I work with tea because I love Tea. I don’t belong to the industry but my focus is to make Indians and people across the globe understand Indian Specialty Tea and fall in love with them. Therefore, everything I do I try to be consumer focus. When I began my tea journey some 8 years back, I didn’t have any formal education on tea. I got great support from Gaurav Saria of Infinitea who I call my tea guru happily.
Over the years I studied tea, visited several gardens, did a certification program, spent time with some legendary tea people in India, and slowly started gaining confidence in taking baby steps into the beautiful world of tea.
At this time I designed for myself the title “Tea Artist” keeping in mind my objectives as well as the kind of work I intend to do. Sadly, however, I found that many other people started copying Tea Artist as if it is a common title and available to use without the slightest regard for its intellectual property right.
Tea Artist is not a title you get after finishing any Tea Certificate Program, nor can you get it by reading x number of tea books or spending y number of years in the tea industry.
Tea Artist is a title designed by me solely for my usage keeping in mind my skills, knowledge, expertise, experience, and vision. Therefore, using Tea Artist by anyone else is an infringement.
In India, no one really cares about such things. In fact, no one can believe that someone can create a title and can legally own it. Well, I had to do that now. I am happy to say that Tea Artist is now a trademark belonging to me – that is Susmita Das Gupta. I am hoping that those people who have been using this title will stop using it with immediate effect; and if not, I shall be forced to take legal actions against them (which I don’t want to do – I believe in good faith).
But before we proceed, let’s just take a moment to understand Corona Virus and how it works.
“Corona Virus (Cov) infect variety of organs including the liver, respiratory and enteric tracts and the central nervous system. The resulting disease phenotypes (a phenotype would be any observable characteristic or trait of a disease, such as morphology, development, biochemical or physiological properties, or behavior, without any implication of a mechanism. A clinical phenotype would be the presentation of a disease in a given individual) comprise a vast spectrum ranging from acute life threatening disease to chronic inapparent infections. Host genetic background and age in addition to the specific virus and root of entry contribute to disease severity. Viral cellular and tissue tropism affects both the quality and quantity of immune response which automatically determine viral control and pathogenesis. (the manner of development of a disease).” (the full report: https://www.asmscience.org/content/book/10.1128/9781555815790.ch22 )
Three immunologists —Timothy Craig, a professor of medicine and pediatrics in allergy and immunology at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center; Cathryn Nagler, a mucosal immunologist at the University of Chicago and distinguished fellow of the American Association of Immunologists, and John Wherry, director of the Institute of Immunology at Penn Medicine — said there’s no strong evidence that any herb or supplement, including vitamin C, will prevent coronavirus. Like drinking water, taking most of them probably won’t hurt you, but also won’t help. Probiotics also won’t save you. Colloidal silver can be harmful.
So, since our immune system is all we have between us and the ICU as this virus spreads, are there ways we can make it work better?
This is where tea comes in.
A study conducted in 2003 had found that tea boosts the body’s defenses against infection and contains a substance that might be turned into a drug to protect against disease. Coffee does not have the same effect.
A component in tea was found in laboratory experiments to prime the immune system to attack invading bacteria, viruses and fungi, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A second experiment, using human volunteers, showed that immune system blood cells from tea drinkers responded five times faster to germs than did the blood cells of coffee drinkers.
“We worked out the molecular aspects of this tea component in the test tube and then tested it on a small number of people to see if it actually worked in human beings,” said Dr. Jack F. Bukowski, a researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and Harvard Medical School. The results, he said, gave clear proof that five cups of tea a day sharpened the body’s disease defenses.
In the study, Bukowski and his co-authors isolated from ordinary black tea a substance called L-theanine.
Bukowski said L-theanine is broken down in the liver to ethylamine, a molecule that primes the response of an immune system element called the gamma-delta T cell.
“We know from other studies that these gamma-delta T cells in the blood are the first line of defense against many types of bacteria, viral, fungal and parasitic infections,” he said. “They even have some anti-tumor activity.”
The T cells prompt the secretion of interferon, a key part of the body’s chemical defense against infection, Bukowski said.
“We know from mouse studies that if you boost this part of the immune system it can protect against infection,” he said.
To further test the finding, the researchers had 11 volunteers drink five cups a day of tea, and 10 others drink coffee. Before the test began, they drew blood samples from all 21 test subjects.
