Qingming (Tomb Sweeping Day), Tangra, Kolkata

Qingming (Tomb Sweeping Day)

Tangra (New Chinatown), Kolkata

Also see: My blog post on Calcutta (Kolkata) Chinatown

Qingming or the Tomb Sweeping Day is held on the 15 th day after the spring equinox and normally falls on 5 or 6 April.

Qingming (Tomb Sweeping) at Choong Ye Thong Cemetery, Tangra (New Chinaatown), Kolkata

On this day the Chinese pay tribute to their ancestors by cleaning the tombs and offering elaborate food spread in front of the graves. It can be considered as the Chinese version of the  All Souls’ Day.

Buddha Purnima Celebration at Fo Guang Shan Monastery, Kolkata

Buddha Purnima Celebration at Fo Guang Shan Monastery

Tangra (New Chinatown) Kolkata

Also see: My blog post on Calcutta (Kolkata) Chinatown and Buddhist Temple of Kolkata (Calcutta)

It was 21 May 2016 and the world celebrated the Buddha Purnima (Purnima means full moon), which marked the birth of Lord Buddha.

Two nuns in front of the giant Buddha statue, on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, at Fo Guang Shan Monastery, Tangra, Kolkata

Strangely, even according to the lunar calendar, the birth of Lord Buddha is not constant and is celebrated on different days in different countries all over Asia.

Buddhist Temples of Kolkata (Calcutta)

A compilation of Buddhist Temples in Kolkata (Calcutta)

Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, has always been a melting pot of people of different religion and ethnicity. As the different religious group settled in a new city they set up there own place of worship.

As these religious group were further divided in sub sects and ethnicity, each of these groups started coming up with there own place of worships.

Unlike the Christian, Jews and Parsis the Buddhist came much later to the city and only a handful of there temples date backs over a century. But still Kolkata boast a interesting collection of Buddhist Temples, belonging to different ethnic groups, and scattered all  over the city.

1. Chinese Buddhist Temple, Lake Town

Chinese Buddhist Temple, Lake Town

The Chinese Buddhist Temple is located on Jessore Road in between Lake Town and Bangur.

The official address is 426 Jessore Road and the temple is located on a narrow lane on the opposite foot of Lake Town and Bangur.

It is a new temple, opened only in 1962. It went through an extension in 1972. The Chinese Buddhist Temple on Jessore Road consists of a large central hall and several smaller shrines. It also houses a library containing a large number of hand written religious text.

The temple is not very well maintained and is rarely visited by devotes. An old lady caretaker looks after the Chinese Buddhist Temple.

Voice of Chinese – Hostage of Deoli Camp, India – China War 1962

Voice of Chinese – Hostage of Deoli Camp

India – China War 1962

Also see: My blog post on Calcutta (Kolkata) Chinatown

The Sino – India War lasted just a month (20 Oct – 21 Nov 1962) but the ordeal of the Chinese origin Indian continued over four years.

The Deoli Story, The Chinese Indian Association, iLead, Kolkata

Just after the India – China war thousand of Chinese origin Indians, who have been living in India for generation and for centuries, were horded up in trains and were sent to a concentration camp in Deoli in Rajasthan.

Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, Tangra, Kolkata

Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple

New Chinatown (Tangra), Kolkata

Also see: My blog post on Calcutta (Kolkata) Chinatown and Buddhist Temple of Kolkata (Calcutta)

Tangra, Kolkata’s (Calcuta’s) new Chinatown, is known for its Chinese restaurants but it also houses the Fo Guang Shan Budhist Monastery, a Chinese Temple which doubles up as a Chienese eatery. during weekends.

Giant Buddha Statue, at the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, Tangra (New Chinatown), Kolkata

Although the Chinese have made Kolkata (Calcutta) their home since the late 18th century, the Chinese settlement in Tangra only dates back to the 1920s.

Chinese Cemeteries of Tangra (New Chinatown), Calcutta (Kolkata)

Chinese Cemeteries of New Chinatown

Tangra, Kolkata (Calcutta)

Also see: My blog post on Calcutta (Kolkata) Chinatown

The Chinese settlement of Calcutta dates back to the late 18th century when a Chinese trader, Tong Achew settled near present day Budge Budge.

Map of Chinese Cemeteries, Tangra, New Chinatown, Kolkata (Source: Google Maps)

The, then Governor General of India, Warren Hastings, offered Achew land to set up a sugar mill complete with a sugar plantation. Achew soon brought a band of Chinese workers for his sugar project. But Achew died soon after and his mill was soon abandoned. The Chinese also deserted the place, which later came to be known as Achipur, after Achew.

Cross Cultural Communication with Kolkata Chinese

Cross Culture Communication between Indian

photographer Rangan Datta and Kolkata Chinese

Travel Journal by Wendy Lu, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan

Also see: My blog post on Calcutta (Kolkata) Chinatown

During the 21-day visit in Tangra, new China Town in Kolkata, a group of students (we) from Fu Jen University TW met two Indian Photographers. Asked why they took photos of Indian Chinese sweeping the tombs in the graveyard, Choong Ye Thong Cemetery, photographers Rangan Datta and Manjit Singh Hoonjan said they were very interested in the cross-cultural activities in Kolkata. “and Indian Chinese is the case.” said Rangan Datta.

L: Wendy Lu, in front of the poster in Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan; R: Poster

Photo Publication – X

JET WINGS

January 2014 

Two of my photographs on Calcutta (kolkata) was published in the article titled “Colonial Tales” by Monojit Lahiri in the Jet Wings (In flight magazine of Jet Airways) January 2014 issue.

Pages of Jet Wings with my photo

My two published photos:

• Ganga Arati, Bagbazar Ghat, Calcutta (Kolkata)
• Chinese Breakfast, Tiretta Bazar, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Chinese Moon Cake ~ Tiretta Bazar, Old Chinatown Calcutta

Chinese Moon Cake

Tiretta Bazar, Old Chinatown, Calcutta

Also see: My blog post on Calcutta (Kolkata) Chinatown

Its early Sunday morning and sun is yet to come out, but the stoves are already fired up and the morning silence is broken by the sound of the knife hitting the chopping plate.

Moon Cakes being sold at Tiretta Bazar (Old Chinatown) Calcutta (Kolkata)

Night owls crawl out of their late night parties and call centre night shifts to rejuvenate themselves with bowls of hot fish ball soups from the road side vendors. Hungry soles huddle around makeshift stall, jostling with each other to grab the day’s first meal.

Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival, Chinese All Souls’ Day

Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival

Chinese Equivalent of the All Souls’ Day

Also see: My blog post on Calcutta (Kolkata) Chinatown

The gates of Hell have opened and the ghost are out to dine on the exotic feast laid out in makeshift tables in front of their horse – shoe shaped graves. Its the the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival, the Chinese version of the all souls’ day.

Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival, Choong Ye Thong Cemetery, Tangra (New Chinatown), Calcutta (Kolkata)

According to ancient Chinese tradition the seventh month of the Chinese calender is known as the Ghost Month. The gates of Hell are said to be open through out the month. Ghosts and spirits are said to roam the earth looking out for food and entertainment.