​Old China Town in Kolkata - Introducing The Bazar of Mr. Tiretta

Tho​​ugh I have written about Old China Town previously on my blog, this one is distinct cover up on the Old China Town of Kolkata.

Introduction: Old Chinatown of Kolkata - Teriti Bazar

Lion Dance in Territi Bazar - Celebration of Chinese New Year 2023

First thing I came to know about this place was the Chinese breakfast at Tiretta Bazar (in Bengali it is often pronounced as Teriti Bazar/টেরিটি বাজার). It was back in 2013 when I first visited this place, later I did some web search to get the idea of old China Town of Kolkata (কলকাতার চীনেপাড়া)  - the history of Chinese colonies and how the community evolve in the center of Calcutta despite the crime, gangsters and opium. 

Chinese people has long history of coming to India since the time of Fa Hien in early 400's and Hiuen Tsang during 600's. But in modern India Yang Daijang (British called him Tong Achew /টং অছি) was the first Chinese man to settle in Budge Budge, 33 km south of Calcutta. The place Achipur (আছিপুর), near Budge Budge is named after him (Achew). He started a sugar mill there in 650 bighas of land when Warren Hastings was the Governor General (1774-1785). Many says the sugar got its Bengali name, Cheeni (চিনি) as it was made by the Chinese immigrants.
From there these Hakka Chinese people came to more North and Tiretta bazar was their first settlement in Calcutta town, that time Calcutta was the thriving capital of British India - the second wave of Chinese immigration - the Hupey and the Shanghais, during 1830's, triggered by successive famines and frequent uprisings against the corrupt Manchurian Qing dynastic rule. Cantonese people also came to Calcutta during that time because of the civil war and famine in China.

Let me tell you another thing, Tiretta Bazaar is named after Edwards Tiretta (এদুয়ার্দো তিরেত্তা  in Italian, and এডওয়ার্ড টিরেট্টা in English), an Italian refugee, who joined in the British Administration in India, and this market was owned by him. The history of world's first Chinese colony is incomplete without Tiretta. 

Edward Tiretta and other owners of new European bazaars, like Joseph Sherburne and Charles Short were the first to propose setting of modern bazaars for improvement of city life. The proposals had distinctive perceptions about a bazaar and planned to improve the existing ill-organized and unhygienic set-ups. Edward Tiretta was first to petitioned in May 1782,to the Governor General and Council for permission to build such market places in accordance with the Bye Law of 1781. They pledged to set up bazaars with pucca buildings, tiled shops and stalls instead of the straw huts of the desi bazaars. Joseph Sherburne and Charles Short also petitioned for the same later, in October 1782 and July 1783, respectively. 

Tiretta Bazaar first finds mention in a 1790 map of Calcutta, while the first mention of Mr. Tiretta was found in 'Calcutta Gazette' of East India Company in 1788. It mentioned of rich businessman Tiretta, owner of a market/bazaar spread over 9 bighas (5.6 acres) and 8 cottahs (0.25 acres) of land, and valued at nearly two lakh rupees. It also yielded a monthly rent of Rs 3,600. British author, Kathleen Blechynden also mentioned Tiretta in her book ‘Calcutta: Past and Present’, first published in 1905, "Edward Tiretta was an Italian of good family, who, having had to (flee) his own country for a political offence, drifted to Calcutta, where for many years he held the post of civil architect to Government…"

He held the post of superintendent of streets and buildings for many years, and became a property speculator and lottery promoter. All the prizes of Tiretta lottery consisted of parcels of land. Here is a typical advertisement for one such lottery, published in the Calcutta Gazette of December 11, 1788:

Plan of a lottery submitted to the Public, consisting of six valuable Prizes. Tickets will be issued, entitled Tiretta's lottery, each signed by the Bengal Bank, where they are now ready to be delivered... The money to be paid into the Bengal Bank, and when the Subscription be closed, a general meeting of the subscribers resident in Calcutta will be convened, who shall appoint a Committee to direct and superintend the drawing of this Lottery. The Bank to be answerable for the amount paid in.

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There are many men from different Chinese communities who came here and they created their own respective club with own temples. These Tao temples are very different compared to Buddhist temples. Here the main business was tanneries, and the Chinese made leather had good demand in the colonial Calcutta as well as in other parts of the country. Chinese people excelled in various trades and professions apart from leather tanning and manufacturing, like dentistry, restaurant business, beauty parlours etc. 

Chinese people (mostly Hakkas) migrated to Tangra (ট্যাংরা), outside the city during early 1900's during the British rule, as the rulers did not like the leather business in the center of the city. 

Thus Tiretta became the old China town of Calcutta, while Tangra is the new China town. 

Standing at 2000s whenever we talk about China Town, it is usually indicated to Tangra. Tangra is still continuing to offer its best of Indo-Chinese cuisines to people, but the days are now quite gloomy, after COVID era, many restaurants are having less crowd, and they have to rely on Zomato/Swiggy delivery services which cut their profits. 

In 1950 the Calcutta Improvement Trust decided to build a huge thoroughfare cutting across the Tiretta Bazar area - the lanes which used to wind through the Chinatown were fragmented. However the Chinese community was living quite peacefully in Calcutta until 1962's Indo-China war began. Chinese people were under Indian government's radar on suspicion of being spy and the downfall of the communities began.

Tangra's leather business by the Chinese was also hit by Supreme Court's directive in 1996 to shift the tanneries to nearby Bantala. Kolkata Leather Complex at Basanti Highway was established in 2005. Today roads name like Sun Yat-sen street or Lu Hsùn Sarani remind us of Chinese community in Kolkata. 

Old China Town at Territti Bazar area is dying, but some projects are running on to restore the old glorious days, for eg, The Cha Project (Cities ♦ Heritage ♦ Architecture) (http://www.thechaproject.com/). Though during the time of writing this post in 2022, after COVID-19 pandemic I don't see any activities of them. 

On February 2, 2022 World Monuments Fund (WMF) announced that Tiretta Bazar - the purana Cheenepara or old Chinatown of Kolkata - has been named among this year's World Monuments Watch - a selection of 25 heritage sites worldwide, which needs urgent preservation and vital to the communities surrounding them. 

"Tiretta Bazaar suffers from neglect and degraded urban spaces resulting from a lack of recognition and basic services such as regular trash collection," said Heritage conservationist Amita Baig, who is also the Executive Director, WMF India. 

Classic Chinese - Wanton Soup

What to see/d0 in Old Cheenepara of Calcutta? 

• Enjoying the Chinese Breakfast at Tirretti Bazar
• Visiting the Chinese Tao Temples/Churches - Toong on Church, Sea Ip Church, Gee Hing church, Sea Voi church, Choonghee Dong Thien Haue Church and Naam Soon church. (There is another one - Choong Ye Thong Church at Chandni Chawk.) 
• Relish the Chinese dishes at authentic Chinese restaurants - Tung Nam, Pou Hing, D'Leys, Eau Chew, Sei Vui, Chung Wah. (Details here)
• Buy Chinese Sauce from authentic sellers - Pou Chong (Facebook Page), Sing Cheung Sauce Factory. (Details here)
• Celebrate the festivals of Chinese community - like Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat festival etc.