After four weeks, they took more blood from the tea drinkers and then exposed that blood to the bacteria called E-coli. Bukowski said the immune cells in the specimens secreted five times more interferon than did blood cells from the same subjects before the weeks of tea drinking. Blood tests and bacteria challenges showed there was no change in the interferon levels of the coffee drinkers, he said.
Bukowski said it may be possible to further isolate and refine L-theanine from tea and use that as a drug to boost the infection defense of the body.
(The health effects of tea have been extensively studied. So far, it has been linked to lower heart disease and cancer risk through the action of flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Other studies have linked tea to helping combat osteoporosis, the brittle bone disease, and to relieving some allergy symptoms.)
So, Tea contributes considerably in building your immune system, which in return helps you to fight various diseases better.
“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware.” Martin Buber.
A part of ancient landscape of Southern India, Nilgiris, which literally means the ‘Blue Mountain’, is known for its spectacular natural beauty, amazing wildlife, indigenous and ethnic people and tea!
Though Ooty, the quintessential Indian honeymoon destination is more widely known, Coonoor that lies just 18 kilometer away, is a quiet picturesque town that has put Nilgiris on the world map for its tea.
Every year more than 3 million tourists visit Ooty from various parts of the world, but not many of them are aware of its local legacy – Tea – and what it can offer to an enthusiastic and adventurous traveller who is willing to explore and experience.
Tea Tourism is a new concept that is slowly taking shape in the Indian hospitality domain. At the moment, tea tourism is confined to private tea estate bungalows which offer accommodation and promise a serene, quiet life for a few days away from the bustles of modern life.
Though this is a part of tea tourism, actual tea tourism is much bigger in concept and more inclusive and experiential. At Nilgiris, for example, one can indulge into all of the following activities or just pick one or two as they like:
Staying in a tea garden bungalow adds to the whole experience of your tea trail. However, if that is not what you want to do you can also opt for an accommodation nearby as per your budget and then plan your tea activities in a way that gives you the best immersive experience.
When at Nilgiris, I prefer to stay at a Tea Estate bungalow or at YWCA which is at Bedford area of Coonoor. Taj Gateway is just few minutes’ walk, and if you are a luxury traveler, then that is what I would suggest.
A typical tea trail can start with the factory walk where you get the first-hand experience of knowing and learning how some of the best Nilgiris teas are made.
The other thing I love to do is to actually have a picnic within a tea garden; you can spend time reading, relaxing, bird or butterfly watching or simply being in the vast expanse of green all around you. Couple of hours there and it truly soothes my tired soul.
Trekking and walking along the small pathways inside the tea garden is also an exciting activity. I also like to go plucking with the women tea pluckers who I always find very welcoming and smiling in spite of their very hard life. Tea plucking gives you a perspective about the life of a tea plucker, while at the same time it puts you right in the middle of so many women workers who are perhaps the only bread earners in their family. Tea industry employs the highest number of women as compared to any industry in the country.
Sunrise and sunsets are something that you can’t afford to miss while in the Blue Mountain. Your morning tea actually tastes better with the rising sun in the horizon. Believe me!
The Niligirs is also home to some very well-known tribes of India. The Badagas, whose village is just a diversion away on the Ooty – Emerald lake route – are the most hospitable and happy people that I have every met! (They are officially the Second most hospitable tribes in the world.) They have a unique dance routine where elders and youngsters come together and dance to the tune of their drum and other indigenous instruments. Join them in their dance – they love it. Half a day at their village is a good investment of your time.
The Nilgiris is part of the Nilgiris Biosphere – so don’t be surprised if you see a herd of bison crossing the tea estate quietly or a family of elephants giving you a welcoming nod when you are riding on the world heritage Blue Mountain Railways. The Blue Mountain Railways came into existence in 1908, so if you are taking a joy ride in it – you are becoming a part of an eventful history for life.
Nilgiris is known for many specialty teas. The orthodox / whole leaf tea is a GI registered, like Darjeeling Tea, Basmati Rice or Rossgulla. There are many notable tea factories all across the Nilgiris, a few of them would be Glendale, Chamraj, Thiashola, Craigmore, Tiger Hill.. Thiashola is the oldest tea garden in the Nilgiris (established in 1854) and comes with a very interesting history – when started the garden and factory were completely manned by Chinese prisoners of the Opium War brought over by the British since they believed all Chinese knew how to grow and make tea!
Korakundah, a part of the Chamraj Tea, is the highest tea estate in the country. It’s situated at an altitude of 7920 feet!
