J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0

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Cover : Happy Hands at Koomsong 01 Editorial & Features 02Narration 03 Treasury 05 The Memsahab’s Guide 15 Outlook 18Cameo 21 How Does Your Garden Grow? 27 Requiem 30 Melange 31Beneficence 34 Reminiscence 36 Management Mantras 42 Rainbow 44Treasury 45 Planters’ Punch 55 Playing Fields 56 Health Watch 58Moot Point 60 Bagaan Patois 62 The Last Word 63 Tea Break 64

“Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but agoing on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill

in us.” (Hal Borland)

Two years and four publications on, the Company’s heritage isreflected in an abundance of material, encouraging

The WM Times to continue its voyage of discovery through thecontributions of many.

We are pleased to include the narration of Moran Tea Company in our treasure chest and havetravelled to different ‘Corners’ of the North East to explore places and lifestyles inherent to this

profession and its individuals. In ‘Outlook’ we reiterate our commitment to the protection of thenatural world through Rain Forest Alliance; co-incidentally the issue portrays the temporary

sanctuary provided to leopards on Company terrain prior to being released to their natural habitatby the authorities.

We elaborate on Time Management, so essential in today’s frenetic way of life. ‘Rainbow’ highlightsthe achievements in diverse fields of two of our own very talented young individuals.

There is an untapped wealth of anecdotes with a unique twist intrinsic to Tea, frequently heard at theclub bar in the course of a convivial evening and these will be brought to you through the kind auspices

of our retired ‘Sahabs’; the Planters’ Punch -- bitter-sweet nostalgia?

The other new feature shall include our talented ‘Memsahabs’ sharing ideas and suggestions on nurturingthe profusion of greenery we are fortunate to be surrounded with.

The Purva Tirupati Sri Balaji Mandir, a landmark of Guwahati, is a sanctuary of peace and tranquility. May thetemple bestow its benediction for the New Year.

On behalf of the Editorial Team I conclude with a Zen Haiku translated by Gary Crounse -

Strange how a teapot Can represent at the same time

The comforts of solitudeAnd the pleasures of company.

Salaams.

Vidya Kaul

FEATURES

The Sivsagar district of Assam, seat of the powerful Ahom dynasty which reigned for

nearly six centuries, includes several architectural wonders which embody this glorious

era in the history of the state. Today, this region contains an expanse of verdant

plantations producing high yields of the ‘green treasure’. The erstwhile Moran Tea

Company Limited, established in 1864, features as one of the benchmarks for quality

tea in the district.

Under the appropriate laws of the United Kingdom, the Registered Office of the

Company was incorporated at Brook’s Wharf, 48 Upper Thames Street, London. The

Memorandum of Association established the administrative centre to look after their

business interests in India at 65 Clive Street, Calcutta. Their object was to “purchase

land, the clearing thereof and the cultivation and manufacture of tea and the doing

of such things as are incidental or conducing to the attainment of the above object.”

The Managing Agents were M/s James Lyall, Thomas Rannie Grant and Charles

Frederic Burgett. At inception, the company included 207 acres of tea cultivation

under Moran Tea Estate. In 1876, land was purchased at Sepon increasing the total

area to 980 acres. The Company

realized a crop of 17440 kg in 1894.

Attabarie T. E. joined the fold in

1946 ensuring a potential yield of

nearly four lakh kg of high quality

leaf per annum and in 1951

Lepetkatta T. E. added a further

808 acres of cultivated land.

Thus the ‘Sterling Company’

comprised the four estates, nearly

four thousand acres of tea cultivation

producing a crop of 18000 kg.

03

Director's Bungalow

By the Fireside

- Vidya Kaul

Moran Tea Company

The sale of teas,

maintenance

and finance

were the

responsibility of Moran

Tea Holdings Ltd, UK.

After Independence, the

Government of India

introduced legislature to

ensure that companies

incorporated in the UK

had to allow for share

capital in the Indian

market. In 1956 The Moran Tea Company

(India) Ltd was established, with the

Registered Office at Four Mangoe Lane,

Calcutta and Head Office at Moran T. E.,

Moran, Assam.

Modern plantation policy and scientific

methods increased the crop considerably in

the following years. Sections with low yields

were replanted and all available land was

commissioned with tea; installation of new

machinery in the factories encouraged

higher output. Green leaf was also

purchased from small tea growers; this

policy was introduced in 1995 to maximize

total crop.

The amalgamation proceedings of Moran

Tea Company (India) Ltd with McLeod

Russel India Ltd was initiated in 2007 and

on 16 May 2008 the companies merged

with retrospective effect from the

appointment date, 1 April 2007.

Consequently, the Company, which was

incorporated in 1864 with a cultivated area

of 207 acres, controlled at the close of

2007/2008, 5284.31 acres producing

forty-two lakh kg of both Orthodox and

CTC tea from the four estates--Moran,

Sepon, Lepetkatta and Attabarie.

Thus, the MRIL family grows and prospers;

may their ‘Treasury’ always reap a successful

harvest of The World’s Cup of Tea.

Old ‘Banger’

Retired Engine from Lincolnshire

Sahabs

Sepon Burra Bungalow

04

Moran T. E., the flagship plantation of the erstwhile

Moran Tea Company, was established in 1864 on a tract

of land which bordered a dirt track known as Sologuri

Road, linking Khowang, Moran, Sepon and Mohukutee

and onward to Nazira. A major part of this road is today

NH 37, bifurcating the town of Moran between Sivsagar

and Dibrugarh districts in Upper Assam.

The native inhabitants were the Moran tribe. The name

‘Moran’ comes from the ‘Old Kingdom’, which was

occupied and ruled by this clan and spread over a vast area

covering the present Greater Moran region. In December

1228 the Ahom king, Chaolung Sukapha, traversed the

Patkai Range and entered Assam. He married a Moran

princess, daughter of King Barosar, and made this province

his home for two decades. The Ahom dynasty ruled for

nearly six centuries; it may be mentioned here that a ten

-Vidya Kaul

New Factory

05

kilometre stretch of road from

Sepon ‘tinali’ (three way crossing)

to Moran Police Station is still

known as ‘Raj Ali’, having been

commissioned by King Bhoja

Raja, who ruled from 1641 to

1644.

Records confirm that

the cultivation of tea

began in 1864 and a

property of 207 acres

with an annual

production of 8419 kg

was established. The

colonial influence is

evident in the

architectural design of

the office building,

located close to the

historic ‘Khargoria Phukanar Pukhuri’, a tank dating from

the Ahom era and part of their capital city. It is said that

the ‘Gharphalia’ army, which in alliance with the Ahom

fighting force under King Gamdhar Konwar led an

offensive against the British, camped near this pond. One

of their brave men belonged to the Khargoria Phukan

family, giving the water body its name. A memorial with

an inscription in Thai was built in their honour but this was

destroyed just before the Second World War.

In 1890 the Moran Post Office was established on the

estate and the first telegram sent is dated 9 December,

1901.

The district clubs are the heart and soul of the community

and in 1914 the Moran Polo Club was inaugurated on the

property. Soon, polo and tennis became popular sports for

both players and spectators. A brass plaque inscribed with

the names of those who sacrificed their lives fighting for

the Allied Forces

during the two

Great Wars is

proudly displayed

within the premises.

These brave soldiers,

Capt. B.M. Rooney,

Capt. Edward Lee,

Capt. D.C. Crole,

Lt. C. Le Mesurier,

Capt. S. S. Haire,

Capt. G. Featherstone,

Capt. R. Ball and

Lt. G. Jackson remind

us of the contribution made by so many to

the cause of freedom.

A new factory complex was constructed in

1939. There is an intriguing sculpture on the

outer surface of the main building denoting

a ‘tiger head’. It is believed that the presence

of these ‘Royal’ beings in the vicinity terrified

the work force and thus a ‘puja’ was

performed to appease the Gods and a likeness of the beast

mounted on the wall to keep them safe.

Main Office

Plaque

Mr & Mrs H.S. Bell (tenure:1928-1948)06

In 1942 the estate had to tackle a major disaster. The

manager’s residence, a thatched ‘chung’ bungalow, caught fire.

This building was situated at the site of the original palace of

the Ahom rulers, adjacent to the ‘Pukhuri’. Subsequently, a

part of this structure has been converted to a Labour Club

and a new residence built for the General Manager.

Today, Moran T. E. includes an area of 617.93 hectares,

projecting an expansion of 31.75 hectares under

rehabilitation. The estimated crop is 1.2 million kg. The

estate has a well equipped hospital to care for its labour

force and two dispensaries at the out division with First

Aid services. A total of five primary schools are responsible

for the education of the workers’ offspring till they transfer

to secondary schools in the nearby town. Recreation

facilities for all are provided by five Labour Clubs. The Staff

Club celebrated its Golden Jubilee earlier this year.

The estate is proud of its talented footballers; late Bina

Bawri represented her state and country from 1981 to 1987

and the men’s football team has won accolades at the

district level. Staff and workers of Moran are pioneers in

the sport of archery.

Thus the community thrives. We wish them long years of

prosperity in their ‘green’ haven.

Polo Players

Standing: (L- R) Dr M.K. Das, M.Kander, M. Barhoi, A. Dutta, P. Tirkey, B. Bordoloi ; Seated : P. S. Dowerah (General Manager)

07

The Ahom dynasty was responsible for the creation of

numerous ‘sagar’ or water bodies, in memory of an

important personage and also as a source of drinking water.

These reservoirs were conceived and created at specific

locations after intense scientific study. The

preliminary survey of the site was

conducted by the ‘Mati Seleka Baruah’ or

the ‘soil taster’. He confirmed the

possibility of underground water in

sufficient quantities. The second stage was

initiated by placing earthen lamps filled

with oil at different points in the

designated area and lighting them. Guards

were positioned over these ‘diyas’ to keep

track of the ones which extinguished their

flame, in spite of sufficient oil in their

containers and no disturbing currents of air. These

indicated the presence of the water spring which gushed

out on digging the earth. The final step in the process was

the installation of the ‘nagmari’, a tall pole with a carved

snakehead placed on a copper plate with a liquid called ‘roh’

at the base. The ‘mari’ (pole) had slots which regulated the

flow of water and these were placed at

the mouth of the spring for this

purpose. The earth removed to make

the pond formed the embankment or

dyke. Any excess was drained through

underground canals and the volume

and level of water in these tanks

remained constant.

The ‘Khargoria Phukanar Pukhuri’,

located near the estate factory

complex, is a fine example of this

ancient wonder. The temple at its edge,

dedicated to Lord Shiva, is a modern shrine, popular with

the garden work force.

Khargoria Phukanar Pukhuri

PU

KH

UR

I

08

At latitude 26.4° North, longitude 93° East and an altitude

of 76 metres above sea level, covering 1167.28 hectares of

land, lies Monabarie – the Company’s largest estate –

whose HACCP certified factory produces approximately

three million kg tea per annum.

The name derives from ‘Manaipukhuri’ or ‘Manaivakat’,

which the area was earlier known as after the seer Manai

who lived there near a large water tank or ‘pukhuri’. The

estate is bounded by two rivers – the Burigaon on the west

and the mighty Brahmaputra on the south. To the east

stands the Gang Mou Than, a famous pilgrimage centre,

where the great saint Shankardev is believed to have lived

for some months; and away to the north rise the foothills

of the Himalayas. Kaziranga lies across the Brahmaputra

and when the river floods its banks denizens of the

National Park such as deer, elephants and even rhinos float

across, seeking sanctuary on the high land of the estate’s

Behupukhuri division. The old thatch ‘bari’ in the division’s

Section no.26 was one such place. This is now the favourite

spot for the executives of the estate to relax in, with its

restful atmosphere and a ‘machaan’ named ‘Niribiri’

overlooking the wide expanse of the Burigaon and, beyond,

a glimpse of the Brahmaputra. On a clear night, the lights

of the town across the mighty river twinkle in the distance.

Behupukhuri division has lost some land through erosion

but another division, Kathonibari, was entirely washed

away by the Brahmaputra when it changed its course as a

result of the great earthquake of 1950. Records of 1956

state that only two acres of land remained but this, too,

disappeared into the river soon after.

Mr J.M. Trinick was having dinner with an Assistant

Manager (Mickey Kidwai) at Monabarie when the

earthquake occurred. The ground shook with tremendous

force making Mr Trinick, his host, hostess and the other

guest run out on to the lawn holding on to each other.

There was panic among the workers who could be heard

shouting, “Hey Bhagwaan!” The birds, tucked inside their

nests for the night, flew out of the trees in confusion.

-Sarita Dasgupta

Sri Birsing Rajgore

09

The ominous rumble of landslides could be heard and the

smell of sulphurated hydrogen (like rotten eggs) soon

permeated the air, emanating from the river bed. Hundreds

of fish lay dying on the river bank, adding to the stench!

Sri Birsing Rajgore, the oldest retired worker at ninety-

three years, also remembers the earthquake and the

devastation it wrought. He lamented the lost Kathonibari

division and waxed nostalgic about the steamer ‘ghat’ which

used to be located there, though never in the same place!

The location kept having to be moved according to the

shifting course of the river. Eventually it was relocated to

Biswanath Chariali. All the tea was sent out from the estate

and stores brought in on steamers plying between

Guwahati and Kathonibari/Biswanath ‘ghat’. From

Guwahati, the tea was sent on to Kolkata. Less perishable

cold stores and bulky items which could not be

accommodated on the aircraft landing at Kolapani

(Mijicajan T.E.) were brought in from Kolkata by steamers.

Sri Jogesh Das, now deceased, charged a small fee for

keeping all the stores in a godown near the ‘ghat’ until they

were collected by the respective estates or individuals.

The steamers also ferried passengers between the two banks

of the river. Sri Tarini Kumar Borah, retired staff member

of Monabarie, whose father Late B.R. Borah was a Jamadar

Babu ( JB) at the estate, went to school at Kaliabor on the

south bank of the Brahmaputra. During the vacations, he

would cross over by steamer. He remembers a co-passenger,

a ‘shikari’ called Mr Hussain who used to be the Fitter

at Monabarie, getting the steamer to stop mid-stream so

that he could shoot birds! Mr Hussain later joined

Baghmari T. E. as an Assistant Manager.

An eminent Assamese littérateur, Sri Mahim Bora, who

has been honoured with both the Assam Sahitya Academy

Award as well as the Assam Valley Literary Award (in

1998) wrote a book called ‘Kathonibarir Ghat’ based on his

own experiences when he used to cross over from

Nowgong to visit relatives living near Monabarie.

A Sahitya Sabha branch affiliated to the Assam Sahitya

Sabha was established at Monabarie in 1998. This institute

encourages local writers and poets to develop their talent.

A young poet, Mahendra Tanti, who was born and brought

up on the estate has had many of his poems published –

an ode to Monabarie being one of them. In this, he praises

the estate for being not only a place of work but also a place

in which an individual is given help and encouragement in

developing his intellectual, sporting and cultural talents.

Monabarie has been and still is, in fact, the hub of many

sporting and social activities.

While the estate was with the Jardine Henderson group in

the 1960s the youth of Monabarie were encouraged to join

the Scouts. Tarini Borah became Scout Master in 1963 and

Young Tea

10

along with his best scouts participated in many Jamborees,

which were held once in four years over a period of five

days, in places like Allahabad and Kalyani (West Bengal).

Scouts came from all over the world to attend these

Jamborees. Six members from each contingent cooked for

their own team. The squads competed for honours in

setting up tents, cooking, cleanliness, drills, marching and

other activities. Three scouts from Monabarie, Late Brojen

Gwala, Basanta Pana and Purander Sabor, were awarded

the President of India’s certificate.

Tarini Borah worked at Monabarie until his retirement

while his younger brother, Deepak, is presently Head Clerk

of Mijicajan T.E. Their father, in addition to serving as JB,

was also President of the local ‘Panchayat’.

Tarini Borah was an excellent volleyball player and

represented the district at various tournaments. He was also

a member of the estate’s football and badminton teams.

In fact, sports played an important role in the lives of the

senior staff members of Monabarie. The present Head

Clerk, Sri Asit Baran Goon, who hails from Rangapara (a

town near Tezpur) worked for the Railways and used to be

the wicket keeper of his local cricket team. He also played

football for Netaji Sports Club, Rangapara. Mr D.C.

