The publication of the present volume fulfils my long - cherished desire to write a comprehensive history on the transition of tea industry since 1947. I owe a profound debt of gratitude to Professor Ananda Gopal Ghosh, Emeritus Professor, University of North Bengal, for his tireless support and encouragement and has invaluable scholarly suggestions at all stages. I am thankful to Professor Rup Kumar Barman, Honourable Vice-Chancellor, Bankuna University who has reflected his ideas on the theme within a short space. I would also like to thank professor Anil Kumar Sarkar, Babu Jagjivan Ram Chair Professor, University of Calcutta who offered valuable comments relating to my work. I am especially grateful to Dr. Shyamal Chandra Guha Roy, former Associate Professor, Siliguri College, with whom I discussed at length various aspects of my work. My thanks are also due to Professor Swaraj Basu, Professor Rajen Saikia, who helped me by their advice and suggestion in the course of preparing this volume. I am also thankful to Professor I. Sarkar, Professor Ratna Roy Sanyal, Professor Anita Bagchi, Dr. Dahlia Bhattacharya, Dr. Sudash Lama, Dr. Tahiti Sarkar of North Bengal University who time to time inspired me to bring out the book at the earliest. I bow my deepest respect to Professor Madhab Chandra Adhikary, Dr. Kartik Ch. Sutradhar, Professor Pronab Kumar Bhattacharya, Professor Gopal Sharma, Dr. Saunak Samajdar, Dr. Santanu Das of Coochbehar Panchanan Barma University, Dr. Sailen Debnath of Alipurduar University.
I also thank my scholars Arun Ghosh and Subrata Barai who helps me a lot to prepare the volume. I am also thankful to Dr. Debajit Dutta, Dr. Rajarshi Biswas, Dr. Kartik Saha, Dr. Papiya Dutta, Dr. Gouri Dey, Pranay Rajak, Soumendra Prasad Saha, Sushmita Pandit, Krishna Barman, Kalidas Roy, Sanat Adhikary, Suman Roy, Manojit Das, Sujay Debnath, Bappa Mahanta, Swadhin Jha, Kalikrishna Sutradhar, I have a long list of well - wishers who inspired me in preparing this volume. For lack of space, I could not mention their names here. My greatest debt is to my parents, wife and daughter Moubani, whose tireless support always encourage me to go ahead in the life of scholarship.
I believe that this book would not only meet the need of a good historical account on tea industry in North Bengal, but would serve as a source book for the future researchers, too. I take the opportunity to thank Mr. Om Prakash Singh, owner of Aayu Publications, New Delhi for bringing this book into light. I, of course, am responsible for any errors or omissions.
Tea cultivation in India was mainly started by carrying seeds from China. During the same period, the existence of tea plant was found in upper Assam. In 1823, Robert Bruce, a Scottish adventurer, explorer and businessmen, was trading along the upper Brahmaputra Valley when he came across indigenous tea growing in the dense jungle. Local Singpho tribes pickled the leaves and ate them with oil and garlic and sometimes dried fish, much in the manner of the Burmese dish lahpet. They also made a primitive eta with the leaves. At the same time, tea was discovered by an Indian named Mani Ram Dewan. Rosheshwar Barua had to establish number tea gardens. But it is surprising to think that the British Government have never patronised the discovery of these two Indian gentlemen as the first entrepreneur in Indian tea industry. Rather, they have always put Robert Bruch ahead.
However, in order to break China's monopoly on the World tea market, the British put much emphasis on tea production in India. As a result, a Committee was formed in 1834 under the supervision of Lord William Bentinck, the then Governor General of India, which accelerated the tea cultivation in different parts of India like Nilgiris, Western Ghats of South India and different parts of Himalayas. In the same way, tea cultivation was started in Terai, Duars and hill tracts of Bengal.
The biggest field of investment by the Europeans in North Bengal was the tea plantation industry. Production of tea in colonial North Bengal was concentrated virtually in two districts such as Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri. The Duars region is a strip of land, running from the western bank of the Sankosh river to the Tista river. The northern border of the region is very close to our neighbouring country Bhutan. The Terai region starts from the banks of the Mahananda river to the Mechi river. Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri, these two districts are different from other districts of North Bengal in respect of climate, and weather. Naturally, weather and deep forests lured the British to start tea plantations in the hilly, Terai and duars region.
Archibald Campbell first introduced tea in Darjeeling. He at first served at the Residence in Nepal for eight years. Later he was posted to Darjeeling in 1839 in place of Captain Lloyd. For the next 22 years Campbell served as the Superintendent of Darjeeling. He encouraged the Nepali immigration in Darjeeling who later largely contributed to develop the basic administrative infrastructure and roadways of the hill town. His first endeavour to produce tea was started with the seeds of Kumaon which he collected from Nathaniel Wallich, the Director of Botanical Garden at Calcutta in November 1841. After five years, he further procured seeds from Assam with the same purpose. In his very attempt, he could not succeed. The Journal of the Agri-Horticultural Society of India reported that similar results having been obtained in Mussoorie. The tea plant would thrive up to the altitude of 6500 feet. Being overwhelmingly impressed with his report, Campbell distributed seeds in the Darjeeling hill and many of them succeeded in growing tea. After tea, later he started to establish Cinchona plantations through private enterprise. He also tried to grow cotton.
The first commercial tea estate was opened at Tukvar Darjeeling in 1850 followed by Steinthall and Alubari tea estate in 1852.4 Tea plants had shown and rose at Tukvar to the North by Captain Masson, at Kurseong by Mr. Smith. In Terai, the first European tea estate was Chamta established in 1862. The foundation of the first tea estate laid down in Duars was the Gazuldoba tea estate in 1874. Most of the gardens were under European control.
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