Any factory you visit, don’t forget to experience the Tea Tasting session. A Tea Appreciation session can also be organized if there is enough number of guests. The tea appreciation program also teaches you on how to identify and buy the fine Nilgiri teas and how to brew and steep them.
Nilgiris have an excellent ecosystem of small farmers whose hand-rolled and handcrafted teas are world-famous. Try them!
Nilgiris produce tea throughout the year and its nice mild weather makes it a wonderful perennial destination.
Did you know that chocolate makes one of the best pairing with most teas? Well, no wonder Ooty is famous for its chocolates and chocolate factories.
Teas to try from The Nilgiris:
White Tea
Green Teas
Oolong
Black
Winter Frost
And various other whole-leaf blends
How to reach Coonoor:
Option 1 : Fly into Bangalore International airport and then drive down to Coonoor. This will take about 6 hours.
Option 2: Fly into Coimbatore and Coonoor is just a 2 hours’ drive.
The debate is on since the time someone in America “invented” tea bag by mistake (the dumbest and most horrifying invention to any true blue tea lover).
Well, I made my point already there! You see, if you consider yourself a true blue tea lover, you can’t be seen with a tea bag (Forget Simon Baker in Mentalist. He even added milk to a Chamomile tea bag!) Trust me. It’s like blasphemy. Or, may be more! It’s like drinking premixed “scotch” (sounds weird right? A brand tried to sell a premix whisky – didn’t work at all) and calling yourself a whisky connoisseur.
Now, that was all about passion. But passion, these days, are not that relevant after all. We need rationale. And we need scientific reasoning. So, here it is:
Before that let’s clarify what includes loose leaf and what’s a tea bag:
Most (90%) tea bags contain small cut leaf which is primarily tea dust and very broken tea leaves and twigs; while Whole Loose Leaf Teas are primarily made up of Whole, large and Unbroken Leaves.
Tea grades such as dust & brokens have higher surface areas which means higher exposure to the essential oils and more of a chance for them to evaporate. The large grades have a relatively lesser surface area and hence the essential oils remain intact. Hence better Aroma, Better flavor and more Antioxidants!
Tea bags have limited space for the tea leaves to let water flow and absorb very little water and hence the infusion and the yield is not very flavorful, Loose Leaf tea have space to expand and hence allow the water to be absorbed and flow through the leaves and extract good amount of vitamins, minerals, flavors all along with great aroma.
Loose leaf teas can be reinfused several times (in many cases) unlike a tea bag.
Tea bags may release tannins more quickly when compared to loose leaf tea resulting in bitter and astringent brews.
Most tea bag teas are machine picked and machine make unlike most whole loose leaf tea which are carefully handpicked and carefully selectively processed.
Not convinced yet?
Ok… No problem. Let me share with you a study called the The Glaucus Studies, 2013
The Study consisted of 25 varieties of tea bags that were tested for 365 different illegal pesticides of the eight well-known brands. They are manufactured in India and China for global distribution. Some countries already have banned these brands, but not the U.S.
Here is the list of eight brands and 25 types of teas that were found “adulterated”:
Tetley – Pure Green Tea, Long Leaf Green Tea
Twinings – Classic Assam Tea, Classic Lady Grey, English Breakfast, Earl Grey
Uncle Lee’s Legends of China – Green Tea, Jasmine Green Tea
Celestial Seasonings – Authentic Green Tea, Antioxidant Max Blackberry Pomegranate, Antioxidant Max Blood Orange, Antioxidant Max Dragon Fruit, English Breakfast Black K-Cup, Green Tea Honey Lemon Ginger, Green Tea Peach Blossom, Green Tea Raspberry Gardens, Sleepytime Herbal Teas, Sleepytime Kids Goodnight Grape Herbal
Lipton – Clear Green Tea, Darjeeling Tea, Pure Green Tea, Yellow Label Black Tea
No Name – Black Tea
King Cole – Orange Pekoe
Signal – Orange Pekoe Two Cups
Unfortunately, if you drink tea, you may see several of your favorites on the list! The Glaucus Testing selected an independent and highly accredited lab, so there would be no discretions. The brands were chosen because they were specifically marketed as “100 percent natural and healthy.”
It’s kind of ironic because some of the names like “Pure Green Tea” are nothing more than a marketing ploy to make you feel believe that it is all natural, this is exactly why organic whole leaf tea is always a better choice.
