Dhapa

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49 Comments so far »

1. by Aloo, on 05.22.08 @ 7:51 pm

   

   Hey Guys,
   Anyone remember the Cool documentary made about our place in like 1990 approx. It was aired on BBC.
   A lot of people forgot about it. I would be nice to have that on the site too and other people can check it out in addition to “Legend of Fat Mama”

   Cheer
   Aloo

2. by Lavina, on 08.10.08 @ 4:31 pm

   

   This is really great! Brings back good old memories and happy times.

3. by Venkat, on 08.11.08 @ 8:57 am

   

   I am an Indian working overaseas.I am deeply moved by what you are doing with your blog…to keep a wonderful tradition and culture surviving in a small corner in India inspite of all the hardships you may have experienced.
   Very touched, please keep up the excellent work & all the very best to you and your community.

   Venkat

4. by leon, on 08.16.08 @ 8:59 am

   

   Hi Venkat

   thanks for the words of encouragement. We are proud to share with one and all, that the time for the Chinese in Calcutta or Kolkata to move forward towards a brighter future has come.

5. by Susan, on 08.19.08 @ 2:05 am

   

   This is truly impressive!! You guys are doing a tremendous job in keeping this blog going. Not only does it bring back memories for some of us, but it makes us proud to have been part of the whole Indian Chinese community experience.

6. by dipak kumar, on 08.22.08 @ 7:59 am

   

   your effort to revive your culture and heritage being at a tiny and dingy place is commendable. i hope with the opening of chinese consulate in kolkata and its consular general’s personal initiative, you will grow further. congrats..

7. by Nipanjan Gupta, on 08.29.08 @ 9:30 am

   

   Hi,

   Since 1996, I had long time attachment with the “Hsu” family, a Chinese Indian family of Bowbazar, Kolkata – as the eldest son of the family, Richard Hsu, is my friend. I went a lot of times to their home, which is on BB Ganguly street (behind Firinghi Kalibari, near Central Metro station), lunched with them on their menu, atteneded Richard’s marriage (they reciprocated the same too), read the Chinese Indian magazines – and thus I came to know how the Chinese Indian community in Kolkata is surviving against all odds.

   Though at present both me & Richard relocated out of India with wives (he moved to Canada, me to Cyprus) – but still I feel an attachment with such a precious community in Kolkata. Hope this blog will contribute a lot for well being of the community & their wel-wishers (like me).

   Thanks & Best Wishes,

8. by romik, on 09.06.08 @ 10:47 am

   

   it brought back a lot of memories for me…. thank you all for your good efforts…. this website is really great… the articles about kimling & kafulok were so mouthwatering, but its sad that the numbers are dwindling & that the tannery businesses are so much pressed by the authorities, also i read a poem which was very touching….. anyways, ma best wishes n peace luv n lot of red colour to every1…. cherio

9. by zhongwenxuexiao, on 09.11.08 @ 3:51 am

   

   Wonderful website!
   Wishing it a lot of success…
   It will surely go a long way to make the world esp. Kolkatans aware of our very own Chinese community.

   Zhong Wen Xue Xiao

10. by K Roy, on 09.22.08 @ 6:50 am

    

    I love that place
    Food is too good…
    And it was great to meet you there at Kolkata Blogger’s meet

11. by Choto Cheeta, on 09.25.08 @ 4:53 pm

    

    Hi Leon,

    Just wanted to drop in to say hi.. Also wanted to have any contact email address of yours.

    Thanks,
    Choto Cheeta

12. by Ash, on 09.26.08 @ 5:05 am

    

    Long live Indo-chinese friendship!

    I get so infuriated whenever i hear north indians refer to people from the northeast as chinkis or chaptis. India is all about one land embracing many!

13. by leon, on 09.28.08 @ 3:11 pm

    

    Indo Cheena Bye bye … welcome ash

14. by leon, on 09.28.08 @ 3:17 pm

    

    hi you can contact me at admin(at)dhapa(dot)com

15. by leon, on 09.28.08 @ 3:18 pm

    

    nice to meet you too

16. by Banasree, on 10.02.08 @ 4:10 pm

    

    dear sir,

    i am a student of Master in City Planning from IIT Kharagpur.
    i am working to develop a proposal for revitalization of chinatown as my thesis.
    i would be grateful to you if you kindly give me any contact number or address of the president of Indian Chinese Association.

    thanking you,

    Banasree

17. by Orko, on 10.07.08 @ 5:18 pm

    

    Hi Leon, thanks for leaving a kind comment on my photoblog. I think the Chinese community are such an integral part of Calcutta history and their lives and contribution should be documented.

    I’d love to shoot photos in Tangra, like you’ve suggested, the next time I’m in Calcutta. Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Do mail me back if you can because I’m super-excited at the thought

    I’m in Bombay now and just discovered a small Chinese cemetery here and plan to spend a day shooting there.

