Mintu Roy from Bengal’s Darjeeling district went to Nepal to learn masonry to realise his ‘Titanic Dream’.
He had gone to Nepal because he had always dreamt of living in a house that would look like a ship.
Though he tried to rope in many engineers for the project, they did not believe in his vision and he was left with no choice but to start building the house with his own two hands.
However, due to financial constraints, the work got stalled on occasion. When Mintu realised he did not have enough money to pay masons, he went to Nepal for three years and learned the work of masonry.
According to Mintu, the work of building the ship-home started in 2010. It is 39 feet long and 13 feet wide. About 30 feet high, the house has become the main attraction of the area. The house stands on 9.5 decimal land. After planting crops and selling the crops in the market, Mintu saved the money and work is still ongoing.
Mintu said that he decided to name the house after his mother. An estimated Rs 15 lakh has been spent so far. He added, “I am trying to finish the work by next year. I want to build a restaurant on the top floor later, so that I can have some income from there.”
Still under construction, the interior is just as impressive. Roy plans to include intricate woodwork and install a grand staircase reminiscent of the ship’s elegant design. He also built a deck and control room where his guests would be able to enjoy the view of the sunset across the tea plantation.
