Soom Tea Garden

Soom is a Lepcha word meaning triangle. The tea garden is triangular in shape.{{cite web | url =https://www.darjeelingteaboutique.com/soom-tea-estate/ | title= Soom Tea Estate| publisher= Darjeeling Tea Bouquet |accessdate = 10 March 2020}}

Soom Tea Garden was planted by J.Jerdin in 1860. Williamson Magor and Company owned the garden for a century. The Chamong Group took control of Soom Tea Garden, then in bad shape, in 2001.{{cite web | url = http://www.chamong.com/soom_tea_estate.html | title= Soom Tea Estate| publisher= Chamong |accessdate = 10 March 2020}}

{{OSM Location map

| width=350| height=250| zoom=10

| coord={{coord|27|5|0|N|88|12|0|E}}| float=left|caption=Places and tea estates in the north-western portion of Darjeeling Sadar subdivision (including Darjeeling Pulbazar CD block) 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|3|50|N|88|12|25|E}}| label-pos1=left|label1= Chongtong TG| numbered1=CT| mark-title1= Chongtong Tea Garden (CT)|label-color1= #800000 |label-size1=11| mark-size1=12|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1= #A40000|shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2

|mark-coord2={{coord|27|4|50|N|88|17|58|E}}| label-pos2=left|label2=Ging TG| numbered2=CT| mark-title2= Ging Tea Garden (CT)

|mark-coord3={{coord|27|3|5|N|88|13|43|E}}| label-pos3=left|label3=Singtam TG| numbered3=CT| mark-title3= Singtam Tea Garden (CT)

|mark-coord4={{coord|27|6|25|N|88|19|0|E}}| label-pos4= right|label4=Badamtam TE| numbered4=TE| mark-title4= Badamtam Tea Estate (TE)| shape-color4=#87A96B

|mark-coord5={{coord|27|1|25|N|88|15|10|E}}| label-pos5=right |label5=Darjeeling| numbered5=M| mark-title5= Darjeeling (M)| shape-color5=#800000

|mark-coord6={{coord|27|4|35|N|88|11|30|E}}| label-pos6=left|label6=Bijanbari| numbered6=R| mark-title6= Bijanbari (R)| shape-color6=#C42222

|mark-coord7={{coord|27|6|35|N|88|6|30|E}}| label-pos7=bottom|label7=Lodhoma| numbered7=R| mark-title7= Lodhoma (R)| shape-color7=#C42222

|mark-coord8={{coord|27|4|0|N|88|16|34|E}}| label-pos8= right |label8= Puttabong TE | numbered8=TE| mark-title8= Puttabong Tea Estate (TE)| shape-color8=#87A96B

|mark-coord9={{coord|27|7|35|N|88|6|25|E}}| label-pos9=left|label9=Rimbick| numbered9=R| mark-title9= Rimbick (R)| shape-color9=#C42222

|mark-coord10={{coord|27|2|55|N|88|15|27|E}}| label-pos10=right|label10=Tukvar TG| numbered10=R| mark-title10= Tukvar Tea Garden (R)| shape-color10=#C42222

|mark-coord11={{coord|27|7|10|N|88|18|5|E}}| label-pos11=left|label11=Singla TG| numbered11=R| mark-title11= Singla Tea Garden (R)| shape-color11=#C42222

|mark-coord12={{coord|27|5|35|N|88|14|0|E}}| label-pos12=left|label12=Soom TG| numbered12=R| mark-title12= Soom Tea Garden (R)|shape-color12=black| label-size12=13|label-color12=black

|mark-coord13={{coord|27|2|20|N|88|12|50|E}}| label-pos13=left|label13=Rishihat TG| numbered13=R| mark-title13= Rishihat Tea Garden (R)| shape-color13=#C42222

|mark-coord14={{coord|27|1|25|N|88|14|8|E}}| label-pos14=left|label14=Orange Valley TG| numbered14=R| mark-title14= Orange Valley Tea Garden (R)| shape-color14=#C42222

