Indian Tea: History, Board and Steps | Beverage Plant

In this article we will discuss about:- 1. History of Indian Tea 2. Types of Indian Tea 3. Story 4. Leaf Grades 5. Board of India 6. Steps.

Contents:

1. History of Indian Tea
2. Types of Indian Tea
3. Story of Indian Tea
4. Tea Leaf Grades
5. Tea Board of India
6. Steps to a Good Cup of Tea

---

1. History of Indian Tea:

Camellia sinensis (Linn.) O. Kuntze; Eng.—Tea; Hindi—Cha; Family—Theaceae.

“According to Japanese folklore, the discovery of tea is attributed to an Indian Buddhist monk Daruma who lived hundreds of years ago. He left India to preach the message of the Enlightened One—The Lord Buddha—in China. Arriving at Peking, he vowed not to sleep for nine years till he finished his prayers. But, during his meditation he felt tired and his eyes closed. Waking up in disgust, he tore off his eyelids and threw them away. Where the latter fell there sprang up an evergreen bush. Surprised, Daruma plucked the leaves, boiled them and drank the liquid. Soon, he felt refreshed and was able to continue his prayers. Daruma eventually left China and went to Japan where he died.”

In China the people have been drinking tea probably since the 4th century A.D. and the people of Upper Burma, along the Indo-Burmese border and Upper Assam have been used to tea for just as long a period.

Tea was brought to the notice of Europe in 1559 by Ramusio, the noted Venetian writer on voyages and travels, long after it was accepted beverage of the people of Asia. Half a century after Ramusio’s notice of tea, the enterprising Dutch began to import it into Europe. England was strangely casual to the beverage during the first half of the 17th century. Tea then was far beyond the reach of the average person.

The 2 lbs, 2 oz. tea, brought by the Governors of the East India Company in 1664, as a gift to King Charles II, cost them 85 shillings. Two years later the Company gave him a more ample present of thea, consisting of 22% lbs., costing 50 shillings per lb.

Half a century later the retail price of tea in London was between 20-30 shillings per lb. for Bohea (black tea) and 12-30 shillings for the finest Hyson (green tea). It took another hundred years before consumption began to spread to the rural areas.

According to Prof. Northcote Parkinson, it was presumably between 1784 and 1789 that tea “may literally be said to have descended from the palace to the cottage”. About that time it became the breakfast beverage of practically the whole population.

It was also drunk at other times which led Raynal (the French historian. 1713-96) to exclaim that tea had done more for English sobriety than any laws, sermons or moral treatises could have achieved.

Tea was sold publicly in London in 1657 and two years later, on 14th November 1659, Mercurius Politicus carried the news that tea was sold “almost in every street” of London. The first order by the East India Company for 100 lb. of the best tea was sent to its agent at Bantam in Java in 1667.

In 1669 import of tea into England from Continental Europe was prohibited, thus making absolute the East Indian Company’s monopoly in tea.

The British imported China tea from Bantam (Java) when they were dispossessed in 1684. From this period Madras and Surat became centres for the import of “secondhand” Chinese tea. Though, direct British trade with China did not weaken till the 1780 when the merchants of Canton decided to organise the conduct of their country’s foreign tea trade.

Meanwhile, the Company’s officials in India had realised the possibilities of raising this valuable commodity of trade in India. In 1780, Warren Hastings, the Governor-General, passed on some seeds of Hyson for propagation in Bhutan. A tea enthusiast Col. Robert Kyd, who later became Superintendent of the Botanical Gardens in Calcutta, similarly experimented with tea cultivation.

In 1788, Sir Joseph Banks tried to interest the East India Company in the possibilities of growing tea in India; but the Company was not agreed to the suggestion as such a venture was against the monopoly of its tea trade with China.

However, after five years, Lord Macartney’s Embassy was making arrangements to send seeds of the tea locally cultivated to Calcutta. Although imported tea seeds gave the idea and the sustenance for the commercial cultivation of tea in India, the rise of the Tea Industry, as it is today, owes origin to the momentous discovery of the indigenous tea plant in Assam in India.

Many have claimed the discovery of the indigenous Indian tea plant which eventually became the foundation of the world’s Tea Trade and Industry during the next century. There were some who believed that Moneram Dewan was the discoverer who led Major Robert Bruce to it; but it was Charles Bruce, his brother, who played a significant role in the development of tea culture in India during the ensuing twenty years.

As we have realised, the East India Company at first was averse to the idea of starting any tea plantation in India; but its officials in the country were eager and the discovery of the indigenous growth of tea in Assam acted as a catalyst in the great movement to develop the industry in the country.

