views of a visitor to Assam Heritage Tea

North East Tea  Frontier. – India.                                                                                  11/4/16      

 

 

This year's trip  took in Assam & part of Arunachal – a huge area of mountainous primary jungle with roads described as all-weather, linking the administrative centres.  A few pioneers around 25 years ago saw the potential for tea cultivation & we were fortunate to meet long term performers of the region -  where Assam Heritage Tea is closely working and advising them for all future developments by empowering the organic tea farms.

 

The topography is breath taking.  Years ago administrators drew lines on the map so here is India, Burma, China. The soil, plants, rivers, rain, wind, sun, humidity did not read the script. The Yunnan district of China produces the finest tea by general acceptance & Arunachal is in local distance terms, close by.  The virgin ground has never seen a pesticide or chemical fertiliser. 

 

Tea growers today are the family operators of a patchwork of estates sometimes amounting to a couple of acres each.  Assam Heritage Tea has brought its expertise in setting up state of the art  tea factories along the frontier regions bordering Tibet and Myanmar .  The locals have taken to mastering the speciality tea manufacturing skills with great aptitude under the guidance of Assam Heritage Tea.

 

 

Chet Engine

(visitor from U.K.)

 

 

behind the scenes

It is rightly said big things come in small packages. It rings true for this special person. Just sinew and bones to his frame of 4.5ft. Started his career as a carpenter knocking up tea chests in the good old days when teas were shipped in chestlets and not in paper bags of today. With a slight stoop to his back he weathered all conditions till he retired. When opportunity came calling he was ready with his tools to hammer down nails, saw a plank, assemble bits and pieces of things. His countenance  always serene and positive. I chanced upon his family one day and was delighted to learn that he had 14 grandchildren. All lived in a modest settlement more like an extension of small houses. Needless to say it was the happiest household I have ever seen. Our man has been working  with us at Assam Heritage Tea  which we set up 7 years ago. It was more like a continuation of mutual respect which started when the better half was his boss years ago in one of the large Tea Estates. Chest lets have become redundant, and  occasional, and our man is comfortable  operating the tea machinery. Times have changed but life continues. Upon my request during the lean season last year he made us a much needed dining table with 6 chairs. I could not detect a single flaw. He relishes his cup of tea with as much interest he shows to the processing of the teas. From temperature control to withering to rolling and drying he monitors it all. The younger lot call him 'nana' aka grandfather but he is the first to arrive and the last to leave the factory premises. Age is no factor it is just a number. A salute to men behind the tea.

   

a tall story

Standing tall and dark against a greying sky this huge tree lends a new meaning to the word change. It was stark bare with not a single leaf a few weeks back. It was covered with red flowers before that. The fallen flowers were as big as tennis balls and my dog felt it was his duty to grab each ball and run like the wind. After the rains it is full of leaves. Its immense height makes a good landing ground for the leggy birds and also eagles. By summer the first cotton pods start to burst and the sky is adrift with wispy fluffy things. I become enthused about collecting and making a soft pillow for my head. Within a month all the cotton stops flying and my ideas about soft pillows are shelved till next year.