Toxic Tea Bags
So, if the alarming levels of pesticides wasn’t enough to get you to make the switch, perhaps the epichlorohydrin that is used to treat these tea bags to ensure that they do not disintegrate or tear, will. This chemical, epichlorohydrin is a chlorinated epoxy compound that is used as an industrial solvent. It is not only a strong skin irritant, but also a known carcinogen. According to Dow, it is a very dangerous chemical that requires a special handling procedure, and yep, that’s right – the tea bag companies mentioned above use this chemical to spray their bags. That chemical is not only being absorbed into our skin, but it’s being extracted in hot water and then consumed.
Given your love for tea bag which you have been drinking as tea for a while now, how much poison are you now carrying in your body?
Conclusions:
Tea bags gained momentum in an era when there were no alternative to the convenience that they offered. People had foregone quality for convenience.
Now days there are enough tea accessories available in the market so making loose leaf tea is as much a convenience as much a tea bags!
I usually carry a strainer like this with me along with my tea leaves. It costs something between Rs.150-Rs.200 and are easily available in Amazon. If you are living outside India, please check online stores in your own country.
My time with tea gets me opportunities to meet tea people from other parts of the world face-to-face as well as virtually; and almost every time I feel sad to see that almost all these people have no proper knowledge about Indian teas. According to them India is synonymous with just black teas coming from either Darjeeling or Assam (just these two locations).
The Indian teas are different characteristically (Sinensis, Assamica and the famous clonal of Darjeeling) than say the Chinese tea. Therefore, I have realized that tea tasting with Indian tea has to be very different as compared to Chinese tea to understand the unique texture, aroma, and flavours of Indian teas. Unfortunately, most International tea people use the Chinese template ( the standard template) to taste and appreciate Indian tea.
I remember I had given some fine smoked oolong tea from Kangra to a group of American tea people who were visiting India. First, they couldn’t believe that India is actually producing such beautiful teas. Then they started the complete Chinese tea testing process to taste the oolong. At some point, I had to stop them and say, “Let’s try the Indian tea in the Indian way.” They were again surprised when I mentioned that Indian teas require the Indian way to taste and appreciate.
Smoked Oolong from KangraDarjeeling Silver NeedleGolden Tips from Assam
Recently on a Facebook post when someone asked what’s your favourite Oolong and I said Indian, I got a whole lot of people asking me questions about it. And they came from all parts of the world – Canada, Italy, Sweden, Mongolia, etc.
However, the saddest part is that not even 10% of Indians have any clue about the kind of teas we produce in India! Forget about being proud of our teas, for most Indias tea is a drink they have in the morning to go to the loo!
During my tea appreciation workshops when I show and tell the participants that the Darjeeling tea is lovingly called the ‘Champagne of Tea’ and some of our best teas are sold for thousands of dollars in the auction they simply can’t believe it. It is very hard for them to accept that the normal chai that they buy without even thinking can be even more expensive than a bottle of Champagne or a fine bottle of single malt.
I always give the example of the French and their wines – “don’t you see how very proud they are of their wines? These specialty teas of India are as good if not better than some of the best wines of the world, please show some love.”
But Tea compared to Wine? Well, they are more similar than you thought.
To learn about Indian teas, please join us for the first Indian Tea Appreciation Program being delivered in collaboration with Tea Board India. It’s a 5 day residential program starting from 18th March 2020 at Tea Board India’s R&D center – Darjeeling Tea Research and Development Center, at Kurseong, Darjeeling. Please write to me at itsourcuppatea@gmail.com for details.
Before we got down to the venue ground which was a large clearing in the middle of the tea garden, we got out of the car and sat at the entry point which was at a higher level from the venue ground – to soak into the pristine nature all around us. There were many locals who came and talked to us. I found every one of them to be very proud of this Cherry Tree Festival and are actively involved. You need an extraordinary community and a great leader to make such a thing happen.
After sipping some Temi tea from a local tea vendor set up only for the festival, playing with the lazy dogs which were soaking sunlight and clicking some pictures of the colourful flowers around, three of us walked down to the venue among the tea plantation. I could smell rose, cinnamon and other spices around me. I was informed that such spices are planted near the tea plants on purpose – they add to the complexity of the tea aroma. Of course that made sense!
The oval-shaped venue was brightly done up with yellow festoons and yellow coloured kiosks all around. Yellow is the colour of Temi Tea and it matched perfectly with green all around. On reaching there we realised the name of the festival was changed this year to Temi Autumn Carnival. But what’s in a name? There are still Cherry trees around the tea estate in full bloom keeping it as pretty as one can imagine.
