South India's largest tea-growing region, the rolling hills around Munnar are carpeted in emerald-green tea plantations, contoured, clipped and sculpted like ornamental hedges. The low mountain scenery is magnificent – you’re often up above the clouds watching veils of mist clinging to the mountaintops. Munnar itself is a scruffy administration centre, not unlike a North Indian hill station, but wander just a few kilometres out of town and you’ll be engulfed in a sea of a thousand shades of green.
Once known as the High Range of Travancore, today Munnar is the commercial centre of some of the world’s highest tea-growing estates. The majority of the plantations are now operated by Kannan Devan Hills Plantation Company a local cooporative which succeeded from Corporate giant Tata Tea in 2005
Munar is breathtakingly beautiful - a haven of peace and tranquility in God's own country. Set at an altitude of 6000 ft in Idukki district, Munnar was the favored summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days. Unending expanse of tea plantations - pristine valleys and mountains- exotic species of flora and fauna in its wild sanctuaries and forests - aroma of spice scented cool air - yes! Munnar has all these and more. It's the place you would love to visit - it's the place you would wish never to leave.
Club Mohindra Resort
We had been planning to visit Backwaters for many years, this time my brother-in-law Amrit Pal simply did it in a flash. All air ticket and stay bookings were nicely arranged and as per the scheduled, we left for Kochi. It was a hopping flight via Mumbai. Kochi International Airport is really cute little airport. The government of India's Airport Authority Of India didn't have enough funds to commence a greenfield airport. This lead to the formation a novel idea of collecting funds from public and private individuals to construct an airport, which was indeed for the first time in India.
Enjoying dinner after arduous travelling day,
One of the most popular hill stations in India, Munnar is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. Located at 1600 Mts above sea level, this was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British Government in South India
Kerala history is closely linked with its commerce, which in turn was wholly dependent until recent times on its spice trade. Kerala was known for its spices and traders traveled here to trade and to gain control over this rich land. It is believed that the spice trade dates back to three thousand years. Pepper still remains the king of Kerala's spices, but the state also rich in cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and turmeric. As in the past , the state continues to be the spice capital of the world.
Over twelve varieties of spices including ginger, garlic, cardamom, vannilla, pepper, cinnamon, coffee, tea, clove and nutmeg is cultivated in Munnar and its neighboring villages.
The pepper plant grows best in a warm and humid climate. Berries mature and are ready for harvest in about 180 to 200 days. Black pepper is produced by sun drying the mature pepper berries for 3 - 5 days after they are separated from the spikes by threshing and white pepper by retting mature berries in clean water for 5 - 7 days, removing the outer skin and drying the seed after thorough washing.
The Majestic Tea Plantations
This tract, called the Kanan Devan Concession Land, was completely undeveloped, largely unexplored, and covered with thick jungle full of wild elephants and tigers. The Kanan Devan Hills Produce Company was formed in 1897, and together with other subsidiaries of the Glasgow, UK - based Finlays Group, namely, the Anglo-American Direct Tea Trading Company and the Amalgamated Tea Estates Company it opened or came to purchase 33 estates in the high range and 9 in the the Anamallais.
In 1964 a collaborative venture between Finlays and Tatas was established to develop value-added tea, and in 1976 Tata-Finlays Ltd purchased the black tea producing/marketing operation and other interests. The name of the company was changed to Tata Tea Ltd. in 1983 when Finlays sold their remaining share holdings including the considerable landholdings and manufacturing facilities in Northeastern India. Tata Tea Ltd. justifiably claims to be the largest integrated tea company in the world, with activities spanning the entire spectrum of the industry.
I'm amazed that during your course of stay in Munnar you didnt realise that Tata Tea Ltd now owns just two tea estates in Munnar, the rest of the tea estates having changed hands as Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company (P) Ltd, as a result of an employee buyout. Yes, Tata Tea used to own most of the tea estates in Munnar, but KDHP took over in 2005. All of us Indians should be proud that the employees actually decided to take over the management of a huge tea plantation company that was making losses, and managed to successfully turn it into the largest tea producing company in South India! I was amazed by the story when I first heard it when I visited the KDHP Tea Museum in Munnar, and I only have veneration for all the workers there. If anybody's interested, www.kdhptea.com is their website. (Of course, as the blog author, you might probably not post my comment, but I think you should at least edit your post to include details about KDHP, simple because what they are doing is truly amazing!"