    Great job on the website.

18. by leon, on 11.11.08 @ 3:56 pm

    

    hi orko .. you can come and shoot during the chinese new year 2009 which is on the 26th of Jan. I just left cal if i can go back for chinese new year, i’ll definitely assist you

19. by leon, on 11.11.08 @ 3:59 pm

    

    sorry for the late reply .. i overlooked your comment .. well here is the Address of the president of Indian Chinese Association

    86 Park Street , P.O. Park Circus , Kolkata – 700017, India Phone : 91 – 033 – 22800800 Mobile : 098305 30220

    email: paulhf.chung@gmail.com

    all the best for your thesis

20. by Banasree Mandal, on 11.12.08 @ 11:35 am

    

    Thanks a lot Leon.

21. by Orko, on 11.12.08 @ 5:01 pm

    

    Thanks for the reply, Leon. I’ll try and come by during the Chinese New Year but I suspect I’ll be in Goa then. Thank you for the offer.

22. by hellcat, on 11.14.08 @ 8:34 am

    

    you guys are so great!

23. by Joanna Lim, on 11.20.08 @ 3:22 pm

    

    hi Leon,
    Where are you from? Are you in Kolkata? If you are I would really lie you to go check out Eau Chew Restaurant and please write a blog about it on the your website. You’ll see first hand the history and food of the restaurant. Thanks.

24. by leon, on 11.21.08 @ 12:02 am

    

    Hi Joanna,
    Yeah i’m from Kolkata but not there at the moment. I remember Eau Chew Restaurant, when i was a kid i used to go there and really enjoy the food esp. the famous ‘fish ball’. If i get a chance to go there i’ll try update with some pic.

    and by the way .. welcome to dhapa.com

25. by Joanna Lim, on 12.10.08 @ 4:36 pm

    

    Hi!Yes the famous fish ball soup!!! They are still the same and made by my dad. No one does it better than him. Eau chew has changed quite bit since you were kid so don’t be surprised but it still has that old nostalgic feel to it. So do feel free to go there and mention to my parents who you are. You might want to call ahead for the fish ball soup as they are not an a la carte item. Do tell me what you think about it.

26. by Petar, on 12.22.08 @ 5:09 pm

    

    Hi everyone,

    I am a photographer from Croatia, coming to India in mid-January. I am very interested in Kolkata Chinese Community and related subjects. I would like to do reportage for croatian edition of National Geographic. I would like very much if I could spend a few days with some families in Kolkata’s Chinatown and to get introduced to some of your stories. If it is possible to make such arrangements, please let me know via e-mail.

    With best regards,
    Petar

27. by leon, on 12.29.08 @ 4:55 am

    

    come around chinese new year on 26th Jan 2009 and the would get the best shots of the year

28. by sankarsan, on 01.26.09 @ 12:34 pm

    

    Lean@:
    Happy new year folks.

    I have been in Malaysia for quite sometime and at this time of the year I miss the Chinese New Year celebrations and the moon cakes.

    The job you and your friends are doing through this site for Chinese Indian culture and in bigger context Indian culture is exemplary.

29. by leon, on 01.27.09 @ 10:56 pm

    

    thank you very much for the kind words … we are trying our best to let the world know this site and more important to those indian chinese that was once here. Hope this site will help them get re-connected. (:

30. by Vijay, on 02.12.09 @ 12:09 am

    

    Hi
    I stay in Tangra and was not even aware of this site. I find this site excellent. It’s a great effort towards reviving the Chinese culture in this part of the world. I will follow this blog for sure.
    All the best.

31. by Bill, on 02.25.09 @ 5:32 am

    

    Hi Leon,
    There is something wrong with this website. The home page only shows the two latest articles. A newcomer would think that this is the only content of this site and be disappointed. Can you fix this?
    Thanks,Bill

32. by Thien, on 02.25.09 @ 7:00 am

    

    yeah its fixed now !!

33. by Bill, on 02.25.09 @ 7:31 am

    

    Thanks, that was quick.
    Bill

34. by Subhashis Basu, on 03.02.09 @ 2:51 pm

    

    Hi Leon,
    This is a great site where we can know about u and ur community.Thanks for deliver this type of site.I think you are well now…..

    Thanks,
    Subhashis

35. by Guri Singh, on 03.24.09 @ 12:51 pm

    

    This is an awesome blog/website. Thanks for the recipes.

    can you please recommend a few places to eat. I am making a trip to calcutta in May.
    Can you suggest where I should go to eat some of the chinese food that I should not miss when I am in Calcutta?