Since we were early we lounged at one of the kiosks selling local beer and whisky along with some local delicacies like pork, chicken and beef starters. I tried the local beer sharing with my co- traveler. It was good !
The inauguration got a bit delayed. It started at 1:30 p.m. The chief guest for the first day was the Honorable Minister of Urban Development Shri Arun Upreti who inaugurated the festival; and Mrs Krishna Rai, wife of Honorable Chief Minister of Sikkim.
I met with the MD of Temi Tea Mrs. Mrinalini Shrivastava. I mentioned about the able leader earlier, remember? Here she was. I found her extremely graceful yet strong-willed. She had planned every aspect of the festival herself along with her close team. Every minute detail was taken care of. Every eventuality was considered. We were given food coupons and she made sure every guest was well taken care of. She was one of the last persons to have lunch after everyone was fed. I found her commitment truly remarkable.
The festival which is aimed at attracting tourists from India and other parts of the world was a colourful extravagant affair. It showcased Sikkim and its culture in its truest form. The unique Yak dance, local band performances, local music and dance, fashion show with host of other games and sports made the three-day festival entertaining as well as experiential. The kiosks sold local food, handicrafts, hand painting, local brew and various other interesting artifacts. I loved the yak dance (pretty awesome) and the dance performances of local children who decked up in colourful dresses and danced perfectly to Sikkimese and Hindi songs. It was heartwarming. I peeped into the greenroom right before their performances and got some delightful moments on camera.
Food at the various stalls
Local Handicrafts
Little performers
The Performance area
On the first day of the festival, post-lunch, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mrs. Shrivastava and listen to her vision for Temi. She also arranged for me to visit Bada Bangla – the Temi Tea Resort, about which I had heard so much about. It’s a beautiful property overlooking the mountains, valleys and the river Teesta flowing hundreds of feet below.
Bada Bangla, Temi Tea Resort
I came back to the festival ground in the evening to catch up on the last few programs. I bought a bottle of beer (it was cold!) and headed back to the homestay for a nice, warm evening (under the blanket, sipping beer) talking about our experiences at the Temi Autumn Festival. Tomorrow was another day.
It was a wonderful experience that I am going to cherish until next year (perhaps) when I visit Temi once again to create some new memories.
At Temi Tea Factory
PS: My travel to Sikkim did not end at Temi. I traveled to Pelling and then to Gangtok and spent another 7 days around these places. It was one of my most memorable solo travels ever. If you need any travel info in Sikkim do let me know. Mrs. Srivastava arranged to drop me up to Ravangla from where I took a taxi to reach Pelling, a 2-hour drive.
I have created a tea trail to Sikkim with Temi at its center. I already had a beautiful couple from Kerala travelling to Temi and staying at the Bada Bangla to celebrate their honeymoon. For complete itinerary please write to: itsourcuppatea@gmail.com
I always wanted to visit Sikkim – had heard so much about the place – its natural beauty, food, people and, of course, Kanchenjunga! Then last year I saw some pictures of the Cherry Tree festival at Temi in Southern Sikkim and I was blown away.
As a tea artist and a tea blogger, I wanted to visit Temi and experience the Cherry Tree festival. I also wrote to them about my interest but it was too late, unfortunately.
This year luck turned on me unexpectedly and I was invited to visit Temi by the Temi Tea Company (the organizers of Cherry Tree Festival) and write a story about it. I was ecstatic.
This year the festival was scheduled between 8th and 10th November. I decided to reach there by 7th so as not to miss anything. I reached Bagdogra by a morning flight from Bangalore and was hoping to reach Temi by early afternoon. But there were other guests who are coming that day and the last arrival was at 1:30 p.m. So by the time we all got into the Sumo (sent by the MD of Temi Tea) it was well past 3:00 p.m. And we had 5 to 6 hours of drive ahead of us.
The driver was an expert, the company in the car was excellent and the scenery outside was awe-inspiring. By the time we reached Rangpo, it was dark and almost 7:00 p.m. We stopped there to savor the famous Sikkimese Momo before we started for the last leg of the journey.
Momo at Rangpo
As we entered Temi district, the road became quite bad. It was a 4 x 4 SUV hence the jerks and rolls were bearable. We joked that the road is helping us digest our food so that our dinner at Temi feels more sumptuous. The bad road lasted about 14 kilometer and slowed us down a bit. After that, the road widened and became smooth and very driving friendly. Our expert driver stepped on the accelerator and got us to our destination by 9:00 p.m. Not bad I thought!
