In addition, the rise of friendship between such ill-minded aristocrats from Calcutta and the British officials would give the oppressors unbound access to commit such monstrous crimes and hide away from any social accusations.

What is the current condition of Putulbari?

A poster in front of the Putulbari which says-
“Strictly No Entry: Do not listen to or spread any rumors. Refrain from any such knowledge on social media. There is no evidence of ghosts. Do not enter the premises”
Source- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7YIRUVRl3M

Putulbari or the Doll House of Kolkata in 2023, still stands as a haunted mansion but not abandoned. It might come as a surprise to many, but there are people who still live here. To prohibit the entry of unwanted guests they have put a No Entry board as well. However, the existence of something unholy is not denied by them. There are many interviews where the locals and the neighbors have accepted they still get that eerie or unnatural feeling whenever they cross the area.

So, would you like to visit Putulbari on a new moon night?

Bibliography

1. Resham Sengar, “The haunting tale of Putul Bari in Kolkata”, Times Travel, October 2018https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/the-haunting-tale-of-putul-bari-in-kolkata/articleshow/66222106.cms
2. Precious Rongmei, “Kolkata’s Putulbari House of Dolls is more like house of terror”, Times Travel, July 2022https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/kolkatas-putulbari-house-of-dolls-is-more-like-house-of-terror/articleshow/93049429.cms
3. Puja Das, “Putul Bari: The Ghastly Tales From The Past Dog The House Of Dolls In Kolkata”, NRI Vision, July 2021https://nrivision.com/putul-bari-the-ghastly-tales-from-the-past-dog-the-house-of-dolls-in-kolkata/3664/
4.  Sushmita Mahanta, “Kolkata Has A Haunted House Of Dolls That Will Give You Chills Down The Spine”, Curly Tales, November 2022https://curlytales.com/kolkata-has-a-haunted-house-of-dolls-that-will-give-you-chills-down-the-spine/
5. Tejaswini Mallick, “An Extensive study of Rape Laws in India”, December 2021https://articles.manupatra.com/article-details/An-Extensive-study-of-Rape-Laws-in-India