When Satya Dilip Ghosal, 70, and Mintu Ghosal, 66, came back to their house, a part of Kidderpore’s Bhukailash Rajbari on Karl Marx Sarani, on November 28, 2022, they had no idea what awaited them. The elderly couple had spent most of 2022 in Delhi, with their daughter, Antara Ghosal Singh, 36, for the treatment of Satya’s broken arm. On returning home, everything seemed normal until they came to the first floor. Their room had been smashed to smithereens, their toilet was destroyed, most of their furniture was gone and their nine trunks, consisting of precious family items, were missing.
‘They want to drive us out. To intimidate us and coerce us into leaving this property’
“It was an act of burglary and vandalism,” says Mintu, a cancer patient whose health issues were compounded after seeing her house in ruins. But Mintu and Satya, who have been married for almost 40 years, do not think it was just an ordinary case of a few thieves breaking in. They believe that those who attacked their house in the couple’s absence did so as a warning. “They want to drive us out. To intimidate us and coerce us into leaving this property,” states Mintu.
Satya (left) and Mintu Ghosal have been staying together at the Rajbari for almost 40 years
Back in September 2021, Mintu and Satya had been approached by a few local promoters to give up their portion of the Bhukailash Rajbari, comprising more than 3000 sq ft, in exchange for a separate space of 1200 sq ft. “They wanted Satya’s signature at any cost. That too on papers that had no resemblance to proper legal documents. All his other relatives had apparently agreed, and we’re convinced that they were bribed or incentivised in other ways. But Satya and I had no intention of moving out. We still don’t,” explains Mintu.
For more than 500 years, Satya’s family has been associated with one of the oldest Rajbaris in Kolkata, a property that was listed as Grade I Heritage by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation in 2009. In its immediate vicinity are two large temples, of Durga and Shiva, both of which were accorded heritage status in 1996. Of Satya’s nine brothers, some have passed away and others have moved out. Satya is the only one from his family line who remains in his ancestral house, where he as well as his daughter Antara were born and brought up. A former head clerk at Kidderpore College, Satya is adamant that “should we give in to the promoter’s demands and leave, the Rajbari will cease to exist”. Antara agrees: “Once my parents leave, the entire area will be converted into some sort of illegal construction project. The Rajbari will be no more. I’ve spent all my formative years there. For me, our house isn’t just a part of our family’s legacy. It’s also a part of the culture of Kolkata and Bengali Rajbaris in general. That’s why, even though my parents feel threatened, we feel they should stand their ground and stay. We want to hang on to our house at all costs.”
We have no evidence that the burglary was a warning to the couple to vacate the property: Police
Practically every part of the Rajbari needs a makeover
With a steadily eroding facade, the part of the Rajbari that belongs to the Ghosals is just about liveable right now. Satya and Mintu, however, have been rotating among the residences of friends, since the water supply has not been restored to their house ever since the burglary incident. In spite of persistently writing to their councillor Ram Pyare Ram. Apart from their room, which the couple have repaired and rebuilt since coming back, the rest of the house is in a state of decay. From the terrace to the staircases, from the corridors to the store rooms, the Rajbari desperately needs a makeover. But investment is not feasible until the Ghosals are sure that they can stay where they belong in peace.
In the aftermath of their shocking discovery on November 28, the Ghosals had filed a complaint at the South Port police station. Subrata Das, officer-in-charge of the case, visited the site shortly after, but feels that the burglars were not sent by the promoters, as the Ghosals allege. “We have no evidence to suggest that the burglary was meant as a warning to the couple to vacate the property. We’re still investigating and doing our best to ensure the Ghosals feel safe,” says Das.
According to the Ghosals, the police have not cooperated as they should, and nor has the West Bengal Heritage Commission. “They can see what’s going on. But they choose not to act. We feel helpless because we don’t understand what we have to do to protect our house,” says Antara.
The Ghosals seem certain that there is a nexus at play, with the singular aim of driving Satya and Mintu out of their house. “We’re the only obstacle to this entire place becoming an urban slum, just as other parts of the Rajbari have now become,” says Satya. For him and his wife, the last couple of months have been ridden with anxiety and uncertainty. The promoters have not approached them recently and the couple claim to not have their contact numbers either. Other members of the Ghosal family have been in touch every now and then, with some (described by Antara as “mediators on behalf of the promoters”) nudging the couple to “see reason, make a deal and shift out of your house”.
‘If Kolkata can’t help out the Ghosals, which city can?’
Anxiety and uncertainty grip the Ghosals as they attempt to stand their ground in their own house
“It seems like a deadlock right now. But the Ghosals have every right to fight for their place,” says Iftekhar Ahsan, general manager of Calcutta Bungalow and founder of Calcutta Walks, who has taken an active interest in highlighting this case. Iftekhar believes that “a negotiation might have to be reached at some point but only on terms acceptable to the Ghosals”. He adds: “There are many ways of remaking the Rajbari. It can be turned into a hostel, a public place of culture or something else. But whatever form it goes on to take, the essence of its heritage and legacy should not be lost.”
As the first days of 2023 turn into weeks, the Ghosals remain in the dark over their house and their future. “Our best hope at this point is to raise awareness about our plight so that somebody, be it the government or civil society organisations or enterprising individuals, might take notice and help us out,” says Antara.
“If Kolkata can’t help out the Ghosals, which city can? Irrespective of the ultimate fate of the house, this is a moment for Kolkatans to step up and show interest in retaining a part of their own legacy,” concludes Iftekhar.