Roberson, then Manager, Tarajulie T.E., watched him play

and was impressed enough to offer him a job at Tarajulie.

He was later transferred to Monabarie. Sri Goon is an

excellent ‘Bihu’ dancer too and was crowned ‘Bihu Kunwar’

(Best Male Dancer) at the Inter-Estate Bihu Competition

which used to be an annual fixture in the 1980s.

The typist, Sri Loke Nath Hazarika, was so good at carom

that, many a time, he would pocket all the carom coins one

after the other even before his opponent got a chance to

touch the striker! He was District Champion for many years.

Sri Hazarika is also a ‘dholak’ virtuoso who was adjudged

‘Best Dholia’ at the Company’s very first Inter-Estate Bihu

Competition.

Incidentally, the Monabarie Bihu Group won this

competition for four consecutive years.

The present factory Supervisor, Sri Sunil Chandra Dutta,

started his career at Corramore in 1964 but came to

Monabarie in 1965 and has been there ever since. He won

the McIntosh Smith Trophy for badminton four years in a

row. This was a Company tournament, named after an

erstwhile Visiting Agent.

Football has been very closely associated with Monabarie.

Mr Justice Lyngdoh, an extremely talented football player

who played for the Services team while in the army on a

short service commission and captained the Assam team

in prestigious tournaments such as the Bordoloi Trophy,

was posted there as Senior Assistant before his transfer to

Papua New Guinea.

The WM Football Academy was established at Monabarie

in 1991 with the objective of finding and training talented

football players among the local populace. Internationally

renowned football star, Shyam Thapa, joined the Academy

as Technical Director and Coach. The WMFA team

participated in several tournaments in Assam, Manipur and

Sikkim, winning many laurels. Some of the players were

inducted into leading Indian club teams such as

Tata Football Academy, Mahindra & Mahindra, Mohan

Bagan and East Bengal. The Academy eventually closed

down in 2004.

A keenly contested inter-line tournament is still held

among the estate’s workforce every year.

Veterans (L-R) A.B. Goon, S.C. Dutta, T. K. Borah, L.N. Hazarika

11

A retired worker, Sri Anu Bauri, now eighty-two years old,

joined the estate at the age of sixteen when Mr Adams was

Manager. His earned a ‘hazra’ of four annas!

Sri Raghu Tongla was the main Sardar of New Lines

division who was involved in planting out the thousandth

hectare of land under tea. A cement structure marks the

spot where Sri Ashok Saikia, Deputy Commissioner,

planted the first bush on 2 June 1982 in the presence of

Mr N.N. Atal (Head Office), Mr R.A. Eastment (Visiting

Agent) and Mr D.C. Roberson (Manager). Sri Tongla has

now retired but his son works as an artisan at Monabarie.

In addition to the annual Jhumur Competition in which

teams from different Lines, divisions as well as from

neighbouring estates participate, Monabarie has been

holding an annual traditional Bihu function for the last

forty-four years! Not only is it a platform for the young

people of the estate as well as the locality to showcase their

talent but renowned artistes like Dr Bhupen Hazarika,

Sri Khagen Mahanta, Smt Manisha Hazarika,

Smt Sandhya Menon, Trishna Devi, Sri Surya Das,

Sri Ritu Bikash, Sri Rakkibuddin Ahmed and one of the

‘heart-throbs’ of Assam, singer-composer Zubin Garg, have

also performed over the years. There is an old photograph

of Mr Eastment standing next to Dr Bhupen Hazarika as

the latter sings onstage.

As part of the Bihu celebrations, the Pragati Mahila Samiti

of Monabarie organizes a ‘Pitha’ Competition every year, in

which the members (mostly wives of the clerical staff )

participate. There are several categories of the Assamese

delicacies called ‘pitha’ which are specially made during

Bihu. The ladies of neighbouring estates are invited to

judge the competition.

The Pragati Mahila Samiti was launched in 1978 by

Mrs Kalpana Bordoloi, wife of Mr T.C. Bordoloi who was

an Assistant Manager at the time, and later retired as

Senior Manager, Monabarie. She was given every support

by Mr R.A. Eastment who was the Manager. It is a

voluntary organization set up to help members learn or

develop skills such as the use of knitting machines and to

encourage social work.

The Samiti also looks after the New Horizon School, an

English medium institution established by Mrs Kalpana

Bordoloi in 1992. It started off with twenty-five students

under the Principal, Mrs Mitali Choudhury, wife of

Mr Prabhakar Choudhury who was Senior Assistant of the

estate at the time. The school, presently headed by

Mrs Kalyani Borah, now has five teachers and a student

body numbering eighty.

Each division of the estate has its own Lower Primary

school. The M.V. School, now run by the provincial

government, previously relied on contributions from the

staff and workers of Monabarie, further augmented by

funds from the Tea Board.

Apart from Behupukhuri, the other divisions of the estate

are Old Lines, New Lines and Lahorijan. The present office

at New Lines was the location of a dairy farm called Lagden

Memorial Farm in the 1960s. A board letter states that the

cattle on the farm numbered the following as on 31.12.1962:

Bull-1, Cows-16, Heifers-15 and Bull calves-11.

New Horizon School

Sri Raghu Tongla

12

The total milk yield for the year was 28,305 lbs, averaging

77.54 lbs per day. Milk, butter and cream were sold on the

farm bringing in an annual profit of Rs 3099.51, a princely

sum in 1962!

Lahorijan division was established in 1976. The name was

suggested by a staff member, Sri Munin Borkotoky, in

honour of the Manager, Mr R.A. Eastment’s fondness for

the ladies! Mr Eastment accepted the suggestion in good

spirit and christened the division thus!

The lyrical Sri Munin Borkotoky had also composed a

special song which the staff sang at Mr H.W. Scallon’s

‘farewell’ when he retired. Mr Scallon was the estate’s

Manager from 1969 to 1974.

An endearing tradition at Monabarie, started by Mr M.M.

Singh when he was Manager, is the group photograph of

executive and clerical staff, hospital staff of all the divisions,

artisans and drivers taken on New Year’s Day. They all get

together at the main office, share a cup of tea and sweets

and have the photograph taken. The Burra Sahab then

wishes everyone a happy New Year. The tradition had fallen

by the wayside for a while until the present General

Manager, Mr Sam Masood, revived it.

Another tradition at Monabarie is the ‘Bagaan Puja’ held

every year in each division in honour of ‘Ban Devi’ (an

incarnation of Goddess Durga) for her protection from evil

in the form of calamities, diseases or snake bites. The

workers themselves contribute towards the expenses of the

‘puja’. There is a small ‘pucca’ structure to house the Deity

and a designated ‘priest’ or ‘deo’ to perform the ‘puja’ from

among the workers themselves. ‘Bagaan Puja’ is held only

on a Tuesday in July-August. All the executives and staff

attend the ‘puja’ held in turn by each division.

The divisions also celebrate other ‘pujas’ such as Lakshmi

Puja (Lahorijan), Kartik Puja (New Lines) and Durga Puja

(Old Lines). The whole workforce attends the ‘pujas’.

One year during the Durga Puja celebrations the Factory

Assistant, Abhimanyu (Mani) Shaunik, found that no

workers had turned up to start the factory at night. He took

a tractor and trailer to the field where the Puja was being

held and started rounding up people. Among them was a

person whose pleas that he wasn’t one of the workers but a

‘paan wallah’ fell on deaf ears! Mani managed to get quite

a few people onto the trailer but they kept jumping off

en route! However, he did start the factory with the

remaining few.

Several years later another Factory Assistant, Jitu

Chowdhury, hit upon a novel scheme to lure workers to

the factory during Durga Puja. He set up a TV and VCR

on the lawn adjoining the factory and locked the gate as

soon as some curious souls came in to watch the film! The

workers appreciated their Sahab’s innovative technique,

shared a hearty laugh, watched the film and went good-

naturedly to work.

Monabarie has quite a few places of worship such as the

Hari Mandir built by the workers of Old Lines with the

money collected from among themselves. ‘Akhanda Hari

Kirtan’ is performed here every year.

There is also a ‘Namghar’ and a Shiv temple. The latter was

inaugurated on 19 May 2009 by Mr B. M. Khaitan,

Chairman, MRIL and consecrated by the local priest.

Shiv Temple

13

Jatropha was planted on five hectares of land in the main

division. These plants have already yielded seeds which have

been harvested and sent to D1, the company that processes

them into bio-diesel.

Every Manager, along with his team, has done his bit for

Monabarie but the man whose name remains synonymous

with the estate’s in recent times is the late Royston Arthur

Philip Eastment. When Roy Eastment, as he was popularly

known, left Monabarie to take on the responsibilities of

the Visiting Agent in March 1979, the clerical staff of the

estate wrote him a letter thanking him for all that he had

done for them and wishing him all the best in his new post.

They extolled his ‘inspiring leadership, planning, foresight

and devotion to duty’, saying, “What you have not done at

Monabarie was not worth doing.”

The letter ended thus, “Monabarie was you and you were

Monabarie.”

The estate won the Performance Award (North Bank) for

the year 2007. Long may the Company’s largest estate –

the second largest in Asia – continue to ‘perform’ to the

best of its potential.

Team Monabarie (L - R): A. Tandon, R. Purohit, S. Kalita, H. Chettri, S. Masood (General Manager), A. Chetia, R. P. S. Tanwar, Dr P. Hazarika, Dr B. Tucker

Jatropha

Royston Arthur Philip Eastment

29.11.1925 - 23.07.2004

14

Fruit And Vegetable Carving

The art of fruit and vegetable carving is one of the greatest and most interesting that a

lady can develop in Tea. How and what she tries to carve and make depends on the lady.

First, she has to think what she wants to make and from which vegetables she can create

the items. Then she has to put those creations together to form a pleasing arrangement.

Vegetable arrangement is totally different from flower arrangement. In the case of a

flower arrangement a lady simply uses any kind of flower and variety of leaves. It is not so with vegetable

carving. A lady has to gather a wide range of vegetables and fruit; see the possibilities; then trim, cut, shape

and sometimes even colour them to bring them to the level of perfection required. Though time consuming,

it is interesting, great fun and gives as much pleasure to the creator as to the viewer.

- Junali Tirkey, Halem T. E.

15

1. Salad container from a bottle gourd:

Take a gourd 12 inches in length. Cut it diagonally and

carefully scoop out the inner flesh of the gourd. It looks

like a container now. A stand is required so make one

out of the upper part of the gourd. Then, fix the

container to the stand.

To decorate the top of the container you can make a

spider chrysanthemum out of carrots.

2. Spider chrysanthemum from carrots:

Take five or six carrots around 15cm in length. Slice each

lengthwise into two. Thin down the wider end of the

slices to the same thickness of the top end. Cut thin

strips lengthwise but leave these attached at the base.

Cut off alternate strips from the base leaving the others

intact. Then take another big carrot, 5cm by 5cm in size,

for the base which should be about 1cm thick. Now

twist up the strips and pin each slice on the round 1cm

thick base. A beautiful and perfect spider

chrysanthemum is formed! A round ball of white radish

(2cm in diameter) can be placed at the centre.

Note: You may use radish for carving a chrysanthemum

but then you must use a plum, grape or blackberry for

the centre.

The leaves of the spider chrysanthemum: Take four

cabbage leaves. Trim them and cut the edges to the

shape and size you want.

Arrangement: Pin the prepared leaves facing four sides

7 inches from the top of the gourd container, leaving a

margin of 1 inch on the narrow sides. Now place the

chrysanthemum flower at the center. Then keep the

arranged container on a wooden tray. Your gourd

container is ready to hold your chopped salad.

Tips: In case you are using white gourd, you may take

dark green leaves from a cabbage but if you are using

green gourd, you have to take the light green leaves. This

contrast of colours is more attractive.

3. Ginger flower from a carrot:

Take a large or medium-sized carrot. Trim out the

carrot with ‘v’ shapes all over from top to bottom to form

the petals. Then make diamond-shaped grooves on each

petal. Take a skewer and pierce through the ginger

flower from the bottom and insert the other end of the

skewer into the stem of an umbrella plant.

A Spider Chrysanthemum

In this respect I would like to share my own experience. It was June 2004. I suddenly wanted to try carving

vegetables although it was summer and vegetables were not easily available. I took a pineapple and started

carving it. I made a beautiful duck and arranged it on the lunch table, complete with eggs! That day, my

husband came home looking troubled and preoccupied, as he had done for the past few days. After washing

up he came to the table and, to my great joy, his expression changed. He smiled and exclaimed, “Wow! Today’s

lunch is quite extraordinary!” His tiredness and tension disappeared and he became cheerful. Thus I came to

realize that a little act of love and kindness can bring a lot of happiness in our day-to-day life and that was the

day I began to carve vegetables as a hobby.

Here are a few of my creations. I hope you get as much pleasure as I do from trying them out.

16

Arrangement: Take at least five or six of these ginger

flowers and arrange them with some pineapple leaves on

a wooden tray with some pebbles. You can add lemon

twigs with tiny pieces (florets) of cauliflower on the

thorns, for decoration. This will add some extra beauty.

4. Rose from a beetroot:

Shape the beetroot into a cone and flatten the top. With

the help of a knife mark and carve five or six scallops

around the base of the cone. Now turn the vegetable so

that the scallops look like petals. Carve similar scallops

all around the vegetable right to the top. As you come

closer to the top, the number of scallops reduces. Trim

the scallops into petals and immerse the beetroot in ice-

water. Pierce a skewer from the base of the carved

flower to form the stem.

5. Poppy from a beetroot:

Slice the beetroot into roundels of medium thickness.

Bend the widest slice slightly in the centre to form a

shallow cup and pierce the wire stem through the side.

Do the same with the other slices, overlapping them to

form the petals of a poppy. Pierce the point of the stem

into a large pod of garlic or a small piece of cauliflower

to form the centre.

Some vegetables suitable for carving:

a) Carrot & Radish: Flowers such as daffodils, poppies,

peonies and gladioli.

b) Beetroot & Turnip: Flowers such as daffodils, roses,

anthuriums, poppies and gladioli.

c) Onion: Swans, and flowers like water-lilies, dahlias,

chrysanthemums, roses and tube-roses.

Points to remember:

C Choose the vegetables according to what you want

to make.

C After washing, dry the vegetables. If kept in water,

they will be hard to carve.

C Try to keep the carved vegetables in ice-water for at

least half an hour so that they remain fresh.

C If a skewer is to be fixed it is advisable to fix it before

dipping the vegetables in ice-water. Once they are

dipped in ice-water, they become hard.

C If you want to colour a vegetable, take it out of the

ice-water, wipe it with a soft cotton cloth and paint

it with the desired colours using a small, soft brush.

Keep it away from the other vegetables.

C To keep your carved vegetables for a week you can put

them in polythene bags and keep them in your

refrigerator. Take them out of the bags and put them in

water for 15-20 minutes before using them again.

Ginger Flowers

Daffodils, Lillies & Roses

Basic equipment:

1. A sharp knife 2. A slicer 3. Scissors

4. Pins 5. A brush 6. Scoop 7. Peeler

Once you have the basic equipment and raw material

ready, go ahead…carve your dreams!

17

The Rainforest Alliance's agriculture programme supports

the international secretariat of the Sustainable Agriculture

Network (SAN), a coalition of leading conservation groups

that links responsible farmers with conscientious

consumers by means of the Rainforest Alliance Certified

seal of approval. The collective vision is based on the

concept of sustainability, recognizing that the well-being

of societies and ecosystems is intertwined and dependent

on development that is environmentally sound, socially

equitable and economically viable.

The SAN is made up of environmental groups in Belize,

Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador,

Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, with a watchdog group

in Denmark and many associated academic, agriculture and

social responsibility groups around the world. The SAN

seeks to transform the environmental and social conditions

of tropical agriculture through the implementation of

sustainable farming practices. Conservation and rural

development groups that manage the certification

programme understand local culture, politics, language and

ecology and are trained in auditing procedures according to

internationally recognized guidelines.

The history of SAN and Rainforest Alliance takes us back

to the banana industry which, in the early 1990s, was

enjoying good financial times but was under scrutiny from

environmentalists and human rights activists. The activists

complained about the indiscriminate use of pesticides,

water pollution, deforestation, poor conditions for workers,

mountains of trash and other problems all clearly evident

in the banana growing regions.

