Calcutta Times, Passion Club, Heritage Walk

Confluence of Culture

After the grand success of Happy Street, the Calcutta Times of The Times of India started their next project of Passion Clubs.

Group Photo, Calcutta Times, Passion Club, Heritage Walk of Confluence of Cultures.

The Heritage, Photography and Food Passion Clubs were formed and the activities started soon after, with the objective of making the Calcuttans aware of their own heritage.

Blessing of the Grapes, Festival of Calcutta Armenians

Blessing of the Grapes

Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Tangra, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Also see: Armenians of Calcutta (Kolkata)

Held on the Sunday closest to the 15th August, the Grape Blessing Ceremony is one of the most important festivals of the Armenian calender.

Blessing of the Grapes, Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Tangra, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Although a Christian festival the Blessing of the Grapes originally dates back to the days of Paganism. Mid August was harvest season in Armenia and it was also the new year for pre – Christian Armenians.

Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Tangra, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Sunday Mass

Also see my blog posts on Armenians of Calcutta (Kolkata)

Tangra, Calcutta’s (Kolkata’s) Chinatown known for its tanneries and Chinese restaurant is also the home of the Armenian Church of Holy Trinity.

L: Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Tangra, Kolkata. R: Graveyard with the church

The Armenians claimed to have settled in Calcutta (Kolkata) much before the arrival of Job Charnock. A vibrant commercial community they wanted to reestablish their socio – cultural activity in Calcutta and Bengal.

Chinsurah (Chuchura), Remains of a Dutch Legacy

Chinsurah (Chuchura)

Remains of a Dutch Legacy

Chinsurah or Chuchura has a interesting etymology, according to some sources the word derived from a special cane called chinchira while others opine the word was derived from the Bengali word Chura (Spire).

Clock Tower, Chinsurah (Chuchura)

The former Dutch colony (1615 – 1825) was once considered the most beautiful town of Bengal. Today Chinsurah or Chuchura is just like any small town of West Bengal, crowded, unplanned and accompanied with chaotic traffic.

Armenian (St. John, the Baptist) Church, Chinsurah

St. John, the Baptist, Armenian Church, Chinsurah

Annual Pilgrimage of Calcutta Armenians to Chinsurah (Chuchura)

Also see: Armenians of Calcutta (Kolkata)

Armenian Pilgrimage, St. John, the Baptist, Armenian Church, Chinsurah (Chuchura)

Every year on the Sunday after the Armenian Christmas, which is celebrated on 6 Jan, the handful of Calcutta (Kolkata) Armenians along with the students of the Armenian College make an annual pilgrimage to the St. John, the Baptist, Armenian Church in the erstwhile Dutch settlement of Chinsurah (Chuchura).

Armenian Churches of West Bengal

A compilation of Armenian Churches in West Bengal

Also see my blog posts on Armenians of Calcutta (Kolkata)

The Armenians have been connected with India as traders from the days of antiquity. They came to this country by the overland route, through Persia, Afghanistan and Tibet and werewell established in all the commercial centers long before the advent of any European traders. However, the Armenian community prospered and developed during the 16th right up to the 18th century.

Clockwise from top left: Nazareth Church (Bara Bazar, Kolkata), St. John’s Baptist Church (Chinsurah), St. Mary’s Church (Cossimbazar) and St. Gregory Illuminator Church (Park Circus, Kolkata)

Armenian community sought to reestablish their socio-cultural identity and not just restrict themselves to be a vibrant commercial community. This was one of the reasons that urged them to build churches in their settlements and invite priests. The Church was considered as the centre of all community activities.

In India, wherever they build settlements, they constructed churches. Today, all over India, one can find many beautiful Armenian churches, chapels and historical monuments standing as mute witnesses or silent sentinels of a once-flourishing Armenian settlement. Presently West Bengal alone houses four Armenian Churches in Calcutta (Kolkata) and surrounding areas.

Armenian Genocide Day, Armenian Church, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Armenian Genocide Day

24 April, Armenian Church, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Also see my blog post on Armenians of Calcutta (Kolkata)

“When we were marching from Mosul, Jumman [a sweaper of Bengal Ambulance Corps] saw an Armernian child on the banks of a stream near Ras al-‘Ain and picked him up. His mother must have died, and his father must have been killed… Jumman took on the responsibility of looking after the boy and named him Babulal. He used to call Jumman father (‘Baba’).”

Abhi le Bagdad by Sisir Sarbadhikiri

Source: Amitav Ghosh’s Blog

Armenian Genocide Day, Armenian Church, Calcutta (Kolkata)

The amazing account came from a Bengal Ambulance Corps (BAC) volunteer Sisir Sarbadhikari’s diary which was later published as a book named Abhi le Bagdad (literally meaning Onwards to Bagdad). Written in Bengali it is a amazing first hand account of World War I (WWI). It is quiet likely that the Armenian boys parents were victims of the notorious Armenian Genocide.

Armenian Good Friday, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Burial of Christ ~ Armenian Good Friday

St. Gregory, the Illuminator, Armenian Chapel, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Also see my blog post on Armenians of Calcutta (Kolkata)

The coffin bearers slowly carried the black coffin, beautifully stacked with flowers outside the small chapel adjoining to the Lower Circular Road Cemetery in Calcutta (Kolkata). Strangely it was not a funeral and nor the black coffin contained any dead body !!!!

Armenian Good Friday, St. Gregory, the Illuminator chapel, Calcutta (Kolkata)

It was the Good Friday service of the Armenian Christian community at the St. Gregory, the Illuminator Armenian Chapel at Park Circus.

Armenian Christmas Celebration, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Armenian Christmas Celebration

6 January 2013, Armenian Church, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Also see my blog post on Armenians of Calcutta (Kolkata)

Armenian Christmas Celebration, Armenian Church, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Yes you have read it right “Christmas on 6 January !!!!!” It is the Armenian Christmas. The Armenian Orthodox Church  celebrates the birth of Christ on January 6 (also known as Old Christmas).

Calcutta (Kolkata) Churches

~ Compilation of Churches of Calcutta (Kolkata) ~

Kolkata (formally Calcutta) is home to several churches catering to different sects and sub – sects of Christianity. Apart from the well known Protestant and Catholic sects Calcutta (Kolkata) also houses churches belonging to the Orthodox sect including Armenian, Syrian and Greek orthodox sub – sets.