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.

The Telegraph Huntage 2015, Decoding Calcutta’s Heritage

The Telegraph Huntage 2015

Decoding Calcutta’s Heritage

See Also: Compilation of The Telegraph Huntage

A two to four member team, a car and a leaflet with clues for eight heritage sites in Calcutta (Kolkata).  The team that reached the most spots within a specified time would win. Sounds easy, not exactly…

The Telegraph Huntage 2015 starts

Fourteen heritage spots were selected and each team had to visit the allocated seven spots, following five different routes. To make it more complex, each spot had two sets of clues, thus making it a total of ten combinations.

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.

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.