The Rainforest Alliance, a New York-based NGO

dedicated to the conservation of the world’s tropical forests,

grew concerned about deforestation for new banana farms

in Ecuador and Costa Rica. Between 1988 and 1994, the

land area planted with bananas in Costa Rica expanded by

160% as producers prepared for the anticipated opening of

the European market. Rainforest Alliance members and

staff joined local environmentalists in denouncing the

banana industry’s environmental record.

During that period of plantation expansion, there was

abundant criticism of the banana growers, but almost no

dialogue between the growers and the ‘greens’. The

Rainforest Alliance had experience in bringing intransigent

industries to the bargaining table. The proposal was to

create standards for eco-friendly management of banana

plantations that would take into account all the major

issues and create a comprehensive programme that would

effectively change the way bananas were grown. Local

conservationists, frustrated by their inability to affect the

industry through protests, lawsuits and denunciations,

knew that a fresh approach was needed. The banana

growers assumed that any concessions to the environment

and workers would come at the expense of production

and profits.

Abstract: This article aims at explaining the importance of Sustainable

Agriculture Standard & the Sustainable Agriculture Network. The idea behind

the compilation of this article is to bring to the forefront the environmental

evils that plague the agricultural industry and highlight the appropriate course

of action that the Sustainable Agriculture Network has been taking in order to

ensure Sustainability. The article explains the essence of SAN and traces its

growth from its inception. It defines the structure followed by SAN and the implementation policy

adopted by our Company. The underlying objective is to foster a sense of understanding about the

circumstances behind the formation of the SAN and the need to adopt its policies.

Rainforest Alliance -Rajeev Mehrotra, Behora T. E.

18

Study Teams were formed to look for sustainable solutions

to the problem, one objective being to create a forum for

mutual education and solution-oriented thinking. The

teams comprised representatives from NGOs, government

agencies, research organizations and the banana companies,

as well as community leaders and, of course, the banana

farmers themselves. The process took place during 1991

and 1992. The groups discussed pesticide management,

waste management, forest conservation, protection of

wildlife and rivers, soil conservation, worker conditions and

benefits, and other issues. Their challenge was to make

practical, feasible and concrete recommendations.

The recommendations were forged into nine general

principles and a series of farm management standards. The

principles and standards support the widely accepted

definition of sustainable agriculture as consisting of

practices that are ecologically sound, socially responsible

and economically viable. Within the programme these

pillars of sustainability are called Community, well-

managed Cultivation, and Conservation – in other words,

the famous ‘Three Es’ of sustainability – Economy, Ecology

and Ethics.

After years of working together in a loose association trying

to solve environmental issues, four groups involved in

conservation certification for agriculture products founded

the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) in 1998. The

founding groups were the Corporacion de Conservacion y

Desarrollo in Ecuador, IMAFLORA in Brazil, the

Fundacion Interamericana de Investigacion Tropical in

Guatemala and the Rainforest Alliance in USA.

The SAN awards the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of

approval to farms that meet the standards and commit to

continuous improvements. The initial ‘ECO-O.K.’ seal

was retired in 2001.

The Rainforest Alliance has certified more than 10 million

acres of forests worldwide, as well as agricultural products,

and brings international recognition and credibility to

SAN’s certification efforts and eco-label. Producers ranging

from large agribusinesses to smallholder cooperatives have

joined in this campaign to reduce environmental impact

and increase community benefits of agriculture.

The real mission of Rainforest Alliance is to protect

ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on

them by transforming land use practices, business practices

and consumer behaviour. Companies, cooperatives and

land owners that participate in the programmes meet

rigorous standards that conserve bio-diversity and provide

sustainable livelihoods.

SAN promotes efficient agriculture, biodiversity

conservation and sustainable community development by

creating social and environmental standards.

19

Environment Protection Awareness Programme

It also fosters best management practices across agricultural

value chains by encouraging farmers to comply with the

organization’s standards and by motivating traders and

consumers to support sustainability.

The objective of the standard is to provide a measure of

each farm’s social and environmental performance and best

management practices. Compliance is evaluated by audits

that measure the degree of the farm’s conformity to

environmental and social practices indicated in the

standard’s criteria.

The Rainforest Alliance launched its tea certification

programme in 2007. The first Rainforest Alliance Certified

estate was Kericho, in Kenya.

Like any tropical crop, tea raises a number of

environmental and social issues, each with a cost/benefit

balance that can be tipped in a positive way. Tea grows

year-round, employing a lot of people, especially pluckers

who carefully pick the top two leaves and a bud from every

branch on the bush. That makes tea an important employer,

and there are challenges around wages, labour organization,

housing, health care and other rights and benefits.

Tea farming replaces biodiversity-rich tropical forests with a

beautiful but single-species monoculture. Soil erosion,

competition for water and pollution from fertilizers are some

of the main environmental concerns. By following SAN

standards, estates can proactively address the social and

environmental challenges. The Rainforest Alliance organized

multi-stakeholder meetings in Kenya to gather input on the

standards, ensuring that they are as effective for tea as they

have been for coffee, bananas and other crops.

The standard structure for SAN consists of ten principles,

each composed of various criteria. The ten principles are

social and environmental management system; ecosystem

conservation; wildlife protection; water conservation; fair

treatment along with good working conditions for workers;

occupational health and safety; community relations;

integrated crop management; soil management/

conservation; integrated waste management.

In order to fulfill environmental and social

responsibilities, our Company has adopted the SAN

certification. Under its requirements the Manager of

each estate has to monitor continual programmes in

improvement and training, ecosystem and wildlife

conservation, water conservation, drinking water

analysis, environmental and hygiene education,

occupational health and safety, integrated pest

management, soil management and integrated waste

management.

Along with this, the company has also adopted SAN

compliant policies in Employment, Environment, Health

& Safety, Social Welfare, Wages, Water Conservation,

Wildlife and Community Welfare.

The purpose of SAN can be summed up in one word –

Sustainability. This is a political choice not a technical one.

It's not a question of whether we can be sustainable but

whether we choose to be; and being a part of the SAN

programme is our little contribution towards Tomorrow.

A failure to address the environmental problems when the

means are available to do so is, to put it very bluntly, murder

on a large scale. If we do not deal with the issues seriously

then, as a result of negligence, one in eight humans will die

many years before they should… simply because we have

failed to ensure that they have an ecological system that

supports their existence.

20

Srabana Dowerah, fondly known to us in the tea fraternity

as Rimi, is undoubtedly a lady of diverse talents. Be it

sports, art & craft, gardening or interior decoration – Rimi

has excelled at all and she is adept at cooking too; her forte,

of course, being table tennis. She represented the state of

Assam for a period of eight years.

Rimi spent her childhood at Tezpur. She studied at

St Joseph’s Convent and later graduated from Darrang

College (Tezpur). Motivated by her father Rimi began

playing table tennis at the tender age of ten. Showing

promise she was trained by a coach from Patiala. Her

father’s desire to see her do well impelled him to take her

to Guwahati for better prospects and competition. Here

she trained under a Korean coach and her game improved

by leaps and bounds. She played at the university and state

levels. Rimi was a member of the team which won the

Table Tennis National Championship for the first time in

the history of Assam. She was an invincible player and

gives full credit to her father for her success. He made many

sacrifices to ensure that his daughter got what she desired.

He offered encouragement at every step. Because of him

she was able to pursue her dream and managed to procure

a niche for herself in the field of table tennis in the days

when girls were seldom allowed to venture out for outdoor

activities.

Rimi met Partha (presently General Manager at Moran

T. E.) for the first time at a cricket match between planters

and the Tezpur District team. Then a young bachelor

posted at Monabarie T. E., he was an eminent tennis player,

being the champion of the Assam state team. Both being

interested in sports, they made a very compatible couple.

They got along like a house on fire. The courtship lasted for

six years and they tied the knot in 1981.

By then Partha had been transferred to Hunwal T. E. Being

the first garden for the newly wed bride, Rimi feels quite

nostalgic talking about her Hunwal days and fondly

reminisces about how every evening all the executives of

the garden would go to Mariani Club (which was on the

estate premises) to play squash and billiards. Again, her

father played a pivotal role in urging her to pick up tennis,

at which she soon excelled.

Rimi Dowerah - a profile

Miniature Garden

- Priya Shekhawat, Attabarie T.E.

21

She became a formidable player winning all the

tournaments that she participated in. She was one of the

best lady tennis players in tea. Surprisingly, she never played

a mixed doubles match with Partha!

She adjusted beautifully to her new lifestyle. The bungalow

at Hunwal, being a bachelor’s pad, was very bare; except for

the prizes won by Partha there was nothing. Rimi, being

aesthetically inclined, began creating exquisite embroidered

panels to adorn the walls of the empty house. Being a

homebody by nature and not too fond of watching

television or reading, Rimi spent her spare time

embroidering and setting up her new home. Her collection

of exotic plants which now abounds with rare varieties,

started here.

Rimi’s love for gardening grew and at Addabarie she

entered a flower show for the first time. To everyone’s

surprise she won the Overall Trophy. She received applause

from all as she was just a young assistant’s wife. After that

there was no looking back. She was the overall winner in all

the flower shows that she entered subsequently, beating

many a stalwart. While at Dufflaghur T.E. she participated

in the East Boroi Club Flower Show and won by a

phenomenal margin – this is when she decided to call it

quits. Her motive: to give an opportunity to the younger

ladies.

Being friendly by nature and a congenial

personality, she has no qualms about giving

expert advice to the younger ladies, who benefit

tremendously. She is very generous in giving

away plants and seedlings to all and loves going around

judging flower shows.

Though not formally qualified in interior decoration, Rimi

has that intangible quality, good taste. She has transformed

all the bungalows where she lived into beautiful homes. She

keeps an immaculate garden – be it summer or winter it is

always a riot of vivid colours. She is interested in

landscaping too and has made a beautiful miniature garden

in one corner of her well manicured lawn, which is a delight

to the eye.

Like a true artist, Rimi is moody. She will work diligently

Rimi

Embroidered Picture

22

night and day and finish the

most intricate piece of

embroidery in a span of two

days – and take months over a

simple one. Here, a white

Mekhla Chaddor with blue

embroidery all over needs a

special mention. The needle

work has been done so deftly

that it looks machine made.

Cooking is yet another

accomplishment; she is

passionate about it. Though

interested since her college

days she became more

involved after she had to give up tennis because of

spondylitis. Perfection being an obsession she keeps

improvising till the most delectable dish is produced. She

pays a lot of attention to the table decoration as well. Rimi

does not find cooking a chore and one never sees her

getting flustered.

Partha and Rimi are blessed with two beautiful daughters,

Priyanka and Anushka, both presently studying at

Bangalore. Priyanka is studying for an MBA degree from

IIPM and Anushka is a second year student at Christ

College. Having inherited their mother’s talented genes

Priyanka is good at painting and Anushka at embroidery.

Rimi, apart from being a committed mother to her girls

and a supportive wife to Partha, is indeed a multifaceted

personality who relishes a challenge and always emerges a

winner.

We wish the family good fortune, always.

23

Friends, meet Amit, a young Assistant Manager presently

posted at Bhatpara T.E. who, after setting the world of rock

music afire in Darjeeling, has now settled comfortably into

the ‘half-pants’ of a planter.

Amit hails from the beautiful Glenburn T.E. which was

once a part of our Group.

He studied at Green Lawns School, Darjeeling and

graduated from Darjeeling Government College.

Amit started his career with the Company as a young

intern posted at Jainti T.E. for a brief period of four months

under the guidance of Mr N.S. Thapa, the Manager of the

estate. On completion of the training period, he left for

Darjeeling to pursue his graduation. During his brief

AMIT GURUNG - The Emerg

Amit and his Band

- Deepak Barbora, Chuapara T.E.

24

tenure at Jainti, he was so captivated by the work culture

and life style of a planter that he left making a promise to

himself to return one day to the career he always thought

he belonged to. In August 2004, armed with a college

degree, he applied to the Company and was appointed a

trainee Assistant and posted back at Jainti T. E.!!

Amit ‘s association with the Company did not begin with

his joining as a young trainee but dates back over two

decades, with his father Mr D. K. Gurung serving

Mr B. M. Khaitan as his personal assistant loyally for more

than twenty years.

Love for music is inborn in all the people living in the hills

so Amit’s passion was no exception. Being a natural singer

and a talented guitarist from his days in college, he was

very popular and was called upon to perform at all the

college musical shows. On one such occasion, a member of

a band awed by Amit’s stage performance, asked him to

audition on 20 July 2003. Amit crossed the hurdle easily,

which did not surprise his family and friends. The initial

period of forming a band was riddled with difficulties.

Acquiring funds, in particular, for purchasing instruments

was the major problem. All the members of the band had

to make tremendous sacrifices and literally lived on a shoe-

string budget. After many trials and tribulations, Amit and

his band crystallized into reality. After all, as the saying

goes, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’.

This led to the formation of the present band in 2003

named ‘ASYLUM’ – signifying an institution for the care

and upliftment of the down- trodden people living in the

hills. The members of the band are Amit Gurung (lead

vocalist), Dipendra Basnet (lead guitar), Roshan Thapa

(rhythm guitar), Pancham Lama (bass guitar) and Ranjit

Gurung (drums). ASYLUM is still one of the most

popular and sought after rock bands in and around the

Darjeeling hills. They have won several Rock Competitions

held at Darjeeling and Siliguri. In 2003 the band stood first

at the Rock Contest held in Darjeeling and in

2005/2006 won the Rock Contest at Sukhia which

was organized by Global Social Vision. Leading his

band as the frontman, Amit went on winning the

hearts of his many fans, particularly of the fairer sex,

with his soothing voice.

We, in the Dooars, had the privilege of having the

band play for us during the New Year’s Eve Nite at

Chuapara Central Dooars Club, followed by a jam

session for the children the next morning. We all

jived through the night to the pulsating music till

the wee hours of the morning. The Chuapara

‘Supper Nite’ was as enjoyable.

During his annual leave in 2008 Amit and his band

cut an album in Nepali called ‘Sapana Mero’ which

means ‘My Dreams’. It was amongst the most

popular Nepali albums released that year.

ging Rock Star

25

His childhood dream, to be counted amongst the stars,

eventually came true. Inspite of getting lucrative offers to

be a lead singer in Kathmandu for a famous band there, he

stuck to his ‘Sapana Mero’ of being a tea planter.

Amit is also a born sportsman, having won several laurels

for his school and college in various sports such as soccer,

cricket, badminton, table tennis, volley ball and pole vault.

He still plays excellent soccer, cricket and tennis and is a

permanent member of the Dooars teams. He has also

proved himself at the John Morice cricket. While posted at

Chuapara he had taken up golf with real gusto and has

performed very well at the T - Up Cup held at Margherita

and Bishnauth. Playing with a handicap of 18, he is one of

the most promising golfers in the Dooars and

has already won several competitions held here,

like the P.K.Roy Cup in 2006/2007. He

emerged Champion in the Dooars inter-garden

‘Elizabeth Barbora Tennis Trophy’, winning it

for Chuapara in 2007/2008.

He is a man who loves adventure and has a soft corner for

all wild animals. While on ‘kamjari’ one day he found a

leopard cub in his Division. He rescued the cub and handed

it over to the forest officials.

Amit’s two most prized possessions as of now are his ‘Job’

and his ‘Red Devil Gypsy’, in that order. His love for the

colour red signifies his

flamboyant and dashing

personality with a ‘Give

me Red!’ attitude towards

life.

An active member of the

club, Amit enlivens the

‘Dos’ and get-togethers

with his charm, charisma

and his musical talent, of

course!!

Amit – emerging rock

star, ardent sportsman

and diehard planter –

cheers to you!

26

I am sure everybody will agree that the view of greenery –

whether huge trees with or without blooms; boundless lush

fields in various hues of green spread as far as the eye can

see; or one’s own patch of soft lawn and neatly arranged

potted plants in verandahs and porticoes – is an absolute

treat to the beholder.

I, for one, consider myself very lucky to have been treated

to this feast for the last thirty years coming, as I do, from

the starker terrain of the Aravali hills and sand dunes. The

drive from Dibrugarh airport to Itakhoolie T.E. in March

1980 was awesome and the sight of Ghanshyam’s prized

possessions – precisely twenty potted plants of which seven

were begonias (as Ghanshyam informed me... I had no

clue!) – was impressive! It was inevitable that I should

develop a soft corner for begonias.

