Cheenapara Heritage Gallery is unveiled at Sei Vui Temple
Some people do conduct heritage walks but we want to train people and do it,” said Roy. “We plan to have walking trails and conduct heritage walks around the temples and restaurants in the two Chinatowns of Tiretta Bazaar and Tangra. “Departments, like urban development, will also play a crucial role in boosting the infrastructure of the area. Roy was speaking at the unveiling of Cheenapara Heritage Gallery at Sei Vui Temple and Voiling Club in Tiretta Bazaar. The gallery, which documents the history and cultural heritage of Kolkata’s Chinese community, brings together items, photographs and documents that offer a glimpse into a community the presence of which in the city spans over two centuries. The displays trace the locality’s temples, huiguans (native-place associations), schools and workshops, which by the mid-19th century had formed a dense Chinese urban ecosystem. The exhibits, sourced from the city’s Chinese community, include temple seals and talisman woodblocks, historic dentistry and carpentry tools, an abacus, calligraphy sets, mahjong sets, club seals, gongs, joss sticks, candles and lamp stands. The Chinese community began settling in Tiretta Bazaar area in the late 18th century, with shoemakers, dentists, carpenters, eateries and other businesses becoming part of the neighbourhood’s economic and social life.