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India: Opium smokers in Tangra, Calcutta / Kolkata Chinatown, 1945.

India: Opium smokers in Tangra, Calcutta / Kolkata Chinatown, 1945.

Chinatown in the eastern part of the city of Kolkata is the only Chinatown in India. The locality was once home to 20,000 ethnic Chinese, now the population has dropped to 2,000 or so. The traditional occupation of the Chinese community here had been working in the nearby tanning industry and the Chinese restaurants. The area is still noted for the Chinese restaurants where many people flock to taste traditional Chinese and Indian Chinese food. Once there were many opium dens in the area. That type of establishment is now illegal in India.

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