Assam is famous for its unique tea estate and magnificent natural landscapes,stands as a biodiversity hub in the Northeast.With a commanding 52% share of India’s tea output, it is honored as the foremost tea haven in the nation.Tea was first found in Assam in 1823, thanks to the Bruce brothers. Since then, Assam has played a crucial role in the tea industry. Interestingly, the Singpho tribe had been savoring tea as an herbal drink even before it was officially discovered.After Darjeeling,Assam produces 80%of the tea all over India .While frequently unnoticed, Assam’s tea heritage intricately contributes a mysterious and extensive storyline to the fabric of Indian history.
Not many people were aware that Northeast India had this hidden treasure of tea gardens as before India, China was the only exclusive supplier of tea worldwide. Many people everywhere loved this fresh drink, even in British India. Sadly, India’s history is somewhat hidden by its beautiful gardens.
Story of Assam’s Tea history
Scottish merchant Robert Bruce is said to be the one who discovered tea in Assam .It is said that through Maniram Dewan,Bruce met a Singpho Ledar Bessa Gam who later demonstrated him along with Maniram Dewan that how the Singpho, a local tribesman, made tea from the leaves of this bush.From this tribe, he not only grasped the art of cultivating productive leaves in the locality but also learned how to differentiate between various kinds of tea.
Maniram Dutta Baruah, also referred to as Maniram Dewan was the first Indian to begin tea cultivation in Assam but due to his participation in the freedom struggle uprising of 1857 he was executed in 1858 by the British Government of colonial time. Later ,after Maniram Dewan’s groundbreaking efforts, a significant number of people, mostly Assamese, stepped forward voluntarily to cultivate tea.Bruce also organized a collaboration with tribal leaders of Assam for scientific examination or research on tea leaves and seeds .
Some of the leaves of tea were also transported to Calcutta botanical gardens for examination in the 1830s.
The British government eventually selected Charles Bruce as the tea estates’ manager.
The Tocklai Tea Research Institute was founded in Jorhat in 1911. Following that, the British began growing tea properly and systematically. It is also known that the largest tea research facility in the world is the Tok Lai Tea Research Institute.
When it comes to the history of tea in Assam, connecting to each and every aspect of its background is next to impossible yet through historical books,research and the historical presence of tea in Assam’s environment it becomes easy for people like us to get better knowledge about its historical background.
Apart from this the tea tribes of Assam, India, represent a unique community with a rich historical background that dates back to the colonial era.To meet the demand for cheap labour in these plantations, migrants were brought in from various regions of India, including Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh. These migrants and their descendants formed the tea tribes of Assam, a community that now comprises a significant population residing in approximately 803 tea estates in upper Assam.
Despite their contribution to the tea industry, the tea tribes have faced historical neglect when it comes to basic rights and access to quality education. The tea estates themselves have evolved into self-sustained microcosms with their social structures, norms, and unique cultural identities. Isolated from the outside world, many within the tea community lack the awareness of the transformative potential of education. This perpetuates socioeconomic disparities and restricts opportunities for personal and collective growth.
Yet the tea sector in Assam significantly contributes to the state’s economy, serving as a crucial source of both income and jobs. Due to its distinctive characteristics and flavor, Assam tea occupies a special and unparalleled status within the tea industry.
It can be easily concluded by saying that Assam’s tea has a significant impact all overall the world as it is not only limited within India but is exported globally for business enhancements. Its history has a magnificent impact on the current production of tea in India as it gave the world a whole new idea of the existence of different varieties of tea .Thus we need to understand the importance of tea production in India and how it contributes to our economy and how it connects to Assam .
