Makaibari Tea Estate
{{Short description|Tea garden in West Bengal, India}}
{{Infobox park
| name = Makaibari Tea Estate
| alt_name =
| photo =
| photo_width = 250
| photo_caption =
| type =
| location = Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India
| nearest_city =
| map =
| coords = {{coord|26.855478|N|88.267652|E||display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|120|ha|abbr=on}}
| open = {{Start date|1859}}
| elevation = {{convert|600-1500|m|abbr=on}}
| owner = Luxmi Group
| operator =
| visitation_num =
| status =
| website =
}}
Makaibari 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.
Etymology
Makaibari literally means 'corn field'.{{cite web | url = http://makaibari.com/ | title = Magical Mystical Makaibari | publisher = Makaibari | accessdate = 28 February 2020 | archive-date = 26 February 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200226100839/http://www.makaibari.com/ | url-status = live }}
History
Makaibari Tea Estate, founded in 1852, by Captain Samler, an Agent of the Darjeeling Tea Company. Samler sold the plantation to Girish Chandra Banerjee, who ran a commissary and mail services in Kurseong. It is one of the oldest tea gardens in Darjeeling. The tea factory at Makaibari was the first in Darjeeling district, commissioned in 1859 and closed in 1933. It is one of the few tea gardens in Darjeeling owned by an Indian family. Except for a brief ownership under Captain Samler, the garden has been with the Banerjees throughout. (Bipra Das Palchoudhuri's Gayabari, Tindharia and Mohurgang Tea Estates and Kamal Halder's Kamalpur Tea Estate have been with the family ever since the beginning and unlike other Darjeeling tea gardens it had no British connections.) Since the 1970s, Makaibari was led by the fourth generation planter and researcher, Swaraj Kumar Banerjee.{{Cite web |date=2019-02-28 |title=Rajah Banerjee's book instils Makaibari Tea Estate Nostalgia |url=https://www.thunderbolttea.com/makaibari-tea-estate-rajah-banerjee/ |access-date=2022-05-02 |website=Thunderbolt Tea, Darjeeling |language=en-US |archive-date=2020-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108033920/https://www.thunderbolttea.com/makaibari-tea-estate-rajah-banerjee/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web | url = https://www.darjeelingteaboutique.com/makaibari-tea-estate/ | title = Makaibari Tea Estate, a Darjeeling Tea Garden in Kurseong | publisher = Darjeeling Tea Boutique | accessdate = 28 February 2020 | archive-date = 29 February 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200229175920/https://www.darjeelingteaboutique.com/makaibari-tea-estate/ | url-status = live }}{{cite web| url = https://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/veteran-bengal-planter-gifts-his-stake-in-iconic-makaibari-tea-estate-to-workers/story-ihlpGgQcfxW0upqqKeSkWO.html| title = Veteran Bengal planter gifts his stake in iconic Makaibari Tea Estate to workers| work = Pramod Giri| publisher = Hindustan Times, 30 March 2018| accessdate = 28 February 2020| archive-date = 29 February 2020| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200229175915/https://www.hindustantimes.com/kolkata/veteran-bengal-planter-gifts-his-stake-in-iconic-makaibari-tea-estate-to-workers/story-ihlpGgQcfxW0upqqKeSkWO.html| url-status = live}}
The Luxmi Group acquired Makaibari Tea Estate in 2014. However, Swaraj Kumar Banerjee continued to be Chairman of the company till 2017. The Luxmi group owns 25 tea estates in Assam, Darjeeling, Rwanda and North Bengal. Dipankar Chatterjee, the company chairman, has been a planter for over 40 years.{{cite web | url = https://worldteanews.com/tea-industry-news-and-features/luxmi-group-acquires-family-owned-makaibari-tea-estate | title = Luxmi Group acquires family owned Makaibari Tea Estate | work = by Dan Bolton | publisher = World Tea News | accessdate = 28 February 2020 | archive-date = 29 February 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200229175918/https://worldteanews.com/tea-industry-news-and-features/luxmi-group-acquires-family-owned-makaibari-tea-estate | url-status = live }}
In 2017, Swaraj Kumar Banerjee finally left Makaibari handing over reigns of the tea estate to Rudra Chatterjee, 30 years his junior.
