Chinese New Year
Join the “Lanterns & Legends” Walk to Celebrate Chinese New Year at Bow Barracks
Kolkata’s Chinese New Year celebrations are among the oldest in India, rooted in the city’s long-standing Chinese diaspora that began arriving in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Over time, communities settled across pockets of the city, contributing to its food culture, trades, and neighbourhood life. The festival continues to be marked by traditional performances, symbolic decorations, and community gatherings that reflect both heritage and cultural adaptation.
Bow Barracks, with its distinctive red-brick facades and close-knit residential character, forms an evocative backdrop to such cultural scenes. Built during the colonial period (a garrison's mess for the army during World War I) and later home to Anglo-Indian families, the neighbourhood now stands as a layered cultural and historical enclave.
During festive occasions, its lanes transform through light, music, and shared celebration, reflecting on Kolkata’s intertwined community narratives.
Against this backdrop, Gatha – Tales of India will host “Lanterns & Legends,” a curated Chinese New Year experience, on February 17, 2026 at 4 PM at Bow Barracks. The event aims to view the festival through Kolkata’s social and cultural landscape instead of treating it as a standalone event.
Event Details:
Date: February 17, 2026 (Tuesday)
Time: 4 pm
Location: Bow Barracks, Kolkata
Nearest metro station: Chandni Chowk
Registration Amount: ₹ 300
You can scan the QR code to register or message to book your spot from this link
The occasion will trace stories of migration, memory, and community embedded within the neighbourhood’s streets. Through lion dances and red lanterns, the walk will explore food traditions, community ties, and how Chinese New Year has become part of Kolkata’s cultural fabric.
More than a staged performance, the programme seeks to engage participants with the lively environment of Bow Barracks — its streets, shared histories, and continuing spirit of celebration. The walk looks at how festival traditions have been preserved, adapted, and continue to shape cultural life in present-day Kolkata.
The walk will be led by Pritam Naskar, an independent research scholar whose work is driven by an interest in monuments, artefacts, and lesser-known historical narratives. His research-led approach focuses on uncovering overlooked stories and interpreting them for wider public engagement.
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