The small and dwindling Chinese population in the city is all set to celebrate the New Year on Wednesday.
Houses and streets in Tangra and Tiretta Bazaar, two neighbourhoods in the city with a sizeable Chinese population, were decorated with lanterns and flowers when The Telegraph visited the areas on Tuesday evening.
The celebrations in Tangra started around 10pm on Tuesday and continued till midnight.
“The celebrations started on Tuesday in many homes with dinners and get-togethers,” said Chen Yao Hua, the president of the All India Chinese Association in Calcutta.
The aroma of Chinese cuisine and the glow of red lanterns added to the festive fervour.
Chen said that the Chinese came to Calcutta about 300 years ago. At present, there are around 1,500 Chinese in the city.
“Many youngsters have settled abroad and it’s mostly the elderly or those running a business left here,” said Chen.
A good number of Chinese in the city are in the restaurant business.
On the eve of Chinese New Year, many homes were busy crafting a meal to serve friends and family.
On the menu were siu mai (dumplings), fish ball soup, steamed chicken, barbeque pork and mutton curry, said Janice Lee, the CEO of Pou Chong Kim, the sauce manufacturers who started their business in Calcutta in 1958.
“It is a 10-day celebration. We will have a dragon dance on Wednesday morning outside our office at Tiretta Bazaar, followed by a carnival at Tangra on Friday and Saturday. On New Year we also give money to friends and family in red envelopes,” said Janice.
Vibha Mitra, the founder of an organisation that works on heritage and engages school children, said there has to be an effort to integrate the Chinese and not let them leave the city.
“The Chinese community is a significant part of our culture. A large number of Bengalis love Chinese food more than fish and rice. When we were kids, the best shoe makers, dentists and carpenters were found here. This whole skilled diaspora has left or is leaving. We should integrate them more so they don’t feel isolated,” she said.