I am glad to insert the comments of of my Blog friend as above. Thanks Anthros Yakoub
Sprawling tea plantations, picture book towns, winding lanes, trekking and holiday facilities make Munnar a unique experience. Munnar is essentially a tea town. The tea plantations have now been taken over by the Tata Tea Company. The visitor is greeted with miles and miles of unending tea plantations on entry into Munnar. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands here is the Neelakurinji a flower which bathes the hills in blue colour once in twelve years. The Neelakurinji, would bloom next in 2006 AD. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India - Anamudi - which towers over 2695 Mts and is an ideal spot for campers who like to do some trekking.
The tender Tea Leaves
Harvesting is the operation in which the tender tea shoots are picked, which generally termed as “plucking”. A tea shoot at the correct maturity for the manufacture of high quality made tea, comprises of an unfurled bud with two or three soft leaves.
In any plant, there are two kinds of buds or shoots. Buds at the top of the branch or shoot is called the “Apical bud” and below that between every petiole and the stem, are alternative or side buds.
So long as the apical bud or the top most bud is there, all other minute alternative or side buds tend to inactive and remain silently without growing. This phenomenon is so called as the “Apical Dormancy”.
When a shoot is picked, the apical bud is removed and hence, the apical dormancy is beaked, allowing the bud immediately below the plucking point to get active and grow, which is termed as bud break. Most of the time, only one bud immediately below the plucking point begins to grow, some time that might be two or three.
So long as the apical bud or the top most bud is there, all other minute alternative or side buds tend to inactive and remain silently without growing. This phenomenon is so called as the “Apical Dormancy”.
When a shoot is picked, the apical bud is removed and hence, the apical dormancy is beaked, allowing the bud immediately below the plucking point to get active and grow, which is termed as bud break. Most of the time, only one bud immediately below the plucking point begins to grow, some time that might be two or three.
This one is plucked by Harvinder.
On the other hand, hard fibrous parts in tea shoot is getting higher with the maturity. If the shoots are over grown, it will sure decrease the out turn and increase waste tea in manufacture. The quality and the quantity of made tea will be, thus, determined by the maturity of the shoots being plucked.
Therefore, it is extremely important to strictly adhere to the correct maturity of tea shoots as it determines the quality and the quantity of the made tea and hence, the profitability of the tea plantations.
Therefore, it is extremely important to strictly adhere to the correct maturity of tea shoots as it determines the quality and the quantity of the made tea and hence, the profitability of the tea plantations.
Having breakfast in the fantastic dining area of the club
The resort is setup in a beautiful cascade designed rooms.
Breathtaking view
Tea or Chai is the most widely drunk beverage in the whole world. The tea plant, Camellia Sansis, is a cultivated variety of a tree that has its origins in an area between India and China. There are three main varieties of the tea plant - China, Assam, and Cambodia - and a number of hybrids between the varieties. The China variety grows as high as nine feet (2.75 metres). It is a hardy plant able to withstand cold winters and has an economic life of at least 100 years.
Workers picking up the tea leaves also taught Harvinder how to pick
The whole lot of Tea cultivation
The tender tea leaves collected from the plantations are withered in hot air at the factory and then sent to the rollers. After being rolled into particles and fermented, they are fed into dries before they are ready to be packed. Tea stimulates the central nervous system Leads to increased period of awakening Prevents drowsiness and dullness Keeps alert the intellectual faculties.
Wheat and Rice growers in the midst of Tea crop
The Assam variety, a single-stem tree ranging from 20 to 60 feet (6 to 18 metres) in height. Regular pruning keeps its height to a more manageable 4 to 5 feet tall. It has an economic life of 40 years with regular pruning and plucking. When grown at an altitude near that of Darjeeling (Assam) or Munnar (Kerala), it produces tea with fascinating flavours, sought after around the globe.
One of the numerous lakes near by
1 comment:
Dear Preet,
I'm amazed that during your course of stay in Munnar you didnt realise that Tata Tea Ltd now owns just two tea estates in Munnar, the rest of the tea estates having changed hands as Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company (P) Ltd, as a result of an employee buyout. Yes, Tata Tea used to own most of the tea estates in Munnar, but KDHP took over in 2005. All of us Indians should be proud that the employees actually decided to take over the management of a huge tea plantation company that was making losses, and managed to successfully turn it into the largest tea producing company in South India! I was amazed by the story when I first heard it when I visited the KDHP Tea Museum in Munnar, and I only have veneration for all the workers there. If anybody's interested, www.kdhptea.com is their website. (Of course, as the blog author, you might probably not post my comment, but I think you should at least edit your post to include details about KDHP, simple because what they are doing is truly amazing!
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