'If owners donate 'Putul Bari', KMC ready to acquire the heritage building'

kolkata: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is ready to acquire Putul Bari (House of Dolls) located near Sovabazar jetty on Harachandra Mallick Street, if the owners of the same are ready to donate it.

"KMC cannot buy Putul Bari which features among the list of haunted houses in the city. But if the owners agree to donate the same to us, then we can acquire and take measures for rejuvenating it.," Mayor Firhad Hakim said.

The proposal for acquiring the abandoned, dilapidated and once ornate building was floated by local councilor Mitali Saha at the monthly meeting of the KMC on Saturday.

Saha said that the building that served as the office of the 130-year-old Natta Company has already been declared heritage and can be revamped if KMC acquires the same. She maintained that the owners are willing to hand over the building to the state government or the KMC and wants it to be developed into a museum.

Famous jatras like 'Noti Binodini' (1973), 'MA Mati Manush' (1974) to name a few that are remembered by theatre lovers even today were born at this address. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had awarded Banga Bibhushan to Makhanlal Natta — who belonged to the fourth generation of the Natta Company in 2014. The latter expired on January 21, 2015. Several frames of the movie 'City of Joy' was also shot at Putul Bari and Desmond Doig famously called it 'a perfect example of Calcutta rococo'.

"If it can be developed into a museum it will be a treasure trove of information related to the rich theatre industry of Bengal. Cafe, souvenir shops can be set up from where KMC can earn revenue," Saha added.

Putul Bari gets its name from the arches that have doll figures carved into them as well as from the dolls assembled on the stands.

The rich Babus who later owned the place, intoxicated by their wealth, bought women, sexually abused them and murdered them to keep their crime under wrap.

It is believed that the place became haunted with tormented souls of the women who died such a pitiable death.