If there was difficulty in the early stages, it came largely from the application of Chinese tea labour since the general belief persisted that only such imported methods of tea manufacture were the safe ones to follow.

This belief, however, lasted for a while till experience with Assam tea and the response to the indigenous tea in London overcame existing influences and the foundation of a truly Indian Tea Industry was laid.

An index of the steady rise in Britain’s consumption of Indian tea can be seen from the figures of her tea imports. In 1836, the import of tea into Britain reached 49 million lbs. and all of it was China tea.

Two years later, India sent her first consignment of Assam tea to London to be sold there, on January 10, 1839. In 1859, the last year of the East India Company before the crown took over, Britain imported 69 million lbs. of which only 2 million or 3 per cent came from India.

By the close of the century Britain was importing about 250 million lbs. of tea of which 55 per cent came from India, 37 per cent from Ceylon and only 5 per cent from China.

In 1900, Indian production reached 170.5 million lbs., with exports at 164.6 million lbs. and out of which 154 million lbs. went to Great Britain. Within another five years Indian exports reached 214 million lbs., and India became the leading tea supplier to the world and she has retained that position.

Today the total output of this industry is over 779 million lbs.—176 million lbs. in South India and the rest in North-East India. It accounts for about 20% of the country’s total exports in value.

Tea is the queen of beverages, and no other beverage except water is consumed by so many. Tea, a treasure of the world, is the most important non-alcoholic beverage; it is a pure, safe and helpful stimulant and one of the chief joys of life.

A billion cups of tea all over the world add daily to the zest of life. They bring good cheer with health, stimulation without intoxication, and are refreshing and energizing without any exacting demand on the family budget.

The tea plant is considered to be a native of Assam and the adjoining areas of Upper Burma, some regard it to be a native of southern Yunnan and Upper Indo-China. The major areas of production are situated in the northeast region comprising the Brahmaputra and Surma valleys of Assam, and Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts of West Bengal.

These areas are the Terai, the Dooars and the Brahmaputra valley where tea is grown on the north and south banks of the river Brahmaputra.

In addition, considerable quantities of tea are sown in the Cachar district in Assam and in Tripura. In North-West India a fair amount of tea is grown in Kangra, Mandi and a smaller quantity in Dehradun. Down South tea is grown on the Nilgiris, on the Kanan Devan or the High Range, Anamallais and on the slopes of the mountain stretching down to the plains of Kerala.

Brahmaputra Valley:

Tea is grown mostly on flat land, between 160 to 400 feet above sea level, on both banks of the river Brahmaputra. Soils are alluvial and the mostly sandy loam with some red clay. The average annual rainfall is 80-120 inches and it is well distributed. The cropping season is from April to December, May/June and October/ November.

Teas of orthodox manufacture are black, clean, flinty well-twisted leaf with a good show of golden tip in the best grades, throwing creamy, strong, pungent, full-bodied top quality liquors.

Teas of C.T.C. manufacture from this region are brown, rich, grainy, small leaf grades throwing exceptionally strong, coloury, pungent liquors. These teas are in great demand almost all over the world and are particularly suited for blending with flavoury teas to improve strength and colour.

The Terai and Dooars:

Tea is grown on flat land and hill slopes bordering the Himalayan foot-hills, from 100- 1000 feet above sea level. The average rainfall is 120-200 inches but it is not very evenly distributed. The cropping season is from March to November, with the vintage periods in spring and autumn.

The Terai and Dooars produce coloury, full creamy liquoring teas. The orthodox teas are black, stylish and well-twisted, while the C.T.C. tea are hard, grainy and even. A number of gardens produce very small brown leaf Leg-cut teas which throw bright coloury liquors. These teas are in great demand by blenders for mixing with flavoury teas to contribute to colour and body.

Cachar and Tripura:

Tea is mostly grown on hillocks peculiar to the region and to some extent on the flat lands surrounding them. Soils are red sand and clay with some areas of peat. The annual rainfall varies from 120-200 inches but distribution is uneven and severe winter droughts are common. The cropping season is from March to November.

The districts of Cachar and Tripura produce black, well-made teas throwing coloury, sweet liquors very popular with blenders.

---

2. Types of Indian Tea:

Darjeeling Tea:

The town of Darjeeling in India is situated in the extreme north of the State of West Bengal, at a height of 7,000 feet, surrounded by the lower hills and valleys of the Himalayas and overlooks the State of Sikkim.

