Photos

North Bengal is the land of tea. Roughly two sectors grow tea, the Darjeeling hills and the foothill land of Dooars.

This is shot at the "Chulsa" tea garden near Chalsa, on way to Samsing. This is a wonderful undulating landscape with carpet of tea gardens. The local tribal population are engaged as tea pickers.

Contrary to some places in the Darjeeling hills, where the tea pickers use baskets, here the women use a bag with slings hung from their head. The sun beats down very strongly here, ... I was wondering how they manage to do it for a long time in summer!

Dooars grow mainly the CTC type of tea, which is consumed by the bulk of the Indian population ... more common with us as what we have as 'Chay' in most parts of India. This tea is produces rich liquor but contains less of flavor elements. The flavor tea is mostly grown in the misty hills of Darjeeling.