It is said that many years ago a
Chinese emperor named Shen-Nung is said to have discovered what we now refer to
as “tea”. According to Japanese legends the origin of tea is ascribed to the
Indian monk Bodhidharma (ca. 460-534), who was born near Madras, India, and the
founder of the Ch'an (or Zen) sect of Buddhism. There are many stories and
fables about its origin, but it is believed that tea leaves were used in food,
as a medicinal beverage and later as a refreshing beverage.
Tea was considered a “food” in several parts of the world. Tea leaves were pickled and eaten as salad or steamed tea leaves were eaten with dried fish, pig fat, garlic, salt, oil, anise, red potash, barley and goat’s milk. Later it was discovered that tea could be used medicinally for many situations.
While it is unknown exactly when tea cultivation in India began, it is known that the tea plant was indigenous and brewed by local inhabitants in different regions. In the ancient epic of the Ramayana, Hanuman was sent to the Himalayas to bring the Sanjeevani tea plants for medicinal use. This was the first recorded reference to tea in India. The Singpho and Khamti tribes also claim to have been consuming tea since the 12th century.
The British East India Company began production of tea in Assam, India, in the early 1820’s using a tea variety traditionally brewed by the Singpho tribe. In 1826, the British East India Company assumed control of the Ahom king’s region by way of the Yandaboo Treaty. The first English tea garden was established at Chabua in Upper Assam in 1837. By 1840, the Assam Tea Company began production commercially, using indentured servants from the region. By the start of the 1850’s, the tea industry began expanding at a fast rate, utilizing massive land tracts for tea plantations and estates. By the turn of the century Assam became the leading tea producer in the world.
Tea was considered a “food” in several parts of the world. Tea leaves were pickled and eaten as salad or steamed tea leaves were eaten with dried fish, pig fat, garlic, salt, oil, anise, red potash, barley and goat’s milk. Later it was discovered that tea could be used medicinally for many situations.
While it is unknown exactly when tea cultivation in India began, it is known that the tea plant was indigenous and brewed by local inhabitants in different regions. In the ancient epic of the Ramayana, Hanuman was sent to the Himalayas to bring the Sanjeevani tea plants for medicinal use. This was the first recorded reference to tea in India. The Singpho and Khamti tribes also claim to have been consuming tea since the 12th century.
The British East India Company began production of tea in Assam, India, in the early 1820’s using a tea variety traditionally brewed by the Singpho tribe. In 1826, the British East India Company assumed control of the Ahom king’s region by way of the Yandaboo Treaty. The first English tea garden was established at Chabua in Upper Assam in 1837. By 1840, the Assam Tea Company began production commercially, using indentured servants from the region. By the start of the 1850’s, the tea industry began expanding at a fast rate, utilizing massive land tracts for tea plantations and estates. By the turn of the century Assam became the leading tea producer in the world.
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