The city’s Cheenepara — neighbourhood of people of Chinese descent — came alive on Sunday as school kids, heritage enthusiasts and others came together to witness the heritage of Kolkata’s old Chinatown and do their bit to save it.
Know Your Cheenapara is an initiative to spread awareness about Chinese heritage in the city.
The World Monuments Fund (WMF) had in 2022 nominated Tiretta Bazar, or old Chinatown, as “one of the 25 heritage sites of extraordinary significance, facing pressing challenges”. The WMF had stated that its “partnership with local communities has the potential to make a meaningful difference” to the place.
The WMF has helped in the restoration of the roof of Sea Ip temple during the monsoon last year.
To observe World Monuments Watch Day (January 15), the heritage walk was organised at Tiretta Bazar by conservation architect Sohini Pyne, Vibha Mitra and Navpreet Arora.
The walk started from the Sea Ip temple built in 1905. This church is in the midst of a transportation hub and was surrounded by parked trucks and vans. The Toong On Church, built in 1924, has a garbage vat right next to it in Blackburn Lane.
Chattawala Gali, the site of the famous Chinese breakfast, was on the walk map, as was the old commercial establishment Pou Chong, famous for their sauces and condiments.
The walkers went past the Gee Hingtemple, which was built in 1920 and is in urgent need of restoration.
Boarding houses and dormitories in Damzen Lane and the Alm’s House were the next destinations. The walkers got to witness prayers at the Choonghee ThingThien Haue temple, built in 1858. The walk ended at the 1820 Nam Soon temple.
Students from Modern High School International did a lantern-making workshop and a display on the religious and cultural heritage of Tiretta Bazar. The Heritage School showed recordings of interviews with members of the community.
G.M. Kapur of Intach, Kolkata, who was a mentor to the initiative, said: “I think there is tremendous potential in the area. We have approached the government on this. Every city... has their Chinatowns which have been preserved and are throbbing tourist destinations.”