In 2018, Swaraj Kumar Banerjee announced that he will gift his 12% shares in the Makaibari Tea and Trading Company, which he retained after he sold majority of his stake to the Kolkata-based Luxmi Group, to the workers.
Coordinates
{{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=#87A96B
|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=black| label-size24=13|label-color24=black
|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=
Located at an altitude of {{convert|1500|m|abbr=on}} above sea level, the estate covers six ridges. Tea plantation takes place over {{convert|120|ha|abbr=on}} out of a total of {{convert|670|ha|abbr=on}}. The balance area is left for forestry development.
Three rivers flow through the tea estate and join the Balason.
Makaibari Tea Estate has sustained the residents of seven villages: Kodobari, Fulbari, Koilapni, Cheptey, Makaibari, Thapathali and Chungey.
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.
Achievements
Makaibari was the first garden to be certified for trade in the world. It was one of the first few to be awarded fair trade certifications. In 1988 it was the first garden to be awarded/ certified as the fully organic tea garden.{{Cite web |title=Makaibari Tea Estate, First Demeter Biodynamic Tea Garden in the world |url=https://www.thunderbolttea.com/makaibari-tea-estate/ |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=Thunderbolt Tea, Darjeeling |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801131252/https://www.thunderbolttea.com/makaibari-tea-estate/ |url-status=live }}
Makaibari produces around 100,000 kg tea annually. Darjeeling Tea commands an average price ranging from Rs. 970–1,050 per kg. Makaibari tea fetches around Rs. 3,000 per kg. In 2017, a special pack of 5 kg of first flush handcrafted Darjeeling tea from Makaibari fetched the highest ever price for any first flush tea at $302 (Rs. 21,746) per kg. While tea connoisseurs in Europe prefer first flush tea, those in UK and Japan prefer second flush tea. In 2014 a special lot of handcrafted second flush tea from Makaibari fetched $1,850 (Rs. 1.57 lakh) per kg. That was the most expensive Indian tea ever sold.{{cite web | url = https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/food/makaibari-bags-best-ever-price-for-first-flush-tea-at-rs-19363-a-kg/articleshow/58411241.cms?from=mdr | title = Makibari bags best ever price for first flush tea ar Rs. 19,363 a kg | publisher = The Economic Times, 28 April 2017 | accessdate = 28 February 2020 | archive-date = 17 July 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210717160802/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/food/makaibari-bags-best-ever-price-for-first-flush-tea-at-rs-19363-a-kg/articleshow/58411241.cms?from=mdr | url-status = live }}
Tea tourism
Makaibari has organised 'home stay' arrangements in the villages around the tea estate. Comfortable accommodation and food are provided. Additionally, the tourists (foreigners and Indians) not only get to be acquainted with the tea garden, but also with the lifestyle of the villagers. The 'home stay' programmes started by the management "where Gorkha tea workers host visitors in chalets attached to their own homes", provide extra income for the workers.{{cite web | url = https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/162904/14/14_chapter%207.pdf | title =Chapter VII Case Studies | work= pages 176-178: Makaibari Tea Estate| publisher = Shodhganga |accessdate = 5 March 2020}}
Socio-cultural amenities
Makaibari Tea Estate employs around 700 workers and 45 staff. All workers working in the garden have permanent work status. The company does not engage casual labourers for garden or factory activity.
Foodgrains, umbrellas and shoes are given to the workers free of cost. The management has established primary schools. There is a club, a computer centre and community halls with television sets. A library has also been opened for children of garden workers. There is a garden hospital and a visiting doctor. Workers and their families are entitled to free treatment in the garden hospital.
References
{{Reflist|3}}