The town is clustered in a bowl among the hills, looking north toward Kanchenjungha, a mere 35 miles away and a very magnificent sight when it is to be seen. Most of Darjeeling’s livelihood is derived from the tea gardens which surrounded the town on all sides, at lower levels.

Early in the nineteenth century tea seed was imported from China and planted both on the plains of N.E. India and also in these hills. But it was soon discovered than an indigenous tea plant was to be found in Assam.

This proved to be more vigorous, in ‘plains’ conditions; it gave a large crop and the leaf was more easily harvested, and so the old ‘China’ bushes were gradually uprooted and replaced. The original bushed’ plants in Darjeeling have still remained, they are up to 100 years old and still yielding good crops.

We have continued to use these bushes because they, and they alone, can produce the flavour for which Darjeeling tea is renowned. The crop yield per acre is small and the leaf is small in size and expensive to harvest. And yet, it is this climate and high altitude, the slow growth of leaf, which help to give to Darjeeling teas the flavour for which they are known throughout the world.

In South India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Africa the tea bush produces leaf throughout the whole year, but in N.E. India it hibernates in winter. Growth starts again in the spring when the tea bushes of Darjeeling are covered with a mass of small soft bushes.

This is the first ‘flush’ when the tea made is of good quality. When this ‘flush’ is finished there is a lull in growth until the second ‘flush’ appears; this is usually small in appearance, the quantity of leaf on the bushes is not great, but this is the vintage period of the whole year.

The monsoon reaches Darjeeling about mid June and from July onwards the quality of tea is of standard character until the rains end in October. Then for a short period until the end of the season in November a small crop of ‘autumnal’ leaf is harvested which has a flavoury but ‘thin’ liquor.

The quantity of fine Darjeeling tea produced each year is comparatively small. Of the total crop of 16,000,000 lbs. from this district, the first and second flushes and the autumnal teas are highly prized. Most of these good, flavoury teas are used for blending with teas from other places; the latter add strength and colour; while the lighter liquor of the Darjeeling tea supplies the flavour to the blended mixture.

Public demand in many countries requires a ‘strong colour’ tea which the ‘Assam’ variety of bush contains; but for those who appreciate flavour they will find this in full measure in a pure Darjeeling tea.

In countries where tea is drunk without milk or sugar—as for example, in Russia—tea is appreciated for its flavour, and indeed it is true that the delicate flavour of a Darjeeling tea can best be appreciated by drinking the liquor ‘straight’.

Good Darjeeling teas are indeed the champagne of teas. There is no other area in the world which can produce the ‘muscatel’ flavour of these fine teas produced on the mountain sides of this small district.

Darjeeling tea is grown on the mountain slopes of the Himalayas at elevations ranging from 1000 to 6000 feet above sea level. Soils are red loams and sandy loams. Annual rainfall varies between 100 and 200 inches; the winter season being fairly cold and dry. The cropping season is from April to November and vintage teas are produced in April/May and October.

Teas with exquisite aroma come from the Darjeeling district. Stylish, large leaf teas are the main feature with golden tips in the top grades. The liquors are famous for their flavour derived from the high elevation at which the teas are grown.

Kangra and Mandi:

The tea plantations are on the mountain slopes of the Kangra Valley in the Himalayas, at elevations from 2000-5000 feet above sea level. The average annual rainfall but it is not evenly distributed; the winter and early summer being dry and droughty. The cropping season is from April to November.

Kangra and Mandi mostly produce green teas which are in demand in many parts of the world.

South India. Tea is grown on hill slopes in the States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, the main tea districts being the Nilgiris, Nilgiri—Wynaad, High Range and Central Kerala. The plantations are at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 7,000 feet above sea level.

Soils are red and yellow loams and are lateritic in origin. Most tea plantations in South India get two monsoons and the annual rainfall ranges from 50-275 inches and it is fairly well distributed throughout the year. The cropping season lasts throughout the year, and vintage teas are produced in December/January.

Fine flavoury teas are produced in the Nilgiris—stylish leaf throwing very bright, brisk, quality liquors with pungency and pronounced flavour; cup character is the dominating feature of these teas. Flavour is derived from the high elevation and prevails throughout the year in varying degrees.

Anamallai produces good, black, heavy, flinty well-made teas with a sprinkling of tips in the top grades during the tipping season and are the pride of this district. Liquors are coloury heavy, full-bodied, brisk, malty with quite useful strength and character, with cup quality during December/January.

