AN ORIENTAL TRIP BY TRAIN

Tea Garden to Tea Tourism: Travel Diary

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Chai, garam chai... rented the air woke me up from deep slumber. I was comfortably tucked inside my sleeping bag on a chilly winter morning. My friend, Susan too was fast asleep in the opposite berth and so were the other co-passengers.

Without disturbing anybody, I quietly peeped through the curtains and discovered that our train which was running four hours late had reached Siliguri station. Here the train was scheduled to halt for half-an-hour before proceeding to its destination at Guwahati - roughly around nine hours away. A few platforms away stood the cute little toy train of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR). Listed as a world heritage by the United Nations one can board this train for Darjeeling which passes through the cris-cross valleys and mountains.

Tea workers

Slowly I put on my jacket, sneakers and got down at the railway platform. I waved to a vendor, got two cups of tea and carefully headed to our compartment. Susan was awake by now and was too excited seeing me approaching with the steaming cups of tea in each hand. It was a misty morning, fresh as the due drops and a strange kind of feeling in the air.

As the train chugged off the station we were glued to the window enjoying the picturesque serenity. Susan got into action with her digital camera trying to frame the best shots from the running train. Far away, the majestic Kanchenjunga mountain range's snow-capped peaks glittered like a cake of gold with the first rays of the sun.

Inside our compartment a group of hawkers barged in selling curious Chinese products. The region's close proximity to China sees a good chunk of foreign goods smuggled via the Himalayan land-locked country - Nepal. Stacked inside their large shoulder bags and displaying items by hanging it from each fingers was indeed a cool way of passing time.

A hawker selling Chinese items inside the train

From electronics such as swanky caller ID land-line phones with large colour LCD, cordless phones, imitation of world famous Rado wrist watches, remote  controlled toys, Casio type synthesiser, cameras, iPod type MP3 and video players, car decors, rechargeable flashlights, CDs, folding umbrellas to track suits, jackets, sneakers, quilts, blankets, lingerie, cosmetics and various kinds of balms can be bought at an unbelievable bargain price. In the entire railway may of India, this route is considered to be a special attraction for tourists or first time traveler who usually falls prey buying these cheap foreign goods.

Our train which had been racing at full throttle had suddenly slowed down to a  moderate speed. It was passing amidst the ocean of tea gardens, thick evergreen forests, tunnels and bridges over the Teesta-river. We could see local men and women working, plucking leaves and buds, in huge cane baskets. At a distance some of the the British style luxurious bungalows too could be viewed. The slopes of the mountains, which looked like a huge green carpet with exotic flowers added to the beauty. It was a breath-taking scene that gradually took me down through my memory lane.

A Tea Planter's Bungalow

One of our very close family-friend, Robin-uncle was a tea planter. He had a vast knowledge in this field and gained the reputation in the tea industry of reviving sick tea gardens into milch cows! During his career he had worked in the Dooars, Assam and a short stint in the Nilgiri Hills tea gardens.

I used to visit him along with my parents during my long winter vacation. One of my significant visits was just after my graduation. I was pretty matured and a plethora of thoughts revolving the tea industry got deep rooted in  my mind.

Robin-uncle was at that time posted in one of the tea estates in Dooars - a place where tackling the militant labour force had become a Herculean task for his predecessors. But for him, being a unique person who had the natural ability of people management was a cake-walk to solve the most difficult situation. He had a charismatic quality of which the tea workers would swear by his name since he strongly believed that truly respecting others is the bedrock of motivations.

As things got settled in his new garden Robin-uncle's vision drifted towards the potential of tapping international tourists into the garden. Already Assam tea for its liquor and Darjeeling tea for its aroma had been creating ripples in the international market. But on the other hand, the growing threat from non-traditional countries entering into the tea manufacturing was silently sending a shiver into the spines of the Indian tea Companies. Robin-uncle along with a few like-minded colleagues started thinking in the same wave length as they believed attracting international tourists would create further awareness and give a boost to the tea industry at large.

'Scotland of the East' - Shillong

With a word of mouth his vision spread to the neighbouring tea estates until it reached the head office in Calcutta where it was overwhelmingly endorsed for his positive and futuristic view. He was given the liberty to convert one of the abandoned British-built bungalows into a luxury lodge which would cater to a selective band of people who would not mind spending lavishly while sipping Champagne of teas (often referred to Darjeeling tea) or Cognac of teas (if it was of Assam variety) amidst the sylvan surroundings.

Kamakhya Temple

With the passing of years, the concept of tea tourism is growing credence among both home and international    tourists. For tourists,particularly from the United Kingdom has a special significance. It was the British who started tea plantation in India and stayed here for long until the time of India attained independence. Such connections therefore, causes a natural urge to come to India and spend sometime in the tea gardens to recall  their memories.

Today the state governments and estate owners cashing in on the tourism potential, one can now find various tea tourism packages offered by tour operators. The packages provide an extensive tour of the tea gardens making you witness the whole process how tea is plucked, processed and finally available for consumption.

Night view of Guwahati's busy Assam Trunk Road

Suddenly I see Susan with her thirty-two teeth laughing to glory and yelling at me to pack up and get ready. This time she offers me a Cognac (Assam tea). Our train was crossing the mighty Brahmaputra-river and within few minutes would be reaching Guwahati - the gateway to the north eastern states. It was dusk, the weather was foggy and residences atop the Kamakhya and Nilachal hills were shining like stars while beneath fast moving vehicle's headlights could be seen in the busy Assam Trunk Road. We had a couple of night's stay at Guwahati and then headed for Shillong - the Scotland of the East and India's nerve centre of international rock concert before finally returning to New Delhi.