‘Chini’ Calcutta: A History of Chinese Lives and Labour

A Chinese House in Central Calcutta [Photo by Syed Shakir Ali Al Hossaini]

Last time you had your cappuccino sitting in an aesthetic cafe with that extra spoon of white sugar, did you take a moment to think when was the first time that Calcutta first had its first refined sugar on the tea table? In this blog, we will explore the histories of refined sugar, the leather industry, beauty parlours, and ‘Desi Chinese’ in the City of Joy.

Calcutta’s cultural history is diverse and layered. The constant exchange and interaction made this city one of the most unique cosmopolises in India. One of the most fascinating cultural threads is the tale of its Chinese community, one of the oldest diasporas in India. Unlike other global Chinatowns, Calcutta’s Chinese settlements were not merely commercial enclaves but living, evolving neighbourhoods that shaped the city’s economy, cuisine, and cultural imagination. The history of Chinese Calcutta is an engaging tale of migration, adaptation, and resilience.

The origins of Chinese settlement in Calcutta can be traced back to the late 18th century. Around 1778, a Chinese trader named Tong Achew established a sugar plantation in Achipur (near Komagata Maru Budge Budge). This marked the first known Chinese settlement in India. Achew’s venture attracted fellow migrants, laying the groundwork for a small but significant Chinese presence in Bengal. Although Achipur never developed into a large settlement, it remains symbolically important as the birthplace of the Chinese Calcutta. Even today, Achipur hosts an annual gathering during Chinese New Year, connecting present-day people with their historical roots.

The real expansion of the Chinese community began in the 19th century, driven by political and economic upheavals in China such as the Opium Wars and internal rebellions. These events pushed many Chinese migrants, especially from southern regions like Guangdong and Hakka-speaking areas, to seek opportunities abroad. Calcutta, the then capital of British India and a major port city, offered fertile ground for settlement. Migrants brought with them specialised skills and gradually carved out distinct occupational niches. Cantonese settlers often worked as carpenters, particularly in the docks, while Hakka migrants became known for shoemaking and leatherwork.

A Chinese Laundry from the 19th Century Calcutta 

This division of labour helped the Chinese community integrate economically while maintaining a strong cultural identity. By the early 19th century, the Chinese population began clustering in central Calcutta, particularly around Tiretta Bazaar. This area became the city’s first Chinatown, a vibrant neighbourhood of homes, temples, eateries, and workshops. Tiretta Bazaar was more than just a residential area; it was a cultural hub. Chinese schools, newspapers, and temples flourished here, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem within the colonial city. The mornings in Tiretta Bazaar became famous for their street food culture of steaming momos, baos, and rice porridge served at dawn. Even today, remnants of this tradition survive in the area’s weekend breakfast markets, offering a glimpse into a once-thriving community life. While Tiretta Bazaar was the original Chinatown, the story of Chinese Kolkata expanded eastward in the early 20th century. 

Around 1910, Chinese shoemakers began moving to Tangra, then a marshy area on the outskirts of the city, to establish leather tanneries. Tangra soon evolved into Kolkata’s “New Chinatown.” The Hakka Chinese, in particular, found economic opportunity in tanning, a profession avoided by many upper-caste Indians due to its association with impurity.  Over time, Tangra became synonymous with leather production. Rows of tanneries and workshops dominated the landscape, and the area developed a distinct industrial character. Alongside the harsh conditions of tannery work, a unique cultural life flourished, complete with temples, community associations, and eateries. 

Perhaps the most enduring legacy of Calcutta’s Chinese community is its cuisine. What began as traditional Hakka cooking gradually adapted to local tastes, giving rise to what we now know as Indo-Chinese food. In Tangra’s kitchens, Chinese techniques met Indian ingredients. Soy sauce mingled with green chillies, and wok-fried dishes absorbed the bold spices of Bengal. The result was a culinary revolution. Dishes like chilli chicken and Hakka noodles that would go on to conquer menus across India were born. This fusion cuisine is not merely a gastronomic curiosity but a testament to cultural adaptation. It reflects how migrant communities negotiate identity, not by preserving tradition unchanged, but by transforming it in dialogue with their surroundings.

