People say anyone, who disturbs the dolls, vanishes. Some claim they’ve heard lullabies, sung in a child’s shrill voice.
Putulbari, an erstwhile lavish estate for landlords, Putulbari now stands as a decaying relic, which stirs fear due to the legend of its dolls, which, according to locals, are nothing but abodes of restless spirits.
The Legend of the Cursed Dolls
Nestled in the heart of North Kolkata, Putulbari or the House of Dolls in Bengali parlance stands as one of the city’s most haunted mansions, which dabbles in spooky aura born from its dark and tragic past.
The mansion’s eerieness is born out of stories of sexual violence and murder committed by powerful landlords against young women. The anguished cries of aggrieved souls still echo through the night.
The owner’s daughter, whose fascination with dolls ensured the mansion filled up with countless spooky doll statues. Many dolls placed on the rooftop exude an uncanny sense of horror and mystery, especially on moonless nights.
The sudden death of the owner’s daughter is said to have unleashed hungry spirits within its walls. According to tenants, phantom whispers, scary apparitions of young women dancing, and dolls seemingly coming to life after dark are common sights.
These ghost stories intermixed with the city’s colonial history and the hedonistic acts of ‘babus’ have enhanced Putulbari’s mysterious aura that terrifies visitors and locals alike.
Putulbari’s haunting history of violence, crime, and scary spirits is woven into the very fabric of Kolkata’s haunted heritage. Whether one is fascinated by ghost stories, or history, or simply curious about Kolkata’s most haunted places, Putulbari is a one-stop destination for mystery lovers.
The crumbling mansion with decaying walls and eerie sculptures of dolls, stared spookily into the void as if guarding the long-held secrets buried within.
Locals avoid the mansion after sunset, whispering tales of cursed dolls, and wandering spirits, and whispers that echo through its empty halls.
By day, Putulbari looks unsettling—a dilapidated mansion confined between the pulse of modern Kolkata and the fading passage of history. But with the fall of dusk, the air around the edifice thickens, and the temperature drops.
Approaching its rusted gates, you may end up hearing whispering sounds, footsteps in the all-pervading silence, and a rocking chair that moves though no one is seated.
Inside, the once-grand ballroom now lies buried under dust and broken chandeliers. The dolls, placed on the balcony, archways, and parts of ceilings—appear to move slightly without anyone’s intervention.
Tales of the haunted dolls of Putulbari go back to the early 1900s. The mansion was a hub of opulent gatherings of aristocrats of the then Kolkata. The dolls are said to have been handcrafted by a reclusive artist who suddenly vanished without a trace. People who kept the dolls shared haunted happenings—eerie whispers in the night, chairs moving on their own, and phantom-like shadowy figures standing near the windows.
A handful who dared to enter Putulbari after sunset heard kids’ laughter in empty rooms and the sounds of footsteps that echoed across the worn-out staircases. According to some, dolls followed them, at times bursting with the crackle of chilling laughter.
The Haunted Past
Putulbari’s secrets are too deep to fathom in one go. According to villagers, some of the dolls were collected from abandoned temples. It is said they were used in ancient rituals.
Putuls as these dolls are known housed spirits that could either protect or curse. Over the passage of time, the rituals ceased to exist and the dolls became abodes for restless souls.
Local shamans tried to exorcise the mansion in the 1950s. Two of them suddenly fell mysteriously ill. Now, the upper floors remain locked and sealed.
Dark Rituals and Tormented Souls
According to local lore, the landlords dabbled in occult rituals, using the dolls as vessels to trap the spirits of the women they wronged. Villagers claim that the dolls’ eyes follow you, no matter where you move, and at night, the faint sounds of whispers and weeping can be heard echoing through the mansion’s walls.
Village Secrets, Testimonies
Interaction with some of its oldest residents—reveals the old city’s most chilling secrets.
Kalpana Devi shared her childhood encounter:
“I along with a few others dared to sneak into Putulbari. One of us said he saw a doll move on its own and he fell suddenly ill and never spoke again. His family members said he was cursed.”
Another elderly local, now in his seventies, shared mysterious occurrences:
“At times, I see lights flicker in the mansion windows at night. It’s ghosts of the landlords, some say. Others believe it’s the dolls… dancing.”
A Chilling Discovery
Soon after the mansion was partially restored, workers discovered a hidden chamber where they saw skeletal remains, which are believed to be the bodies of the missing women. Dolls are often believed to be more than just toys. They are seen as careers that are sometimes blessed or cursed by rituals. Putulbari’s dolls appear to represent the latter. Tantriks claim landlords bound the spirits to the dolls through dark rituals.
These dolls are said to have been energised by putul puja or doll worship, which is rumored to have been practiced in secret chambers. According to locals, the dolls were infused with the spirits of the wronged. Worshippers of the dark arts granted them a vessel to ‘live’ in.
Paranormal Investigations, Encounters
As the mysterious happenings became public, a group of paranormal investigators documented Putulbari’s mysteries. A team of paranormal investigators from Delhi visited the site with thermal cameras and EMF detectors in 2019.
To their utter surprise, the equipment became dysfunctional when placed near the dolls. Some chilling whispers were caught on audio recorders. One of the investigators was horrified to see a doll blinking from the corner of his eye.
Despite being forbidden, urban explorers still attempt sneaking into Putulbari. A few shared hainting tales of whispers calling out their names. Others remain tightlipped to share what they saw.
The haunted dolls of Putulbari remain an enigma. Whether cursed by ritual or haunted by tragedy, their presence elicits curiosity. Some visitors place gifts at the mansion’s gates, asking for protection from the spirits within.
Putulbari may fade with time, but its dolls will remain—watching, waiting, and perhaps, whispering your name when no one else is around.