Kerala teas are black or blackish, clean, heavy well-made grades, throwing exceptionally coloury, strong liquors with briskness and character and occasional quality. These are very useful for blending with flavoury teas of comparatively lighter liquors, and with others of different liquoring properties.

Karnataka produces black, well-made teas with malty medium liquors.

Nilgiri Tea:

The Nilgiris, which literally means the “Blue Mountains” are situated in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India. The place derives its name from the blue haze that covers its wooded slopes. This range, with its half English air and rolling down is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful hill resorts in the world.

Apart from its scenic charms the region constitutes one of the most important tea-growing districts in India. It is the home of famed ‘Nilgiri tea’. The Nilgiri district has about 23,000 hectares of land under tea cultivation producing nearly 34 to 35 million kg. of tea every year.

The other main districts in the South are Coimbatore and the Anamallai hills in Tamil Nadu producing about 18.50 million kg. of tea and the Idukki high ranges in Kerala producing about 32 million kg. Nilgiri teas are, however, a class by themselves. They have a flavour unique to the high grown teas of South India.

The plantations are spread out over every slope, valley and plateau at elevations ranging from 30 to 2,000 metres above sea level on a soil that is predominantly red and yellow loam and lateritic in origin.

Unlike the gardens in Northern India, where tea growth slides off during a period of “winter dormancy”, the gardens of the South enjoy a steady growth throughout the year. The two monsoons are a determining factor in facilitating throughout the year plucking.

There are, however, two big flushing periods the first from April to May when about 25% of the annual crop is gathered, and the second from September to December fetching about 32 to 40 per cent of the annual crop. Most of the manufacturing is done in the “Orthodox” process.

No other tea has the unique Nilgiri flavour. The characteristic is a gift of nature—a result of various natural stimuli on the plant. It almost appears as if the leaves take their special qualities from the breath-taking beauty that surrounds them.

This assumption is not far from the truth. The flavour prevails throughout the year in varying degrees. Nilgiri teas are famous for their stylish leaves that produce very bright, brisk and quality liquors having body and strength. Cup character is the dominant feature of these teas.

The importance of South India as a tea-producing region is tremendous, Cochin serving as its nearest auction centre and port. The largest tea-packing factory in India belonging to the Tata- Finlay group is situated in Bangalore. Besides, both the instant tea manufacturing units are in Munar and Cholari in the South.

The United Planters Association of South India (UPASI) Tea Research Station in the Anamallai hills in Coimbatore, is yet another factor contributing towards the phenomenal growth in the tea industry in this region.

Nilgiri teas a blender’s dream, and a large portion of these teas find their way into overseas markets in Russia, U.K., the Middle East, U.S.A., Canada and Australia to meet the ever growing demand for the Nilgiri flavour. With the emergence of India as a packet tea exporter, packets of fresh high grown Nilgiri teas are available for consumers all over the world.

---

3. Story of Indian Tea:

The fascinating story of tea from the seed to your cup is one filled with colourful legend and romance of modern organisation and commerce in India. It is end product of the patient toil of tens of thousands of tea-growers, the ingenuity of scientists, the expert skill of the blenders, business acumen of traders, care and promptness of shippers and the service and courtesy of retailers.

It has passed through many phases, thousands of hands, and across the oceans of the world to reach you and to give you satisfaction.

The tea plant is an evergreen of the Camellia genus and is known as Camellia sinensis and flourishes in warm tropical and subtropical rainy regions. The highest yield will be obtained from tea which is grown in tropical climate.

Paradoxically, the finest quality teas are produced from leaves grown in the cooler altitudes of 1,000 to 2,000 metres. The great ‘Darjeelmg teas’ are grown against the background of Mount Kanchenjungha of the Himalayas; nowhere else in the world has the ‘Darjeeling flavour’ been duplicated. From here come the most delicate, the most fragrant teas ever produced.

Our story starts with the tea seeds, round and hard like brown marbles. The seed itself is taken from the tea trees. Many estates have a plot of selected trees which are allowed to grow to their full size of 5 metres to 10 metres.

During July to October the trees blossom and tea flowers appear. But only after a year will the seed be ripe. When the shells crack the seeds are removed and planted in the nursery beds. Within a month they germinate into seedlings and green shoots start to grow.

In 9 to 12 months the young plants are ready for removal to the tea garden—their permanent home. For another four years the plants must be expertly pruned before they are ready for the first plucking. By this time they have become wide and flat-topped like a waist-high table to make the plucking easier. If tea plants were left unpruned, they would grow as high as 30 feet.