Over the years I gradually learned a lot about them from

books, tips from Burra Memsahabs and through trial

and error.

The plant, which has an extensive family comprising over

two thousand five hundred varieties, derives its name from

Michel Begon, a seventeenth century Governor of French

Canada. Although it is indigenous to tropical places,

extensive hybridization between species has resulted in a

wide range of ornamental plants adapted to different

climatic conditions, which can now be grown even in places

like Mt Abu in my native Rajasthan!

Classification:

Begonias are a grower’s delight as they develop rapidly and

are eager to bloom. They are as popular for their ornamental

leaves as they are for their flowers. Although begonias are

difficult to classify because of extensive cross breeding, the

plants are divided into three main categories – Tuberous,

Rhizome and Fibrous – according to the kind of roots they

possess and the texture of their leaves. They all share a

number of characteristics, such as asymmetrical leaves

growing alternately along the stems and new leaves

emerging from the stipules; Fibrous begonias however

differ from the other two kinds as they have different

growth cycles and cultivation requirements.

Rhizomatous begonias have thick, succulent stems which

creep over the surface of the soil, sending roots down at

The Begonia- Nidhi Singh, Pertabghur T.E.

Fibrous Begonia

27

intervals and long-stemmed leaves at their ends. These

plants are prized for their colourful foliage. For example,

the Boweri or ‘Eyelash’ begonia has emerald green leaves

with purple-brown marking, while the Masoniana,

popularly called the ‘Iron Cross’ has bright green leaves

with a distinct dark brown cross in the middle, resembling

the German military medal. The rex begonia includes a

wide range of plants bearing brilliantly coloured leaves with

a silver sheen. Among them, the Green Silver, Salamander,

President and Silver Queen are the most popular with Tea

‘memsahabs’. Interestingly, the original rex begonia was

found growing with a potted orchid in 1856.

Tuberous begonias comprise a wide variety of flowering

plants with watery stems and pointed leaves. Some are

compact and ideal for both beds and pots, such as the

Multiflora which bears small single flowers and the

Multiflora Maxima with large double blooms. The

Grandiflora varieties have very large flowers and should

only be planted in pots while the trailing Pendula plants

are usually grown in hanging baskets. Weltoniensis or the

Grapevine is a semi-tuberous begonia with erect, multi-

branching stems. The tiniest of its single-layered flowers

growing in clusters makes an excellent choice for a

miniature flower arrangement.

Fibrous begonias have tall, bamboo-like succulent stems

which need stalks for support. The most popular among

these is the Corallina de Lucerna. It has green stems which

turn brown and woody in maturity. The flowers, ranging

from deep pink to bright red, hang on the branches like

beautiful pendants.

Wax or Semperflorens begonias include a wide genus of

compact flowering plants such as the Pink Pearl, Red Pearl

and White Comet. These can be grown in pots or in raised

beds protected from excessive rain and the afternoon sun.

Among the hybrid begonias, the range of Cheimantha with

their showy foliage and attractive flowers are the most

popular. These are winter-blooming and remain completely

dormant in summer. The Maple-leaf begonia or Cleopatra

is an attractive hybrid with its translucent yellowish-green

maple-like leaves.

Conditions for growth:

Begonias make excellent indoor plants as they don’t need

continuous bright sunlight. In fact, they thrive in the mild

Iron Cross

28

morning or late evening light rather than the strong

afternoon sun. They require moisture but cannot tolerate

wetness. Less water can cause the plant to get discoloured

or shed leaves and flowers at an early age but wilted plants

recover when watered. Over-watering or faulty drainage,

on the other hand, can kill them.

My home remedy for a plant which is wilting is to immerse

the whole pot in a tub full of water till the bubbles stop

forming on the surface of the soil. Then I place the pot

where there is plenty of morning sunlight. In 3-4 days’

time, the plant begins to look cheerful again!

Begonias dislike dry air, so do not keep them under a fan

or in an airconditioned room! Although they are sensitive

plants they have an uncanny sense of survival.

Propagation:

Almost all begonias are propagated from cuttings taken

immediately below a leaf. The cuttings should be coated

with hormone rooting powder and planted in a mixture of

sand and moss peat or leaf-mould which is always kept

moist. To propagate a rhizomatous begonia, a 2-3 inch

piece should be cut from a rhizome and planted in the

sand-peat moss mixture. For the tuberous variety, a tuber or

bulbil should be detached from the leaf axis and planted in

the mixture. The pot with the cuttings should always be

kept in bright filtered light and its surface kept moist.

Another method of propagation is to lay a mature leaf flat

on the same mixture with its main vein slashed. New

growth will appear along the cut vein. Once these are

strong enough they can be removed to a prepared pot.

Ensure that each new plant bears a bud.

Since most begonias are shallow rooted, they grow best in

pots that are half or three-fourth as high as they are wide.

The best soil mixture is equal quantities of loam, moss peat

or leaf-mould, vermicompost and sand. One tablespoon of

limestone and two tablespoons of bonemeal should be

added to a bucketful of this mixture.

Care:

Overcrowded begonias

lose their colour so

these should be thinned

out and repotted.

Repotting of these

hardy plants can be

done at any time of the year. However, spring is the best

season. The pots should be prepared with the same mixture

of soil as given above.

Established plants can be fertilized at two-month intervals

in spring and summer but newly planted begonias should

not be fed before six months. A standard house-plant

fertilizer can be used.

Begonias are susceptible to attack by powdery mildew

which initially shows up as small powder-coated spots on

stems and leaf stalks. Surface fungicide can be sprayed at

regular intervals as a preventative measure. Antifungal

powder should also be applied to the wound on the stem

caused by a broken leaf.

I pen off with this assurance to

all young ladies who have

joined Tea and are keen on

potted plants – any begonia,

with its rapid growth,

colourful leaves and eagerness

to flower, will only enhance

the beauty of your collection.

Begonia Semperflorens

Begonia Border

‘Pendant’ 29

Requiem

“God’s finger touched him,and he slept.”

DR P. C. BORDOLOI

1951 – 2009

30

‘Spotted’ at Tingri

The leopard, panthera pardus, is a fearsome animal

belonging to the cat family, usually having a tawny

coat spotted with black. Presently data available

on their surviving numbers in India is

controversial; however a count in 2001 claims

9844 numbers. Threats to their disappearance

could be attributed to habitat decimation, loss of

wild prey, human persecution and hunting for

trade. Statistics reflect 161 and 113 numbers were

killed in our country in 2008 and 2009

respectively.

During the preceding summer workers and

management at Tingri Circle were at the mercy of

these wild animals as their presence was felt

during ‘kamjari’ hours especially where the

majority of the workforce was deployed, i.e.

plucking. They appeared to be enjoying the

company of humans though understandably the

feeling was not reciprocated! In most cases the

animals had the uncanny knack of following the

estates’ plucking round, especially in highly dense

populated sections.

After seeking approval and advice from the Forest

Department cages were fabricated on the estates

to trap the beasts. Two animals were caught and

immediately handed over to governmental

agencies who released them into the Jeypore

Forest in Namrup District.

Civilisation spurns these handsome wild creatures.

May they thrive amidst the flora and fauna of the

jungle, their natural environment.

As Rudyard Kipling says in ‘How the Leopard Got His

Spots’ :

“Now you are a beauty!...... You can lie

out on the bare ground and look like a

heap of pebbles. You can lie out on the

naked rocks and look like a piece of

pudding-stone. You can lie out on a

leafy branch and look like sunshine

sifting through the leaves; and you can

lie right across the centre of a path and

look like nothing in particular. Think

of that and purr!”

31

Rupankar and

Kasture Sarma

Phulbari T. E.

1 June 2009

Manpreet, son of

Ravinder & Raman Singh,

Addabarie T. E. wed Simi

on 23 August 2009

Anushree, daughter

of Anil & Meenakshi

Pandit, Bordubi T.E.wed Raj on

17 April 2009

Bhaskar and Shraboni PalTarajulie T.E.

4 February 2009

Zaira, daughter of Azam & Zubeena

Monem of H. O. wed Zuheb

on 30 October 2009

Manisha, daughter of Saroj &

Dr Indra Kumar Jha of Jainti T.E. wed

Abinash Kumar on 17 April 2009

Dulal & Ankita Mahanta

Phillobari T. E.

5 May 2009

Pradipta and Somdutta GhoshJainti T.E.

10 August 2009

Amlan, son of Biman

& Susmita Mukherjee

of H. O. wed

Sudipta on

10 August 2009

32

Jiaul and Riju HoqueNya Gogra T.E. 20 March 2009

Births

1. Anjali (Angel), daughter of Ratnesh & Jugnu Krishna,

Mathura T. E. 11 April 2009

2. Rishikesh, son of Krishanu & Binita Deka, Hunwal T.E.

14 March 2009

3. Archita, daughter of Nabaratna & Raku Saikia,

Raidang T.E. 21 March 2009

4. Nadia Nicole, daughter of Jacqueline Sharon Khanna of H.O.

& Clinton Francis Khanna. 24 July 2008

1

2

3

4

33

- Sakina Hussain

The 21st century has its own philosophy of life which can

be summed up in one word: ‘Materialism’. What counts

most to Man is ‘matter’ in the shape of wealth, property

and goods. Fortunately this situation is not all-pervasive.

Good values, morality and human kindness do exist in

society. There are people who, although in the business of

producing goods and thereby creating wealth, also uphold

the finer values of life. They believe in the poet’s words:

“More things are wrought by prayers than this world

dreams of.”

His Holiness Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Sri Kanchi

Kamakoti Peetam, Kanchipuram, was concerned for the

people in the North East suffering from the upheaval

prevailing in the region. He felt that they greatly needed

the blessings of Lord Balaji.

Mr B.M.Khaitan, a devout believer, took on the

responsibility of making it possible for people to pray and

seek the blessings of the Lord by building the

Purva Tirupati Sri Balaji Temple in Guwahati. In three

years the structure was ready and ‘Kumbhabhishekam’ was

performed by His Holiness on 4 June 1998 to consecrate

the temple.

The Dravidian architectural style of the complex is unusual

for the North East region and gives the structure a distinct

identity. The Purva Tirupati Sri Balaji Mandir is the

creation of Sri Ganapati Sthpati, the eminent temple

architect. His vision was translated into reality by Larson

& Toubro, the well-known construction engineers.

A visit to the complex is a treat for the eyes, the heart and

the mind. One drowns in the serenity of the surroundings

and above all the atmosphere of peace created by the sacred

aura. The white stone structures – set amidst emerald green

lawns, flowering trees and shrubs, against the backdrop of

THE PURVA TIRUPATI SRI BALAJI MANDIR

Utsav Murtis of Lord Balaji and His Consorts

Durga Temple34

gentle hills – are a majestic sight; appropriate

sanctums for the idols of Venkateshwara

(Lord Balaji), the Goddesses Durga and

Padmavati (Lakshmi) and Lord Ganesh.

Intricately carved ‘gopurams’ soar above the

wooden doors leading to the courtyard in

front of each temple. The shrines of Goddess

Padmavati and Goddess Durga flank the

main temple dedicated to Lord Balaji. The

temple of Lord Ganesh is at the entrance to

the complex while the Lord’s ‘vahana’

(vehicle), the Bird God, Garuda, occupies a

small shrine opposite the Lord’s sanctum.

Each temple has steps going up to a large

pillared verandah or ‘mandapam’, a smaller

inner chamber called the ‘ardh mandapam’

which in turn leads to the sanctum sanctorum

or ‘garba-griha’ which houses the ‘maula

murti’ (main idol).

The ‘Munir Kutir’ provides accommodation

for scholars and spiritual leaders who visit the

temple. Religious discourses are held at the

imposing ‘Ashtanamandapam’, the walls of

which are adorned with frescoes of scenes

from the Bhagavad Gita.

Daily worship in the temple begins at dawn

with ‘Suprabhatam’ – waking the Lord with

the chanting of sacred ‘shlokas’. There is a

break at midday and rituals resume in the

evening. The temple doors are finally closed

at night when the Lord is put to sleep in an

elaborate ceremony called ‘Ekantseva’. For a

small fee a devotee may have ‘archana’, ‘puja’,

‘abhishekham’ and ‘yagnas’ performed. A

‘bhog’ (offering) of items like ‘ghee’, sugar and

‘sooji’ may also be offered.

The famous ‘laddoos’ prepared by experts

from Thirupathi and blessed by the Lord, are

available as ‘prasadam’.

Brahmotsav is celebrated at the temple over a

period of ten days with the advent of spring

in the North East. Other festivals such as

Ganesh Chaturthi, Janamashtami, Durga

Puja, Diwali and Saraswati Puja are also

celebrated.

The complex is maintained privately through

the temple’s Seva Samiti. All donations go

into a trust fund to be used for charitable

purposes.

In this day and age of moral decay, war, civil

insurrection and larceny, providing a haven of

peace and tranquility is a service to humanity.

The Purva Tirupati Sri Balaji Mandir is one

such haven for all.

“By whatever name you call Me, I will

answer.”

The Temple by Night

Carved Door

Balaji Gopuyagyasala

35

- Sarita Dasgupta

I had the pleasant task of meeting with Dulal and Jayootie

Sharma and listening to them reminisce about their life in

Tea. After a warm welcome (including a friendly bark from

their dachshund, Chelsea) we sat in their elegant drawing

room at Bungalow No.1, Pertabghur and got talking about

their long innings… thirty-six years for Dulal but longer

for Jayootie as she was born and brought up in Tea. (Her

father, Late K.C. Bardolai, was with the erstwhile Assam

Company, Lord Inchcape Group.)

After getting his postgraduate degree in History from

Guwahati University, Dulal went to London and joined

Thompson, Lloyd & Ewart as a trainee tea taster and tea

marketing executive in 1972. This firm, one of the biggest

broking houses in the world, had offices on the fourth floor

of Sir John Lyon House. The offices of Williamson Magor

were situated on the third floor, while the tea auction centre

was on the ground floor – making the building the hub of

the Tea world.

Dulal & Jayootie Sharma

Arjun, Jayootie, Amrit & Dulal

36

Dulal had the opportunity of tasting the finest teas from

around the globe. He also had the opportunity of meeting

one of the best tea tasters in the world – Mr John Trinick.

The latter would go up to the fourth floor every Friday to

taste the WM teas. He struck a rapport with the young

man from Assam, a place close to his heart. As the

Company’s British executives were encouraged to visit the

London brokers when they went home on leave Dulal met

and came to know most of them, including the Senior

Visiting Agent, John Oliver. Mr Oliver, who had spent

most of his career in the Mangaldai district of Assam, was

very happy to meet Dulal, who hailed from Mangaldai

town.

Dulal stayed at the Victoria League Students’ Hostel in

London. His amiable nature along with his innate courtesy

and charm made him quite a favourite among the girls who

formed the majority of the boarders. Every Sunday, he and

the other men played football while the girls cheered them

on. Sunday was also ‘laundry day’. As Dulal had an aversion

to ironing, he offered to cook ‘khichri’ in return for getting

his clothes pressed. This ‘exotic’ dish was such a hit with

the girls (mostly Australian) that they were soon vying with

each other to do his ironing! Incidentally, Dulal had the

honour of dining with the late Princess Margaret Rose,

sister of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, who had a

meal once a year with the residents of the hostel.

After two years with Thompson, Lloyd & Ewart, Dulal

decided to take Mr Thompson’s advice to work on the

production side and join the plantations. Another Director,

Mick Batty, had also advised him, “Son, be a good producer

and you will never go wrong.” He went down to the WM

offices on the third floor, was asked to fill up a form and

that was the sum total of his ‘interview’!

On 1 April 1974, Dulal joined Bukhial T.E. as the Factory

Assistant. He stayed with the Manager, Mr Sardul Singh,

and his wife, Mickey, for a week. The latter helped the

newcomer to buy crockery, utensils and other basic

requirements.

Relaxing in the open verandah on his first evening at

Bukhial, Dulal saw an elephant approaching. He thought it

was a tame one but his hosts declared that the tusker was

wild! Mrs Singh commented that it was a lucky omen for

the young man on his very first day in his new job. She was

absolutely right! That year Bukhial, always a top quality

mark, sold its orthodox teas for a record price of Rs 225/-!

