_______________ 'Koehler ... has the polymath's curiosity for everything, as well as the writer's ability to listen to and retell a good story ... A richly digressive book' - Nicholas Lezard, Guardian 'This exhaustively researched and eminently readable book will delight foodies, history buffs and armchair travelers alike' - Seattle Times 'Koehler has the knack of a good storyteller who has found a great story to tell' - South China Morning Post _______________ WINNER OF THE IACP AWARD FOR LITERARY FOOD WRITING Set against the backdrop of the looming Himalayas and drenching monsoons, this is the story of how Darjeeling developed its tea industry under Imperial British rule and eventually came to produce the world's finest leaves. But today the industry is battling dropping production ,a violent struggle for independent statehood, labour unrest and the devastating effect of climate change. It's the story, too, of the measures being taken to counter these challenges and save India's most exclusive and iconic brew that are nothing short of radical. A fascinating portrait of the region and a story rich in intrigue and empire, full of adventurers and romance, it illuminates the historic, arcane and changing world of this celebrated tea. _______________ 'His prose is both sensory and balletic' - Chicago Tribune 'The history of this elixir turns out to be fascinating' - Geographical 'The perfect present for a tea toper' - Oldie 'It makes you want to sip a perfectly brewed cup and so makes your life better' - Mark Kurlansky, author of Cod, Salt and The Big Oyster

History has always dealt with people, yet often gazing at the people from the perspectives of the non-people – colonizers, intruders, outsiders and the privileged elite insiders – who seem to have internalized the ‘mainstream’ perspective framed by the outsiders. In this context a group of scholars working on Darjeeling felt that there was a need for an inclusive people’s history of the Darjeeling hills. The present volume tries to fill this gap of the missing voices of the people of the Darjeeling hills and their cultures through re-writing inclusive history of society and culture from ‘below’, not only by de­coding the elements that are treated as tradition, but also the trans­formations in the realms of arts and ecology. For, the tribal-scape of the Darjeeling hills is not a static/frozen zone and the people (hence, the geo-space) are in continuous transition from traditional beings towards becoming neo-traditional. Accepting history as constantly ‘extra mural’ the objectives of the book are to focus on un­documented histories related to harmony, intimacy, belongingness and environ­mental care and thereby, interact the living with what is often projected as ‘dead’, by rejecting to abide by any given set of references as the final/‘scientific’/authentic and, thereby, opening up with other kinds of historical dialogue with the understated historical items that are accessible in Darjeeling. Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the print version of this book in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Darjeeling occupies a special place in the South Asian imaginary with its Himalayan vistas, lush tea gardens, and brisk mountain air. Thousands of tourists, domestic and international, annually flock to the hills to taste their world-renowned tea and soak up the colonial nostalgia. Darjeeling Reconsidered rethinks Darjeeling’s status in the postcolonial imagination. Mobilizing diverse disciplinary approaches from the social sciences and humanities, this definitive collection of essays sheds fresh light on the region’s past and offers critical insight into the issues facing its people today. While the historical analyses provide alternative readings of the systems of governance, labour, and migration that shaped Darjeeling, the ethnographic chapters present accounts of dynamics that define life in twenty-first century Darjeeling, including the Gorkhaland Movement, Fair Trade tea, indigenous and subnationalist struggle, gendered inequality, ecological transformation, and resource scarcity. The volume figures Darjeeling as a vital site for South Asian and postcolonial studies and calls for a timely reexamination of the legend and hard realities of this oft-romanticized region.

Darjeeling the "Queen of Hills" a hill station located in East of India close to Mount Kanchenjunga. A Victorian Town, once treated as the winter capital of British India. Producing finest qualities and most expensive Tea in the world. Home to the oldest mountain railway (UNESCO World Heritage Site) service. World's one of the most popular rock climbing destination. An Eco tourism destination. Inside Darjeeling Pocket Travel Guide: - Complete history of city Darjeeling - Darjeeling influencing cinema - Eminent Personalities visited - Complete information for getting there by road, train and by air - Attractions with photograph - Elaborate details of Night life, Shopping, Cuisine, Festivals, Joy ride, Outdoor Activities - Travel from Darjeeling - Complete Home stay guide, Hotels Guide, Cab/ Bike/ Bicycle rentals in Darjeeling and nearby destinations. - All Basic Facts of Darjeeling City - Important contacts for tourists in Darjeeling - Indian Visa details and applications - Tour itineraries for Darjeeling and nearby attractions - Foreigners Guidelines in India - Local language phrases for tourist in English

Introduction : reinventing the plantation for the 21st century -- Darjeeling -- Plantation -- Property -- Fairness -- Sovereignty -- Conclusion : is something better than nothing?

This book examines the nature of ethnopolitics evolving in the Darjeeling hills, located in the Eastern Himalayas. It highlights how in the wake of regional politics minorities pursue alternative avenues to attain rights and recognition. The book provides an astute analysis of competing claims of culture and identity engendered both by demands for regional autonomy and struggles for scheduled tribe status. It highlights the varied forms of ethnic demands often demonstrated through performative and discursive claims. The volume initiates a timely discussion on the discourse of recognition, politics of difference, and alterity which has wider implications and applications to understand South Asian realities. Drawing on rich empirical research, this work will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of politics, anthropology, sociology, tribal studies, ethnography, minority studies, and South Asian studies.

This book celebrates the spirit of Darjeeling that was, is and shall be. This book also celebrates her children who overcoming all misfortunes and setbacks laid down a glorious history and in doing so became a part of that spirit of Darjeeling.

Today's rural tourism has evolved into a brand-new type of travel activity that helps society on economic, cultural and social level. In the Darjeeling Hills, the research examines how rural tourism contributes to socioeconomic, cultural and environmental development that is ultimately sustainable. In this study, Takdah, Lamahatta, Chatakpur and Sittong, these four rural tourist locations in the Darjeeling Hills are examined in terms of the facilities for tourist attractions, the behavioural and functional characteristics of visitors and the difficulties faced by business owners.