|mark-coord15={{coord|27|0|10|N|88|6|25|E}}| label-pos15=bottom|label15=Manebhanjyang| numbered15=R| mark-title15= Manebhanjyang, Darjeeling (R)| shape-color15=#C42222

|mark-coord16={{coord|27|1|50|N|88|5|10|E}}| label-pos16=top|label16=Tonglu| numbered16=R| mark-title16= Tonglu, West Bengal (R)| shape-color16=#C42222

|mark-coord17={{coord|27|0|40|N|88|14|47|E}}| label-pos17=right|label17=Ghum| numbered17=N| mark-title17= Ghum, West Bengal (N)| shape-color17=#E97451

|mark-coord18={{coord|27|6|30|N|88|0|6|E}}| label-pos18=right|label18=Sandakphu| numbered18=H| mark-title18= Sandakphu (H)| shape-color18=#87410E

|mark-coord19={{coord|27|12|30|N|88|1|30|E}}| label-pos19=right|label19=Phalut| numbered19=H| mark-title19= Phalut (H)| shape-color19=#87410E

|mark-coord20={{coord|27|5|35|N|88|2|40|E}}| label-pos20=bottom|label20=Singalila |labela20= National|labelb20= Park| numbered20=NP| mark-title20= Singalila National Park (NP)| shape-color20=#228B22

|mark-coord21={{coord|27|6|20|N|88|16|3|E}}| label-pos21=left|label21=North Tukvar TE| numbered21=TE| mark-title21= North Tukvar Tea Estate (TE)| shape-color21=#87A96B

|mark-coord22={{coord|27|5|40|N|88|16|50|E}}| label-pos22=right|label22=Phoobsering TE| numbered22=TE| mark-title22= Phoobsering Tea Estate (TE)| shape-color22=#87A96B

|mark-coord23={{coord|26|59|45|N|88|16|42|E}}| label-pos23=right|label23=Tiger Hill| numbered23=H| mark-title23= Tiger Hill, Darjeeling (H)| shape-color23=#87410E

|mark-coord24={{coord|27|0|40|N|88|13|1|E}}| label-pos24=left|label24=Rock Garden| numbered24=TA| mark-title24= Rock Garden, Darjeeling (TA)| shape-color24=#228B22

|mark-coord25={{coord|26|59|20|N|88|15|54|E}}| label-pos25=bottom|label25=Senchal |labela25= Wildlife Sanctuary| numbered25=NP| mark-title25= Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary (NP)| shape-color25=#228B22

|mark-coord26={{coord|27|9|0|N|88|2|29|E}}|label26=Singalila Ridge| label-angle26=-70| label-pos26=top| label-size26=10| mark-size26=0| mark-title26 =none

|mark-coord27={{coord|27|9|20|N|88|10|0|E}}|label27=Rangeet| label-color27 = #77A1CB| label-angle27=70| label-pos27=top| label-size27=10| mark-size27=0| mark-title27 =none

|mark-coord28={{coord|27|7|1|N|88|12|0|E}}|label28= River| label-color28 = #77A1CB| label-angle28=7| label-pos28=top| label-size28=10| mark-size28=0| mark-title28 =none

|mark-coord29={{coord|27|7|0|N|88|7|50|E}}|label29= Rammam|labela29=River| label-color29 = #77A1CB| label-angle29=15| label-pos29=top| label-size29=10| mark-size29=0| mark-title329 =none

|arc-coordA={{coord|27|10|57|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|27|1|0|N|87|59|0|E}}|arc-textB= NEPAL| arc-text-colorB=hard grey| arc-angleB=40| arc-gapB=3.5| arc-radiusB=0.4

}}

===Location===

Soom Tea Garden is located at {{coord|27.0762|N|88.2315|E||display=inline}}.

Soom Tea Garden is located 18 km from Darjeeling. It is bounded by North Tukvar Tea Estate in the north, Phoobsering Tea Estate in the east and Singtam Tea Garden in the south.

The planted area of the tea garden is {{convert|237|ha}} at a height of {{convert|5300|ft}}.