The Statesman (the leading English daily then) and All

India Radio both reported this achievement. Trafalgar Square, London

L to R: Mr Tim Carter(Director), Dulal and Mr J Thompson

(Managing Director)

37

On his third evening Dulal went for a spin on a borrowed

‘Rajdoot’ motorbike. Mr Singh had cautioned him not to

be out too late but Dulal did get delayed returning. He was

taking the turn by a small stream in the out division when

he noticed a Royal Bengal tiger sitting under the lone

Nahar tree! He braked and tried to turn the motorbike

around but it spluttered to a stop. An almighty kick started

it again and he spun around, going back the way he had

come. He landed up in neighbouring Bagidhola T.E. from

where the search party comprising Raghu driver and two

‘jugalis’ in the truck, sent by Mr Singh, picked him up along

with the motorbike. With two ‘wild’ encounters in the very

first week of his tenure, it’s no wonder that Dulal had some

‘wild times’ at Bukhial!!

Dulal soon adjusted to his new job and environment. He

got along well with his colleagues who, in turn, respected

his experience. He and the Senior Assistant, Mr Tushar

Dhar, experimented with different clones in the factory. He

struck a good rapport with the workers in both field and

factory, knowing each by name. Even now, whenever he

visits Bukhial, the workers come out to greet the ‘Company

Sahab’ who started his career as their ‘Poali Sahab’.

Typically, Dulal had not mentioned the fact that he knew

some of the ‘Burra Sahabs’ including the Senior Visiting

Agent. It was only after Mr Oliver’s visit to Bukhial that

Mr Sardul Singh, puzzled by the SVA’s familiarity with the

newcomer, questioned Dulal and got to know the details

behind his joining the Company.

Dulal’s next posting was at Harchurah, where he worked

for three Managers in three years! It was while he was there

that he married Jayootie. She was still in her second year of

college but she continued her studies and graduated in

History a year later. Having always been away at boarding

school and marrying while still in college, Jayootie didn’t

get a chance to hone her culinary skills. As a brand new

bride, it was her turn to provide supper for all the members

of Thakurbari club when, to her horror, her cook didn’t turn

up! She managed to rustle up a creditable meal and sensibly

decided that she would rather rely on a cookbook than a

cook! She calls herself a ‘competent’ chef but those who

have had a taste of her hospitality will testify that she’s

quite an expert.

Dulal was sent to Bargang for three months on a

troubleshooting assignment, which he successfully

completed and returned to Harchurah. Soon after, however,

he was transferred back and became one of the ‘Bargang

Jayootie's Creations

38

Lancers’ under Mr Mandhata Singh.

It was from Mrs Jyotsna Singh that Jayootie learned a great

deal about gardening. She went on to win prizes at Flower

Shows held at different tea clubs over the years.

While at Bargang, Dulal was returning to his bungalow at

Rungagora from the main division on his scooter one day

when he had to make way for a vehicle which turned out

to be the SVA’s Range Rover. The vehicle passed him but

reversed and stopped. Out stepped Mr Oliver from the

driver’s side. He greeted Dulal and took him over to the

passenger’s side to introduce him to Mrs Oliver as an

‘upcoming Manager’. An embarrassed Dulal, who felt it

would be many years before the description would suit him,

acknowledged the introduction politely.

He did soon become an Acting Manager, standing in for

the Managers of various estates while they were away on

annual leave. In the process he learned a great deal about

each of those estates. He spent around four years in

Koomsong, first working under Iain Ross and later with

Ali Zaman. It was Mr Ross who told Dulal to always

remember that the women were the main force among the

workers. If they were kept happy the estate would run

smoothly. This was a lesson Dulal never forgot.

While at Koomsong, Jayootie joined Mrs Patricia Ross in

a host of outdoor activities such as swimming, cycling and

driving. She even took up golf although she didn’t persevere

for very long, being busy in teaching her little son, Arjun,

his lessons.

After another spate of ‘Actings’, Dulal was transferred to

Bordubi T.E. where he worked with Mr Zufi Sultan and

later with Mr Sarabjit Singh. Both Dulal and Jayootie

cherish memories of some wonderful times at Bordubi

club. They were instrumental in starting New Year’s Eve

celebrations there. From Bordubi, Dulal moved to Behora,

where he worked under the dashing Mr Wazir Khan. It

was a few months later that Mr Khan took Dulal to see

some elephants at Mikirchang division and handed him

his billet letter, commenting, “You always said elephants

brought you luck!”

Dulal’s first billet was at picturesque Corramore, bordering

the Bhutan hills. Jayootie encouraged the educated children

of the predominantly Christian labour force to learn

weaving and also how to make mosquito nets – very

necessary in preventing malaria which was rampant in the

area. She also took it upon herself to teach them about

hygiene so that they, in turn, would spread the knowledge

among the workers.

Dulal had to take over Phillobari under rather unpleasant

circumstances. He was airlifted there in the Cessna and

Jayootie had to follow later with their belongings. Jayootie

dealt with the stress in her own way, immersing herself in

creative activities like embroidery. They went through quite

a harrowing experience there but came out of it wiser and

stronger in spirit.

Dulal regards his tenure at Baghjan T.E. as the turning

point in his career as a Manager. At that time, the estate

was at the bottom of the price list and so beset with

absentism and other labour problems that it was practically

impossible for the executives to stay on the estate. Keeping

in mind Iain Ross’ advice, Dulal decided to study the living

conditions of the work force. At 5 am, when the women,

always the first to be up and about their daily chores were

barely awake themselves, he parked his vehicle at one end

of the labour Line and walked down to the other end,

counting the water points. He did this in each of the Lines.

Then he made a note of how many more were needed,

calculated the cost and spoke to Mr Rajeev Takru at the

Kolkata office, who immediately sanctioned the amount.

Tapestry

39

Within a week of his taking over the estate, Dulal had the

necessary water points placed in all the Lines. With

foresight, he also ensured that the cement base around each

pump was wide enough for the women to wash clothes on,

envisioning that these would soon become the main

meeting places for the women of each Line. Once the need

for sufficient water was met, the workers became more

receptive and understood when he explained why it was

better for them to start their work early in the morning

while they were fresh and before the day grew too hot.

Dulal noticed that the roads in the Lines became extremely

wet and muddy during the monsoon, so he made a 2½ foot

wide brick path down the centre of each road for the workers

to walk on without getting mud splattered all over them.

Within six months the workforce, basically intelligent and

receptive, started going to work punctually and doing their

jobs well.

Dulal had quite an eventful posting as Manager,

Pertabghur T.E. He was instrumental in getting

encroached land adjoining the airstrip back into the

Company’s possession. This area has now been planted

with young tea. An elephant figured in his life yet again!

Purnima, who had lived at Bargang for years, found a new

home at Pertabghur. Dulal renamed her Lakshmi after the

Goddess of Prosperity as he was convinced that she was

the harbinger of good fortune for the Company.

While at Pertabghur, Jayootie tried her hand at glass

painting and became adept at it. She painted colourful

lamp shades, book ends and coasters which adorn their

drawing room.

From Pertabghur, Dulal moved to Addabarie T.E. as General

Manager. In the short time that he spent there, he approved

the turning of the large ‘hula’ at New Addabarie into a lake

for pisciculture. The lake is also a popular picnic spot.

On 1 January 2005, Dulal returned to Pertabghur as

Visiting Agent, North Bank. Pertabghur is close to both

their hearts as many a milestone in their lives has been

reached here. Their younger son, Amrit, finished school and

graduated from college while their older son, Arjun, got his

job and also became engaged to be married.

Dulal has always been an excellent sportsman – a talented

footballer, vigorous tennis player and keen golfer. His name

on a board at Bishnauth Gymkhana Club proclaims that

he once hit a ‘hole-in-one’. Another activity he enjoys is

dancing; he’s quite the denizen of the dance floor at club

functions such as ‘Disco Nite’. Jayootie too enjoys ‘shaking

a leg’, besides being a fan of Western music, especially Rock

‘n’ Roll.

With Lakshmi

40

Jayootie started the Bishnauth Ladies’ Club in April 2005 along

with other senior ladies of the district primarily to encourage the

younger ladies to learn tea ‘dasturs’ and also to become aware of

their social responsibilities. Since its inception, the club has raised

money through annual fêtes to help feed, clothe and provide other

essentials to the Centre for handicapped children near Biswanath

Charali. Jayootie also organized cooking demonstrations and

workshops in Floral Arrangement and Vegetable Carving for the

club’s members. On the ‘fun’ side, she

organized trips to Tezpur and Itanagar

as well as a ‘Cowboy Nite’ at Bishnauth

club. A good singer herself, she got all

the ladies to sing three ‘Country Western’

numbers to set the mood for the

evening.

Dulal avers that Jayootie has been a solid

pillar of support, especially during the

‘downs’ of his career. In his words, “She

assured me I was a Hero when I felt like

a Zero.” He also admires the way she has

managed the ‘full-time job’ of being the

VA’s wife so efficiently, looking into the minutest details of

hospitality. He gives her all the credit for bringing up their two

sons and turning them into the fine men they are today.

With retirement around the corner, Dulal looks forward to

catching up on his reading. His favourites are Westerns and Robin

Sharma’s books which he finds inspiring as they help one to focus

on the essentials. He feels that that he has been very fortunate in

having good colleagues and friends who have always been

supportive. He will miss them and the good times they’ve shared.

His advice to his junior colleagues based on his own experience:

“Believe in yourself. Have the courage to question the opinion of

others when you know you are right…but always with respect!

Learn from your mistakes; the ‘downs’ of your career should be

learning experiences. Be proactive, as ‘offence is the best form of

defense’. Be kind to those dependent on you but maintain

discipline also…like a father. Honesty, integrity and hard work

will always get results. Above all, be loyal to the Company.”

What better way to end this Reminiscence

than with this poem composed by Amrit as a

tribute from both brothers to their father –

“Night-times are visited by creatures

of silver hue,

all men walk, but to lead; only a few,

whispers are heard of ages past and

what may come,

what tool is there to measure a man’s sum?

as we walk our footprints lay a mark behind,

curious is our world as what we choose to find!

journeymen are we in an endless quest,

name it desire or need: all lead to some treasure chest!

cauldrons of emotion course through the vein,

when bones turn to dust, and only, a name will remain,

judge him not for how he met his end,

it’s his actions now, on which Eternity shall depend.”

Bishnauth Ladies' Club

Flower Arrangement Workshop

Bihu lunch, Centre for Handicapped Children

41

Saneer GurungH.O., Kolkata

Let me begin by asking

you a few questions:

Do you feel rushed most of

the time?

Do you find that by the time the

day ends you are stressed and yet

have a lot of unfinished business?

Do you postpone important jobs ? And only

manage to complete them at the ‘nth’ hour

or maybe even later?

Do your friends and family grumble that

you never have time for them?

Do you complain of having less time and

too much to do?

Well, if your answer to one or more of the

above is in the affirmative, then you do need

to manage your time better.

Time, as we all know, cannot be stored or

rewound. Time, a concept of measure, is a

social leveler; it does not speed up for the rich

and slow down for the poor. There are but

twenty four hours for each and it is common

to constantly whine about the lack of this

commodity for all our activities and

responsibilities.

Knowing that there are only so many hours in

a day, how you manage them will determine

many things. Successful people pack more in

their day. So your success or lack thereof will

be determined by how you utilise your time.

It is your choice. There is no right or wrong,

yet your choice does affect your success. Your

management of time may well differ from

others. But if it works for you, it is perfect.

What is Time Management?

Time management is a self-disciplined, self-

discovered tool which is a standard of

measure that all are given to quantify

priorities in any given day.

It is a set of principles, practices, skills and

systems working together with the aim of

improving the quality of your life. It is the art

of arranging, organizing, scheduling, and

budgeting time for more effective work and

productivity. To quote Lord Chesterfield, “If

you watch the minutes carefully, the hours

will take care of themselves.” Always ask

yourself regularly, “Am I making the most of

my time right now?” The 80/20 rule states

that we tend to spend 80% of our time on

projects that have a 20% return. Concentrate

your efforts on what holds the highest value

for you.

An important aspect of this technique is

planning. Efficient time management is to

organize the workspace. Studies show that we

spend seventy minutes a day just looking for

things. How many times have you said, “Just a

minute, I know it’s here somewhere.” Files,

reports, memos and letters are often misplaced

and our desks look like the set of the movie

“Twister”! Clutter can be a huge distraction, not

to mention the embarrassment of lost or

unanswered requests. Your goal is not to have a

nice neat desk but to get organized so that you

can convert wasted time into productive time.

Time management is not necessarily about

getting lots of things done but, more important,

making sure that you are working on what is

significant. Prioritizing jobs in the four

quadrants of Urgent, Not Urgent, Important &

Not Important is a great way to plan.

As part of a study in efficiency, one should

determine the time of day that one is most

capable and productive. Know your peak time,

the time of the day you reach the zenith as

everyone does not have the same body clock.

The struggle of time management isn’t simply

a case of cutting back or acquiring new skills.

The pressures of deadlines hit us in singular

ways. We are refreshed and restored in

different ways, so it is essential to discover

which activities drain and which renew our

energy levels. One way to assess how efficient

you are is to keep a record of your daily

activities for a week. You may gain insights

on how to adjust the use of your time and you

Time Management

42

may discover the best environment and hours for your

personal output. Find the schedule that fits you best and

make it work.

Those who make the worst use of time are the first to

complain of its limitations. In the end it comes down to

choices. Good decisions lead to better results while poor

choices lead to wasted time and energy. Time management

skills can be learned and mastered by anyone. All it takes is

practice and dedication. To quote, “Ordinary people think

merely of spending time. Great people think of using it.”

Practical tips to get you started:

ú Write things down: A common mistake is to use your

memory to keep track of too many details leading to

information overload. Using a to-do list to write things

down is a great way to take control of your tasks and be

organized.

ú Prioritize your list: Prioritizing your to-do list helps you

focus on the things that really matter to you. Rate your

tasks into categories as per priority.

ú Plan your week: Plan your schedule at the beginning of

the week. This will help increase your productivity and

balance your important long term projects with the more

urgent tasks. All you need is about fifteen to thirty minutes

each week for your planning sessions.

ú Carry a notebook: You never know when you are going to

have a great idea or brilliant insight. Carry a small notebook

with you wherever you go so you can capture your thoughts.

If you wait too long to write them down you could forget.

ú Learn to say ‘No’: Many people become overloaded with

too much work because they over-commit. They say ‘Yes’

when really they should be saying ‘No.’ Learn to say ‘No’ to

low priority requests and you will free time to spend on

what is more important to you.

ú Think before acting: How many times have you said ‘Yes’

to something you later regretted? Before committing to a

new task, stop and think. This will prevent you from taking

on too much work.

ú Continuously improve yourself: Make time in your

schedule to learn new things and develop your natural

talents and abilities. Continuously improving your

knowledge and skills will lead to overall development.

ú Think about what you are giving up to do your regular

activities: It is a good idea to regularly evaluate how you

are spending your time. In some cases, the best thing you

can do is to stop an activity that is no longer important so

you can spend that time on more valuable projects.

ú Use a time management system: Using a time

management system can help you keep track of everything

that you need to do, organize and prioritize your work and

develop sound plans to complete the job. An integrated

system is like glue that holds all the best practices together.

ú Scheduling: There are several barriers to scheduling you

may need to overcome. These barriers are the ‘Time

Wasters’, the leading one being procrastination. The best

way to tackle procrastination is the ‘Swiss Cheese Method’

designed to help you focus on ONE issue at a time. Divide

your projects into smaller chunks or tasks.

ú Avoid ‘Efficiency Traps’: Being efficient doesn’t necessarily

mean that you are being productive. Avoid taking on tasks

that you can do with efficiency that do not need to be done.

Just because you are busy doesn’t mean you are actually

accomplishing anything significant.

ú Delegation: Learn to delegate the routine jobs effectively

so that you have more time to do what is important for

your long term success. The time saved also allows you to

handle interruptions such as emergencies and allows you to

focus on your own projects and goals.