My destination it seems was a cosy little Homestay which is part of the Temi Tea hospitality ecosystem. The homestay is run by a lovely local lady and her teenage daughter (she is studying and preparing for 12th exam). There was another guest who travelled with me and was also staying here. And Nabanita my other co-passenger, a fellow tea lover and entrepreneur, wanted to join us instead of going to her hotel which was further down. Nabonita and I decided to share my room and the hostess quickly moved stuff around and made a comfortable sleeping arrangement for my new roommate. We ordered a light dinner of chapati and chicken curry. Since the hostess had already cooked some chicken curry for us, the dinner got over quickly.
I found everything at the homestay to be very neat and clean – the bed, linen, towel, cutlery bathroom etc. I don’t usually prefer to stay in big hotels but I definitely need a clean bed and a super clean bathroom. These are the musts. Here at this tiny two room homestay they exceeded my expectations on both these requirements.
In terms of food, I preferred their vegetarian options more than their non-vegetarian food, which was primarily chicken.
Tea served to us in the room in these special cups with a local snack. The round-shaped snack is called Sel Roti, which is a deep-fried, soft pretzel made from fermented rice batter. These crispy crusted donuts are often eaten during festivals and special occasions.
Next morning my roommate had woke up early and ordered tea to be served at the terrace table. I got up hearing her placing the order and then joined the two of them at the terrace for my morning cup of fresh Sikkim tea. Sitting in an iron chair overlooking the valley and among the morning mist, it was the best morning tea for me in a long long time.
Me and My Morning Tea – clicked by Nabanita
The car was supposed to come and pick us at 9 am. After a hot shower and a quick breakfast of bread and omelet, we climbed up to the main road to wait for the car. Since the car was getting delayed. We decided to walk a bit and meet the car on the way . 5 minutes of walk in the morning mountain road cleaned my mind and energized me immediately.
We made the car just after 10 minute of our walk. The driver told us that the cherry festival will be inaugurated at 12:00 and asked what we want to do until then. We decided to travel in the car and get down whenever we feel like to click pictures. We stopped at two locations. One of the road bends gave us a magnificent view of the Kanchenjunga along with the other joining peaks. It was a Sunny clear day, visibility was superb, clouds had still not started floating towards us, and nature gave us our best few of the majestic peak. It was quite overwhelming. I am always haunted by the Himalayas, it’s one of those things that make you speechless in the most beautiful way.
Kanchenjunga, Valley & Perfect Road
Next stop was the Temi Tea factory. I realised that at a certain vantage point on that road one can have a clear view of the Kanchenjunga, the factory building, and the cherry trees altogether.
All in one frame
Temi Tea Factory, Our cheerful driver, Cherry Tree, our car and me.
Globally, the tea market was valued at nearly 50 billion U.S. dollars in 2017 and is expected to rise to over 73 billion dollars by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 5.7%.
In India, Tea is the most valued in the beverage market at about INR 180 billion and is expected to grow steadily.
The primary variable driving tea market growth is demand, which positively correlates with socio-economic factors such as income, education, and cultural background. In 2016, ready-to-drink teas surpassed sodas and other soft beverages in consumption for the first time, and markets for other popular health-conscious tea products such as matcha and kombucha continue to grow.
Global Tea Market Drivers:
A rise in the disposable incomes of consumers has enabled the tea manufacturers to introduce premium and health-oriented products. A a shift towards the consumption of organic tea acts as an emerging trend which is having a positive impact on the growth of the tea market.
Another major factor driving the growth of tea is its strong consumer acceptance, representing the world’s most consumed beverage after water.
Over the past few years, the out-of-home market for tea has been expanding where various tea lounges have been opening across the globe offering a variety of handpicked teas from different regions.
Many new tea brands have entered the market globally at different price points offering a combination of teas, herbal teas and tisanes.
Consumers’ acceptance for tea as a premium drink comparable only, perhaps with wine, is an emerging trend in most parts of Europe.
Keeping these in mind, how many Tea Tasters, Tea Appreciators and Tea Masters do you think the Tea Industry will need soon? The answer is unimaginatively high. So, this is the right time to equip yourself with the knowledge and expertise on tea and embark on a very lucrative, high-flying, fashionable career. And that “age is truly not a bar” in this profession, makes it immensely attractive.