    Thanks,
    Guri

36. by andrew, on 04.30.09 @ 7:15 pm

    

    I am glad I visited this site, it is very imformative. Well, how did I find this site? Becasue Leon had stumbled onto mine and posted a comment with a URL back.

    It’s good to know the Hakkas in Calcutta are proud of your culture. I myself originated from the same place but only have some distant memeory of it.

    Good work, great looking theme.

    Andrew
    Toronto, Canada
    GamesCheat.ca

37. by arijit, on 07.05.09 @ 7:45 am

    

    hi is there any KUNG FU club in China town, or any body teaches KUNG FU in Chinatown?
    I’ve heard of sifu chan but dont know his address or number? any body can help me?
    my Email is -arijithello@rediffmail.com .

38. by shyjit, on 07.08.09 @ 12:24 pm

    

    Hi, was surfing when i found this site. good work keep it up.

39. by Ah Wan, on 07.10.09 @ 2:30 pm

    

    Hi, arijit.
    I think my fren has some info regarding the master, i will send u soon.

40. by Bill, on 07.23.09 @ 3:28 am

    

    Hi Leon,

    Time (Time.com) has an article “California Apologizes to Chinese Americans”. Can you post it here? This article cites a trend all over the world where people finally realizes that actions in the past were wrong and are taking steps to acknowledge this. Maybe this will help spur the Indian Government to apologize for how the Indian Chinese Community was mistreated in the 1960s.

    Thanks,

    Bill

41. by Li, on 07.23.09 @ 7:48 am

    

    Hi Bill,

    Thanks for sharing. Yes, a great article to post by Leon.

    Being an Indian Chinese (rightfully Chinese Indian) now settled abroad, I read the article with emotions and growing anticipation of when it is our turn to be given apologies from the Indian Authorities at the highest level on their wrongful persecution of the Chinese community in India during the 1962 era.

    This article should prick the minds and souls of India media & channels as a mirror reflection, prompting those like the many Indian news reporters and historians with a conscience to pursue the cause of justice – unfolded with untold stories, articles and petitions of human tragedy. It is never late to say Sorry. It is always better late than never.

    The dawn is breaking and we shall see light at the end of the dark tunnel very soon. Just anxiously waiting for that day to come by patiently.

42. by Priyanka, on 08.07.09 @ 5:46 pm

    

    In the latest 7 Wonders of West Bengal (a subset of 7 Wonders of India), Tangra Chinatown or Dhapa – Kolkata’s very own – seemed to have missed as a nomination for its distinct and unique Chinese surburbs in India.

    These beautiful Chinese settlements, old and squalid, highly deserve an entry to votes for 3 main reasons for their characteristics.

    Firstly, the stench smell from the raw-hide – for once stood rows of thriving tanneries (while all tanning operations ceased and moved to Bantala) – still assaults you as you enter the vicinity.

    The welcoming pungent smell is a combination of left-behind tanneries and that of chillies from neighbouring Chinese sauce factories with the cooking woks of Chinese eateries.

    Secondly, the lanes and bylanes curved and twined around many old and hugh look-a-like fortresses of a Chinese dynasty fenced up heavily with barbed wires at the top.

    Thirldy, all forts (once tanneries) but now either a Chinese restaurant or a dwelling place for families have decor of big red Oriental lanterns, dragons and colourful Chinese red papers hanging at doorways.

    For the residence, all fortresses were structured with strong and enormous steel gates painted in red – locked under padlocks.

43. by Vishal Dhillon, on 04.08.10 @ 1:39 am

    

    Well done………….. thanks for keeping the Chinese culture and traditions alive and thus further adding to the vibrancy and cultural kaleidoscope of India’s culture, not to mention yummy Chindian food. Keep up the good work.

    Unfortunately I never had any interaction with Chindian (Indians of Chinese heritage) community in India but I have met and made friends of Chinese race in Sydney, Singapore and Canada, ranging from Haribin in the north to Hong Kong in the south, Shanghai in the east to Tibet in the west, as well as Malaysian-Chinese, Singaporean-Chinese and Australian-Chinese. Most are hard working and peace loving people and I truly admire the colorful and beautiful Chinese culture.

    Hard-working Chindians are as Indian as any and are integral part of our such diverse heritage of India. Keep it it and well done.

    Vishal
    a PhD scholar sprcialising in cross-cultural research.

44. by Dan, on 04.08.10 @ 2:49 pm

    

    Hi Vishal

    Being a PhD sholar specialising in cross-cultural research, it is closer to heart to take up a project on Chinese settlers’ survival in India – their sweet-bitter-sour existence from early settlements through the years of proserity, persecution, exodus and what remains today.

    Surely, you will then know what really happened at home (in India) better; about Indian Chinese than those Chinese folks you met across the world – from China or outside China like places you mentioned in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Canada etc…

    You will then realize with emotions and guilt how your brothers and sisters at home had so inhumanely treated the Chinese, be it Chinese settlers or those Chinese born in India (as Indians) during 1962.

