Hi guys i remember this place , Tiretti bazaar, if you go straight there is a narrow gully at the end is the famous yum mouth watering kamla puchkas.
It look wonderful, seem like china so many chinese face. those fried stuff look deliciously mouth watering. I think i cant resist this even if it means i have to get up 4am to have them yum, certainly they are great. looking forward to go there. Thanks.
Yes, it is definitely worth waking up that early morning to go to a picnic atmosphere bazaar, remember school days when there were outings you get up early feeling so excited. So bring the entire family and join the atmosphere, even they do not want to get up.
Thanks for posting. Great job. Like to see more pics because it brings back fond memories. You may want to post more snapshots through the famous streets like Phears Lane, Blackburn Lane, Hide Lane, Bow Bazaar Street, Chandni Chowk Street, Temple Street, etc….where there are clusters of Chinese population forming the small dwindling community. A suggestion is to upload series by series of amateur videos of these places which would definitely be a pleasant welcome, especially from folks like us who have set footprints on these streets and dwellings around them decades ago and would like to retrace their roots. Once again, a Great Job done.
Your suggestions sounds great. If whoever has time to take a portion of street
say for Chandni chowk Street from Dharmatalla street(joyti cinema) to Grant street intersection then to new cinema to mei kuang school. To make life easier for the photographer go piecemeal from one street to another. Unless this kind of activities need permission from Kolkata corporation, specially in
this state of high alertness and these are so closed to kolkata corporation areas. When thien took the early morning picture of Chinatown all the babus were still sleeping !
Top row Second (centre) picture. The old person sitting on a red stool with leg crossed, slightly dark complexion, small trimmed hair, recently got expired in an accident.
He is one of my fren’s colleague’s Ah-q. (As i heard the story from third party can be contradictory with the real event, anyone in tiretti bazaar, pls post the 1st hand account) He was walking early morning to work (around 6am)in BB gangully street, some youth came on motorbike and tried to snatch the hand bag he was carrying(there was nothing valuable in the bag) but out of instinct, he tried to resist the robbers, they pushed him, he fell and hurt his head, fall into coma and expired on the same day, there is a police enquiry.
I heard this is a new robbery menace in calcutta, it is advisable those who are walking alone especially in deserted street should be very cautious!
Take care folks.
The Chinatown bazaar area has been a thriving place for poverty stricken Chinese who made their living by selling daily morning breakfast, such as chinese buns, my class mate family has to get up at 3:30 in the morning to prepare the food and there were others who have to sell prepared food and made a margin living. Anyways life was tough for those folks. It was swam or be drowned.
It is shocking news that Kolkata has become such an unsafe city.
In the good old days, there isn’t a need for Chinese families to lock up their doors as they go about their daily chores. Of course, there are nuts and bolts at the doors but those are meant for the night to fend off petty thefts during sleep period.
Your account of the situation is hard to accept that the City of Joy has become the City of Notorious Thieves, i.e. tarnished to a city of pilferers preying for small personal items (not even valuables) that may end up taking one’s life.
Ycl is right in that most Chinese in the past in old Chinatown is making a living from hand to mouth. There is no treasures hoarded in their dwellings, so there isn’t any alarm of robbery. Also, the Indians friendly neighbours of those days bonded well with the Chinese and when there is unity among them, outsiders find it difficult to intrude.
Finally, on taking a few snapshots in Kolkat streets, is it still such a big deal ? Having brought up in Kolkata and then travelled extensively around the world, I find it difficult to understand:
1) Why the Authorities still find taking pictures of the city such a secretive or sacred thing ?
Why the babus take things into their own hands of the law and are still so powerful and afraid of/avoided by the Chinese ?
Why NRI, Western visitors and local Indians would dare to take pictures and post on YOUTUBE.
(Go into YOUTUBE and it is shocking to find the amount of pictures posted up there not only in Kolkata, but across India. Most of them is good quality videos.)
2) No other cities in the world have such strict codes of picture taking. Even if they have, most are only on big ticket items.
For example, if you say that Howrah Brige is not to be photographed because of fear of it being attacked or bombed by terrorists or enemies when the picture is exposed, then that’s makes sense – the answer then is to respect the law imposed by Authorities and do not take its picture.
However, one may find hundreds of Howrah Bridge picture on the YOUTUBE in its glory, day, afternoon and night and with neonlights and fireworks etc.. Why are these allowed. Did someone pay “goose” to these unruly policemen.
Some say that the Indians are apprehensive to show poverty of India in pictures, but that is reality and what is so secretive about it. Poverty is found anywhere and everywhere, across the River Thames in London, people live in cardboard boxes. Beggars are found in a park (forgot its name) just in front of the White House in Washington D.C. Even today, beggars dressed in formal suits and ties are found in parks across Japan. What’s the big deal !!!!!!
3) Finally, anyone going into Google can find all worldwide cities, towns and villages clearly photographed out by satellite cameras with every nook and corner exposed. Intended with a good cause, it had turned into a bad deed when terroritst misuse this for surprise attacks. In a nutshell, the Indian Authorities are overly sensitive of the whole thing and making a mountain out of a molehill.
If picture-taking is such a sensitive issue and may cause our Indian Chinese brothers and sisters in Kolkata into danger of criminal convictions, then my advice is to refrain from doing it and let’s use whatever there is on YOUTUBE to reminiscence of the past in Kolkata.
Hi ycl, that’s a great idea,
i would love to walk the memory lane, i remember walking lenin sarani to chandni chowk intersection where so many fresh fruits vendors, which i used to buy, strolling further and taking a right turn you will find meikwang school. remembered wedding reception held there. ah miss those mouth watering food, often we go for stroll in those lane and gully’s eating almost everything on the way, jhal muri, fresh fruits mix, singaras, aloo chops, channas, puchkas etc.
Those pictures you guys posted are amazing,
Mark i dont think security shoud be an issue, attitude matters.
It is true for some family either swim or drown. is it possible to have more pictures ? thanks guys great pictures non the less!
looking forward fore more pictures.
Thanks for posing such pictures, thien. Good works. Your works certainly beat the National Geography pictures hands down. As the saying goes ‘picture worth a thousand words’.
As for security forget the authorities these are about memories of a life time. Hell with them.
All these comments are well said. Hope that there will be some changes made in the future. I thank each and everyone for making an effort to air out these frustrations. Please keep those pictures coming. I had posted the link in facebook where we have a huge group of asians who now live abroad, and had some good feedback. Thanks again to Thien, for putting up these pics.
Hi, vivek have you tried the food in titerri bazaar yet, what can be seen above, the chinese face and the picnic environment are the last generation of chinese who are selling these morning breakfast. i can say that with 99% accuracy as the next generation will not like to sell food in the street.
I believe same goes for many other things such as chinese ritual for festivals etc. when it is there dont miss it. I wish i can go there and enjoy those good mouth watering stuffs.
Your advice to Vivek is absolutely right, some of the stuff are dying art. Some of the good stuff are missing at present in Chinatown. you must know the shrimp or potato thin crisp chips, mee kao pan (thin rice cake) these are some of the missing items. I know whoever make these have a tough life, never want turn back to earn a living the hard way.
Vivek,
Grab as much food as you can, treasure those precise moments. Everyone is eagerly waiting for your food finds and comments.
Hi guys, Sorry couldnt take time out to go there, hoping to go there soon and post some goody stuff, Last time kamla puchaka was worth the trip, this looks even more promising, cant wait……….
Tiretta Bazar Chinatown will always remain in our hearts and soul down the years. This is where we enjoyed the symptous breakfast and marketing was a great pleasure. Its become a heritage landmark in our lives and hope it does remain like this for the future generation to witness and experience. A visit is a must no matter which planet you come from.
Keep it up Kolkata Chinatown. Hip hip hooray!!!!!!
