Tea Processing at Margaret’s Hope, Kurseong

Margaret’s Hope, Kurseong

Tea Processing

See also: Maragaret’s Deck FAM

The most common legend related to the discovery of tea dates back to 2737 BC in Yunnan province in China. It happened during the reign of the Emperor Shen Nong. The story narrates that while the emperor was drinking from a bowl, a few leaves from the nearby tea plant fell in it. He liked the resulting beverage, which lead to the world wide phenomenon of tea drinking.

Margaret’s Hope tea Factory, Kurseong

Although historians doubt about the authenticity but it was this Yunnan Province that gave the world the habit of drinking tea.

Tea and much more, Margaret’s Deck, Kurseong

Margaret’s Deck, Kurseong

Tea and much more

See also: Maragaret’s Deck FAM

Kurseong, has always lived in the shadows of his more illustrious sister Darjeeling, considered as the queen of the hills. Kurseong, literally meaning the land of the white orchid, has always been a quick stop for a bite of momo and a gulp of tea, for tourists heading for Darjeeling. (Also read: Kurseong, the land of white orchid)

Margaret’s Deck Tea Lounge, Kurseong

The small eateries and road side sacks have served plates of steaming plates of momos and bowls of thupkas to hungry tourist heading for Darjeeling. But now there is a difference, enter Margaret’s Deck, an exclusive tea lounge. Margaret’s Deck is an initiative of Goodricke Tea Pot at the Margaret Hope tea garden in Kurseong.

A date with Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Toy Train, Kurseong

A date with Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Toy Train

Kurseong

See also: Maragaret’s Deck FAM

A hundred miles, a hundred miles,
A hundred miles, a hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles

500 miles

We heard the whistle blow, but it was not hundred miles away, in fact it was less than hundred yards away. It was a foggy winter afternoon and we were at the Margaret’s Deck digging into a exotic lunch spread.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Toy Train in front of Margaret’s Deck

Off went your lunch and we rushed out of the Margaret’s Deck, with our cameras, to photography the famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Toy Train (Also read: Chasing the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Kurseong – Mahanadi), an UNESCO Heritage site.

Tea Tasting at Margaret’s Deck, Kurseong

Tea Tasting at Margaret’s Deck

Goodricke’s Margaret Hope Tea Estate, Kurseong

See also: Maragaret’s Deck FAM

If you are cold, tea will warm you; if you are too heated, it will cool you; if you are depressed, it will cheer you; if you are exxcited, it will calm you.

William Gladstone, former Prime Minister of United Kingdom

My first stint with Tea Tasting happened at the Goodricke office in Kolkata. I remember tasting several version and trying to distinguish between the different tastes and flavoures.

Margaret’s Deck, Goodricke Tea Pot, Kurseong

But I always wanted to have a tea tasting experience at the heart of chai country. The opportunity again came from Goodricke, with MSL Group as the public relation partner.

Chasing the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Toy Train

Chasing Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Toy Train

Kurseong – Mahanadi

See also: FAM (Familiarization) Tour of Cochrane Place, Kurseong

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Toy Train

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Toy Train is a narrow gauge railway running between New Jalpaiguri (100 mts) and Darjeeling (2200 mts). The train attends the highest altitude at Ghum Railway Station (2258 mts).

Kurseong, The Land of White Orchid

Kurseong

The Land of White Orchid

See also: FAM (Familiarization) Tour of Cochrane Place, Kurseong

Kurseong, has always lived in the shadows of his more illustrious sister Darjeeling, considered as the queen of the hills. Kurseong, literally meaning the land of the white orchid, has always been a quick stop for a bite of momo and a gulp of tea, for tourists heading for Darjeeling.

Darjeeling Himalayan (DHR) Toy Train, Kurseong Station

From the rolling tea gardens to the towering Kanchanjunga and from the magnificent churches to the quiet little monasteries, Kurseong is a interesting mix of nature and heritage and can be an ideal weekend destination for tourists from Kolkata.

Blended Tea from Chai Country, Cochrane Place, Kurseong

Blended Tea, Chai Country, Cochrane Place, Kurseong

Recipes from master tea blender Laltu Purkait

See also: FAM (Familiarization) Tour of Cochrane Place, Kurseong

Tea is an aromatic beverage commonly prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. It has a cooling, slightly bitter, and astringent flavour that many people enjoy. [Source: Wikipedia]

Laltu Purkait, tea blender at Chai Country, Cochrane Place, KurseongLaltu Purkait, tea blender at Chai Country, Cochrane Place, Kurseong

Tea may be blended with other teas from the same area of cultivation or with teas from several different areas. The aim of blending is to obtain a better taste. Tea can be served as a hot and cold beverage and can be blended with seasonal fruits & flowers along with exotic ayurvedic herbs and honey.

Cochrane Place, Kurseong

A Heritage Resort with a blend of Tea, Train and Tranquility

See also: FAM (Familiarization) Tour of Cochrane Place, Kurseong

Located on the outskirts of the town of Kurseong (near Darjeeling) is Cochrane Place, the restored and recreated residence of Percy John Cochrane, MBE (1866 – 1944), Honorable Magistrate and Barrister of Kurseong Town.

Cochrane Place, Kurseong

It was known as “the Hermitage” because of its splendid vista and tranquility. The original structure was dismantled in 2004 and remodeled into Cochrane Place Resort.

Cochrane Place is a heritage resort with an unique blend of tea, trains and tranquility. Restored in stone, log and cast iron splendor, Cocharne Place  is a botique hotel for guests looking for warm and friendly ambiance.

14 Stations of the Cross, a compilation

14 Stations of the Cross

A compilation from different churches

The 14 Stations of the Cross of Christ is a series of artistic representations, very often sculptural, depicting Christ Carrying the Cross to his crucifixion in the final hours of Jesus before he died, and the devotions using that series to commemorate the Passion, often moving physically around a set of stations. The vast majority of Roman Catholic churches now contain such a series, typically placed at intervals along the side walls of the nave; in most churches these are small plaques with reliefs or paintings. (Source: Wikipedia).

Cross Stations XIII, Portuguese Church, Calcutta (Kolkata)

I Jesus is condemned to death

II Jesus is laden with his cross

III Jesus falls the first time

IV Jesus meets his mother

V Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus

VI Jesus and Veronica

VII Jesus fall a second time

VIII Jesus address the women of Jerusalem

IX Jesus falls the third time

X Jesus is stripped of his garments

XI Jesus is nailed to the cross

XII Jesus dies on the cross

XIII Jesus is taken down from the cross

XIV Jesus is laid in the sepulcher

Please note that the captions of the Cross Station vary.