The map alongside shows the northern portion of the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region. Kangchenjunga, which rises with an elevation of {{convert|8586|m}} is located further north of the area shown.{{cite book |author=Gurung, H. |author2=Shrestha, R. K. |name-list-style=amp |year=1994 |title=Nepal Himalaya Inventory |publisher=Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation |location=Kathmandu}} Sandakphu, rising to a height of {{convert|3665|m}}, on the Singalila Ridge, is the highest point in West Bengal.{{cite web | url = https://himalayanhigh.in/sandakphu-phalut-trek| title = Sandakphu-Phalut Trek| publisher = Himalayan High |accessdate = 21 March 2020}} In Darjeeling Sadar subdivision 61% of the total population lives in the rural areas and 39% of the population lives in the urban areas.{{cite web | url = http://darjeeling.gov.in/dist-prof.html | title = Darjeeling | work =District Profile - General Information | publisher = District administration |accessdate = 21 March 2020 }}{{cite web |url = http://wbpspm.gov.in/publications/District%20Statistical%20Handbook |title = District Statistical Handbook 2013 Darjeeling |work = Tables 2.2, 2.4b |publisher = Department of Planning and Statistics, Government of West Bengal |accessdate = 21 March 2020}} There are 78 tea gardens/ estates (the figure varies slightly according to different sources), producing and largely exporting Darjeeling tea in the district. It engages a large proportion of the population directly/ indirectly.{{cite web | url = http://www.darjeeling.gov.in/darj-tea.html | title = Darjeeling Tea| publisher = District administration |accessdate = 21 March 2020}} Some tea gardens were identified in the 2011 census as census towns or villages.{{cite web| url = http://censusindia.gov.in/pca/pcadata/Houselisting-housing-WB.html |title = 2011 Census – Primary Census Abstract Data Tables | work= West Bengal – District-wise |publisher= Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India | accessdate = 21 March 2020 }} Such places are marked in the map as CT (census town) or R (rural/ urban centre). Specific tea estate pages are marked TE.

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.

According to the 2011 Census of India, Soom Tea Garden had a total population of 3,578 of which 1,757 (49%) were males and 1,821 (51%) were females. There were 290 persons in the age range of 0 to 6 years. The total number of literate people in Soom Tea Garden was 2,458 (68.70% of the population over 6 years).{{cite web| url = http://censusindia.gov.in/pca/pcadata/Houselisting-housing-WB.html |title = 2011 Census – Primary Census Abstract Data Tables | work= West Bengal – District-wise |publisher= Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India | accessdate = 10 March 2020 }}

Most of the residents are either Nepalese, like the Chettri, Brahman, Mukhia or from the Tibetan Buddhist tribes like the Rai, Limboo, Lepcha and Tamang.

Darjeeling tea from this garden mostly from Chinary cultivar and almost the entire production is exported to Europe. Soom Tea Garden is in the process of becoming fully bio-organic. It employs 692 permanent workers. The Chamong Group provides 500 houses. Many amongst the others are indirectly dependent on the tea garden.

The Chamong Group is the largest producer of organic Darjeeling tea and Assam tea. It produces 3,000 tonnes annually and employs 10,000 persons (including 7,000 women). It owns 4 tea estates in Assam and 13 in Darjeeling. The tea estates in Darjeeling are: Pussimbing, Chamong, Tumsong, Lingia, Nagri Farm, Bannockburn, Dhajea, Shree Dwarika, Ging, Soom, Phoobsering, Tukdah and Marybong. It exports tea to the US, Europe, Japan and the Middle East.{{cite web | url = http://chamongtea.com/about/index.php | title = Chamong| publisher = Chamong |accessdate = 19 March 2020}}

Soom has 3 local language primary schools and 1 English-medium primary school. There is a high school 2 km away.

The Chamong Group runs an 8-bed hospital with a visiting doctor and trained medical staff.

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{{external media

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| video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvs7766k-UA Soom Tea Estate]

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{{Darjeeling District}}

Category:Villages in Darjeeling district