Kolkata

Kolkata (Bangla: কলকাতা, Hindi: ??????), is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and was capital of British India until 1912. The city's name was officially changed from Calcutta to Kolkata in January 2001. Despite the new name being phonetically closer to the Bengali version, many people and organizations still refer to it as Calcutta. In Hindi, the city is referred to as Kalkatta.

Ethnic Communities in Kolkata

Kolkata, though comparatively young compared to the Indian city states like Delhi and Hyderabad, has nevertheless been a melting pot for international and Indian communities, even more so than the upscale and cosmopolitan Bombay and Delhi. Expatriate communities include

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Chinese

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Tamils

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Marwaris

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Anglo-Indians

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Jews : Kolkata's Jews are mostly Baghdadi Jews who came to Kolkata to trade. At one point as strong as 6000, the community has dwindled after the formation of Israel to about 60. The first recorded Jewish immigrant to Kolkata was Shalon Cohen in 1798 from Aleppo in present day Syria. The most influential Jewish family in Kolkata was perhaps the father - son real estate magnates David Joseph Ezra and Elia David Ezra. They were behind such buildings as the Chowringhee Mansions, Esplanade Mansions and the synagogue Neveh Shalom. Ezra Street in Kolkata is named after them. The community has five independent synagogues in Kolkata, including one in Chinatown - some of which are still active today. The Jewish confectioner Nahoum's at New Marketholds a special place in Kolkata confectionery. A Jewish wedding in Kolkata after a gap of 50 years in the 1990s received a lot of press attention.

Related Topics:
Jew - Baghdadi Jews - Israel - Shalon Cohen - 1798 - Aleppo - Syria - David Joseph Ezra - Elia David Ezra - Chowringhee Mansions - Esplanade Mansions - Neveh Shalom - Ezra Street - Chinatown - Nahoum's - New Market

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Armenians : The Armenians followed the land route through Bactria to trade with India from ancient times. They were known as the "Merchant Princes of India", and some settled in Emperor Akbar's court. Some finally settled in Serampore and Kolkata, supposedly under the invitation of Job Charnock. Among notable Armenians, Sir A. Apcar was the head of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce, and Arratoon Stephen built the Grand Hotel . The size of the Armenian community can be testified by the five Armenian cemeteries in Kolkata, including the one adjunct to the Chapel of Holy Trinity in Tangra. A gift of Rs. 8000 by Aswatoor Mooradkhan helped found the Armenian Philanthropist Academy in 1821, which later became the still running Armenian College. Armenian College has been instrumental in pioneering the game of rugby on the Maidan turf. The Armenians settled in a block close to Free School Street, which even to this day is called Armani-para ( the neighbourhood of the Armenians. They have mostly assimilated into the Indian population, and the community has now been reduced to a handful of houses.

Related Topics:
Armenians - Bactria - Akbar - Serampore - Kolkata - Job Charnock - Apcar - Bengal Chamber of Commerce - Arratoon Stephen - Grand Hotel - Armenian - Chapel of Holy Trinity - Tangra - Aswatoor Mooradkhan - Armenian Philanthropist Academy - Armenian College - Rugby - Maidan - Free School Street - Armani-para

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Tibetans : The Tibetans were initially annual winter visitors to Kolkata, along with the Bhutias - vending woollens, while Afghans ( locally Kabuliwallahs ) - who used to vend spices and fruits. Post 1951, Kolkata became home to quite a few Tibetans who used the porous Sikkim-Tibet border to get to Kolkata. Winter sees large numbers of Tibetans set up winter garment streetside shops in the area around Wellington Square. The Tibetan community has also contributed to a large number of Tibetan restaurants serving ethnic Tibetan cuisine.Tibetan medicine is well accepted in Kolkata as alternative therapy to terminal illnesses.

Related Topics:
Tibetans - Winter - Bhutias - Afghans - Kabuliwallahs - 1951 - Sikkim - Tibet - Wellington Square - Tibetan - Tibetan cuisine - Tibetan medicine

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Greeks : The Greeks emigrated to India after the Ottoman and Turkish invasions in the 16th century. Kolkata had a sizeable Greek community, mostly a close-knit clan of noble families from the Greek island of Chios, pursuing trade with the British. The firm of Ralli Brothers is perhaps the most common Greek name in Kolkata - the Rallis sold their firm in the 1960s after Indian independence and moved away, like most of the Greek community. The firm is presently known as Ralli India, under the Tata Group of companies. The Greek community was centred around Amratollah Street around the Greek Church of the Transfiguration(built 1782). The most famous Greek to hail from Kolkata possibly was the gifted violinist Marie Nicachi who embarked on a European tour in 1910 and played at the courts of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. She settled in her familial home of Corfu after the 1st World War. Th e Greek contribution to the city will be remembered by the pioneering social work at the Greek Orthodox Church and the Panioty Fountain in the Maidan after Demetrius Panioty - personal secretary to the "friend of India" Lord Ripon.

Related Topics:
Greeks - Ottoman - Turkish - 16th century - Greek - Chios - British - Ralli Brothers - Greek - Ralli - Ralli India - Tata Group - Amratollah Street - Greek Church of the Transfiguration - Marie Nicachi - Franz Josef - Austria - Nicholas II - Russia - Corfu - 1st World War - Greek Orthodox Church - Panioty Fountain - Maidan - Demetrius Panioty - Lord Ripon

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Parsees

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