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.

Achipur ~ Birth Place of Calcutta Chinatown

Achipur

~ Birth Place of Calcutta Chinatown ~

In the late 18^th century a Chinese tea trader by the name of Tong Achew landed on the banks of Hooghly, somewhere near present day Budge – Budge, never to return again. The then Governor General Warren Hasting granted land to Achew to set up a sugar cane plantation and sugar factory.  According to records to British East India Company “Achew was granted 650 bighas of land about 6 miles south of Budge – Budge for an annual rent of Rs 45.”

Chinese Devotees light candles, Achipur Chinese Temple

After acquiring the land Achew set up a sugar – cane plantation along with a sugar mill. He brought in a band of Chinese workers to work in his plantation and factory and thus forming the first Chinese settlement in India. But Achew died soon after and his sugar factory was abandoned. His workers left for the city of Calcutta, where their descendents still continue to live.