So, here are the Eight Reasons, why you must take up Tea as your new / next career opportunity:
You can become a Tea Consultant
You can become a Tea Trainer
You can work with hotels / tea rooms which serves good/fine/luxury teas
You can become a Certified Tea Appreciator (none at this time in India)
You can work with Tea companies – Indian and International. There are many.
You can consult with international tea companies who don’t know much about Indian Tea
You can be a Tea Influencer
You can open your own tea room
The question now remains, how much money do you want to earn? 🙂
India is soon going to offer its first Indian Tea Appreciation Certificate Program. It’s going to be a 5 day fully residential program conducted at Darjeeling Tea Research and Development Centre (DTR&DC), a Tea Board India Institue. To apply, please write to itsourcuppatea@gmail.com
The history of Darjeeling is as interesting as the place itself. Darjeeling which is the combination of two words dorje’ meaning thunderbolt and “Ling” meaning place (therefore, the land of thunderbolt) was part of the Old Sikkim Kingdom. During the early 18th century Sikkim and Nepal were continuously fighting each other and during one such battles the Nepalese had reached up to the Teesta Valley and into the foothills of the Himalayas. It is at this time that the Nepal Army got onto the wrong foot of the British East India Company and a battle ensued. The Nepalese were defeated in the war and as a Goodwill gesture the East India company reinstated the Sikkim King in his land that was taken over by Nepal on the condition that the East India Company will have the right over the hill (now Darjeeling). Against that the Raja of Sikkim was also offered a generous allowance of Rs.3000 per annum. The Raja of Sikkim’s revenue from this track of land had never exceeded RS. 20 per annum and therefore he happily agreed to the offer. This allowance was later increased to Rs.6000 per annum.
However, in 1849 the relation between the British and the Sikkim worsened with the imprisonment of two British officers by Sikkim authorities. Eventually they were released but as a punishment the British stopped the annual allowance and annexed its territory. By 1860 peace was restored in the borders and began the march of progress in Darjeeling. Roads and important construction work began in full swing.
Frankly, the British had fallen in love with this beautiful Himalayan hill and had decided to make this their summer gateway from the sultry heat of the Indian plains. In order to turn this little hill into a quiet little hill station they built everything over a period of time that is required for the British officers to live comfortably; and thus the famous Loreto Convent was built in 1847, Saint Paul’s School in 1864, Planters club in 1868, Lloyd’s Botanical Garden is 1878, Saint Joseph School in 1888, Railway station in 1899, and the Town hall in 1921. By the early part of the 20th century, Darjeeling became a bustling little town which also became the place of the most desirable tea in the world – The Darjeeling Tea.
With such developments happening all around, Darjeeling saw an overwhelming need for accommodation for the British who were being stationed here for such work – resulting in demands for English ‘Boarding Houses’ which operated as ‘homes away from homes’. Ada Villa, one of the most distinguished boarding houses that was built at that time, is today known as the ‘Windamere Hotel’.
It is not surprising then that Windamere hotel comes steeped in history. It is a fascinating place that has stood the toll of time and retained its charming self almost as undisturbed as it can be for more than a century now.
Ada Villa was a very busy establishment during its early days providing large suites for planters and run by a ‘lady of the house’ who looked after all of their comforts and needs in terms of food, laundry, parties, bar services etc.
Towards 1939 with WW1 looming ahead, many British officers started to return home to the UK. Ada Villa was bought by a group of friends and turned into a private limited company called ‘Windamere Hotel’. Till today the hotel has never been renovated – just ‘restored’ keeping intact the original ‘Planter Suites’, calling them ‘The Royal Suites’ now. Today royalty from all over the world stay here to experience the British way of life infused with Indian hospitality.
Today, Windamere is one of the best ‘Colonial Hotels’ in India. The ‘Asia Pacific Geographic Magazine’, listed it as number 3 in their assessment of ‘The Top Ten Best Colonial Hotels in the Asia Pacific Area’, followed only by ‘Raffles of Singapore’ and ‘The Peninsular of Hong Kong’ in number 1 and number 2 positions respectively and with mentions in ‘The Sunday Times of London’ and the likes.
Windamere has now built a new section next door to the ‘The Royal Suites’ in a way conducive to the old Colonial way of living.
This niche hotel is now a favourite wedding, honeymoon and anniversary destination and the preferred place of stay for the Bollywood fraternity whenever they are in Darjeeling.
