Influence made by the Chinese community

 Influence made by the Chinese community 


Within mere decades of the Chinese coming to Calcutta, the migrants established multiple temples, cemeteries and other native associated structures like Huiguans. Huiguans were merchant guilds that majorly impacted the social, economic and cultural background of calcutta. Other associations like clubs came up due to the booming number of migrants coming to Calcutta. The tomb of Atchew in Achipur was one of the most important sites for the migrants. It has become a yearly pilgrimage site as well.


In Calcutta, the Huiguans were named after specific regions in the Guangdong province off the South China sea. There were 5 such Huiguans, all established by Cantonese immigrants. Initially the Huiguans were attributed to bringing together immigrants from the various regions. They served as guest houses, school sponsors, community gathering sites etc. 


As is a general trend with migration, with the people came the food. And Chinese food has sowed deep roots within India. It can be found everywhere and is extremely popular. Tom Atchew landed in what is now known as Acchipur today and began a factory for sugar. But the factory shutdown soon due to the lack of use of refined sugar in Bengali sweets. The workers ended up migrating to the nearest biggest city - Calcutta. 


There they settled in the Tiretta Bazaar. The Tiretta Bazaar or the Old China Market as it is known today seemed to be the seeding for Chinese food in Calcutta and then the rest of India. It started to become a Ghetto and is now the oldest Chinese Ghetto in Calcutta. The primary business there were tanneries until the British decided it was an eyesore and shifted them to the eastern wetland. Thus the Chinese immigrants learnt the language and integrated themselves into the city becoming an integral part of the city, revolutionizing the culinary and cultural life of calcutta. Their influence is still visible today despite the diminishing populations of Chinese communities.

 


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