Tea is an important part of our daily routine. There will be many people around you whose day starts with a cup of tea. Tea has become such an important part of people’s lives that they need to get tea on time to feel like doing work. Be it summer or winter, tea lovers like to drink it in every season. Seeing this craze for tea in India, many of us feel that the history of tea is related to India only. But the reality is the opposite.
How did Tea start in India?
The British who came from Britain brought tea to India. You must have heard this saying many times that the British went away, but the British left them here. However, apart from English, he has also left tea with us. Talking about the history of tea in India, the story of the beginning of tea in the country is quite interesting. When Governor General Lord Bentinck came to India in the year 1834, he saw some people in Assam boiling tea leaves and drinking them as medicine. After this, Bentinck gave information about tea to the people of Assam and thus tea started in India.
Tea is not a Gift of the British but of China
Let us tell you that the history of tea is not related to Britain but to China. It is believed that tea was invented in China. It is said that the Chinese ruler Sheng Nung invented tea in 2732 BC. He accidentally put the leaves of a wild plant in a pot of boiling water and as the leaves boiled in the water, a wonderful aroma started emanating. The color of the water changed and Sheng Nung drank it.
It is said that the king liked this drink so much that his body started feeling refreshed and this is where tea originated. Although the arrival of tea in India is believed to be after the arrival of the British, according to some reports, before their arrival, tea was prevalent in India between 1200-1600. In the northeastern state of Assam, tea grew in the forest. As early as the 12th century, the Singpho people and many other indigenous groups often drank this wild tea for its health benefits and, possibly, also for its caffeine.
Studies of tea drinking have emerged in Indian cities near established trade routes with Europe, the Middle East, and China. For example, in the late 1600s, people in the Gujarati city of Surat used tea imported from China to treat stomach aches and headaches.
Tea Plantations started in 1835
After this, tea plantations were planted in Assam in the year 1835 and then the Indian Tea Association was established in 1881. This led to the expansion of tea production not only in India but also in the international market. This tea growing in India became a good source of income for the British. He used to earn big money by sending tea produced in India to foreign countries. This is all about the history of tea in India, but do you know where and how tea first started? If not then let us tell you about its history.
History of Tea
Very few people would know that the history of tea is about 5000 years old. The history of tea is associated with China. It is believed that tea was accidentally discovered by the Chinese ruler Sheng Nung in 2732 BC. Once some wild leaves fell into the king’s boiling water, after which suddenly the color of the water started changing and the water started smelling good. When the king drank this water, he liked its taste very much. Furthermore, after drinking it he felt refreshed and energetic and thus accidentally introduced tea, which the king named Cha.A.
Milk Tea originated in India
Instead of dipping the tea leaves in boiled water, they boil them directly in water or milk. Indians adopted the British fondness for mixing milk and sugar, increasing the amount to dilute the strength of boiled tea made from ground tea leaves. Reflecting local tastes, tea vendors prepared tea with aromatics such as fresh ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves. However, the exact origins of modern masala tea are unclear.
Tea shops started opening in big cities in the 1920s and 30s. In the eastern city of Kolkata, small eateries called “Tea Cabins” sprang up in neighbourhoods near universities, serving inexpensive tea and snacks. In Mumbai and Delhi, Parsis (Parsi immigrants from Iran) created cafés serving their style of tea as well as Persian-influenced food. Parsi cafés serve customers a particularly creamy, heavily flavoured tea called “Iranian Cha”. Gradually, tea consumption started increasing among all consumers across the country.
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