Plucking:

Pluckmg takes place over 7 to 14 days and the deft fingers of the expert plucker (mostly women) can gather as much as 60 lb. of leaf in one day, or enough to make 15 lb. of black tea. Only two small leaves and a bud are gathered from each shoot.

In North India, during March or April the spring or ‘First Flush’ materialises; the ‘Second Flush’ comes a month later in May. After the ‘Second Flush’, the other flushes are not so well marked and the bush gives more or less a continuous supply of green leaf until November.

In India, plucking is carried on throughout the year. Even then, there are two big flushing periods, from April to May when about 25 per cent of the annual crop is gathered, and a second flush in September to December when about 35 to 40 per cent of the annual crop is harvested.

Commercially, tea may be divided into three basic classes:

(a) Black or fermented

(b) Green or unfermented, and

(c) Oblong or semi-fermented.

Black tea is most important commercially and the production of major world supplies—viz., India, Ceylon, Indonesia and recently East Africa—is mostly of this type.

There are four principal operations in the preparation of black tea:

(a) Withering,

(b) Rolling;

(c) Fermenting, and

(d) Firing.

Withering:

About 75% of the weight of a fresh leaf consists of water even on a dry day and nearly half of this has to be removed before the fibre of the leaf and stalk will stand the strain of rolling, without breaking up.

The leaf is spread thinly over withering racks arranged one above the other horizontally, and allowed to remain there for 12 to 18 hours to lose its excessive moisture. Sometimes, heated air is forced over these racks if the atmosphere around is humid. The leaf slowly and evenly becomes soft and flaccid like soft leather and is ready for rolling.

Rolling:

It imparts the characteristic twist to the leaf, breaks the leaf cells, exposes the juices to the air for fermentation to set in. After half-an-hour’s rolling the leaf is removed in aluminium trolleys to a sifter and ball breaker. This machine consists of a long and flat metal sheet with perforations fixed on a frame which makes reciprocating motion.

The movement causes the broken leaf and fine particles to fall below and the rest is taken out after sieving. The latter is again rolled for the second time with increased pressure. After the second roll, all the leaf still more or less green and quite flaccid removed to the fermenting room.

Fermentation:

During fermentation, the tannin in tea is partly oxidised and the leaf changes colour and turns bright coppery-red. The rolled leaf is spread on tiles or aluminium or even glass sheets and the oxidation which has commenced during rolling continues, the leaf coming into contact with air.

The period of fermentation generally extends from 3 to 3 1/2 hours, but this includes rolling time as well. As a general rule, the shorter the fermentation the more pungent the liquor: and the longer the fermentation the softer the liquor and deeper the colour.

Drying or firing:

After the leaf has changed its colour, comes the final operation; namely drying or firing. The essential function of this process is to arrest further oxidation of the leaf and to remove all moisture excepting a small amount of roughly 3 to 5 per cent.

The driving machine is the largest machine required in a tea estate factory. The automatic tea drier is a large steel oven inside which the leaves, spread on tray, travel slowly from top to bottom while hot dry air is continuously forced into the oven. Careful regulation of temperature is essential as excessive heat will scorch the leaves while lack of it will result in improper drying.

Generally the process is known as first firing, removes only three-fourths of the total moisture of the fermented leaves. After a period of cooling, they are fed into another drier. The latter known as second firing removes the remaining moisture. The tea from this second drier is the finished product. There now remains only sorting or grading and packing before the tea are ready to be sent from the factory.

As the leaves come out of the driers, large and small broken and unbroken leaves are mixed together. Now they are sent through sieves, with graduated mesh, and the different sizes of tea are removed carefully so that final packages are of uniform-sized leaves or particles.

After sorting, the tea is graded and given various names such as Orange Pekoe, Pekoe, Fannings and Dust, but these are only indicative of size and not of quality.

The manufacturing process being now complete, the different grades of tea that come from the sorters are bulked, packed in plywood tea chests with linings of aluminium-foil and paper, and are ready for their adventurous journey to all comers of the world.

The process of making tea already described is generally known as the ‘orthodox’ method and is in vogue in most gardens in India. Recently, however, some import variations have been introduced in the process of manufacturing especially in North India.

The variations consist of the use of a machine named C.T.C. or, to give its full name a Crushing, Tearing and Curling machine, all in one. Here, the rollers are either wholly or partly eliminated. The leaf after withering is lightly rolled without any pressure. Then the fine leaf is separated and the coarse leaf is fed into this machine two, three or even four times.