When you have managed your time well you perform

under less pressure and you will be happier at work. Time

is what we want the most, but we use it ineffectively.

Remember, one aspect of a SMART goal is ‘attainable’.

Make your daily objectives attainable.

Lastly, superior time management is about self discipline.

The most efficient to-do list in the world will not help

someone who does not look at or follow his own daily

planner. Of course, the other side of the argument is to

remember to live. Schedule some time off every day and at

least one day off each week. Be organized but do not be a

slave to your to-do list.

Time is our most precious asset, we should invest it wisely.

Divide your life into 10-minute units and sacrifice as few

of them as possible in meaningless activity. Time

management is how you manage your choices with the

time you are given. Once that last hour is gone, it is gone

forever. You are the arbiter of your own time and

management. Apply your definition to your own life.

43

Vivek, the son of Mr Vijoy Kumar Singh

(General Manager, Finance, at HO) and Mrs

Reeta Singh has the rare distinction of not

only having passed both his Chartered

Accountancy and Company Secretary final

examinations at the first attempt but also

simultaneously, which is quite an

achievement!

After he passed out of Julienday School,

Vivek studied Commerce at St Xavier’s

College, Kolkata and graduated with a First

Class Honours degree in 2007. While still at

college he studied for the CS and CA courses

and even passed the Foundation and

Intermediate examinations in each – all at the

first attempt.

In the midst of this staggering amount of

studies, Vivek still found time to pursue his

hobbies – cricket, badminton, music and

surfing the internet.

We wish Vivek, who is currently serving his

Articleship with a private Accountancy firm,

a bright future.

Vivek Kumar Singh

Parismita is the eldest child of Purnima and Capt. K.K.K.

Singh of the Air Scheme at Pertabghur T.E. Parismita is

employed in the field of education but her first love is

writing.

Her work has appeared in various publications including

Time Out, the Sarai Reader and Katha Prize Stories 13.

She was short-listed for The Little Magazine New

Writing Award, 2006.

Recently, her graphic novel, ‘The Hotel at the End of the

World’, was published by Penguin and launched at the

British Council, Delhi. During the book launch she was

interviewed by Vishwajyoti Ghosh, another graphic

novelist. Parismita was also interviewed on NDTV’s ‘Just

Books’ programme by Sunil Sethi.

The book was favourably reviewed in India Today, Time

Out, Hindustan Times and Indian Express among other

newspapers and journals.

As the book’s blurb says, “Drawing from various oral

story-telling and folklore traditions, and with influences

ranging from Commando war comics to World War II

history and Buddhist art, Parismita Singh creates a world

that’s magical yet very real.”

The MRIL family wishes Parismita all the success that

she so richly deserves.

Parismita Singh

SHABAASH!SHABAASH!

44

Koomsong T. E. is situated fifteen kilometers from the

town of DoomDooma, close to Kakopathar on the

Arunachal Pradesh – Assam border. The DoomDooma

River lies at its southern extremity; in fact the river acts as

the main drainage outlet for the estate. The land originally

belonged to the Dolby family. Williamson Magor acted as

their Agents and acquired the property when the family

passed on without any heirs.

The natives of this region were the Singpho and Khamti

tribes. The name Koomsong is derived from the Khamti

dialect meaning ‘high ground’. The surrounding land

included fertile paddy growing areas and the rich harvest

was stored on the highland. This plateau is easily discernable

on the northern and eastern boundary of the estate.

A chieftain named Khungsa was the tribal overlord of this

province; it is said that his subjects rested on the ‘chung’

(highland) and maybe ‘Khungsa’s chung’ was anglicized

over the years to Koomsong, though the original land deed

is in the name of Kumsang.

There are no significant records of the pioneers responsible

for the development of this estate but it is believed that the

first planter who cleared the dense forest to plant tea was

Coco Buroughs. (The name is spelt phonetically as

pronounced by the workers.) He employed Nagas for the

task. The garden banker, whose forefathers were bankers

for the property from its inception, confirms that this

undertaking began in 1904 and tea was planted in 1907.

On 30 November 1911 The Koomsong Tea Company was

incorporated with a fully paid capital of 50000 pounds

sterling, the value of each share being 1 pound sterling.

Early leaf was transferred to Bordubi T.E. for manufacture

and it was only in 1912 that production commenced on the

property. By 1927, Koomsong included 416 hectares, a

labour force numbering 1670 workers and produced 43400

kg made tea.

- Vidya Kaul

45

The work force at Koomsong credit a Mr Oliver with

establishing the boundary of the estate by constructing

labour lines on the periphery. Elephants were used to

transport leaf and material until the trolley line from

Bordubi was extended. The trolleys were manually pushed

to and from Sukrating railway siding, a distance of over

fifteen kilometers, till the

introduction of a steam

engine in the 1930s. This

mode of transport was a

matter of prestige for the

estate. The adjoining garden,

Tongana, needed seven days

to dispatch their teas on

bullock carts to DoomDooma

whereas the trolley made

access to the railhead so much

quicker. Sri Benu Das,

retired teacher, brought his

bride to Koomsong from DoomDooma on the trolley; he

still has a smile on his face, remembering the exhilarating

ride with his young wife to her new home. Managerial staff

rode horses for ‘kamjari’. The first cars were a great status

symbol and only owned by senior executives. All field work

was manual until the introduction of tractors in the

late 1930s.

For the first three decades the workers’ wages were paid in

coins and these were brought to the estate in a carrier bag

by the banker on his bicycle. A large bell tied to the

handlebars rang loudly as he rode. This was the signal for

the pluckers to move away from the road and into the

sections. The banker had a clear passageway till he delivered

the funds to the management for disbursement.

The original Manager’s Bungalow was constructed in No 7

Line. The Assistants lived in a ‘chummery’ in Nepali Line.

These were all ‘chung bungalows’ built on stilts to keep

away wild animals. The

‘chummery’ was disbanded

in the 1950s and individual

residences built; there is

mention of a shootout one

memorable evening and

maybe the ‘powers that be’

decided on this move to

keep the peace amongst the

boisterous young men!

Estate workers remember

Mr E. W. Bryant whose

tenure stretched from 1938 to 1950. He joined as an

Assistant, became Manager and was transferred to Bordubi

as Superintendent. During the war years he restricted

production by collar pruning sections and staff and labour

were sent to work on road and camp construction in the

Ledo-Margherita sector, after the fall of Burma. A satellite

airstrip for fighter aeroplanes flying over the ‘Hump’ was

in use in what is today Section No 40. Sri Gobindo Mullik,

retired welder, remembers the thrill of seeing an aircraft

land; the Factory Assistant would race his car to the strip

and chase the landing aircraft down the runway!

Retired Staff: Sri Tirsha Das, Sri Gobinda Mollick, Smt. Das, Sri Benu Das, Sri Buda Ganjutif Factory

Section 14 -Two Leaves and A Bud

46

In 1950 Mr H.Andrews took charge of the property. He

was the first planter in Assam to experiment with high

density planting and, perhaps of greater interest to the

young Assistants, he owned a Jaguar! Factory

modernization at Koomsong began in earnest during his

tenure. The great earthquake of 1950 had disrupted

communications between DoomDooma and Koomsong

via Budlabeta and the highway leading to Rupai Siding

was only a track with logs placed to settle the muddy

surface. The dense forest on either side formed a tunnel of

entwined branches. Teas were dispatched from Koomsong

on the trolley via DoomDooma but this mode of

transportation was not efficient and many chests bearing

the precious green ‘treasure’ were damaged. The Manager of

Bordubi T.E. was requested to share in the maintenance of

the trolley line but he refused. The cold war between the

two estates lasted two years and in the end Mr Andrews

decided to rebuild the road to Rupai as an alternative

passage for his teas. Today, this public road is NH 52, an

important link in the North East.

In 1953 parts of the estate were submerged during the

monsoons and staff and labour still remember catching

large ‘sal’ fish weighing up to two kilograms from the drain

in No 2 division. Pluckers abandoned their leaf and rushed

to catch as many fish as they could; productivity was lost

that season due to ‘piscine abundance’!

Mr G.F.Simpson managed Koomsong from 1963 to 1968.

Factory modernization continued with the introduction of

fermenting units. Weed killers replaced manual cultivation.

Mr A.H.Pirie (1971-1976) established an aviary for the

captive breeding of

the White Winged

Wood Duck, an

endangered species

of wild fowl, but

the cages and

equipment were

transferred to

Bordubi T. E. on

his posting there as

Superintendent.

Mr I. G. Ross

(1976-1984) was

the last British

Manager of the

estate. He and his

wife Tricia are still

remembered with

great warmth. The Ross’ were lovers of sports; tennis,

football, rugby and bridge were intrinsic to their lives. The

dart board in the ‘jali kamra’ at the top of the staircase was

so placed to enable visitors to while away the few minutes

waiting for their hosts in a constructive manner! Iain and

Tricia encouraged workers on the estate to develop their

sporting abilities. Reena Rai Dihingia, a local girl from

Kakopathar, won a bronze medal in the Shot Putt at the

National School Games in 1981. Recognizing the young

girl’s potential, Iain personally trained her in the javelin

throw for three months at the Koomsong football field and

subsequently, Reena won gold medals at the Games in

1982 and 1983 in both disciplines.

Old Trolley Line Bridge c.1920

47

In 1978 the estate

hosted a function

attended by all

n e i g h b o u r i n g

executives. Tricia

taught a troupe of

staff members to

dance the Scottish

Reel, which they did

resplendent in black

trousers and white

shirts, to the music of

‘Beautiful Sunday’.

How I wish I could

have been there; a

truly memorable

experience which the dancers remember even today. On

their transfer to Mijicajan T. E. in 1984, the farewell

address from the estate staff and workers was a heartfelt

tribute to the their legacy.

Today, Koomsong includes 676.96 hectares with an annual

crop of fifteen lakhs. The garden hospital looks after the

health and welfare of the residents and four Lower Primary

schools take care of the initial educational needs of the

families. The estate functions as a community encouraging

participation in cultural and sporting activities.

The Jhumur Party performed at the National Games held

at Guwahati in 2008. This troupe is the successor of the

team which danced at the All India Congress Committee

meeting chaired by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at

Guwahati in 1977.

The Kakopathar Karate Association has been partly

sponsored for the 28th National Karate Championship

held at Chennai early this year and the Kho Kho team has

been supported for various tournaments over the years.

The welfare of the animal denizens is given equal

importance; the leopard cubs found in the drain in Section

No 10 were transferred into the capable hands of the Forest

Department.

Like all plantations,

Koomsong is a world

within a world, creating

for its people a safe

haven to grow and

prosper. We wish them

the successful bounty

of many a tea pot filled

to the brim with ‘the

cup that cheers’.

DJB with Cub

Sanctuary in Sec.10

L - R: D. Phukan,

I. Alam, R. K. Gogoi

(Sr. Manager),

J. Chaudhry,

Dr S. Bhuyan,

D. J. Baruah

48

Whilst it is difficult to ascertain the precise date when this

stretch of land under the rule of the Cooch Behar royal

family became a tea estate, it was perhaps in 1898 that the

first planting was done. Land records reveal that the estate

was incorporated as a tea garden in 1918 under the then

Companies Act as Saroda Tea Company. The founders of

the estate were Mr Agazuddin Khan, Mr Munshi

Kefatullah and Mr Tarini Prasad Ray. The reason for this is

not known, but over the years Mr T.P. Ray took over

complete control of the estate. The old land deed shows an

outright purchase of 2000 acres of land by Saroda Tea Co.

The boundaries of the property stretched right up to

Alipurduar town, some 16 km away. However, gradually

the extremities of the garden diminished leaving tracts of

land between Mathura and the township.

On probing the origin of an unusual name like Mathura

for a tea estate, I was told two versions. Apparently

Mr Naru Dutta, son of Mr Mathura Kumar Dutta helped

the Rays purchase land for the estate. He was one of the

directors of Saroda Tea Co. and his home in Jalpaiguri was

known as Mathura Kutir. Others felt it was named after

Mr Ray’s mother, Mathura. Years later when a land project

was started, it was obviously named Brindavan! Located

16 km away towards Falakatta, it was initially looked after

by a project manager, Mr Khokan Mandal. Over a period

of time, it gradually came to be a part of Mathura.

This geographically isolated estate, bordered by the

Chilapatta Forest Range in the north and paddy fields and

‘bastis’ (villages) on all other sides has 695 hectares of land

under tea and a crop of approximately 11 lakh kg. In 1938

the crop was 12,005 ‘monds’ and in 1946 it recorded a crop

of 27,600 ‘monds’. The work style on the estate was very

different to what we are accustomed to. Instead of a British

colonial ‘sahab’ culture, it was more akin to a Bengali

‘zamindari’. The executives and staff were always from

Bengal. The manager was called ‘Babu’ and his wife was

addressed as ‘Maa ji’. The residence of the Manager Babu

was a large double storied building with a number of rooms

all in a row. A courtyard at the back of the house had the

traditional cemented structure for the revered ‘Tulsi’ plant.

There was no ‘malibari’, lawn or hedge but there were

stables for horses and a cowshed. The whole structure

looked more like a ‘Thakurdalan’ than a tea bungalow – all

somewhat feudal!

The predominantly Adivasi workforce of the estate came

from Chota Nagpur and Jharkhand. The sardar who went

down to recruit the workers would make all necessary

arrangements.

- Sakina Hussain

49

Though they were

brought for six

months’ compulsory

work, most not only

stayed back but now have

further generations

working on the estate.

The workers were

supplied with food and

other essentials at concessional

rates. Most houses were

however ‘kuccha’ (made of mud

and wood) as the labourers

were not comfortable about

living in hot glass and metal

structures. According to the

annual report of 1949, a huge

workforce was deployed on the

garden – 1504 men and 1703

women. The present strength of

Mathura is 1867 permanent

workers.

Augustus Lakra came to the

garden in 1952 at the age of

eighteen from Lohardaga, now in

Jharkhand, by train to Alipurduar.

Ruben Bara arrived from Chota

Nagpur to Nimti in 1953. He

became a Dafadar in 1984 and

finally retired in 1991. His daughter

now works on the estate. Sukhlal

Baraik, the trolley driver who joined

work in 1960 tells us of the trolley

line that operated between the main

garden and the out division to carry

leaf. Memories, faded over time, did

not allow the three to agree on too

many accounts, be it dates of events,

wages etc. but the one thing that was

undisputed and had all three nodding

in agreement was when one of them

remembered Mathura as being

‘beautiful, peaceful and prosperous’.

The post office on the estate, called

Mathura Bagan Post Office, was built in

1949. The construction of the hospital

building begun in 1948 was completed in

1952 and housed forty beds. Though not

in existence now, a building was constructed for the Central

Excise staff in 1950. The staff club built around the same

time provided an excellent reading room and a place for

sports. The Ray family was particularly fond of football and

held regular matches. The area used for the plant nursery

today was the erstwhile mini football ground. The top floor

of the four storied building next to the factory was used as

a stadium where spectators would sit and watch the game.

This building was subsequently used as a storage godown

for tea from the polypack unit, but had to be dismantled

after a major part of it collapsed in 1998. It was cleared and

used as a garage initially but has now been turned into a

badminton court.

The road to Alipurduar through Topsikhata was built by

Saroda Tea Co. as was the bridge (1950). The Company

had a godown in Alipurduar for the transhipment of tea.

The tea dispatched by bullock-carts took as many as five

Tower

Tea - Sept 1997

Old Stadium

50

days to reach the town. On the way back, they carried

rations, coal and even money.

Mathura, being a part of the Chilapatta Forest range, was

originally a ‘game’ area – shikar, night hunts and camping

were very popular. A lot of wild life can still be seen in the

forest, but earlier, I am told, it was not uncommon to sight

leopards, deer and peacocks on the garden. Not long ago a

bison that strayed into the labour lines created havoc and

finally had to be controlled by the forest officials. Elephants

are, of course, regular visitors! On one occasion, executives

from the garden were stuck on the forest road for a couple

of hours, just because a herd of elephants decided to enjoy

a game of football with an empty drum!

