When it's spring in the Himalayas...
When the sun-spun rain falls gently on the mountains...
When magical mists like divine dragons rise from forests...
That is when the mystique of Darjeeling Tea is created. |
 |
HISTORY: DARJEELING TEA
The History of Darjeeling Tea dates back to 1835
through the initiative of the British Governor
General, Lord Bentinck. Dr. Campbell, a civil
surgeon, was transferred from Kathmandu to Darjeeling
in 1839 as the first superintendent of Darjeeling.
At this time, there were hardly twenty families
living in the entire tract of hills. Dr. Campbell
brought China tea seeds from Kumaon hills of north
India in the year 1841 and planted them near his
residence in his Beechwood garden in Darjeeling,
2134 mtrs. above sea level. Seeing the success
in the plantation of Darjeeling Tea, the government elected
to put out Darjeeling Tea nurseries in these areas in the
year 1847.
Following the footsteps of Dr. Campbell came several others, for example Dr. Withcombe, Mr. James Grant of the Civil Service and Capt. Samlar. In 1848, Dr. Hooker planted Darjeeling Tea at Lebong, almost at thousand feet below Darjeeling where the tea plant grew as anticipated and successfully.
Several other Darjeeling Tea plantations advanced by the year 1852 and Darjeeling perceived its first commercial Darjeeling Tea estates namely Tukvar, Steinthal and Aloobari.
These entire tea plantations used seeds procured from the government nurseries. The development was rapid by the year 1856 as the experimental stage had successfully passed.
According to the 'Darjeeling Gazetteer', Aloobari Tea Garden was opened by the 'Kurseong and Darjeeling Tea Company' and another on the Lebong spur by the 'Darjeeling Land Mortgage Bank'. For this purpose several hundred ha of land was cleared starting from an elevation of 750 m to 1800 m above sea level. By 1857, 25 to 30 ha was planted.
Dr. Borgham started the Dhooteria Tea garden in Darjeeling in 1859, and in between 1860 and 1864 this was followed by 4 other Darjeeling Tea gardens at Takdha, Ambootia, Ging and Phoobsering which were established by the 'Darjeeling Tea Company'. The other gardens such as Tukvar and Badamtam tea Estate were started by the Lebong Tea Company. Besides these there were other tea gardens that begun during this contemporary period. Presently they are known as Makaibari Tea Estates, Pandam Tea Estate and Steinthal Tea Estate.
NEPALESE DARJEELING TEA LABORERS / WORKERS IN HISTORY
Dr
Campbell’s primary problem was to draw the
settlers and the natives to this uninhabited region.
During this time, Shri Dakman Rai, a nobleman
from Nepal had arrived in Darjeeling. Shri Dakman
Rai was requested by Dr.Campbell to assist him
by immigrating and bringing workers from Nepal.
Acquiescing to this request, Shri Dakman returned
to Darjeeling with a thousand immigrants who all
belonged to the Gorkha or the Nepalese community.
In appreciation of the helpful service rendered,
Mr. Rai was given the grant of free-hold lands
presently known as Soureni Tea Estate, Samripani and Phuguri Tea Estate.
But this initial lot of labours did not suffice
the requisite and one of the Directors of the
Darjeeling Tea Company, Mr. Christison, requested
Shri Dakman to provide with additional laborers
from Nepal and promised him to supply Darjeeling Tea seeds
so that he could establish his own tea plantation
in the lands that he was gifted by East India
Company through Dr Campbell. This is how Darjeeling Tea gardens
were initiated by Sri Dakman in 1878 at Soureni,
in 1880 at Phuguri and in 1883 at Sampripani.
After all the preliminary efforts, by this time
each and every tea garden had a team of labour recruiters
who used to bring labourers from Nepal , Sikkim
and the adjoining areas.
DARJEELING TEA -
PRESENT DAY
Today, Darjeeling Tea is renowned for
its flavour and is known as "The Champagne
of Teas" or "The Queen of Teas". Darjeeling now has 86-87 tea gardens, many with
ethnic names reminiscent of a romantic past and
each gifted with its own scenic character and
topography. It is spread over a total area of
19,000 hectares and employs over 52,000 Nepalese
people on permanent basis, while a further 15,000
persons are engaged during the tea plucking season
which lasts from March to November. More than
60 per cent are Nepalese women employed as Darjeeling Tea pluckers.