The dining here is a very intimate, cosy affair available only for the resident guests. Windamere Hotel is also known for its English Afternoon Tea that is served every day from 4 pm onward in the most authentic English way.
My personal visit to Windamere hotel was no less than walking back into living history and touching it with my own hands and mind. The picture here says a thousand word.
Oh! And this hotel has connection to the actual Lawrence of Arabia… isn’t that fascinating? Visit the hotel and see it for yourself. Some things are better experienced than told.
View of Kangchenjunga
The Mall – 1930
Memories of the Raj
Location : Windamere Hotel is right across the Darjeeling Mall over the Observatory Hill.
Darjeeling – The land of Exquisite Tea and Mesmerising Tea Trails
On the way to Darjeeling from Bagdogra before you enter the Kurseong town through the hilly Punkhabari road, this beautiful hotel stands tall among the lush green tea gardens. You would have just crossed the Makaibari tea estate, filling your lungs with the aroma of the teas, wild flowers and the Himalayas, when Cochrane place comes suddenly to your view like a mysterious old house which has many a story to tell. And indeed it has. From being the bungalow of the magistrate of Kurseong, Sir Percy John Cochrane MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) to the hanging vintage Volkwagon Beetle, every nook and corner of this beautifully restored boutique hotel shall remind you of the British era living.
A lot has been said already about this exquisite hotel; so I shall refrain from saying the obvious. Yes, the high ceilings, wood panels, Burma teak made & hand crafted furnishing, wooden high doors and windows, large red carpets in the lounge and in rooms, a mini museum of interesting artifacts from the British era, a vintage piano – can all be talking points in their very own rights. But what were special to me were two things – the majestic view of the Kangchenjunga , the third highest peak in the world, from this hotel, and of course tea! Let me tell you something very frankly here – I have been to Darjeeling quite a few times, have stayed in heritage as well as contemporary hotels in different parts of the town, but I have not found a single one of them who has showcased the Darjeeling tea like the way this hotel does. (In many hotels I was surprised to see very low quality tea bags, and even on request – at extra price – Darjeeling Tea was not available.)
Let’s talk about Kangchenjunga first. If you love mountains, if you are crazy about Himalayas, if you find peace in just being in a mountain – there is no better place than here only for the divine view of this majestic Himalayan peak. I had once visited this place long time back and I remember I could just sit on my chair and keep looking at this beautiful peak for hours together without doing anything. This time I was not so lucky (March end), it was raining and the weather was packed up. But even then, you have your moments, and if you are truly lucky she will give you a glimpse of her just to keep you intoxicated.
Mt. Kangchenjunga – View from Cochrane Place
And Tea? Well, that their restaurant is called Chai Country should give you some hints.
One of the reasons of my visit (other than of course staying in this beautiful hotel) was to experience the teas that they have. Since they knew my work with the beverage, they curated a special tea tasting session for me with 5 of their teas. (This tasting is also available on menu and I strongly advise you to experience this when you are there). The restaurant stuffs are quite well trained and they can explain each of the varieties of tea – some orthodox, some blends –in full details. Chai Country has a great collection of some very exotic teas sourced from various parts of the country, Darjeeling being the predominant. They have really nice blends as well. The tea that I tried were: Istanbul, Oolong, First Flight Darjeeling (2019), Silver White, Shangri la Silver Needle White.
They are also planning to open a proper tea room within the hotel very soon.
The food, I paired some with tea, and I also had my dinner and breakfast, were really good. I loved the variety of cuisine that they serve – particularly the Anglo Indian variety which is not so commonly found anywhere else in India outside Calcutta. I was there for just a day, but I wish I had more time to spend here relaxing in their warm hospitality and trying their local Nepali delicacies which I heard were also very good and authentic.
Cochrane Place should be your first point of halt when you are on your Darjeeling Tea Trail. They will not just wow you with their hospitality, heritage, experience, tea and food, but can also arrange for you tea garden and factory visits to two very iconic tea gardens in Kurseong – Makaibari and Ambotia – Cochrane place lies just in the middle of the two.
If your onward journey is to Kolkata or you are coming from there, you may also like to visit Karma Kettle ( https://karmakettle.com/ ), a very interesting tea room run by the same people as well as plan to stay at any of their two beautifully done bed & breakfast places called The Ivy House and Mandeville (more on that later).
Now, let me top here and let the pictures tell their stories…
Tea With Susmita 