From all the comments above, you can see that you are credited with alot of compliments on all the pics of old Chinatown in Tiretti Bazaar you posted here.
Since the pics are so popular among us all, I humbly request that you continue to do this great job, if possible, to the delight of readers here to refresh their archives of the past history with profound memory.
Besides more pics of similar nature, you may want to consider downloading some self-made videos of the vicinity for our recollection and to cherish.
Can anyone tell me where I can find Chinese cultural event, dragon dance especially, heard about it but never seen any. I heard Chinese new year is celebrated in January. Is that true?
can anyone guide me and help me out.
thanks!
Here is what you have to do to watch feb 13 around mid night (year of the tiger) at Tangra, the area will be illuminated with thousands of lights and the dragon dance will be in full swing, the decimal of drum beats in full volume so are the crackers noise. There will be sea of humanity to watch the show. You have to be there to feel the atmosphere and words cannot describe the feeling of those wonderful moments. clip from youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba6faCsd8Hg&feature=related
Thanks Ycl for the information and the video.
The link is great, the lion looks very beautiful!
Im going to carry my cam to make sure i dont miss anything.
I have just taken a pleasure trip to India after nearly four decades for 15 days. I touched down first at Mumbai, then Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Srinagar and lastly Kolkata, my birthplace.
Since returning home, I have been sick and confined to bed with fever, cough and a lot of phelgm. I am not dead yet but recuperating fast. In Kolkata, I stayed in Tangra. I ate Ham Choy Chow Suey Chow Sen Kong and also dined at Tung Fong in Park Street, next to Mocambo.
The people from Kolkata are very warm and happy despite the minimal changes that I see that occurred over these years. I just wish more could be done by KMC on the rough and tough roads in Tangra. Also, if the place could have been done up much cleaner and tidier. Old Chinatown was always close to my heart too, especially when I see Chinese faces as I strolled down lanes and bylanes visiting the various churches and calling upon people to say “Hi” even though I don’t know them.
I visited all the places in pictures above – enjoyed a breakfast there while fearing for my faint stomach – I tried & liked the Kamla puri and aloo bhaji that came with it. I took alot of pictures of the vicinity. The visit was a dream in reality.
Here wishing everyone in Kolkata – Chinese or otherwise: Kung Hei Fat Choy and a happy and prosperous Year of the Tiger.
Hi Mark,
Happy to see that you had a great time. I’m a little diaappointed in the conditions of the city. I too left Calcuttat about the same time you did and have been back twice, the last time in 1984. I too felt that the city had remained prety much the same as when I left and was hoping that it had at least improve slightly, especially where the roads and garbage dumps are concerned. The KMC need to do a better job if Calcutta is to become a tourist stop.
Kung Hei Fat Choy to all.
I was in cal during christmas 2009, my observation of the city is not as bleak as it seems to be, the malls are springing up, the MNC signs like adidas, nike, nikon are all over the city, one would you are in any other Asian cities. After all when the british built cal they had one million population in mind now it is over 15 millions.
Recently I went to City Centre, one of the better shopping malls in South Kolkata, and to my astonishment, it was almost deserted with only a few shoppers. The shops’ attendants told me that business is not good as most people who come are doing window shopping only.
I wonder how long the shops will survive when MNC brands are priced so high for the common Kolkatans. I was also thinking where were the affluent Kolkatans gone ? Are they no longer shopping ? Without them, the shopping malls in Kolkata will face the same fate of closure and extinction like in Delhi, Agra and other major Indian cities.
We, as Kolkatans, should visit shopping malls regularly and spend and spend our monies there before we lose them forever.
I shall be visiting Kolkata soon. I hear there are many shopping malls springing up with international brands like Adidas, Nike, Nikon etc…
Please recommend the shopping malls that I should visit.
Look forward to be in Kolkata.
Here is the problem with malls falling in hard times, majority of the imported brands have been faced with high tariff. With most of the affluent Kolkatans flying overseas for shopping spree, one can see American tourists luggage stores jam packed. The vendors such as Pizza hut and kfc using imported ingredients with high price, it is sticker shock to see palm size pizza costing as much as State-side pizza (which is around 12″). Some goes for KFC people will start justify how can a piece of chicken cost 2 times as much as kathi rolls. Of course kfc located in posh areas with high overhead.
Mall stores facing high rent will have to charge higher prices, maybe their demise are coming.
Sungita,
One would be impressive by South city mall. Yet more shopping malls such as former Dunlop HQ is one, another is Hind cinema now closed will be another potential mall. soon Kolkata will turn into city of malls.
I don’t agree to such malls in Kolkata as people out there don’t have much to eat and proper place to live in. I would suggest if Kolkata can maintain the first impression would be very great the roads so maintain, the old buildings, etc., these are the most important when I go back I feel as if the Kolkata is collapsing day by day the buildings are so old, roads are so bad, garbage all over dust and pollution. If these are not maintain properly what is the good of having so much malls.
The government so do something to Kolkata, cause Kolkata is a very attractive city and beautiful if only maintainese is properly done everything would be perfect.
In today’s world, Malls represent urban progress, so it is not bad that there are Malls for people to shop and congregate. However, as in the case of Calcutta, the roads are in disrepair, garbage dumped everywhere and heritage building deteriorating, the Government need to step up their responsibility in keeing Calcutta attractive to live in and visit.
While I like shopping maills, I don’t understand why they exist in Kolkata in the first place. As Michael said that when people in Kolkata don’t have much to eat and proper place to live in.
The city scene everywhere is pathetic of dilapidation, stagnation and ruined buildings. The Govt. should first repair and maintain all old buildings to their former glory. This will keep the city beautiful and tidy. No malls and no more new malls please.
Also, there is a need in Kolkata to keep pedestrians off the busy and crowded streets/roads. Sidewalks are built for pedestrians to walk in. Streets/roads are built for vehicles to ply in.
It’s a shocking eye-sore experience to walk by the Oberoi Grand Hotel in Chowringhee Road, supposedly a landmark of beauty in Kolkata; hawkers have occupied the pavements while pushing all passer-by to walk in the road at mercy of fast moving cars. Wonder if this can be put back in right perspective soon.
Malls are generally built and maintained by private enterprises.The Government makes money by selling the land to the developers and subsequently by the taxes the st0res pay. However, the condition of the city is the sole responsibility of the Government. Having Malls do not and should not prevent the Government from fulfilling their civic duties of serving the City, i.e maintenance and upkeep.
Is nothing great to have malls as long as Kolkata is kept clean & tidy. People first of goes for window shopping due to A/C during the summer as in India the weather is so hot.
Look at the Victoria Memorial Hall such a beauty and attractive from far away but as you go nearer the sides look slum this kills the attraction.
I would appreciate if Kolkata will improved according to my opinion Kolkata will be the centre of attraction to Tourism. I pray that one day Kolkata will be the most beautiful city as Kolkata stands the beauty.
Looks like shopping malls are very important to Kolkata to upgrade it on par with any other Asian city.
I wonder if Nanking Restaurant heritage building can be converted to a South City kind of shopping mall – so that Old Chinatown does not look as bleak as it seems.
Currently, there’s desperate need for a proper MNC shopping mall in that area.
Kolkata should not use its shopping malls and MNC brands to claim competitivenss with any other Asian cities.
To make the city tick, Kolkatans should channel their energies, focus and resouces to make it a better and cleaner city to live, thrive and tourism.
Shopping malls do not equate prosperity.
Nanking Restaurant turn out to be a mall impossible look at the garbage outside the main road what influence when you a mall is set up there the main thing is the cleanest of the streets where you can see all the garbage are dump. How can a mall build up in Nanking Restaurant it will not be that attractive.
