Kolkata like every metropolitan city is an amalgamation of different people, faces, and cultures. Its streets carry within history and colors of multi-ethnicity and are thus regarded as the City of Joy. Innumerous immigrants into one community from the past have made this city an area of commercial and cultural contacts. India thus has also created a long history of creating contacts with mainland China as well. These Chinese communities have therefore settled in different parts along the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal since the early centuries.
Due to this, these socio-cultural created space is now being identified as the “Chinatown”, emerged with global scale Chinese communities from the 18th century, especially from South China in Kolkata. Since then, this city has been home to this flourishing Chinese Indian community which peaked at 20,000 at that time but now has shrunk to around 2000. This place had thus disintegrated with an ethnic enclave filled with cultures of Kolkata and China. And can therefore give you the best experience of Chinese food and culture, by making it the most amazing travel destinations in Kolkata divulged in the different cultural sphere.
Kolkata’s Old China Town or as known as ‘Terreti Bazaar’ has now become the best tourist spot in Kolkata for visitors. As of now, as this place safeguards the unique cultural heritage of China in India, visitors get the chance of enjoying the Chinese culture through these local Chinese immigrant communities.
Old China Town – Tiretti Bazar
It is thought that Chinese communities began establishing in Kolkata when Tong Achew first arrived and established a sugar plant on the banks of the Hooghly River. But after he died, workers moved to Central Kolkata and settled in this market designed and named after Edward Tiretta. Located in a neighborhood near Lalbazar in Central Kolkata, this Chinese Indian community has made the tanning industry their occupation along with handling much of the Chinese restaurants. Due to this, travelers choose to have a glimpse of this community along with other travel destinations in Kolkata to enjoy the Chinese and Indian Chinese cuisine.
Tiretta Bazaar is renowned for early risers since it opens as early as 5 a.m. and serves a wide variety of home-cooked Chinese breakfasts from inexpensive booths. But the restaurant has a lot more to offer than simply cuisine. The bazaars are large and bustling with action, and they’re a great location to learn about other cultures and traditions.
Street food
Being one of the most visited places in Kolkata, the Tiretti Bazar gives a significant experience to travelers and locals of an amazing food hub made by these Chinese communities. They provide full of sumptuous food with wafting aromas making it a lip-smacking food joint. To enjoy the most heavenly Chinese food in Kolkata, this Bazar is known for the best blend of Chinese Cantonese and Bengali flavors. Serving the simplest yet mouthwatering delicacies, this place has become the best tourist spot in Kolkata that they wish to travel to.
By adding this Old China Town to the wish list you can have the most mouthwatering and aromatic Chinese food in breakfast. Dumplings (fried or steamed) with a steaming bowl of mouthwatering soup may make your breakfast a wonderful Chinese Indian food platter at this location. Other items like pork sausages, pies, hot noodle soup, pork fillets, bao, and spring rolls can make your breakfast filled with authentic Chinese dishes that you can get in Tiretti Bazar.
Chinese Temples
While visiting this most authentic Chinese community-based travel destination in Kolkata, you can be tucked away into the quieter backstreets of this Old China Town. In a gist, the Tiretti Bazar is known to be the first Chinese settlement in Kolkata. As categorized by Britishers, this place has 6 Chinese temples called ‘churches’ that signify six sub-communities living there. These six sub-communities still exist filled with glory and are still in functional form.
Through these by lanes you can have a look at the Sea Ip Church, devoted to the Kwan Yin, the Goddess of War, Mercy and Love erected in 1905. You can even have a closer look at the city’s oldest Chinese temple, Nam Soon Church, which can be dated back to 1820. Other temples that you can also find in this area include the Gee Hing Church, the Choonghee Dong Thien Haue Church, built in the 19th century. On the other side, the Toong On Church and the Sea Voi Yune Leong Futh Church, both erected in the early twentieth century, are also worth seeing. If you’re visiting Kolkata to get a taste of ancient Chinese culture from the year 1905, don’t miss out on this opportunity to have a deeper look at the best tourist spot in Kolkata.
Fresh Items
This best tourist spot in Kolkata is known for producing some of the greatest fresh meat, seafood, and other delicacies. To get your hands on the freshest items in the market before anyone does is to head towards the market early in the morning. This Terreti Bazar can meet all your shopping needs practically ranging items from shiitake mushrooms to fresh flowers.
Other Stores
With good delicacies, sprawling food items, and Chinese temples, visitors can also stop by the stores like Hap Hing Co., which is the oldest shop in this Terreti Bazar. This Chinese provisional shop provides a wide range of items, including true Chinese-style handmade sauce, noodles, tea, pharmaceuticals, and other daily necessities. It’s worth noting that the store’s owner still chooses to use an abacus to make calculations over transactions.
