Glimpses of India – Tea from Assam

Summary

This is a very short description of Assam, a North-Eastern State of India. This state is famous for its tea plantations. In this extract Pranjol, a youngster from Assam is Rajvir’s classmate at a school in Delhi. Pranjol’s father is the manager of a tea-garden in Upper Assam and Pranjol has invited Rajvir to visit his home during the summer vacation.

Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words:

1. How does Rajvir describe the tea-garden at Dhekiabari?

On both sides of the gravel road were acres and acres of neatly pruned tea bushes. It was the second sprouting period. Women wearing plastic aprons were plucking new tea leaves and putting them in the bamboo baskets.

2. What information was given by Pranjol’s father to Rajvir about Assam Tea Estate?

Pranjol’s father was the manager of a tea garden in upper Assam. He showed Pranjol and Rajvir the acres of tea bushes, all neatly pruned to the same height. Groups of women pluckers with bamboo baskets were plucking the newly sprouted leaves.

3. What is the Chinese legend about the discovery of tea?

A Chinese emperor had the habit of drinking boiled water. One day a twig fell into the pot in which water was being boiled. It gave a delicious flavour to the water. It is said that those were tea leaves.

4. What is the Indian/Buddhist legend about the discovery of tea?

Once there was a Buddhist, ascetic Bodhidharma who used to feel sleepy during meditations. So he cut off his eyelids. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. When the leaves of these plants were put in hot water and drunk, they banished sleep.

5. What did Rajvir see when he entered the Tea Estate?

Rajvir was amazed to see huge fields full of green plantations. There were vast green tea gardens on both sides of the road. The tall trees at the back of the gardens, in the forest on the rolling hills, looked beautiful.

6. Who were Pranjol and Rajvir? Where were they going?

Pranjol and Rajvir were friends. Pranjol belonged to Assam. He was studying in a school in Delhi. Rajvir was his classmate. Pranjol’s father was the manager of a tea-garden in Upper Assam. Pranjol invited Rajvir to visit his home during the summer vacation. Both of them travelled to Assam on a train.

7. How and where are tea leaves collected in Assam?

All the bushes are pruned to the same height. Groups of tea pluckers carry bamboo baskets on their back to collect tea-leaves. They wear plastic aprons. They pluck the newly-sprouted tea leaves from, the bushes. Then the leaves are dried and processed in factories.

Answer the following questions in 100-120 words:

1. What did Rajvir see during his train journey.’ by was he more excited than his friend Pranjol?

Rajvir, a classmate of Pranjol, is visiting Dhekiaban Tea Estate in Assam, for the first time. Actually, he is enjoying the train journey to Assam with his friend Pranjol whose father manages Dhekiabari Tea Estate. The beautiful scenery fascinates Rajvir. It is green, green everywhere. He sees so much greenery for the first time in his life. Now the landscape changes. The paddy fields give way to tea bushes. A sea of tea bushes is stretching as far as eyes can go. The orderly rows of bushes are pruned to the same height. Groups of tea pluckers are carrying bamboo baskets on their backs. They are plucking the newly sprouted leaves. The magnificent view fascinates Rajvir. However, Pranjol is not so much excited. These views are not new to him. He was born and brought up on a tea plantation.

Practice Questions

Q1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. 

(a) Tell me another!” scoffed Pranjol.”We have an Indian legend too. Bodhidharma, an ancient Buddhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk banished sleep. 

i. Why did Bodhidharma cut off his eyelids?
a. Because they would distract his during meditations.
b. Because he felt sleepy during meditations.
c. Because he felt they were unattractive.
d. Because the Indian emperor asked him to do so. 

ii. What grew from the cutoff eyelids? 

a. nails 

b. hair 

c. new eyelids
d. tea plants 

iii. Where was tree first drunk?
a. China
b. Europe
c. India
d. Thailand 

iv. Find a word from the extract which means the same as ‘monk.’ 

a. scoffed 

b. legend 

c. ascetic 

d. banished

Q2. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each.

(a) Describe the scenery that Rajvir saw as soon as the train pulled out of the station. 

When the train moved ahead, there were huge fields full of green plantations. Rajvir had never seen so much greenery. He called it a ‘magnificent view’. The bushes were spread like a sea against the backdrop of densely wooded hills. 

(b) How are tea pluckers different from other farm labourers? 

The tea pluckers are different from other farm labourers. The women plucking tea leaves in the tea gardens look like dolls. They wear plastic aprons and carry baskets on their backs to put tea leaves in them.

 (c) Which tea is considered the best tea? Why?

 Assam tea is considered to be the best tea as it has the largest concentration of tea plantations in the world. The weather and environmental conditions are perfect here to grow tea plants. 

(d) Where was tea first drunk? When did tea come to Europe?

It is believed that tea was first drunk in China in 2700 B.C. Words like ‘chai and ‘chini‘ are Chinese. Tea came to Europe in the sixteenth century. At first, it was used more as a medicine than as a beverage.

Q3. Answer the following questions in in 100 -120 words. 

(a) What are the legends related to the discovery of tea?

There are many popular legends about the discovery of tea. Two of them are as follows — A Chinese emperor was used to drinking boiled water. One day a twig from the fire fell into the pot in which water was being boiled. It gave a delicious flavour to the drink. It is said that those were tea leaves. An Indian legend goes like this. Once there was a Buddhist ascetic who used to feel sleepy during meditations. So he cut off his eyelids. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. When the leaves from these plants were put in hot water and drunk they banished sleep. 

(b) Describe the landscape Rajvir saw while sitting in the train.Rajvir was fascinated by the scenic beauty of the place. There were vast green tea gardens on both sides of the road. The tall trees at the back of the gardens in the forest on the rolling hills looked beautiful. The women plucking tea leaves looked like dolls. On the way, he saw people drinking tea. He also saw an ugly building with smoke coming out of its chimneys. Rajvir was received by Mr. and Mrs. Barua and was taken towards Dhekiabari Tea Estate. On both sides of the gravel road were acres and acres of neatly pruned tea bushes. It was the second sprouting period. Women were wearing plastic aprons and plucking new tea leaves and putting them in the bamboo baskets on their backs.