I don’t know understand why the Kalkatans people are so found of malls what is there the people out there don’t have proper food to eat why the malls are so important I would suggest if the roads, streets, street lights and etc., are improved than only the malls will look attractive.
pardon me for questioning why would Nanking restaurant with chinese temple on the top floor be torn down and turn into a mall ? No one will be involved with tearing down a temple.
Agree with ycl. I believe Nanking Restaurant/Chinese Temple has been designated as Heritage site. It should be reburbished and retained. Old China Town need cleaning up such as removable of garbage dumps, roads repaved and buildings repainted, not new Malls. As Rahul said, Calcutta does not need more Malls to be competitive, Calcutta need to be cleaner, bighter, repaired, to be attractive to tourists.
Kolkata does not need the springing up of shopping malls nor MNC signs all over the city to taint its outlook as if it is not so bleak.
The current scene is that the city is bleak; and not as bleak as it seems to be…..
The reality check of conditions of Kolkata is that it needs a new facelift/overhaul.
Before shopping malls and MNC brands, the city administrators need to improve on Kolkata’s image first and not be an empty vessel making much noise – as what Michael said.
Only when Kolkata is cleaned up, then it can claim itself of like another Asia city.
Nanking Restaurant with a Chinese Temple on its upper floor is a heritage site owned by Indian Chinese and should not be torn down for another shopping mall to impress tourists. The original old structures have historical value.
Those who aspire to have another South City kind of shopping mall in Old Chinatown could find suitable site in the area.
I do not understand why people are so fond of malls what they get by building so many malls in Kolkata there are already an existing mall right ? The government should think of the cleanileness, street lights the buildings etc., only the standard people can afford to go to malls and not that everyday right ? If in case the mall is build in Nanking Restaurant first impression on the malls will be the beggers with they hands out asking for money and then is so disgrace.
Thanks Vivek for the understanding. Look at those poor people they hardly have food to eat and place to live the government should do something in order to make the city more beautiful and attractive and have more tourism so that the country will grow, people will have more confident and economic will grow look at other low asian countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia the government are trying the very best on how to build up the city. Kolkata is not a bad city if they give their hearts and efforts to try everything will be on good run. Since people out there are intelegent, smart why not make use of it ?
Kolkata is known for its sanitation and traffic headaches, look no further than outside of KMC building in the heart of Kolkata, I happened to live close by during my recent visit. The human waste outside the building will make you sick. The traffic condition is closed to chaos. One blessing is stop lights are springing up all over the city. Malls building are up because of new found prosperity. Cars buying are up, every street corner you find eatery doing booming business. The big Bazaar store (formerly USIS library) at SN banerjee rd and chowringee rd is jammed most of the time. That tell us people buying power is up. ecnomic is on the upswing.
Sooner or later kolkata has to copy major chinese cities with migration to cities limited and traffic will have to follow singapore with even license plate number allow on certain downtown streets. How much civic sense is there that is another story.
no matter what the economic boom or high purchasing power in Kolkata be for a few “haves”, in reality – the first rescue operation is to build dwellings to house “have nots” street people and give humanity some respect/decency. the demographics show that the poor and homeless form the majority. no one is born and fated to live and let die in the streets.
it is very sad and tragic whenever one steps out into lanes, bylanes, street corners and roads in Kolkata, one will find hundreds of people crouch around with no basics on dirty floors everywhere….and a few hundreds more when you move your eye attention to another direction. imagine we are all human. they are no different from us. they need respect. it’s human tragedy in an urban city.
there is no point of having shopping malls when they are usually deserted and meant for a few. i disagree that people are really shopping other than window shop. be there in the malls and prove me right. yes, more car purchasing for the upper middle class as necessity but what for in such over-crowded streets and roads where cars crawl like snail-pace. road stop signs are for show and not to be follow; so are the traffic signal lights – jay walking is the norm in this city of chaos. street eateries are booming and why not, imagine if everyone sets out in the streets to cook their daily meals, streets kitchens is the norm in dalhousie square and elsewhere in the city….the city of joy.
kolkata is my city and i love it dearly, but is there any hope……..
Just want to share some changes I witnessed/experienced on my recent trip to Kolkata after many years.
- there are more people ever than before. Everywhere you go, you are bound to meet crowds virtually with no free flow. You need to shovel your elbows to move forward even in streets/roads not supposed to be crowded in the past. This means that population had grown many folds.
- although the city remained in a state of ageing, you will find more structures built, i.e. additional floors added on to top of old buildings nearly 100 years old; it’s incredible, especially its safety.
- while there were some old buildings torn down to give way for new ones; the new buildings are again for a few floors only (not highrise to accommodate more families ??) and that the new exterior walls never seem to complete with signs of raw cement concrete. On roofs of these new buildings, they never seem to top out as there were still iron structures gaping out – meaning that at any point in time, additional floors could be added. However, all these buildings show signs of full occupancy by new prosperous residents.
- hawkers are kings/queens on pavements of streets/roads. Pavements are no longer meant for pedestrian but are stalls of a big happy bazaar. Even the pavements just outside the Oberoi Grand Hotel (pride of Kolkata) is not exempted. Chowringhee Road is always jammed.
- Park Street remains run down. Queen Mansions, Karnani Mansions, Park Mansions etc….needed repair and upkeep on the exterior before they crumble/tumble.
- the deepening of cows, goats, crows, dogs, human…looking for space into the streets/roads are more common. People crossing the streets/roads need to wade through. You are luckly to cross into the other side in one piece. Street signal lights are not followed. It was easy and cool to cross Ganesh Chandra/Chitteranjan Avenue in the past. Not so now with the crowds and dense traffic. There are alot more cars on the streets, too.
- there are more food stalls ever than before. While street foods are good and cheap, business is brisk with the ever increasing population. So a greater demand of street food stalls with new opportunities to those who want to strike gold in this area.
- there are some very good shopping malls in the city. However, most are empty or crowded with window shoppers who want to enjoy a day out. Foreign brands remain highly priced for the priviledged few and out of reach for the majority.
- the people of Kolkata are ever so simple and friendly. Life may be difficult, but they accept it with hope.
Kolkata is our city and the city of joy. Let’s make it a better place to live.
Slyvester,
It is a great write up on the city.
Welcome to the city of typical urban decay. Yet wonder what the landlords are up to. Do they not care for their own properties ?
Should someone in authority had taken immediate steps to monitor aged old buildings in Park Street with extra precaution of illegal addition of floors for fire safety reasons – as highlighted by you, Stephen Court fire could have been prevented or minimised.
Hi Sylvester,
Your observations were dead on. I didn’t realize the extent of the decay and corruption in the city until I started to follow the tragedy on Stephen Court in the Telegraph. They can’t even find the owner of the buildings and the Government people responsible for sanctioning the additions to the buildings are now calling them “illegal” even though they had OK’ed the additions. (after a healthy bribe, I assume). I realize there are corruptions everywhere in the world, but what has/is happening in Calcutta takes the cake.
Stephen Court in flames – with the Burra Bazaar incident occurring not much in the distant past, I wonder what the authorities have learnt from fire hazards in aged old buildings especially those with illegal add-on structures. There seems to be no norms of what buildings are used for what purpose. What is safety standard…..
Once the bribe monies get into the pockets of respective corrupted officials, the stamp of approval will be given even if there is non-compliance.
This is INDIA……..Stephen Court is only a tip in the iceberg. Just bear with it……….
i ve heard a lot about mornin breakfast in china town…can any one tell me from wat time we get these breakfast and at wat time the stops starts shutting down ??…was plannin to go now,,its 5 am…hope m not late ???
Dear Grace thanks for being concern ?
From what I know. The case is still pending in the court. The chances of Nanking becoming a restaurant is bleak.
Pei May School name has not been changed. There is a Fight going on in the management, somebody name Liu is trying to take over the school and the local community is protesting against him.
