Kolkata (West Bengal) [India]January 22 (ANI): The Chinese community and citizens of Kolkata’s Tangra in West Bengal are all set and ready to celebrate another New Year in China Town.
Speaking to ANI, Chen Yie Sheng, head of the Chinese Kali Temple in China Town, spoke about the preparations for the festival and said that the streets of Chinatown would remain decorated with red and yellow lights.
Chinatown is located in East Kolkata and is home to many Chinese cuisines. It was once the hub of the best Chinese leather products in eastern India.
“On Chinese New Year’s Eve, the streets are decorated with red and yellow lights and ‘Happy New Year’ is written on the huge red colored banners, which hang between the buildings,” said Chen Yie Sheng, adding that a lion dancer would also move down the street outside the temple in Tangra.
Every year a cultural evening is organized to celebrate the Chinese New Year in India.
“We are really happy and excited because it is the first time that the festival is organized after two years of Covid-19. We are spreading the love here,” said Kay C from Sweden, adding that people from different parts of the world attend the festival.
The festival is one of the most important celebrations as it is celebrated with great enthusiasm throughout Asia.
Notbaly, the day and date of Chinese New Year is not fixed as the day is celebrated according to the lunar calendar and falls between January 21 and February 20.
On the occasion, people use fireworks to fight a monster called Nian, who would arrive on New Year’s Eve to eat people and their livestock. According to the belief, people use fireworks to blow away this monster and hence it is a tradition followed since then.
It is relevant to mention that every Chinese New Year has a zodiac sign, this year 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit for the Chinese. (ANI)
Source: sn.dk