West Bengal: A 52-year-old man named Mintu Roy and his family from West Bengal are in the Darjeeling district building a three-story house that depicts the famous Royal Mail Steamer (RMS) Titanic.
Roy said that he went to Nepal to learn masonry to build his dream house after the engineers backed out of the project because he could not pay them. Mintu was placed in a hostel as a teenager in Manoranjan Roy’s neighbourhood, in Kolkata’s Bowbazar district. During that time, he was impressed by a Durga puja pandal that resembled the Titanic. Since then, he has dreamed of having a house that resembles the Titanic.
Mintu believes it will take years to complete the structure, which began in 2010 on 9.5 decimal lands in Nichbari village, Phasidewa block because the family is trying to raise funds. He started constructing it brick by brick for the last 13 years.
His wife Iti told, “Though we have not kept the record of how much money has been spent so far, I guess it should not be less than ₹15 lahks.”
She added, “We were very poor and after the birth of my daughter we started hiring land on lease from others and started cultivating vegetables.” “Later we also got a three bigha land from our father-in-law where we have started a tea plantation. Mintu also drives toto (electric rickshaw) that would fetch him some extra money.”
Mintu’s son Kiran Roy said, “It makes us happy when people even from far-flung places visit our neighbourhood and click photos of the building. Journalists have been regularly visiting the family and enquiring over the phone. I also want to help my father financially to realise his dream come true.”
Mintu said, “Formally we were residents of Helencha village. We moved to Phansidewa which lies near to Indo-Bangladesh border about 30 years ago. The initial days were really very-very tough as we faced financial constraints. It was only in 2010 I started building this house.”
He added, “I hope to complete the house and shift there in the next two years. I want to run a small tea shop on the deck. The building will also have intricate woodwork and a staircase that resembles the ship’s elegant design.”
