Origin, discovery of tea, wild tea and early development of tea in Assam, indigenous tea and tea drinking habit among the tribes in Assam of India

Abstract

Tea is the most popular beverage in the world and its consumption is next only to water. The scientific findings on its health beneficial properties and as a drink of general wellbeing are contributing to make it even more popular and accepted as a beverage of goodness and for a healthy life style. Tea drinking originated in China about 5,000 years ago and gradually the world took to drinking tea. India is a major producer of tea in the world and the State of Assam is the largest tea growing belt in the world. Tea was discovered growing wild in Assam by the British in early 1800. The local population of Assam, some of the tribal people, were in the habit of drinking tea in their indigenous method of preparation. The practice is still continuing. Subsequent tea cultivation in Assam has made it a major agro-industry of the state and the finest liquoring quality of black tea in the world are produced here and consumed all over the world. Tea drinking has rather been gaining further acceptance now due to its natural health benefiting properties. The heritage drink has withstood the test of time and it may well be the drink of the future. The journey of the beverage through the passage of time has been glorious and fascinating. The origin of tea in China, myths associated with it, spread across the world, perceptions, culture and habits, discovery in wild forests of Assam, and tea drinking habit of the tribes of the state are all amazing like the mystic brew itself.