There is “no” or “will not” be a Nanking restaurant.
PeiMay school’s name will not be changed. That “somebody” ‘LiuKouChao’ will back off and return the “keys” to the rightful committee of collective body and take charge of the school affair. I will not accept the free gift of PeiMay school even if the community decides to give it to me, as it has a tremendous effect on an individual because it belongs to all. I would rather work hard for a living as my grand father did before me.
This Pei May school affair reminds me of a joke during Indira Gandhi regime there were slogans all over Indian railway coaches ‘railways belong to the people’. so someone removed the soft cushion from the seats and took it home and scribbled the wordings ‘I have taken my share’. In this episode that individual have the same notion, we have seen enough of people on trying to pocket public properties or wealth as their own.
Hi Liang and lexus,
Can you clarify the Nanking situation. Someone wanted to sell the site to a developer to build a shopping mall for his own gain. The local community in Teretti Bazaar opposed this as the site is a church originally and still is. The Government has declared the site a Heritage site and the case is in the courts. I don’t expect that they will revive the restaurant, but I hope they do not tear the place down to build the shopping mall. What is the prognosis for the church to remain as is?
Thanks.
The Nanking restaurant site is currently under custody of the HIgh Court pending hearing of the case. If the case does not get through, it will be sold to any prospective buyer for development.
Kolkata being Asia’s top city for shopping malls, most probably a modern shopping complex will be built in its place.
If CMC and others had their way, the Nanking Restaurant site will be knocked down and sold to a private developer to turn it into a modern shopping mall very soon, while the court case will take years (forever) to be heard anyway.
Thank you so much! ycl1688 for this information well need some more like from what time does this begin and the address you see I am not really aware of these roads. Is photography allowed ? i really need these informations and thanks again for spending time for my questions.
Look for poddar court, closed by it is sunyat sen street. Photograph should be allowed it is not a military installation neither terrorist intended target, do not worry about it.
It is every morning starting around 5 or 6 should be lot of carnival atmosphere. So these days after enjoying the world cup activities head there for your breakfast.
Can anyone confirm that Nanking Restaurant site is having the same fate of Pei May School ? Heard that it will be torn down by private developers to replace it with a modern shopping mall like South City Centre. Is that true ?
Nanking rest and PeiMay are 2 diff issues, the school is the symbol of strenght and unity of Chinese Hakka in India for years. With the decline of the Chinese population also saw the decrease in strenght and glory it once had, its sad to see the former strenght that we had is no longer there. We look forward to the support of those who once belonged to this community, no matter where they live today : that will be our strenght. I ma sure there are thousands of “those” today are reading this note…
heard that hakka chinese in tangra have had a power struggle over pei may property – an individual thought he inherited its ownership rights from the forefathers of the current chinese community. is that true ?
Leave the historical value away from the issues, PeiMay is far bigger and had trained thousands of Hakka boys and girls that spread almost all over the world today, ths fact is both have temples are structured on the top terrace and nobody dares to mess up with them ? PeiMay is electing its caretaker or committee and will come up with a cordial solution and you guys stay put and dont cause any trouble over here, Mr. Liu (my dad’s friend) after all will co-operate and hand over the KEY and PeiMay is back on business again like before (And the new leader likely to be one of my friends).
Thanks for your encouraging news on the Pei May school, committee is the best
route to go. Since your influence is there, it is our hope to settle the whole affair once and for all. Why in house fighting ? causing great uproar among the community. Closing down school is not a wise thing, it is causing the kung fu class to stop and what not.
by Alice Leong, on 09.23.09 @ 10:45 am
Thank you for posting these pictures, sure bring back fond memories I grew up with, the mouthwatering breakfast in chinatown.
by ycl1688, on 09.23.09 @ 7:05 pm
There is the kamla morning treat of kachuri, which is obscured by the yu chi kwi stall at the second row left most picture. Great pictures.
by vivek, on 09.23.09 @ 8:47 pm
Hi guys i remember this place , Tiretti bazaar, if you go straight there is a narrow gully at the end is the famous yum mouth watering kamla puchkas.
It look wonderful, seem like china so many chinese face. those fried stuff look deliciously mouth watering. I think i cant resist this even if it means i have to get up 4am to have them yum, certainly they are great. looking forward to go there. Thanks.
by ycl1688, on 09.24.09 @ 7:24 pm
Vivek,
Yes, it is definitely worth waking up that early morning to go to a picnic atmosphere bazaar, remember school days when there were outings you get up early feeling so excited. So bring the entire family and join the atmosphere, even they do not want to get up.
by Mark, on 09.24.09 @ 8:31 pm
Thien,
Thanks for posting. Great job. Like to see more pics because it brings back fond memories. You may want to post more snapshots through the famous streets like Phears Lane, Blackburn Lane, Hide Lane, Bow Bazaar Street, Chandni Chowk Street, Temple Street, etc….where there are clusters of Chinese population forming the small dwindling community. A suggestion is to upload series by series of amateur videos of these places which would definitely be a pleasant welcome, especially from folks like us who have set footprints on these streets and dwellings around them decades ago and would like to retrace their roots. Once again, a Great Job done.
by ycl1688, on 09.24.09 @ 9:50 pm
Mark,
Your suggestions sounds great. If whoever has time to take a portion of street
say for Chandni chowk Street from Dharmatalla street(joyti cinema) to Grant street intersection then to new cinema to mei kuang school. To make life easier for the photographer go piecemeal from one street to another. Unless this kind of activities need permission from Kolkata corporation, specially in
this state of high alertness and these are so closed to kolkata corporation areas. When thien took the early morning picture of Chinatown all the babus were still sleeping !
by simon, on 09.25.09 @ 12:25 am
Top row Second (centre) picture. The old person sitting on a red stool with leg crossed, slightly dark complexion, small trimmed hair, recently got expired in an accident.
He is one of my fren’s colleague’s Ah-q. (As i heard the story from third party can be contradictory with the real event, anyone in tiretti bazaar, pls post the 1st hand account) He was walking early morning to work (around 6am)in BB gangully street, some youth came on motorbike and tried to snatch the hand bag he was carrying(there was nothing valuable in the bag) but out of instinct, he tried to resist the robbers, they pushed him, he fell and hurt his head, fall into coma and expired on the same day, there is a police enquiry.
I heard this is a new robbery menace in calcutta, it is advisable those who are walking alone especially in deserted street should be very cautious!
Take care folks.
by ycl1688, on 09.25.09 @ 1:26 am
Simon,
If your account is true, what a tragic it is.
The Chinatown bazaar area has been a thriving place for poverty stricken Chinese who made their living by selling daily morning breakfast, such as chinese buns, my class mate family has to get up at 3:30 in the morning to prepare the food and there were others who have to sell prepared food and made a margin living. Anyways life was tough for those folks. It was swam or be drowned.
by Mark, on 09.25.09 @ 5:56 am
Hi Simon and Ycl,
It is shocking news that Kolkata has become such an unsafe city.
In the good old days, there isn’t a need for Chinese families to lock up their doors as they go about their daily chores. Of course, there are nuts and bolts at the doors but those are meant for the night to fend off petty thefts during sleep period.
Your account of the situation is hard to accept that the City of Joy has become the City of Notorious Thieves, i.e. tarnished to a city of pilferers preying for small personal items (not even valuables) that may end up taking one’s life.
Ycl is right in that most Chinese in the past in old Chinatown is making a living from hand to mouth. There is no treasures hoarded in their dwellings, so there isn’t any alarm of robbery. Also, the Indians friendly neighbours of those days bonded well with the Chinese and when there is unity among them, outsiders find it difficult to intrude.
