|  Tea
Gardens of Darjeeling
The tea gardens of Darjeeling are situated
at an altitude of 6500 ft to 7000 ft above the sea level. The
credit for the fame and fortune of Darjeeling
Tea goes to these gardens. About 42000 to 49000 acres are
utilized for the production of the tea in the area.
Dr. Campbell established the first tea garden
in the year 1852. Within the next 14 years there were 39 gardens
and the total production of those gardens were about 21000 kilograms.
A recent study revealed that there are 86 gardens producing
the Darjeeling tea. The total production is about 11 millions
kilograms.
Importance of Darjeeling
Tea on the economy:
 The
economy of the total Darjeeling region is depended upon three
'T's meaning Tea, Tourism and Timber. Thus there is a great
importance of the tea industry in the local economy. Tea is
a labour intensive product and it requires a large number of
workers during the plucking season. In the tea gardens of Darjeeling
there are 52000 people working permanently and 15000 more are
needed in the plucking season. Most of the workers engaged in
plucking are women.
The worker usually live in the tea garden.
They are provided with perquisites such as medical benefits,
educational benefits. The number of people living in the gardens
as per 1971 Census Report is about 300,000 whereas the total
population of the three hill sub-divisions according to the
same report was 600,000.
The total money value o the tea production is about 7.5 million
dollars and it is much more than the revenue from the tourism
industry.
Tea Gardens of Darjeeling:
 The
tea garden of Darjeeling plays an important role in increasing
the beauty of the hills. Some of the important gardens of the
region include
Ambootia: This tea garden is spread over an area of 966.76
hectares. The quality of the tea from this garden is cherished
all over the world.
Castleton: The Castleton Tea Estate is situated in an
area of 170.96 hectares at height of 980 to 2300 meters. This
garden produces about 35,000 kilograms of tea.
Goomte: This tea garden is serving the tea industry since
1956. The tea prepared from here has a special place in the
industry.
Happy Valley: Happy Valley is the tea estate from where
the most costly tea of Darjeeling is produced. The Banarjee
family of Howrah established the garden in the year 1903. In
1929 the area of the Happy Valley was increased when the neighboring
Windsor tea garden was merged into it.
 Margaret's
Hope: The Estate is situated in Kurseong. The altitude of
this tea garden is between 100 meters to 1970 meters and it
has a plantation area of 361 hectares. The production of this
garden is about 155000 kilograms.
Makaibari: The Banarjee's established this tea estate
in 1859. This is the only family run tea estate of Darjeeling.
Located at an altitude of about 3500 meters, this tea garden
won the award of 'Best Tasting Tea' in UK. Out of the total
area of 673 hectares the plantation area if about 250 hectares.
This tea garden is also a safe place of different types of insects,
butterflies, birds and animals.
Jungpana: The Jungpana Tea Estate is now under the possession
of the Kejriwal family for the last five decades. The estate
is situated at an average altitude of 3500 ft. This tea garden
imports tea to the foreign countries like UK, Japan and other
Continental Countries. The ideal environment for the plantation
of tea is found in this tea garden and that is why this tea
garden is considered as the best example of the finest Darjeeling
Tea. |
