Birth of Indian Tea

 The first tea was brought to India from China in the middle of the 19th century. On the same occasion there was founded the first tea company to trade with England, and by 1900 India had become one of the main tea suppliers to the international market. Today India is the second world's tea producer after China, and Indian tea is characterized by its rich taste, but not as good as Chinese black tea.

Munara tea plantations are from the most high-mountain Indian plantations. They are situated on the heights from 1800 to 3000 meters above sea level. South Indian teas are a bit harsh, that's why they are often drunk with milk.

In Kerala, most of plantations belong to the famous Tata company, which is also the main car and metal producer of India.

Performance rate is at the same time awful - every worker has to collect 25 kilograms of tea leaves per day, and earns no more than $150 per month!

In these bags leaves are delivered for weighing.

Woman's hands...

Delousing spray treatment.

And here is the tea fabric itself. Here, on 75-year-old English equipment, Indian tea is made...

...and packed.