Finally, on taking a few snapshots in Kolkat streets, is it still such a big deal ? Having brought up in Kolkata and then travelled extensively around the world, I find it difficult to understand:
1) Why the Authorities still find taking pictures of the city such a secretive or sacred thing ?
Why the babus take things into their own hands of the law and are still so powerful and afraid of/avoided by the Chinese ?
Why NRI, Western visitors and local Indians would dare to take pictures and post on YOUTUBE.
(Go into YOUTUBE and it is shocking to find the amount of pictures posted up there not only in Kolkata, but across India. Most of them is good quality videos.)
2) No other cities in the world have such strict codes of picture taking. Even if they have, most are only on big ticket items.
For example, if you say that Howrah Brige is not to be photographed because of fear of it being attacked or bombed by terrorists or enemies when the picture is exposed, then that’s makes sense – the answer then is to respect the law imposed by Authorities and do not take its picture.
However, one may find hundreds of Howrah Bridge picture on the YOUTUBE in its glory, day, afternoon and night and with neonlights and fireworks etc.. Why are these allowed. Did someone pay “goose” to these unruly policemen.
Some say that the Indians are apprehensive to show poverty of India in pictures, but that is reality and what is so secretive about it. Poverty is found anywhere and everywhere, across the River Thames in London, people live in cardboard boxes. Beggars are found in a park (forgot its name) just in front of the White House in Washington D.C. Even today, beggars dressed in formal suits and ties are found in parks across Japan. What’s the big deal !!!!!!
3) Finally, anyone going into Google can find all worldwide cities, towns and villages clearly photographed out by satellite cameras with every nook and corner exposed. Intended with a good cause, it had turned into a bad deed when terroritst misuse this for surprise attacks. In a nutshell, the Indian Authorities are overly sensitive of the whole thing and making a mountain out of a molehill.
If picture-taking is such a sensitive issue and may cause our Indian Chinese brothers and sisters in Kolkata into danger of criminal convictions, then my advice is to refrain from doing it and let’s use whatever there is on YOUTUBE to reminiscence of the past in Kolkata.
Cheers
by simon, on 09.25.09 @ 10:58 am
Hi ycl, that’s a great idea,
i would love to walk the memory lane, i remember walking lenin sarani to chandni chowk intersection where so many fresh fruits vendors, which i used to buy, strolling further and taking a right turn you will find meikwang school. remembered wedding reception held there. ah miss those mouth watering food, often we go for stroll in those lane and gully’s eating almost everything on the way, jhal muri, fresh fruits mix, singaras, aloo chops, channas, puchkas etc.
Those pictures you guys posted are amazing,
Mark i dont think security shoud be an issue, attitude matters.
It is true for some family either swim or drown. is it possible to have more pictures ? thanks guys great pictures non the less!
looking forward fore more pictures.
by ycl1688, on 09.25.09 @ 7:19 pm
Thanks for posing such pictures, thien. Good works. Your works certainly beat the National Geography pictures hands down. As the saying goes ‘picture worth a thousand words’.
As for security forget the authorities these are about memories of a life time. Hell with them.
by Alice Leong, on 09.26.09 @ 6:44 am
All these comments are well said. Hope that there will be some changes made in the future. I thank each and everyone for making an effort to air out these frustrations. Please keep those pictures coming. I had posted the link in facebook where we have a huge group of asians who now live abroad, and had some good feedback. Thanks again to Thien, for putting up these pics.
by ycl1688, on 09.26.09 @ 6:48 pm
As long as everyone does one’s part, just keep the good words spreading and good pictures coming. Good things will come. Hope for the best.
by simon, on 09.26.09 @ 11:51 pm
Hi admin. 6th and 8th picture are repeated, im positive looking forward. thanks for the nice pictures.
by simon, on 09.28.09 @ 6:25 pm
Hi, vivek have you tried the food in titerri bazaar yet, what can be seen above, the chinese face and the picnic environment are the last generation of chinese who are selling these morning breakfast. i can say that with 99% accuracy as the next generation will not like to sell food in the street.
I believe same goes for many other things such as chinese ritual for festivals etc. when it is there dont miss it. I wish i can go there and enjoy those good mouth watering stuffs.
by ycl1688, on 09.28.09 @ 8:07 pm
Simon,
Your advice to Vivek is absolutely right, some of the stuff are dying art. Some of the good stuff are missing at present in Chinatown. you must know the shrimp or potato thin crisp chips, mee kao pan (thin rice cake) these are some of the missing items. I know whoever make these have a tough life, never want turn back to earn a living the hard way.
Vivek,
Grab as much food as you can, treasure those precise moments. Everyone is eagerly waiting for your food finds and comments.
by vivek, on 09.28.09 @ 10:30 pm
Hi guys, Sorry couldnt take time out to go there, hoping to go there soon and post some goody stuff, Last time kamla puchaka was worth the trip, this looks even more promising, cant wait……….
by Elaine,, on 10.14.09 @ 10:08 am
Tiretta Bazar Chinatown will always remain in our hearts and soul down the years. This is where we enjoyed the symptous breakfast and marketing was a great pleasure. Its become a heritage landmark in our lives and hope it does remain like this for the future generation to witness and experience. A visit is a must no matter which planet you come from.
Keep it up Kolkata Chinatown. Hip hip hooray!!!!!!
by stephen, on 10.15.09 @ 5:57 pm
Hi Elain, u r right, Its so rare, where on earth you can find them.
by Mark, on 10.15.09 @ 8:39 pm
Hi Thien,
From all the comments above, you can see that you are credited with alot of compliments on all the pics of old Chinatown in Tiretti Bazaar you posted here.
Since the pics are so popular among us all, I humbly request that you continue to do this great job, if possible, to the delight of readers here to refresh their archives of the past history with profound memory.
Besides more pics of similar nature, you may want to consider downloading some self-made videos of the vicinity for our recollection and to cherish.
Many thanks.
by richard, on 10.15.09 @ 9:39 pm
Hi Thien my humble request is also same. Its undoubtedly the rarest where on earth it can be found! Thanks a million from me…………..
by ycl1688, on 10.15.09 @ 9:48 pm
Here is one more delicious dish from the market
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/view?q=kolkata+chinese&uname=klyl998&psc=G&filter=1#5311835490811164402
by ycl1688, on 10.15.09 @ 10:12 pm
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/view?q=kolkata+chinese&uname=G&filter=1#5311835490811164402
by ycl1688, on 10.16.09 @ 12:52 am
another dish of goody out of that famous morning marketplace. Courtesy of dr surajit.
http://picasaweb.google.com/dr.surajit/ApurbaAKolkataVisitMarch09#5311835490811164402
by richard, on 10.16.09 @ 7:56 pm
Thanks ycl great pictures of kolkata, makes me miss the old times more, hope to go back someday soon.
by vivek, on 10.17.09 @ 10:31 am
Happy diwali guys……….
by Mark, on 10.17.09 @ 7:02 pm
Hey folks,
Here’s an upcoming movie on Indian Chinese: Blooming Pei May.
Some shots were taken at the Old Chinatown in Tiretti Bazaar. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa03NJhwUf0
by Michael Liu, on 01.16.10 @ 4:33 pm
Missing all those days in China town market and the great delicious breakfast.
If I ever have the chance should not missed those early morning breakfast with empty stomache.
Keep it up the good work.
by Mukesh Chanda, on 01.29.10 @ 2:58 am
Can anyone tell me where I can find Chinese cultural event, dragon dance especially, heard about it but never seen any. I heard Chinese new year is celebrated in January. Is that true?
can anyone guide me and help me out.
thanks!
by ycl1688, on 01.30.10 @ 1:27 am
Mukesh,
Here is what you have to do to watch feb 13 around mid night (year of the tiger) at Tangra, the area will be illuminated with thousands of lights and the dragon dance will be in full swing, the decimal of drum beats in full volume so are the crackers noise. There will be sea of humanity to watch the show. You have to be there to feel the atmosphere and words cannot describe the feeling of those wonderful moments. clip from youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba6faCsd8Hg&feature=related
by Mukesh Chanda, on 02.02.10 @ 9:33 pm
Thanks Ycl for the information and the video.