    Many Indian scholars and historians have written on their plight and there were requests for an apology from the Indian authorities to the Chinese that still remain in India. As of today, this is still not forthcoming.

    When that day shall come, I believe India will see more Indian Chinese who had settled abroad for a few generations to revisit India to find their roots and beginnings with a welcoming gesture.

45. by ninja, on 04.09.10 @ 7:38 pm

    

    Well said and thumbs up to your courage for speaking out the truth, Mr. Dan. Its past and over. The Indian authority will not do as other governments had done before. And the former Chinese residents will not return to live or the new one will not come and settle in India.

    India (British India) indeed did her best in accommodating the new arrivals then and they really made a good living had it not been the kindness of the then administration. what happened later was a sad story every Chinese have to endure. Today most are happy where they are (western world) and the ones still remain in Kolkata too. Sure I agree with most Chinese that Kolkata is still the place to be despite the ugly authority and the unhealthy environments etc. .

46. by Dan, on 04.10.10 @ 10:06 am

    

    To: ninja

    You have an excellent grasp and understanding of the Chinese plight in Kolkata. Every sentence in your comment is true to heart.

    I do not understand why the Indian authority will not do as other governments had done before, i.e. giving an apology. Is there any reason or suspicion behind this ? Remember, most of those who were persecuted were Indian citizens. What good is it of a Government that lay their dirty hands on innocent citizens and hurting them.

    Lastly, I agree that most former Chinese residents will not return to even VISIT let alone to live in India again after the painful experience.

47. by Naveen Chaly, on 04.20.10 @ 7:10 pm

    

    Hi,
    I am an Indian living in Shanghai. For the last 3 years I have been reading and researching on new frontiers in developing a stronger political, economical, social and cultural relationship between India and China. Surprisingly I did not know about a Chinese community in India until now. I am deeply moved and very happy to know that there are Chinese in India. I want to do more for this community and also to pave way for a better relationship between the two Countries. Can you tell me more about the Chinese in India? I wish more Indians realize the importance of relationship between the two Countries. Unfortunately there are a lot of haters out there and I have seen many anti India China relationship videos in video channels such as youtube. I want to create better awareness among Indians. Any help small of big would be much appreciated.

    Thank you

48. by Vishal, on 06.25.10 @ 9:41 pm

    

    Dan and Ninja,

    I can surely see a sense of bitterness in you for whatever reasons, which is much evident from the tone of your comment, you sort of implied ‘I’m victim of your brothers and sisters’, by doing so you are painting everyone with a broad brush and generalizing. Such things may be manifestation of many things e.g. anger, helplessness, deflection on other innocent people, and so forth. Perceived or real discrimination may have happened due to the China’s betrayal to Panch-sheel and principal of co-existence against India. But, I am not a subject matter expert, I am in no position to know the reasons and comment. Having said that, regardless of the background and context, I am in full support of unconditional apologies to innocent victims of any crime, be it victimization of Indians or dalits or other Indians by Indians or even at international level such as PRC Communist atrocities against Tibbatians or PRC atrocities against Democratic Republic of Chinese Taipei, or colonial masters against natives and the list is endless.

    Saying apologies tends to heal wound but it requires a lot more.

    Coming back to the topic of treatment of minorities in India or elsewhere, I am against it. If you consider yourself as an Indian then bear in mind, India is a secular, multi-religious, plural, multi-racial, multi-lingual country and conflicts, biases and differences among them are bound to happen. Hence the need for mutual respect, co-existence, a civilized and constructive dialogue, a privilege citizens of democratic and secular India can enjoy, something a large mass of humanity is deprived of in many regimes specially in India’s neighborhood.

    As to your suggestion for my research topic, I choose a subject that interests me, that is bringing humanity together, seeing through both sides of biases and hardliners and understanding cultural similarities and differences and harness those to build good human relationships and ties, something hopefully others can use for the betterment of humanity via various means including trade, cultural exchange, et al; all of this is inevitable in the increasingly globalizing world where both India and China each have 1/6th of the humanity.

    Peace to the world, empowerment and equality to the humanity, justice to the victims, prosperity and good health and well being to all.

    Regards.
    Vishal

49. by Vishal, on 06.25.10 @ 9:48 pm

    

    Naveen,

    We are in the same boat, two of the world’s greatest civilizations need to collaborate, udnerstand and come closer a lot more. We are blessed to have come across both communities and can certainly try to make our little efforts.

    Please feel free to email me. I will refrain from the putting it here, but please ask the moderator to pass on my email to you privately or you can google me (wont be hard to identify the right Vishal Dhillon).

    Thanks.
    Regards,
    Vishal

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