Leg-Cut Teas:

Manufacture is vogue in the Dooars, Terai and in some Cachar gardens of North East India. This process eliminates withering, which is often difficult in these highly humid areas, and also produces a type of tea which is quick brewing and gives an instant liquor of good strength and colour

Green Tea:

Most of the teas made in China and Japan are of this type. A small quantity is made in North India also but mainly for sale in Afghanistan, Iran and some for the American market. The essential difference between green and black varieties of tea is in the fermentation— green tea being completely unfermented. The leaf meant for the manufacture of green tea is generally plucked without stalk.

Oolong Tea:

It can be described as a cross between black and green. The fresh leaf is slightly withered before panning; during the process a light ferment is allowed to develop, the leaf is then rolled and fired. Its colour is slightly changed and the resultant teas are of greenish-brown colour The Oolongs which have long enjoyed a special market in America, are now almost exclusively manufactured in Formosa.

---

4. Tea Leaf Grades:

These are made up of larger leaves after the broken grades have been sifted out. In brewing, flavour and colour come out of these grades more slowly but, given the necessary brewing time, they produce flavoury liquor. ‘Orange Pekoe’, ‘Pekoe’, and ‘Pekoe Souchong’ are the three generally used grades in this category.

Orange Pekoe (O.P.):

This consists of long, thin, wiry leaves containing tip or bud leaf. These teas generally come from the finer portions of the shoot that is the bud, first leaf and softer parts of the stalk. The liquors are generally light or pale in colour and, it produced from high grown teas, usually flavoury.

Pekoe (P):

The leaves are slightly shorter and so not wiry as those of O.P., the buds also are present. The liquors, however, have more colour and this grade is generally quicker brewing than the O.P.

Pekoe Souchong (P.S.):

A bold and round leaf with pale liquors.

Broken Grades:

These are of smaller and broken leaves and are roughly 80% of the crop including the dust varieties, which are also strictly to be classified under broken grades. There are 4 main grades in this category.

Broken Orange Pekoe (B.O.P.):

They are much smaller than any of the leaf grades and usually contain tips, hence the word orange is added. The liquors have good colour and strength and this is one of the chief attractions.

Broken Pekoe (B.P):

They are slightly larger than B.C.P. but tips or buds will be absent. The liquors are paler and are less coloury in the cup. These are mainly used as ‘fillers’.

Broken Pekoe Souchong (B.P.S.):

They are a little large or bolder than B.P. and in consequence lighter in the cup, but useful as ‘fillers’.

Fannings or Pekoe Fannings:

These are much smaller than B.P.S. and are quick brewing and give good coloured liquors.

Dusts:

Finally, the smallest particles excluding ‘fluff and ‘stalk’ are graded as Dusts. These teas are useful in quick brewing, the liquors produced have both strength and colour. They are in a good demand for catering purposes.

---

ADVERTISEMENTS:

5. Tea Board of India:

The Tea Board’s major functions at present are: promotion of the tea habit; helping the development of the Industry, more especially of its marginal units; mediation to secure essential goods and services; provision of educational facilities for the dependants of garden workers. For the buyers from abroad it is enabled by the Act to render effective assistance in ensuring the standard of tea shipments from India.

But, the Tea Board is more important than its functions would signify. For it embodies the organised knowledge and experience of all tea interests, reflects the attitudes of the industry as a whole and is the only statutorily recognised link between the Industry and the Government.

India continues to be world’s largest exporter of tea, and more cups of tea are drunk throughout the world than any other beverage—except water—because it is a good tranquilliser and at the same time acts as a mild stimulant.

To relax over a cup of tea is a virtue worth cultivating before the human system, through stress and tension, is allowed to reach a stage when life seems distorted and the mind refuses to adjust itself Tea’s contribution to reduce tension and instill a sense of general comfort has been recognised today by eminent medical experts, though it is by no means a new claim for this little plant whose written origin dates back to some 5000 years.

From the distant past an ancient philosopher has left this image of tea to posterity:

“When I drink tea, I am conscious of peace,

The cool breath of heaven rises in my sleeves

And blows my cares away.”

6. Steps to a Good Cup of Tea:

a. Take fresh water from the cold tap and boil.

b. Warm teapot by rinsing out with hot water.

c. Put into teapot one teaspoonful of tea leaf for each cup.

d. Pour boiling water into the teapot. Cover and wait for three minutes. Give more time for bigger leaf teas.

e. Pour liquid tea from teapot into cup. Add milk or a slice of lemon and sugar to taste. Enjoy the taste and flavour of Indian tea.