The link is great, the lion looks very beautiful!
Im going to carry my cam to make sure i dont miss anything.
by Mark, on 02.09.10 @ 3:26 pm
I have just taken a pleasure trip to India after nearly four decades for 15 days. I touched down first at Mumbai, then Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Srinagar and lastly Kolkata, my birthplace.
Since returning home, I have been sick and confined to bed with fever, cough and a lot of phelgm. I am not dead yet but recuperating fast. In Kolkata, I stayed in Tangra. I ate Ham Choy Chow Suey Chow Sen Kong and also dined at Tung Fong in Park Street, next to Mocambo.
The people from Kolkata are very warm and happy despite the minimal changes that I see that occurred over these years. I just wish more could be done by KMC on the rough and tough roads in Tangra. Also, if the place could have been done up much cleaner and tidier. Old Chinatown was always close to my heart too, especially when I see Chinese faces as I strolled down lanes and bylanes visiting the various churches and calling upon people to say “Hi” even though I don’t know them.
I visited all the places in pictures above – enjoyed a breakfast there while fearing for my faint stomach – I tried & liked the Kamla puri and aloo bhaji that came with it. I took alot of pictures of the vicinity. The visit was a dream in reality.
Here wishing everyone in Kolkata – Chinese or otherwise: Kung Hei Fat Choy and a happy and prosperous Year of the Tiger.
by Bill, on 02.13.10 @ 12:38 am
Hi Mark,
Happy to see that you had a great time. I’m a little diaappointed in the conditions of the city. I too left Calcuttat about the same time you did and have been back twice, the last time in 1984. I too felt that the city had remained prety much the same as when I left and was hoping that it had at least improve slightly, especially where the roads and garbage dumps are concerned. The KMC need to do a better job if Calcutta is to become a tourist stop.
Kung Hei Fat Choy to all.
by ycl1688, on 02.13.10 @ 2:19 am
I was in cal during christmas 2009, my observation of the city is not as bleak as it seems to be, the malls are springing up, the MNC signs like adidas, nike, nikon are all over the city, one would you are in any other Asian cities. After all when the british built cal they had one million population in mind now it is over 15 millions.
by Thomas, on 02.17.10 @ 10:02 am
Would someone please post some youtube clips of Chinese New Year activities in old Chinatown.
by Sam, on 02.19.10 @ 1:54 pm
Recently I went to City Centre, one of the better shopping malls in South Kolkata, and to my astonishment, it was almost deserted with only a few shoppers. The shops’ attendants told me that business is not good as most people who come are doing window shopping only.
I wonder how long the shops will survive when MNC brands are priced so high for the common Kolkatans. I was also thinking where were the affluent Kolkatans gone ? Are they no longer shopping ? Without them, the shopping malls in Kolkata will face the same fate of closure and extinction like in Delhi, Agra and other major Indian cities.
We, as Kolkatans, should visit shopping malls regularly and spend and spend our monies there before we lose them forever.
by raju, on 02.20.10 @ 10:20 am
Kolkata shopping malls depend on Kolkatan’s spendings. Without this happening, their demise will happen sooner than later.
Let us start a campaign to save Kolkata’s shopping malls and MNC brands.
by Sungita, on 02.20.10 @ 4:21 pm
I shall be visiting Kolkata soon. I hear there are many shopping malls springing up with international brands like Adidas, Nike, Nikon etc…
Please recommend the shopping malls that I should visit.
Look forward to be in Kolkata.
by ycl1688, on 02.22.10 @ 9:59 pm
Sam,
Here is the problem with malls falling in hard times, majority of the imported brands have been faced with high tariff. With most of the affluent Kolkatans flying overseas for shopping spree, one can see American tourists luggage stores jam packed. The vendors such as Pizza hut and kfc using imported ingredients with high price, it is sticker shock to see palm size pizza costing as much as State-side pizza (which is around 12″). Some goes for KFC people will start justify how can a piece of chicken cost 2 times as much as kathi rolls. Of course kfc located in posh areas with high overhead.
Mall stores facing high rent will have to charge higher prices, maybe their demise are coming.
Sungita,
One would be impressive by South city mall. Yet more shopping malls such as former Dunlop HQ is one, another is Hind cinema now closed will be another potential mall. soon Kolkata will turn into city of malls.
by Michael, on 02.23.10 @ 9:30 am
I don’t agree to such malls in Kolkata as people out there don’t have much to eat and proper place to live in. I would suggest if Kolkata can maintain the first impression would be very great the roads so maintain, the old buildings, etc., these are the most important when I go back I feel as if the Kolkata is collapsing day by day the buildings are so old, roads are so bad, garbage all over dust and pollution. If these are not maintain properly what is the good of having so much malls.
The government so do something to Kolkata, cause Kolkata is a very attractive city and beautiful if only maintainese is properly done everything would be perfect.
by Bill, on 02.23.10 @ 10:05 am
In today’s world, Malls represent urban progress, so it is not bad that there are Malls for people to shop and congregate. However, as in the case of Calcutta, the roads are in disrepair, garbage dumped everywhere and heritage building deteriorating, the Government need to step up their responsibility in keeing Calcutta attractive to live in and visit.
by Stella, on 02.23.10 @ 10:13 am
While I like shopping maills, I don’t understand why they exist in Kolkata in the first place. As Michael said that when people in Kolkata don’t have much to eat and proper place to live in.
The city scene everywhere is pathetic of dilapidation, stagnation and ruined buildings. The Govt. should first repair and maintain all old buildings to their former glory. This will keep the city beautiful and tidy. No malls and no more new malls please.
Also, there is a need in Kolkata to keep pedestrians off the busy and crowded streets/roads. Sidewalks are built for pedestrians to walk in. Streets/roads are built for vehicles to ply in.
It’s a shocking eye-sore experience to walk by the Oberoi Grand Hotel in Chowringhee Road, supposedly a landmark of beauty in Kolkata; hawkers have occupied the pavements while pushing all passer-by to walk in the road at mercy of fast moving cars. Wonder if this can be put back in right perspective soon.
by Bill, on 02.23.10 @ 10:33 am
Malls are generally built and maintained by private enterprises.The Government makes money by selling the land to the developers and subsequently by the taxes the st0res pay. However, the condition of the city is the sole responsibility of the Government. Having Malls do not and should not prevent the Government from fulfilling their civic duties of serving the City, i.e maintenance and upkeep.
by Sungita, on 02.23.10 @ 1:27 pm
ycli688:
Thanks for the update.
Soon Kolkata will turn into city of malls, how WONDERFUL!!!
by Michael, on 02.23.10 @ 2:04 pm
Is nothing great to have malls as long as Kolkata is kept clean & tidy. People first of goes for window shopping due to A/C during the summer as in India the weather is so hot.
Look at the Victoria Memorial Hall such a beauty and attractive from far away but as you go nearer the sides look slum this kills the attraction.
I would appreciate if Kolkata will improved according to my opinion Kolkata will be the centre of attraction to Tourism. I pray that one day Kolkata will be the most beautiful city as Kolkata stands the beauty.
by tim, on 02.26.10 @ 6:30 am
Looks like shopping malls are very important to Kolkata to upgrade it on par with any other Asian city.
I wonder if Nanking Restaurant heritage building can be converted to a South City kind of shopping mall – so that Old Chinatown does not look as bleak as it seems.
Currently, there’s desperate need for a proper MNC shopping mall in that area.
by rahul, on 02.26.10 @ 3:05 pm
Kolkata should not use its shopping malls and MNC brands to claim competitivenss with any other Asian cities.