The Deputy Manager’s ‘kothi’ (bungalow) was initially a

forest inspection lodge. It is said to have been brought piece

by piece from Rajabhatkhowa some 150 years ago. This

lodge saw a lot of entertaining. Members of the Cooch

Behar royal family and their British guests were frequent

visitors. Dignitaries like Dr Rajendra Prasad and Sarojini

Naidu also visited. Subsequently, it was used by the

directors of Saroda Tea Co. A large wooden structure

served as a kitchen where food was cooked on a wood fire.

(Gas was brought into use much later, in 1998!)

Though the first Manager of Mathura was Mr Lalit

Mohan Ghosh, it is Mr B. K. Neogi’s thirty year tenure

that is remembered most fondly by all the ‘old timers’. It is

said that his contribution to the success of the property was

invaluable and it saw tremendous development and

prosperity during this period. Apparently, it was from the

profits of Mathura that the Rays added seven more estates

to expand their group. Considered an unending source of

prosperity, the out division was named Akshay, which

means ‘forever’. This period was referred to as the golden

era of Mathura. Mr Neogi’s long and dedicated association

with the garden came to an end only with his death in

1969. The B K High School named after him was set up in

1956. The land, building and funds for maintenance were

provided by the Company. In 1961 the first primary school

known as Basic School was also started for the workforce.

Both the schools are now under government control.

Money-lending on the lines of a banking business was also

a practice on the estate. This was carried out from the

Manager’s ‘kothi’. Large sized tables and high chairs used

by bankers are still to be found on the estate. In fact, when

the garden changed hands, it was very difficult to break this

tradition and convince the workers that no money could

now be borrowed. After all, they were still willing to put their

thumb mark on paper, then why were they not being given

money! A chowkidar had to be posted at the gate and it was

only after many altercations over several months that the

workers accepted the end of money-lending on the estate.

Unique to Mathura is the fact that on this estate no one

suffers from ‘Monday blues’ as it is the weekly holiday. The

reason for a holiday on a Monday is the traditional ‘haat bazar’

held on the garden. The land for the ‘haat’ was provided by

Replanted in Winter 2006 - 07

L - R: Sukhlal Baraik, Arjun Deogaon, Dulari Oraon, Augustus Lakra, Ruben Bara

51

Saroda Tea Co. Several attempts in recent times to change

the holiday to a Sunday have met with no success.

Being surrounded by forests and rivers, picnics are a regular

feature on Mathura. A short drive away, there are some very

scenic picnic spots. In fact, a picnic was organized here on

1 January for all the Company’s estates. This was stopped

after a couple of years, because whilst the day was enjoyed

by all, the hosts found themselves practically driving

straight from the

New Year’s Eve

party at Chuapara

Club to the picnic

venue to be ready

in time to welcome

everyone! A tad

unfair they felt!

This, of course, did

not stop one from

enjoying a picnic

on other days. At

one time, during the cold weather, most Mondays were

spent by the riverside.

The Shiv Mandir at Mathura is highly revered by not only

the inhabitants of the estate but also people from far and

wide. Innumerable devotees throng the temple on all days,

especially Mondays. What makes the

‘Shivling’ so revered is that it was not

carved out but found during land

preparation for planting. Mr Neogi

dreamt that the ‘Shivling’ should be

placed in a ‘mandir’. The temple was

constructed and the ‘Shivling’ duly

positioned. Faith is said to move

mountains; here it opened the sky.

Worried by a severe drought, an

erstwhile Manager organized a three

day ‘kirtan’ at the ‘mandir’. On the last

day, he looked up disappointed at a

clear sky and vowed to repair and paint

the place if it would rain soon. Lo and behold, Mathura

experienced a thunder shower before the hour was over!

The temple soon wore a new look! On the behest of

Mrs B.M.Khaitan during her visit to the estate, an

extension was constructed for the devotees. The banyan tree

sent down from Kolkata has also grown; a symbolic

indicator of the well being of the temple. The garden has

a day’s holiday on Mahashivratri which is celebrated with

a lot of ardour, the revels lasting through the night.

Cultural and religious festivities are an integral part of

Mathura’s ethos. Basanti Puja performed during Basant

Panchami is a grand affair spread over four days. Sweets

were distributed amongst all the workers. People came

from neighbouring areas, upto a radius of 100 km to join

in the festivities. Jalebis were fried

over a couple of days to suffice for this

purpose. Bishu, a driver on the estate,

remembers how in 1995, during

Mr Dilip Bose’s tenure, ‘parathas’ were

distributed instead of sweets because

of a fund crunch. This was not

acceptable to the workers and they

protested so finally sweets were

brought. An infuriated Mr Bose

refused to let the workers have any

extra sweets and after giving them one

each, buried the rest! Nowadays,

‘khichri’ is distributed to the entire

workforce on all four days. Kali Puja

is celebrated in the out division. Led

by the ‘adivasi’ labourers, a three day

Jhulan Jatra is organized during

Durga Puja. Tribal troupes from

outside the garden too join in the

The Pioneers

Riverside Picnic

Shivling

52

dancing which carries on through the night.

Pradeep Kumar Sarkar, presently a garden ‘babu’ who grew

up here, corroborated a lot of information about the estate.

His grandfather, Binoy Kumar Sarkar, worked on the estate

for a monthly salary of Rs 7/- in 1932 !

As time moved on, poor administration and lack of

supervision in the eighties and the early nineties led to the

closure of the estate by the mid-nineties. Financial

insolvency led to the curtailment of basic amenities and

dues mounted. Those were trying years for an estate that

had seen much prosperity but, as they say, nothing is

constant and the tides once again changed in favour of

Mathura.

On 22 September 1997, Mathura T.E. came into the

MRIL fold. A puja was performed to mark the occasion.

Early next morning, the pioneering ‘Team Mathura’ arrived

at the estate in a convoy comprising a car and a couple of

motorcycles with their luggage in an old leaf trailor from

Chuapara.T.E. On the drive through the Chilapatta forest,

they sighted a golden hawk. A good omen, they were told.

Apprehensive about the mammoth task that lay ahead of

them, the team found the sign reassuring! At 6:20am, the

factory siren was sounded after several months of silence.

The staff were hit by a sense of panic, not knowing what

had happened and they stumbled out of their houses

(which are adjacent to the factory compound) in assorted

attire. The entire workforce was asked to assemble in the

factory premises. A workers’ roster was prepared and soon

enough two hundred and fifty ‘ghost’ names were

discovered!

The first contact of the tea

planter and the tea bush was

hostile, quite akin to what the

pioneers of the estate must

have experienced. Lying in a

total state of neglect, over three hundred hectares of the

estate had not been plucked for more than six months.

Accessing the tea bushes required clearing weeds which

had completely covered them. The bushes were over six feet

tall. In fact, the garden looked so much like a jungle that it

was difficult to ascertain where the sections lay. The

denizens of the ‘forested’ bushes like snakes and wasps did

not give up without a fight and several cases of wasp stings

and snake bites had to be attended to. Weeds collected were

enough to block the sectional roads. The entire garden was

skiffed.

A 120 KVA MWM engine catered to the needs of the

estate, as the power supply from WBSEB was temporalily

suspended. Things were regularized with the electricity

department, more machines brought in from other estates

and the factory, lying in disuse and covered in dust and

cobwebs, was functional by November. A wooden structure

with pillars made of Sal trees (these, believed to be as strong

as iron beams, did stand the test of time) was pulled down

in 1998-99 and restructured into a concrete and metal

construction. Various modifications over the last twelve

years have transformed the factory which today can boast

of manufacturing premium quality teas.

For the first two months, the entire team lived together in

the present Deputy Manager’s ‘kothi’.

Banyan Tree, 1999

Banyan Tree, 2009

Mr B. M. Khaitan's Visit

53

This gave them

time not only to

get the other

houses habitable

(the shopping list

was endless –

water filters,

kerosene stoves,

geysers, fridges,

TVs, soft furnishing – all in multiples of seven) but also

time with each other to strategize for the next day’s plan of

action! Meal times were more like a story-telling session,

with each person sharing his day’s experience with the

others. There would be much excitement on ‘discovering’ a

section upon removing the weeds! They shared rooms not

only with each other but also bats, rats and wasps! Old

fridges served as cupboards! After the first couple of nights,

it was decided to let the doctor have a room to himself as

he was constantly on night call to attend to emergencies in

the hospital. Twelve hundred bottles of saline were used

and doctors from the other estates came in to help cope

with the influx of patients suffering due to malnutrition.

Sometimes weary, at other times charged, the executives

eventually moved not only into their own homes, but also

into the groove of things. With time things began falling

into place; work culture changed paving the way for

Company norms to be brought into practice.

Left with no option during the lean years, a number of

workers had resorted to unlawful means to make a living.

However, now that they were sure of regular wages and

rations for their families, as many as twenty-three dacoits

surrendered to the police! This desire by so many workers

to return to an honest way of life gave everyone working

towards a change in Mathura a deep sense of satisfaction.

A year of trials and tribulations came to an end. Emotions

ran high and overwhelmed with the sense of security the staff

and workers expressed a desire to celebrate the occasion.

A cultural programme was organized with much zeal and

enthusiasm. From the following year, a football tournament

was organized to commemorate the day. The MRIL Cup is

played over a month with several teams joining in. The final

game is played on 23 September each year.

Resurrection or revival is an ongoing and long drawn

process, requiring a sustained and patient effort to nurture

anything back to health. When I first set eyes on Mathura

in 1997, I was reminded of the poem by Robert Frost…..

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.”

Over the years miles have been traversed and promises have

been kept and today’s Team Mathura can stand proud and

claim to have regained the lost glory of the estate.

L to R: S. Saurabh, B. Bothra, A. Verma, J.P. Alex (Manager), Dr C. M. Prasad, A. Prasad, R. Krishna

Old Forest Lodge

54

Many years ago a

young man, not yet

twenty, reported

for work as an

Assistant Manager

at Koomsong T. E.

There was nothing

odd about that but

what was odd was the fact that this young man was

confirmed in six months without having done a single

day's work either in the field or factory -- that too with

a grizzled and tough old ‘koi-hai’ as a Manager. Strange

it may seem but here is what happened.

My cousin Jimmy had joined Koomsong in the summer

of 1960 under a tough old hand, Harry Andrews

(inventor of the Andrews Tea Breaker I am told ). Now,

Harry was a senior member of the DoomDooma Club

committee and as it happened the new club was then

being built (at the present site). He wanted someone to

keep an eye on the work, so young Jimmy was told that

for the next few months his job was to supervise the

work at the new club daily. Every day Jimmy would take

his packed lunch and head for the club in a battered old

lorry to oversee the construction. This carried on for

quite some time and soon six months had passed; it was

time for Jimmy's confirmation. Not having done a day's

work on the estate Jimmy was rather worried but he

need not have been so -- the Manager reported to the

Company that the new man was doing a great job in

both field and factory and would someday make a good

planter !! So, Jimmy was confirmed; probably the only

guy in Tea who got his confirmation this way !!

We had the Group Accountant, Srini, residing with us

at Koomsong in the early 70s. He was a very amiable

and helpful person. Every now and then Srini had to

accompany our VA, Bob Stammers, on his visits to one

of the estates on the South Bank. Bob loved a fast car

and would always arrive at the estate well ahead of time,

whizzing past bullock carts, cows, goats and cyclists with

gay abandon. This, of course, did not do Srini's nerves

any good and by the time they got to a garden he was a

nervous wreck. He would insist that Bob drop him off

at the Manager's Bungalow, where he would sit down

and firmly request two large gins, taking his time to

down the two shots. Only then would he set off to the

office for work. One would have thought his troubles

were over but, of course, there was the nightmarish drive

back !! If there were a number of visits within a short

span of time Srini was known to have downed copious

quantities of gin !!

Still on Srini... one day he came to see me at the factory

and asked for a hammer. A rather odd request, I

thought, and asked him what he wanted it for. “I want

to hammer that bridge,” he told me. (He meant the

rickety old bridge over the Bordubi River linking

Koomsong and Bordubi before the present RCC bridge

was built.) “Hammer the bridge? What for?” I asked.

Apparently, every time Srini drove over the bridge (his

office was in Bordubi with the VA) he would have a

puncture as the structure was in a terrible state with nails

sticking out all over. Srini would approach the bridge,

stop his car, get off and, hammer in hand, walk across

hammering every nail back into place. With a satisfied

grin on his face he would get back into his car and

confidently drive across.

He never ever had a puncture on that bridge again!!

Planters’ Punch

- Danny Pariat

55

- Vivek Seth

Attareekhat T.E.

Though the exact date when golf started as a

pastime in the North East cannot be

ascertained, one can safely bet that it was

more or less around the time tea plantations

were established.

The Jorhat Gymkhana Club in Upper

Assam which was founded in the nineteenth

century can proudly claim that its golf

course is the second oldest in India after the

famous and majestic Royal Calcutta Golf

Club, Kolkata.

During the early years golf in the plantations

began as a pastime for the weary expatriates

who longed for their famed golf meadows.

Availability of land was not an issue in that

era but developing a golfing meadow

required the will and the passion only golfers

have!

Today the tea community can boast of a golf

course in nearly every tea club/district,

totalling nearly fifteen.

Going by the golfing adage, “To add a little

wager makes the game interesting and a wee

bit competitive”, several golf tournaments

soon started to take shape. Various golfing

bodies were formed, prominent

among them being the Upper

Assam Golf Association

(UAGA) and the Lower Assam

Golf Association (LAGA), the

former growing from strength

to strength. The latter is, sadly, in

the doldrums but efforts are

being made to revive it.

Under the aegis of the UAGA,

Upper Assam has over forty tournaments in

a year, held mostly on Sundays but a few on

a Saturday – the prized among these

tournaments being the All Assam Amateur

Golf played at the picturesque Digboi Golf

Course.

The All Assam Amateur Trophy may be the

most coveted, but the tournaments that the

planters cherish are the ones named in

honour of past golfers in whose

remembrance they are played today.

Participating in them is more important

than winning. These are as follows:

1) Peter Swer Memorial Golf played at

Tingri Golf Course.

2) Jasmer Singh Memorial Cup played at

Tingri Golf Course.

3) George Moore Inter Company Golf –

earlier played at the Kanjikhowa Golf

Course and shifted to the Tingri Golf

Course in 2006.

4) Jindhi Madhok Golf played at the Misa

Golf Course.

5) Bacchu Memorial played at Dhunsiri

Golf Course.

Golf: In Tea

Aerial View - Golf Course, Mangaldai Club56

The other notable trophies garnering large participation are:

1) Makum-Namdang Cup – sponsored by McLeod

Russel India Limited, played at the Namdang Golf

Course, Margherita

2) Tappit Hen Golf (a two ball foursome tournament)

played at Tingri Golf Course.

3) Dunlop Cup Inter Club tournament played at various

Upper Assam courses as per the draw.

4) Dunn Cup Golf played at Thakurbari & Solmara Golf

Courses. This is an Army versus

Planters Trophy played in the

North Bank.

5) Mangaldai Cup Golf played at

Paneery Golf Course.

Apart from these there are the

K-Cup Golf (Bishnauth),

Monsoon Cup Golf (East Boroi)

and various other tournaments like

the Inter District Bogey, Captain’s

Prize and Club Meet Golf.

Statistics apart, all this could not

have happened without the

determination and passion of the

avid golfers over the years and, of

course, the tea companies.

Today, sadly, many a golf course

laments over its lack of maintenance. We, from McLeod

Russel however, can take heart from the fact that no other

Company has, over the years and more so in recent years,

done so much to keep the greatest game in the world ‘alive

and kicking’. McLeod Russel wholly and solely maintains

seven golf courses in Assam and the Dooars – each a prized

possession. Be it Margherita, Doom Dooma, Tingri, East

Boroi, Bishnauth, Mangaldai or Chuapara, each possesses

a tranquility of its own posing varied challenges to golfers

and, in its own way, enlivens the trauma or glory at the

‘nineteenth hole’!

That golfers are a breed apart is not a myth and as the

maxim goes, “It never rains on the golf course!” If need be,

they’ll even swim to play a round!

The other aspect of golf is the camaraderie it generates

amongst golfers of all ages, shapes and sizes and the tales

that follow thereafter. Every golfer has his own story to tell

– about his exultation or lamentation. You may have had

the worst round of golf (not knowing that there are many

more in store!) and want to throw away your clubs and give

up the game, but that one shot in the entire round entices

you back to hacking away again the next day, in the hope

of the perfect round.

