Ruplal house – Old Dhaka – Lonely Traveler

Ruplal house is located in Farashganj of Old Dhaka, just beside the bank of the Buriganga river. The house was built in 1825 by an Armenian businessman named Stephen Aratoon. That’s why the building is also known as Aratoon house (by book only). Later on two prominent merchant brothers from Dhaka named Ruplal Das and Raghunath Das bought the house. From then till current date the building is known as Ruplal house.

There are two buildings built adjoining. Both of them are having almost similar architectures, but the Ruplal house was the beautiful one if you compare it with other one. Now a days Ruplal house is known as Zakir house, and the other one is known as Noorjahan house. Inside the both buildings you’d find spice and vegetable market. Apart from that there are several other people are currently occupying the building.

The house has more than 50 rooms inside of it including a large hall room. All the rooms are specious. The column of the building is round, and the style looks like the Greeks. Also the top of the building, specially the edges and corners. But now a days the old trees have grown over the walls of the building and gave a look of a haunted house.

Although the department of Archaeology has declared the property as a protected one but that is it. There is no action seen to clear the house from unauthorized occupiers. Also no one is available there to clean anything. I have found few nest of crow’s too. I think we still have time to save the structure before all are lost.

How to Go:

If you want to visit the Ruplal house then ask the rickshaw puller to drop you at Shyam bazar. Then ask anyone about the Ruplal house from there. Many rickshaw pullers do not know this house as Ruplal house. GPS coordinate of Ruplal house is (23°42’13.4″N, 90°24’48.4″E).