Balasun Tea Estate
{{Short description|Indian tea garden}}
{{Infobox park
| name = Balasun Tea Estate
| alt_name =
| photo =
| photo_width = 250
| photo_caption =
| type =
| location = Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India
| nearest_city =
| map =
| coords = {{coord|26.8606|N|88.2357|E||display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|181.38|ha}}
| open = {{Start date|1871}}
| elevation = {{convert|365 to 1375|m}}
| owner = Jay Shree Tea
| operator =
| visitation_num =
| status =
| website =
}}
Balasun Tea Estate is a tea garden in the Kurseong CD block in the Kurseong subdivision of the Darjeeling district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
History
It was started in 1871 by Devenport & Company Limited as Nahore Balasun Tea Estate. It was renamed Balasun Tea Estate after the Balason that flows past the tea estate. In 1963, it was taken over by the Darjeeling Consolidated Tea Company Limited of the Bajoria Group. Jay Shree Tea & Industries Ltd. took it over in 2005.{{cite web | url = https://www.darjeelingteaboutique.com/balasun-tea-estate/ | title= Balasun Tea Estate | publisher= Darjeeling Tea Bouquet |accessdate = 19 March 2020}}{{cite web | url= https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/darj_0000bf.htm#an0 | title= Tea Estates in Darjeeling | work= Balason Tea Estate| publisher= Darjeeling Tourism |accessdate = 19 March 2020}}
Geography
{{OSM Location map
| width=350| height=370| zoom=10
| coord={{coord|26|57|0|N|88|20|0|E}}| float=left|caption=Places and tea estates in the north-eastern portion of Darjeeling Sadar subdivision (including Rangli Rangliot CD block) and Kurseong subdivision in Darjeeling district
CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, N: neighbourhood, H: hill centre, NP: national park/ wildlife sanctuary, TE: tea estate, TA: tourist attraction
Abbreviations used in names – TG for Tea Garden (town/village), TE for Tea Estate
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
|mark-coord1={{coord|27|1|20|N|88|21|21|E}}| label-pos1=right|label1= Rangli Rangliot| numbered1=R| mark-title1= Rangli Rangliot (CT)|label-color1= #800000 |label-size1=11| mark-size1=12|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1= #C42222|shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2
|mark-coord2={{coord|27|2|10|N|88|22|0|E}}| label-pos2=right|label2=Takdah| numbered2=R| mark-title2= Takdah (R)
|mark-coord3={{coord|27|3|30|N|88|23|12|E}}| label-pos3=right|label3=Peshok TG| numbered3=R| mark-title3= Peshok Tea Garden (R)
|mark-coord4={{coord|27|0|30|N|88|24|13|E}}| label-pos4=right|label4=Teesta Valley TG| numbered4=R| mark-title4= Teesta Valley Tea Garden (R)
|mark-coord5={{coord|26|48|35|N|88|15|38|E}}| label-pos5=right|label5=Longview TG| numbered5=R| mark-title5= Longview Tea Garden (R)
|mark-coord6={{coord|26|57|57|N|88|22|20|E}}| labelpos6=right| label6=Mangpu| numbered6=R| mark-title6= Mangpu (R)|
|mark-coord7={{coord|26|54|20|N|88|16|40|E}}| label-pos7=left|label7=Monteviot TG| numbered7=R| mark-title7= Monteviot Tea Garden (R)
|mark-coord8={{coord|26|49|30|N|88|17|22|E}}| label-pos8=left|label8=Rohini TG| numbered8=R| mark-title8= Rohini Tea Garden (R)
|mark-coord9={{coord|26|46|20|N|88|21|35|E}}| label-pos9=left|label9=Sukna| numbered9=R| mark-title9= Sukna, Darjeeling (R)
|mark-coord10={{coord|26|50|25|N|88|19|45|E}}| label-pos10=right|label10=Tindharia| numbered10=R| mark-title10= Tindharia (R)
|mark-coord11={{coord|26|52|5|N|88|17|55|E}}| label-pos11=right|label11=Giddapahar| numbered11=R| mark-title11= Giddapahar (R)
|mark-coord12={{coord|26|47|42|N|88|18|15|E}}| label-pos12=left|label12=Simulbari TG| numbered12=R| mark-title12= Simulbari Tea Garden (R)
|mark-coord13={{coord|26|56|11|N|88|28|2|E}}| label-pos13=right|label13=Sittong| numbered13=R| mark-title13= Sittong (R)
|mark-coord14={{coord|26|53|49|N|88|28|22|E}}| label-pos14=right|label14=Sevoke| numbered14=R| mark-title14= Sevoke (R)