Golf is also a great teacher and no other game prepares you

to deal with the ups and downs of

life better. The challenges and

uncertainties in golf are akin to

those in life. The goal is in front of

you, fully visible and you have the

vision to achieve it; what lies in

between is the hidden obstacle. You

might play the best shot but one

unlucky bounce may land you in an

unpleasant ‘lie’. If you let the ‘lie’

get the better of you, doom looms

ahead but if you stand over your

ball and think calmly, you will see

an opening (ray of hope) that may

yet allow you to conquer the hole.

It’s what you do – let the

circumstance get the better of you

or take a deep breath, think calmly

and get hold of the situation. The silver lining is always

there; it only requires you to focus and find it.

I started playing golf after joining Tea, at the instance of

one of my first Managers, who felt that an Assistant who

did not play golf was no Assistant of his! He believed that

playing golf would definitely make you an executive with

drive!

Today, I play golf without a care in the world, focused on

and overcoming all the obstacles and challenges that the

course may present, always striving ahead – definitely with

a lot of drive! I also stop, time and again, to thank all those

who came along the way, teaching, guiding and nudging

me on to perform, fail and perform again, thus making me

a better person.

Makum-Namdang

Cup

57

Pain is defined medically as “an unpleasant sensory or

emotional experience associated with actual and potential

tissue damage”. It is a protective defense mechanism of the

body. Unfortunately, it is not a tangible or measurable

entity; it is as severe as the sufferer says it is.

Approximately, half of all patients who visit a physician

suffer from pain. For most, the correct treatment of a self

evident, limited disease process (such as a broken bone)

alleviates the discomfort. Some have uncontrollable pain

and this requires careful assessment and evaluation to

interpret its significance and to establish an approach for its

effective treatment. The evaluation of the patient is

frequently complex because pain is a perception rather than

a sensation. A person’s physical state, past experiences and

anticipation all influence the way pain is interpreted;

soldiers and athletes deny pain despite an acute injury,

while certain patients may continue to suffer without an

obvious source of the disease. The threshold of pain is also

influenced by social, cultural and religious factors. As

history tells us, Egyptian queens delivered in ‘birthing’

chairs in full view of the Royal Court, showing no signs of

discomfort and without the aid of analgesics or anaesthesia!

Since everyone wants instant relief, pain killers or analgesics

are the most commonly prescribed and purchased

medicines. These act by dulling pain but when the effect of

medication wears off, the pain reappears leaving the patient

dissatisfied. In their attempt to get relief several doses will

be taken by some patients while others may completely

ignore medical advice and purchase analgesics over the

counter (OTC) from their ‘friendly neighbourhood

pharmacy’. This is hazardous as the body becomes used to

these drugs and, as habituation sets in, the medication no

longer provides relief; larger and more frequent doses are

required until toxic levels are reached. As excretion of these

drugs is mainly through the liver and kidneys, damage to

these organs sets in. It has been proved that one of the

common causes of Chronic Renal Failure (dysfunction of

kidneys) are analgesics. These also cause haematemesis

(vomiting of blood) and melaena (blood in the stool) with

serious and sometimes fatal complications. Today there are

millions of people from every socio-economic stratum who

have unknowingly become addicted to pain killers. Michael

Jackson, the greatest entertainer of the modern era, was

probably addicted to pain killers (as per media

reports).Speculation attributes his sudden death to these,

disastrously fuelled by the purchasing power of his millions.

Acute pain may appear suddenly due to injury or infection

and may disappear with simple measures like hot or cold

compression and minimal medication. The problem is with

chronic pain. After an extended period of inactivity,

patients often become physically weak and socially

withdrawn. These people need medication like

antidepressants taken under medical supervision. Twenty

to thirty percent of the population suffers from chronic

pain.

Common causes of chronic pain are lower back ache,

arthritis, neuralgia (nerve pain) and migraine among others.

Arthritis due to osteoporosis (thinning of bones) is almost

preventable and females are the greater sufferers of this

ailment. The malady begins early in life and manifests later.

- Dr Anindita Mahanta

Dirial Central Hospital

Managing Pain

58

So, an adequate quantity of calcium in the form of foods

like milk, eggs, meat and vegetables should be given to the

girl child from puberty onwards, coupled with good

exposure to sunlight for Vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis.

Medical researchers have tapped space age technology and

can repair an injured knee by implanting living cells, stop

arthritic knee pain with injectible lubrication and may soon

be able to strengthen osteoporotic bones with an annual

injection that does the work of the daily pills currently

prescribed.

Osteoporosis in later life creates untold suffering and this

is one of the reasons why ‘size zero’ modelling professionals

are banned in certain countries.

Undiagnosed diabetes is like an unknown ticking time-

bomb in one’s pocket. This disease makes it harder for the

body to get energy from food. That is why diabetes can

make one tired and run down. Exercise and physical

activity is certainly an effective way to manage this disease

and help relieve stress. It can also give the patient much

needed energy, making him stronger.

Travelling long distances in a car or plane, without a change

in position, puts maximum strain on the back muscles.

Lifting from a position of flexed trunk as in recovering a

suitcase from a car can begin or aggravate pain in your body.

It is advisable to lift heavy objects close to your body with

knees bent. Sudden strenuous activity without conditioning

and a warm up is also likely to cause trouble.

Remedial measures for chronic pain:

= Ask the doctor for a diagnosis.

= Be informed of the drug prescribed; whether it is habit

forming or in the ‘dangerous medication’ category.

= Psychological factors also come into play; check if

family problems are aggravating the situation. Doctors

should be told about other medicines being taken as

drug interaction may be disastrous.

= Follow the doctor’s advice and do not change your

physician frequently. Do not force or put words in the

doctor’s mouth.

= Liniments and ointments for pain can be used but an

ice-pack or moist heat should be added.

= Under the supervision of a physiotherapist, ultrasound

vibrations and exercises alleviate pain, especially of

muscles and joints.

= Nutritious supplements like curcumin (found in

turmeric) glucosamine, chondroiton (found in cartilage)

and Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish) may be taken.

These are said to help but there is no concrete scientific

evidence of any benefit.

Intravenous medicines and anaesthesia come last in the line

and should be administered by experts only.

Physical exercise is important as it releases some chemicals

from the large muscles of the body, which help withstand

pain. Exercise should be undertaken on a regular basis, like

eating, sleeping and drinking water. Hence, adequate

physical activity coupled with a healthy and nutritious diet

is the key to a pain free body.

59

Having decided to pursue a career in Tea, after completing

the necessary formalities I joined McLeod Russel India

Limited in November, 1987. I was posted at Jainti T.E. in

the Dooars.

I literally did not have any idea about the location of the

estate. From my home town in Allahabad, I arrived at New

Jalpaiguri Station where a vehicle waited to take me on my

onward journey. It took nearly six hours driving from the

railway station on treacherous roads to reach my destination.

I heaved a sigh of relief once I saw the sign board. The vehicle

took me to my bungalow situated on a hillock; one of the

most beautiful bungalows that I have lived in.

I reported to the Manager the following morning. He was

surprised to know that I had travelled all the way from

New Jalpaiguri when I could have come up to New Cooch

Behar from where the journey would have taken only an

hour and a half!

Initially I was asked to look after the main division

(Hatipotha) under the charge of the Senior Assistant,

Mr A. Shaunik (Mani or Kat to his friends) who ensured

that I was at ease. Having returned after taking part in the

Great Himalayan Rally, any vehicle that Mani laid his

hands on had to pass through the ordeal of rally driving.

That included his Ambassador car which had just returned

after a complete overhaul. Mani had taken up star gazing

with his latest acquisition, a telescope, and would spend

hours with it. Anyone visiting would also be made to look

at the celestial objects. Abhimanyu, aka Kat or Katman

Shaunik; the stories are legendary and perhaps it would be

best to start at the beginning.

Mani joined tea in 1977 at Central Dooars under

Mr Ashok Atal – a legendary planter and ‘tamer’ of that

property. When Mani first reported to the Estate, he went

via the VA’s Office at Chuapara. As it so happened, the VA

was out and young Shaunik (he was yet to acquire all the

nicknames then) met the Office Superintendent, Kanai

Sarkar, or Kanai Babu as he was called. Kanai Babu looked

very much a planter and had a very ‘brit’ accent. Now Mani

did not know that the VA was Freddie Stroud and so

reported to Kanai Babu thinking he was the VA!! He was

enlightened only many days later when Mr Atal sent him

down to see Mr Stroud who was keen to meet the young

man. I think Mani really suffered as nobody let him forget

that gaffe!!

Mani moved from Central Dooars to Tarajulie, then under

Clive Roberson, in the winter of 1978 and it was at

Thakurbari that he first came to be called Kat – Katman.

He, in his inimitable way, had a vocabulary that was, for

those older planters, very novel and understood by only the

youngsters as it portrayed the slang of the day. You had to

be in tune with Mani to catch what he said and his

descriptions of people were pithy, accurate and to the point.

I recall that he referred to a particularly moth-eaten

looking Sikh gentleman as a “washed out sird” and you only

had to look at the person being described to understand

that he actually looked like a man who had been washed

and hung out to dry, but not ironed to smoothen the

creases. That Sikh gentleman will have to remain

anonymous! He once informed a friend that her baby had

‘broken a gasket’ (wet her nappy!) and dropped her ‘gob-

stopper’ (soother!). On another occasion, he was relating

the details of an accident he had been in the previous night

at Biswanath Chariali, to the same friend and her sister

- Bikash K Kundu

Itakhooli T.E.

Soft ‘Corner’

60

who was visiting. What he said was, blinded by the

headlights of an approaching car he had failed to see the

‘milk machine’ in the middle of the road and banged into

it. The bonnet of his car had flown off and the ‘milk

machine’ had ‘busted’! The visitor was rather impressed to

hear that there was a milk booth in this rather small town

(this was in the 1980s) only to be told that what Mani

meant was that he had hit a black cow sitting in the middle

of the road!

I had my own misadventures with ‘tea lingo’. On one

occasion while I was in the office, the chowkidar came and

said, “Sahab, aapko Burra Sahab salaam diya hai”. I

wondered why my Manager would pay obeisance to me! I

asked the chowkidar to repeat his message, wondering if I

had heard it correctly. He repeated the same words yet

again. So I replied, “Burra Sahab ko hamara bhi salaam

dega.” The guy had just about left for the Manager’s office

when I was summoned and it was explained to me that in

Tea jargon this message meant that your Manager or

someone senior wishes to see you. Very soon I got used to

the new language.

Subsequently, I was given independent charge of

Limbudhura Division situated on undulating topography

and quite picturesque. While cycling around, most of the

time one had to push the cycle rather than ride it. To go to

Limbudhura, one had to cross the river bed that was bone

dry in winter but during the monsoons, there were times it

was in full spate. One got stranded on quite a few occasions

and had to hitch a ride on the tractor or the leaf trailer after

the weighment was over. There were occasions when I

would go through the water riding my motorbike, thrilled

when I could go across without getting washed away or

stuck in the gushing waters!

The irrigation system at Jainti was unique – the only one of

its kind – and the erstwhile Manager, Mr Andrew Flint,

should be credited for its success. The entire irrigation was

gravity fed with the water being channeled from the

‘Mahakal’ hills into a reservoir and thereafter being carried to

the field through 12 inch, 10 inch or 9 inch C.I. spun pipes,

supported by huge ‘Sal’ posts that passed through the hills.

The drop from the reservoir to the factory was huge, resulting

in the water gushing through with tremendous force.

During my stay at Jainti these pipes were replaced with

RCC spun pipes of 14” diameter since the inner diameter

of the original pipes had reduced considerably due to

calcium deposits. The Senior Assistant and I used to

supervise the progress of the work. The greatest kick was

walking over the pipes at a height of nearly 150 feet (at the

highest point from the ground) with no support to hold

onto in case of any emergency. It was indeed a test of one’s

nerve. One wrong step and one could suffer a fall that could

be fatal. Yet that did not deter us from repeating our actions

the next day!

Jainti being situated in a corner with extremely poor road

conditions one rarely ventured out of the district. One

visited friends and colleagues often and shared a meal. One

never bothered about what was laid out but believed in

spending time together. I do not remember having travelled

alone to any of the parties or to the club.

I was transferred to Monabarie in April 1992 but still carry

fond memories of my stay in this charming ‘corner’ of

eastern India.

61

1 Bada Din Christmas Day

2 Bada Khana a grand meal served on a special occasion

3 Bautel Khana pantry

4 Borchi Khana kitchen

5 Garam Kamra boiler room in the bungalow

6 Dhobi Dooli box for soiled clothes

7 Mota man/husband

8 Maiki woman/wife

9 Chhua young child

10 Baba Loag sahab’s children

11 Etthu this

12 Otthu that

13 Gotia visit, visitor

14 Khoki cough

15 Dorop medicine

16 Beji needle /injection

17 Machchar tel mosquito repellent spray

18 Phoni comb

19 Mati Kathal pineapple

20 Temross guava

21 Gola local grocery store

62

As Ali Zaman wrote in

‘Reminiscence’ in the July

2008 issue, the values one

learns while in Tea remain for

life. This applies not only to

the planter but his wife and

children as well. Punctuality,

courtesy and maintaining

personal and professional

standards – these are some of

the lessons one learns that become an integral part of one’s

being. Proof positive of this are our Tea children scattered

all over the country and even abroad whose work ethics, good

manners and courtesy towards all, set them apart.

My late grandfather, even after retiring from Tea, never

stepped out of the house without wearing well-polished

shoes, a jacket and tie even if he was just going out for a walk

or to buy a loaf of bread! He maintained his sartorial

standards till his demise at the age of seventy-six.

How often have we disconcerted hosts (unless they are

fellow planters or in the armed forces) by turning up bang on

time! We were taught that not being punctual is insulting

the hosts by implying that one has no respect for their time.

Nothing can be worse for a hostess than a well-planned (and

slaved-over!) dinner gone spoilt because the guests come late

and then refuse to eat till the wee hours!

The ladies have the best of both worlds – the ‘old’ world

chivalry of the planter and the ‘new’ world respect for her as

an individual.

Good manners and courtesy are so much a part of Tea life

that we take them for granted. It is only when one faces the

lack of it that one realizes just how much one does take

courtesy for granted!

Returning phone calls, acknowledging letters and e-mails,

sending a note of thanks to one’s host and hostess after

enjoying their hospitality – these are all basic good manners

ingrained in us or learned from senior colleagues. Those who

come to Tea from a more relaxed social environment may

consider the rather formal milieu outdated and irrelevant but

in a social circle made up entirely of one’s colleagues and

their wives, some level of formality is bound to be observed.

This does not diminish the conviviality and camaraderie in

any way.

In this modern world where rudeness and lack of respect

seem to be the rule rather than the exception, good manners

and courtesy are even more important and universally

relevant. Surely, nothing is more off-putting than a lady,

gentleman or ‘brat’ who lacks the social graces. In fact, one

would prefer a ‘bore’ to a ‘boor’!

Two incidents come to mind. Once, a ‘gentleman’ kept

sitting, jiggling the foot he had crossed over the other knee,

and acknowledged my entrance and my husband’s

introduction with just a casual nod! Another time, a

‘gentleman’ walked through a swing door just as I was about

to do so. Fully expecting him to hold it open for me, I passed

through only to have it swing back and hit me! (That was

perhaps the only time I was glad I have a short nose!!)

We at MRIL believe in maintaining and following the

standards of behaviour, both professional and personal,

which have been a trademark of Tea in general and the

Company in particular. I beg David Hume’s pardon and

change his quote, “What better school for manners than the

company of virtuous women?” and maintain, “What better

school for manners than the Company of MRIL?”

- Sarita Dasgupta.

THE LAST WORD

Editor : Vidya Kaul

Asst. Editors : Sarita Dasgupta, Sakina Hussain

Co-ordinator : Gautam Bhuyan

THE WM TIMES TEAM

63

ande

rson

983

1778

971

Four Mangoe Lane, Surendra Mohan Ghosh Sarani, Kolkata - 700 001

Tel: +91 33 22101221, 22435393, Fax: +91 33 22488114

e-mail: administrator@wmg.co.in www.mcleodrusselindia.com

Behupukhuri Division, Monabarie T.E.The ideal location to rest and unwind.