Armenian Street. January, 2012. Calcutta, India.
The cemetery gets cleaned before Armenian Christmas. January, 2012. Calcutta, India.
(Left) Students of Armenian College & Philanthropic Academy on their way to Sunday service in a bus. December, 2011. Calcutta, India. (Right) Students of Armenian College & Philanthropic Academy at the Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth. This is Calcutta's oldest church established in 1724. December, 2011. Calcutta, India
Ejmin, 16yrs, student of Armenian College, wears his uniform for the choir. Ejmin came to Caclutta from Iran in 2008. He is presently in Class 4. He had to start all over again because he has to learn English. December
Easter Sunday at the Holy Church of Nazareth. April 2012, Calcutta, India
Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, performs the ceremony of the Baptism of Christ on Armenian Christmas, January 6th, 2012. Caclutta, India.
Flowers at the memorial for Armenian genocoide. April 2012, Calcutta, India
The photograph of His Holiness Karekin II adorns the wall of an Armenian home. April 2012. Calcutta, India
(Left) Margaret Sarkies Keller empties her father's room at an Armenian home minutes before his memorial service. November 2011.Calcutta, India. (Right) The Late Charles Sarkies, fondly called 'chacha', a hindi term for uncle. He had migrated from Julfa in Iran at the age of 12. He never returned. He was the oldest surviving alumnus of the Armenian College & Philnathropic Academy. April 2010, Calcutta, India
Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, Pastor of Armenians in India and Margaret Sarkies at the memorial service for Charles Sarkies. November, 2011. Cacutta, India.
At the church office. December, 2011. Calcutta, India.
Hermione Mary Martin, 80, reminesces about the past. Her mother was from Rangoon (present day Yangon), and father from Julfa in Iran. They met and in Calcutta. Hermione worked as a secretary at the ITC (Indian Tobacco Company) Ltd. April 2012, Calcutta, India
(Left) Irene Harris and her husband Jimmy (both in their early 90's) at their room in the Armenian home. Irene's grandfather, Arathoon Stephen, was one of the most illustrious Aremenian businessmen and philanthropists of Calcutta. May, 2010. Calcutta, India. (Right) Irene Harris smokes a cigarette at the Armenain home. Her husband expired two weeks ago. April 2012, Calcutta, India
Siblings Marie Stephen (L) and Saco V. H. Stephen at their home with their cat. Their grand parents died in the genocide and their parents met and married in Jerusalem. Marie & Saco were born and raised in Calcutta. December, 2011. Calcutta, India.
Students of Armenian College & Philantropic Academy perform the Arcakh (original name of Nagorno Karabakh) dance on the 20th anniversary celebration of the referendum on the independence of Nagorno Karabakh. December 2011, Caclutta, India.
(Left) Shane Hyrapiet, born to an Armenian father and Anglo Indian mother performs Bollywood songs at an Anglo Indian street carnival. December 2011, Caclutta, India. (Right) Sevak Vartomian on a night out with friends in Park Street, the hub of Calcutta’s night life. A majority of Park Street was built by Armenians. April 2012, Calcutta, India
One of the youngest students of the Armenian College & Philanthropic Academy. She's from Armenia and stays at the hostel. April 2012, Calcutta, India 18) Sister & brother sit on a swing at their home. April 2012, Calcutta, India
Sister & brother sit on a swing at their home. April 2012, Calcutta, India
Nakshun Durgaryan at her apartment in the Armenian College campus. Nakshun came to Calcutta in 2008 from Armenia. She teaches Armenian language at the college. January 2012, Calcutta, India.
A boy plays with a balloon at the Christmas party at the Armenian Sports Club. January, 2012. Calcutta, India.
ARMENIANS OF CALCUTTA
By Alakananda Nag
The Armenians came to India before the British in the early 1600’s. They were a thrifty community that ran coal mines, built hotels, and landmark buildings. The Armenians started leaving India before the British left, but a few still remain, mainly in Calcutta.They merged in the fiber of this vibrant city, and made it their own. In the hearts however, they remained chaste Armenians. They arguably had an equal if not a greater contribution than the British, to the cities architecture and cultural construct.Most of the Armenians in Calcutta today have never visited their country of origin; some speak the language, some don’t; the erstwhile grandeur, only a memory. But they pride themselves in being from a country rich in heritage, culture, and religion.To this day the Church remains the central figure holding the 200 odd Armenians together. The Armenian College & Philanthropic Academy, runby the Church is a free school and students from Armenia, Iran, and Iraq come for a better education.The Armenians of Calcutta, though dwindling in number, remain somewhat of a mystery. A quiet minority community that has been able to hold their own in an otherwise overpowering, frenetic city.
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