दार्जिलिङे चिया । Beyond the leaves

In the mist-covered hills of Darjeeling, Mansobha, a 59-year-old tea garden worker, starts her day with a humble cup of tea. The tea she prepares for herself is a blend of filtered regular tea leaves, the ones left behind after several batches of filtration. She adds powdered milk and either sugar or salt to make it palatable. This simple morning tea, locally known as Chya/ चिया serves as her motivation, setting her up for the day ahead in the tea garden.

The first rain of spring brings enormous joy to the dried soil and dormant tea bushes, eagerly waiting to be touched by the raindrops to bring out the best of all, the first flush of Darjeeling tea, also known as the Champagne of teas. The radiant spring-summer sunshine reflects off their foreheads, adorned with patches of Namlo—a traditional headband used to carry Doko a basket where plucked tea leaves are put. For over twenty years, Mansobha has plucked tea leaves, enduring the repetitive motion that has left its mark on her fingertips and palms. The lines on her forehead tell tales of her dedication and hard work.

As summer approaches, the days grow hotter, making the task of plucking tea leaves more challenging. But it is during the monsoon season that the true struggle begins. The fog casts shadows over the hills, allowing weeds to encroach upon the tea garden. The lush greenery that enchants and attracts natives and visitors all around the world becomes compelling to work with. Insects, snakes, and leeches, which could easily find a place in a zoological verse, become adversaries. Mansobha wraps plastic sheets around her waist like armor, takes an umbrella provided by the tea garden management, and ventures into the dense fog. The mist obscures her familiar path, and her silhouette disappears into the landscape.

In the afternoon, Mansobha returns home briefly for lunch. If the tea garden is far from her house, she shares a lunchbox with her peers in the field. These women, with baskets tied to their heads, represent the face of Darjeeling tea—the hallmark of the region that fills its inhabitants with pride. While the rest of the world purchases this tea from convenience stores to high-end boutiques, Mansobha has never tasted its expensive, distinct flavors. She has never stepped foot inside a beautifully adorned tea boutique, nor has she ever witnessed a tea ceremony. Her daily wage of 230 INR has never allowed her the luxury of affording such an extravagant cup of tea.

After a long and tiring day, Mansobha's only desire is to visit her daughters. She has two daughters—one who is a homemaker, married to a tea garden employee in the village, and the other who works in the corporate world in a metropolitan city. Both daughters have chosen paths away from the tea garden, believing that the hardships their parents endured in this field were too challenging to make ends meet. In the evening, Mansobha's elder daughter, offers her a cup of tea. It is the same humble tea made from the last filtered batch of leaves, with added milk and sugar or salt to enhance its taste. As Mansobha savors this tea, it brings her a moment of comfort—a respite from the day's toils.

In the grand halls of Buckingham Palace, the clink of teacups resonates, celebrating the coronation of a king. Darjeeling tea flows, a symbol of opulence and tradition. Mansobha, far removed from this regal ceremony, knows nothing of the elegant porcelain teaware and the refined rituals accompanying its consumption. Her world revolves around a different tea—one where the addition of milk, sugar, or salt transforms the humble infusion into a comforting elixir. It is a tea shared with family, friends, and guests, fostering connection and warmth. While the rest of the world sips on the delicacy that bears the name of her homeland, she finds solace in the tea that has been the means of her existence—a beverage made with love, care, and the remnants of a luxury she has never known. Her daughter hands her the familiar brew— sharing the history, struggles, and unwavering bond. 

Within the two cups of tea—Darjeeling's famous and prestigious export tea, and Chya consumed by the people of Darjeeling throughout their lives—lies a stark contrast between the producer and the consumer. The innocently sprouting "dui paat ek suiro" tea leaves, never thought to traverse a world of such disparities.

Dedicated to each and every tea garden workers of Darjeeling hills who works relentlessly giving identity and sense of belonging to us. 

Behind the Lens

Photograph: Yashika Subba, Nikhil Regmi

Equipment: Anmol Rai