|mark-coord15={{coord|26|52|15|N|88|15|50|E}}| label-pos15=left|label15=Ambootia| numbered15=R| mark-title15= Ambootia (R)| shape-color15=#C42222
|mark-coord16={{coord|26|49|30|N|88|19|0|E}}| label-pos16=right|label16=Cart Road| numbered16=CT| mark-title16= Cart Road (CT) | shape-color16=#800000
|mark-coord17={{coord|26|53|30|N|88|17|30|E}}| label-pos17=left |label17=Kurseong| numbered17=M| mark-title17= Kurseong (M)| shape-color17=#800000
|mark-coord18={{coord|27|5|55|N|88|20|50|E}}| label-pos18=left|label18=Glenburn TE| numbered18=TE| mark-title18= Glenburn Tea Estate (TE)| shape-color18=#87A96B
|mark-coord19={{coord|27|4|28|N|88|22|10|E}}| label-pos19=left|label19=Lopchu TE| numbered19=TE| mark-title19= Lopchu Tea Estate (TE)| shape-color19=#87A96B
|mark-coord20={{coord|26|51|25|N|88|14|8|E}}| label-pos20=left|label20=Balasun TE| numbered20=TE| mark-title20= Balasun Tea Estate (TE)|shape-color20=black| label-size20=13|label-color20=black
|mark-coord21={{coord|26|51|15|N|88|17|0|E}}| label-pos21=right|label21=Castleton TE| numbered21=TE| mark-title21= Castleton Tea Estate (TE)| shape-color21=#87A96B
|mark-coord22={{coord|26|53|35|N|88|20|0|E}}| label-pos22=right|label22=Goomtee TE| numbered22=TE| mark-title22= Goomtee Tea Estate (TE)| shape-color22=#87A96B
|mark-coord23={{coord|26|54|35|N|88|20|20|E}}| label-pos23=right|label23=Jungpana TE| numbered23=TE| mark-title23= Jungpana Tea Estate (TE)| shape-color23=#87A96B
|mark-coord24={{coord|26|50|30|N|88|16|20|E}}| label-pos24=left|label24=Makaibari TE| numbered24=TE| mark-title24= Makaibari Tea Estate (TE)| shape-color24=#87A96B
|mark-coord25={{coord|26|55|30|N|88|17|50|E}}| label-pos25=right|label25=Margaret’s Hope TE| numbered25=TE| mark-title25= Margaret's Hope Tea Estate (TE)| shape-color25=#87A96B
|mark-coord26={{coord|26|52|25|N|88|26|20|E}}| label-pos26=bottom|label26=Mahananda |labela26= Wildlife| labelb26= Sanctuary| numbered26=NP| mark-title26= Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary (NP)| shape-color26=#228B22
|mark-coord27={{coord|26|49|0|N|88|31|0|E}}|label27=Teesta River| label-color27 = #77A1CB| label-angle27=45| label-pos27=top| label-size27=10| mark-size27=0| mark-title27=none
|mark-coord28={{coord|26|47|0|N|88|23|30|E}}|label28=Mahananda|labela28= River| label-color28 = #77A1CB| label-angle28=45| label-pos28=top| label-size28=10| mark-size28=0| mark-title28 =none
|mark-coord29={{coord|26|45|0|N|88|17|0|E}}|label29= Balason River| label-color29 = #77A1CB| label-angle29=35| label-pos29=top| label-size29=10| mark-size29=0| mark-title29 =none
|arc-coordA={{coord|27|9|0|N|88|11|50|E}}|arc-textA= SIKKIM| arc-text-colorA=hard grey| arc-angleA=-161| arc-gapA=-4| arc-radiusA=0.7
|arc-coordB={{coord|26|50|0|N|88|7|0|E}}|arc-textB= NEPAL| arc-text-colorB=hard grey| arc-angleB=60| arc-gapB=3.5| arc-radiusB=0.4 }}
=The garden=
Balasun Tea Estate is located near Sonada.{{cite web | url = http://jayshreetea.in/tea-gardens/darjeeling/balasun/| title= Balasun | publisher= Jay Shree Tea & Industries Ltd. |accessdate = 19 March 2020}}
The tea plantations cover {{convert|181.38|ha}} and is spread over an altitude of {{convert|365 to 1375|m}} above mean sea level. Balasun Tea Estate is planted with 51% pure China, 40% hybrid Assam and 9% Darjeeling Quality Clonal variety.
Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.
Economy
Balasun Tea Estate produces 100,000 kg organic Darjeeling tea annually.
It is Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point (HACCP) certified by TUV-NORD, UTZ certified by IMO and SAN/ Rainforest Alliance certification from IMO and has Fair Trade certification from FLO-CERT.
The other tea gardens of the Jay Shree Tea & Industries Ltd., owned by the B.K.Birla group, in Darjeeling are: Puttabong (Tukvar) Tea Estate, Sungma Tea Garden, North Tukvar Tea Estate, Singbulli Tea Garden and Rishihat Tea Garden.
References
{{Reflist}}