Steaming dumplings of the China Town

The Chinese community quietly transformed the city’s beauty culture through some of its earliest modern parlours, run primarily by Chinese women who introduced Western-style hairdressing, facials, and grooming practices to an emerging urban clientele. At a time when Bengali women had limited access to public self-care spaces, these salons became discreet havens of modern femininity, valued for their hygiene, precision, and non-judgmental atmosphere. Frequented by elite women, performers, and Anglo-Indian clients, Chinese beauty parlours were not just service spaces but intimate sites of transformation where global trends met local desires. This flourishing culture, however, was deeply disrupted after the Sino-Indian War, leaving behind a subtle yet lasting legacy in the professionalization and stylistic evolution of India’s beauty industry.

Despite its successes, the Chinese community in Kolkata faced significant challenges in the 20th century. The most critical turning point came during the Sino-Indian War of 1962. Suspicion and political tension led to widespread discrimination, loss of livelihoods, and even internment for many Chinese Indians. The aftermath of the war triggered a wave of emigration. They were denied a Voter ID by the then government. Many Chinese families left India for countries like Canada and Australia, seeking stability and opportunity. Urban development also reshaped the community. Only by the tireless efforts of Atal Bihari Bajpai did the Chinese people get their first legal identity as residents of India years later. Infrastructure projects fragmented neighbourhoods like Tiretta Bazaar, while environmental regulations in the late 20th century led to the closure and relocation of Tangra’s tanneries. Slowly, the shoemaking industry was taken over by the Muslims of Calcutta who once joined the Chinese as labourers. They learned the craft, and with the Chinese downfall, they made the leather industry and shoemaking their own trademark. 

These changes eroded the economic foundations of the community, accelerating its decline. At its peak, Calcutta's Chinese population was estimated to be around 20,000. Today, only a few thousand remain. The once-bustling streets of Chinatown have grown quieter. Many traditional occupations have disappeared, and younger generations have migrated abroad. Yet, the community has not vanished entirely. Small businesses, restaurants, temples, and cultural associations continue to sustain its presence. Despite the decline, the cultural imprint of the Chinese community remains deeply embedded in Calcutta’s identity. Festivals like the Lunar New Year still bring life to Tiretta Bazaar and Tangra, with lion dances, lanterns, and community feasts.

The Lion Festival on the day of Lunar New Year

Places like the Chinese Kali Temple in Tangra symbolise the blending of cultures, where Chinese settlers adopted and adapted local religious practices. Previously, Calcutta witnessed the rapid conversion of the Chinese community into either Christianity or Buddhism during the 19th-century Colonial Bengal, as a cure to their identity crisis in a foreign land. Meanwhile, the enduring popularity of Indo-Chinese cuisine ensures that the community’s legacy continues to reach far beyond the city. The history of Chinese settlements in Calcutta is not just a story of migration; it is a narrative of transformation. From sugar plantations in Achipur to the culinary innovations of Tangra, the Chinese community has left an indelible mark on the city.

Today, as the community dwindles, there is a growing awareness of the need to preserve this heritage, not as a static museum piece, but as a living, evolving tradition. Calcutta’s Chinatown may no longer be what it once was, but its spirit endures in every plate of chilli chicken, every red lantern, and every story passed down through generations. In many ways, the history of Chinese Calcutta mirrors the city itself: resilient, syncretic, and forever in transition.

Works Cited

1. Basu, Sukla, and Kunaljeet Roy. Chinese Calcuttawallah. Edinburgh University Press, 2025.

2. Rītā Caudhurī, and Deepika Phukan. Makam. Zubaan, 2014.

3. Gupta, Nilanjana, et al. Calcutta Mosaic. Anthem Press, 2009.

4. Ramadurai, Charukesi. “India’s Disappearing Chinese Community.” Www.bbc.com, 13 May 2023, www.bbc.com/travel/article/20230511-indias-disappearing-chinese-community.