The Start of a Journey The number of independent small scale tea growers are on a rise in the northeastern states of India, particularly in Assam. Pabitra Bora of Asomi Tea Garden is one such tea planter native to the Chenijaan region of Jorhat, Assam. When he started out his small tea plantation business he…
Amidst the din and bustle of a crowd in constant motion, the roaring of motorbikes and moving autos and the tinkering bells of the rickshaws that barely have enough space for their wheels to move is where is found the main flavors of India- in the streets. There could be palatial restaurants or hotels that…
The benefits of green tea have been reiterated many times. Less processed, rich in nutrients, and most importantly in anti-oxidants, green tea is a prescribed drink by doctors nowadays. Green tea is a popular beverage, consumed by most due to the fact that it aids in weight loss. This is what gave green tea its…
The first thing that is mesmerizing about the blue tea is undoubtedly its colour. I watched starry-eyed when I first saw this blue liquid that looked like a splash from a deep blue ocean. For those who do not know, blue tea is prepared from the dried blue-pea flower which in Assamese is called the…
The popularity of Green Tea and its variants is widely escalating in the commercial forums. One such variant is the Mint Green Tea. When I think of mint, I recall the small garden patch of my old home were mint leaves thronged. If we needed to flavor our tea or lemonade or even spice up…
‘Sekoni’ (Assamese- চেকনী) -a tea leaf strainer with a semi-spherical sieve and a handle attached to it is a common word in every Assamese household. Until I sat to write this article I never gave a second thought to this word. It has been a mundane utensil that I remember having in my house for…
What intrigues me about the concept of tea as seen by the Chinese is how infused it is in their philosophy and religion. The Taimu Mountain of Fuding is said to be where white tea was originally produced in the Fujian province of China. It is a quiet, foggy mountain, steep with spectacular caves and…
Like the whole world, even I have been swept by the green tea revolution. Who had heard of green tea until a few years back? In India, it was an uncommon beverage in the middle-class families. But now it is a beverage that can be expected in a lot of households in India. It is…
There is almost a mystical nuance to ‘gong fu cha’, the traditional Chinese custom of brewing Pu-erh tea. In Chinese tradition making of tea is a scrupulous art. It is not merely a beverage. Its essence is infused deep into their philosophical and cultural values. As I said, the very custom of brewing pu-erh the…
(International Tea Day 2020 Special) So what does that smoking hot cup of tea mean to everyone? Imagine a bustling office, a very serious business meeting to crack a million dollar deal going on in a conference room with a big sturdy oak table surrounded by serious looking businessmen. Beside them sits in elegant china…