To make the city tick, Kolkatans should channel their energies, focus and resouces to make it a better and cleaner city to live, thrive and tourism.
Shopping malls do not equate prosperity.
by Michael, on 02.26.10 @ 4:56 pm
Nanking Restaurant turn out to be a mall impossible look at the garbage outside the main road what influence when you a mall is set up there the main thing is the cleanest of the streets where you can see all the garbage are dump. How can a mall build up in Nanking Restaurant it will not be that attractive.
I don’t know understand why the Kalkatans people are so found of malls what is there the people out there don’t have proper food to eat why the malls are so important I would suggest if the roads, streets, street lights and etc., are improved than only the malls will look attractive.
Empty vessel makes much noise.
by ycl1688, on 02.27.10 @ 12:12 am
tim,
pardon me for questioning why would Nanking restaurant with chinese temple on the top floor be torn down and turn into a mall ? No one will be involved with tearing down a temple.
by Bill, on 02.27.10 @ 12:32 am
Agree with ycl. I believe Nanking Restaurant/Chinese Temple has been designated as Heritage site. It should be reburbished and retained. Old China Town need cleaning up such as removable of garbage dumps, roads repaved and buildings repainted, not new Malls. As Rahul said, Calcutta does not need more Malls to be competitive, Calcutta need to be cleaner, bighter, repaired, to be attractive to tourists.
by Thomas, on 02.27.10 @ 7:38 am
Kolkata does not need the springing up of shopping malls nor MNC signs all over the city to taint its outlook as if it is not so bleak.
The current scene is that the city is bleak; and not as bleak as it seems to be…..
The reality check of conditions of Kolkata is that it needs a new facelift/overhaul.
Before shopping malls and MNC brands, the city administrators need to improve on Kolkata’s image first and not be an empty vessel making much noise – as what Michael said.
Only when Kolkata is cleaned up, then it can claim itself of like another Asia city.
Nanking Restaurant with a Chinese Temple on its upper floor is a heritage site owned by Indian Chinese and should not be torn down for another shopping mall to impress tourists. The original old structures have historical value.
Those who aspire to have another South City kind of shopping mall in Old Chinatown could find suitable site in the area.
by Michael, on 02.27.10 @ 8:19 pm
I do not understand why people are so fond of malls what they get by building so many malls in Kolkata there are already an existing mall right ? The government should think of the cleanileness, street lights the buildings etc., only the standard people can afford to go to malls and not that everyday right ? If in case the mall is build in Nanking Restaurant first impression on the malls will be the beggers with they hands out asking for money and then is so disgrace.
by Vivek, on 02.28.10 @ 1:40 am
Thomas, I hav been in dat area, finding a suitable site is next to impossible, the area very congested.
Michel I agree with u vry muh.
by Michael, on 02.28.10 @ 7:58 am
Thanks Vivek for the understanding. Look at those poor people they hardly have food to eat and place to live the government should do something in order to make the city more beautiful and attractive and have more tourism so that the country will grow, people will have more confident and economic will grow look at other low asian countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia the government are trying the very best on how to build up the city. Kolkata is not a bad city if they give their hearts and efforts to try everything will be on good run. Since people out there are intelegent, smart why not make use of it ?
by ycl1688, on 02.28.10 @ 7:53 pm
Kolkata is known for its sanitation and traffic headaches, look no further than outside of KMC building in the heart of Kolkata, I happened to live close by during my recent visit. The human waste outside the building will make you sick. The traffic condition is closed to chaos. One blessing is stop lights are springing up all over the city. Malls building are up because of new found prosperity. Cars buying are up, every street corner you find eatery doing booming business. The big Bazaar store (formerly USIS library) at SN banerjee rd and chowringee rd is jammed most of the time. That tell us people buying power is up. ecnomic is on the upswing.
Sooner or later kolkata has to copy major chinese cities with migration to cities limited and traffic will have to follow singapore with even license plate number allow on certain downtown streets. How much civic sense is there that is another story.
by mina, on 03.01.10 @ 7:30 am
no matter what the economic boom or high purchasing power in Kolkata be for a few “haves”, in reality – the first rescue operation is to build dwellings to house “have nots” street people and give humanity some respect/decency. the demographics show that the poor and homeless form the majority. no one is born and fated to live and let die in the streets.
it is very sad and tragic whenever one steps out into lanes, bylanes, street corners and roads in Kolkata, one will find hundreds of people crouch around with no basics on dirty floors everywhere….and a few hundreds more when you move your eye attention to another direction. imagine we are all human. they are no different from us. they need respect. it’s human tragedy in an urban city.
there is no point of having shopping malls when they are usually deserted and meant for a few. i disagree that people are really shopping other than window shop. be there in the malls and prove me right. yes, more car purchasing for the upper middle class as necessity but what for in such over-crowded streets and roads where cars crawl like snail-pace. road stop signs are for show and not to be follow; so are the traffic signal lights – jay walking is the norm in this city of chaos. street eateries are booming and why not, imagine if everyone sets out in the streets to cook their daily meals, streets kitchens is the norm in dalhousie square and elsewhere in the city….the city of joy.
kolkata is my city and i love it dearly, but is there any hope……..
i really wonder…..
by Esther, on 03.01.10 @ 9:48 am
Hi Michael
Do you think Kolkatans should still call it the city of malls – a sign of new found prosperity ?
Let’s help to make the city clean and tidy to attract and boost up tourism.
by Slyvester, on 03.02.10 @ 6:12 am
Just want to share some changes I witnessed/experienced on my recent trip to Kolkata after many years.
- there are more people ever than before. Everywhere you go, you are bound to meet crowds virtually with no free flow. You need to shovel your elbows to move forward even in streets/roads not supposed to be crowded in the past. This means that population had grown many folds.
- although the city remained in a state of ageing, you will find more structures built, i.e. additional floors added on to top of old buildings nearly 100 years old; it’s incredible, especially its safety.
- while there were some old buildings torn down to give way for new ones; the new buildings are again for a few floors only (not highrise to accommodate more families ??) and that the new exterior walls never seem to complete with signs of raw cement concrete. On roofs of these new buildings, they never seem to top out as there were still iron structures gaping out – meaning that at any point in time, additional floors could be added. However, all these buildings show signs of full occupancy by new prosperous residents.
- hawkers are kings/queens on pavements of streets/roads. Pavements are no longer meant for pedestrian but are stalls of a big happy bazaar. Even the pavements just outside the Oberoi Grand Hotel (pride of Kolkata) is not exempted. Chowringhee Road is always jammed.
- Park Street remains run down. Queen Mansions, Karnani Mansions, Park Mansions etc….needed repair and upkeep on the exterior before they crumble/tumble.
- the deepening of cows, goats, crows, dogs, human…looking for space into the streets/roads are more common. People crossing the streets/roads need to wade through. You are luckly to cross into the other side in one piece. Street signal lights are not followed. It was easy and cool to cross Ganesh Chandra/Chitteranjan Avenue in the past. Not so now with the crowds and dense traffic. There are alot more cars on the streets, too.
- there are more food stalls ever than before. While street foods are good and cheap, business is brisk with the ever increasing population. So a greater demand of street food stalls with new opportunities to those who want to strike gold in this area.
- there are some very good shopping malls in the city. However, most are empty or crowded with window shoppers who want to enjoy a day out. Foreign brands remain highly priced for the priviledged few and out of reach for the majority.
- the people of Kolkata are ever so simple and friendly. Life may be difficult, but they accept it with hope.
Kolkata is our city and the city of joy. Let’s make it a better place to live.
by ycl1688, on 03.02.10 @ 11:14 pm
Slyvester,
It is a great write up on the city.
Welcome to the city of typical urban decay. Yet wonder what the landlords are up to. Do they not care for their own properties ?
by Michael, on 03.03.10 @ 5:34 pm
Hi Ester,
Is the same Ester whom i know. Yes I agree with you. Stay in touch.
by ron, on 03.30.10 @ 4:51 pm
To: Slyvester,
Your write-up above is so accurate.
Should someone in authority had taken immediate steps to monitor aged old buildings in Park Street with extra precaution of illegal addition of floors for fire safety reasons – as highlighted by you, Stephen Court fire could have been prevented or minimised.
This is very sad.
by Bill, on 03.30.10 @ 10:20 pm
Hi Sylvester,
Your observations were dead on. I didn’t realize the extent of the decay and corruption in the city until I started to follow the tragedy on Stephen Court in the Telegraph. They can’t even find the owner of the buildings and the Government people responsible for sanctioning the additions to the buildings are now calling them “illegal” even though they had OK’ed the additions. (after a healthy bribe, I assume). I realize there are corruptions everywhere in the world, but what has/is happening in Calcutta takes the cake.
by raju, on 04.04.10 @ 8:07 am
Stephen Court in flames – with the Burra Bazaar incident occurring not much in the distant past, I wonder what the authorities have learnt from fire hazards in aged old buildings especially those with illegal add-on structures. There seems to be no norms of what buildings are used for what purpose. What is safety standard…..
Once the bribe monies get into the pockets of respective corrupted officials, the stamp of approval will be given even if there is non-compliance.
This is INDIA……..Stephen Court is only a tip in the iceberg. Just bear with it……….
by Kuzo, on 05.13.10 @ 4:50 am
hey guys…
i ve heard a lot about mornin breakfast in china town…can any one tell me from wat time we get these breakfast and at wat time the stops starts shutting down ??…was plannin to go now,,its 5 am…hope m not late ???
by Kuzo, on 05.13.10 @ 5:03 am
wat time the shops starts shuttin down..???
by Grace, on 05.21.10 @ 9:36 am
Heard that the previous Nanking Restaurant site is gooig to be replaced with a modern shopping mall ?
Also, has the name change of Pei May School in Tangra happened ?
Can someone update on these. Thanks.
by Liang, on 05.21.10 @ 3:22 pm
Dear Grace thanks for being concern ?
From what I know. The case is still pending in the court. The chances of Nanking becoming a restaurant is bleak.
Pei May School name has not been changed. There is a Fight going on in the management, somebody name Liu is trying to take over the school and the local community is protesting against him.
by lexus, on 05.21.10 @ 6:14 pm
There is “no” or “will not” be a Nanking restaurant.
PeiMay school’s name will not be changed. That “somebody” ‘LiuKouChao’ will back off and return the “keys” to the rightful committee of collective body and take charge of the school affair. I will not accept the free gift of PeiMay school even if the community decides to give it to me, as it has a tremendous effect on an individual because it belongs to all. I would rather work hard for a living as my grand father did before me.
by ycl1688, on 05.21.10 @ 7:53 pm
This Pei May school affair reminds me of a joke during Indira Gandhi regime there were slogans all over Indian railway coaches ‘railways belong to the people’. so someone removed the soft cushion from the seats and took it home and scribbled the wordings ‘I have taken my share’. In this episode that individual have the same notion, we have seen enough of people on trying to pocket public properties or wealth as their own.
by Bill, on 05.21.10 @ 10:25 pm
Hi Liang and lexus,
Can you clarify the Nanking situation. Someone wanted to sell the site to a developer to build a shopping mall for his own gain. The local community in Teretti Bazaar opposed this as the site is a church originally and still is. The Government has declared the site a Heritage site and the case is in the courts. I don’t expect that they will revive the restaurant, but I hope they do not tear the place down to build the shopping mall. What is the prognosis for the church to remain as is?
Thanks.
by Binoy, on 05.25.10 @ 9:03 am
The Nanking restaurant site is currently under custody of the HIgh Court pending hearing of the case. If the case does not get through, it will be sold to any prospective buyer for development.
Kolkata being Asia’s top city for shopping malls, most probably a modern shopping complex will be built in its place.
by moi, on 05.27.10 @ 9:18 am
Is Nanking soon going to be auctioned ?
What can the community do about it.
by Prakash, on 05.30.10 @ 9:56 am
If CMC and others had their way, the Nanking Restaurant site will be knocked down and sold to a private developer to turn it into a modern shopping mall very soon, while the court case will take years (forever) to be heard anyway.
What a waste!
by Han, on 06.18.10 @ 1:52 am
Thank you so much! ycl1688 for this information well need some more like from what time does this begin and the address you see I am not really aware of these roads. Is photography allowed ? i really need these informations and thanks again for spending time for my questions.
by ycl1688, on 06.18.10 @ 6:19 pm
Han,
Look for poddar court, closed by it is sunyat sen street. Photograph should be allowed it is not a military installation neither terrorist intended target, do not worry about it.
It is every morning starting around 5 or 6 should be lot of carnival atmosphere. So these days after enjoying the world cup activities head there for your breakfast.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=s&utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-ha-na-us-bk-gm&utm_medium=ha&utm_term=google%20map
by ycl1688, on 06.18.10 @ 6:23 pm
Han,
correction on the google map look for Poddar court, kolkata india.
by Han, on 06.20.10 @ 1:18 pm
Thank you so much ycl1688 I will surely experience this as soon as possible!
by TangraBoy, on 06.23.10 @ 9:21 pm
The flood gate is now open
by Toyota, on 07.01.10 @ 9:24 am
Can anyone confirm that Nanking Restaurant site is having the same fate of Pei May School ? Heard that it will be torn down by private developers to replace it with a modern shopping mall like South City Centre. Is that true ?
by tangraboy, on 07.02.10 @ 12:06 am
Nanking rest and PeiMay are 2 diff issues, the school is the symbol of strenght and unity of Chinese Hakka in India for years. With the decline of the Chinese population also saw the decrease in strenght and glory it once had, its sad to see the former strenght that we had is no longer there. We look forward to the support of those who once belonged to this community, no matter where they live today : that will be our strenght. I ma sure there are thousands of “those” today are reading this note…
by Hanslow, on 07.17.10 @ 10:06 am
to: tangraboy
what is the diff issue between Nanking and Pei May ? Pls advise.
by Ku, on 07.22.10 @ 7:55 pm
Nanking located near poddar court and Pei May located in Tangra. bothe the 2 places have historic value.
by Hanslow, on 07.23.10 @ 12:24 pm
thanks ku. so what is status of nanking today ?
heard that hakka chinese in tangra have had a power struggle over pei may property – an individual thought he inherited its ownership rights from the forefathers of the current chinese community. is that true ?
by tangraboy, on 07.23.10 @ 6:34 pm
Leave the historical value away from the issues, PeiMay is far bigger and had trained thousands of Hakka boys and girls that spread almost all over the world today, ths fact is both have temples are structured on the top terrace and nobody dares to mess up with them ? PeiMay is electing its caretaker or committee and will come up with a cordial solution and you guys stay put and dont cause any trouble over here, Mr. Liu (my dad’s friend) after all will co-operate and hand over the KEY and PeiMay is back on business again like before (And the new leader likely to be one of my friends).
by ycl1688, on 07.23.10 @ 7:25 pm
Tangraboy,
Thanks for your encouraging news on the Pei May school, committee is the best
route to go. Since your influence is there, it is our hope to settle the whole affair once and for all. Why in house fighting ? causing great uproar among the community. Closing down school is not a wise thing, it is causing the kung fu class to stop and what not.
by ycl1688, on 07.24.10 @ 7:52 pm
???????????
when will in house fighting ?
by ycl1688, on 07.24.10 @ 7:53 pm
Correction
when will in house fighting end ?