Camellia Sinensis, the insignia of the Empire, adorns the landscape of Kerala. Dating back to the era of the British Raj, a sojourn to tea plantations in Kerala, is a whole new experience.

Once an elite beverage, the ubiquitous refreshing tea is a now a huge revenue grosser for India. The colonial drink is raking in the lucre as India steps on the accelerator to register itself as the largest manufacturer of tea in the world.

The tea gardens of God's Own Country, are perfect ambassadors of the state, personifying beauty, serenity, charm and the path to nirvana. Climactic conditions of the backwaters nourishes the tea plant. They are a major source of sustenance for hundreds and thousands of laborers, comprising mostly the womenfolk. Fragrant leaves are picked and make their way to the processing laboratories where they are packaged into black, green and oolong varieties.

The cooler climes of Munnar showcase verdant tea estates. The sultans of steel, the Tata Group lords over these tea gardens. Pack in a trip to the historic tea processing factory and cull interesting information about this amazing shrub. Besides the steel giant, you can stack your bags with aromatic delights from stables of Brooke Bond, Harrison Malayalam among others. Famous Assamese tea also jostles for space in the tea estates of Munnar.

Devikulam in the district of Idukki also houses sprawling tea plantations. You can also pay a visit to the hill destination of Peerumadu on your journey to the lovely Thekkady and witness marvels of nature.

The lush tea plantation that has blossomed around the Anayirankal Dam claims huge footfalls all round the year. The verdant locale is a popular tourist haunt as it couples as a field day along with nature gazing.

Chithirapuram is another famed tea plantation. Team up your tour to the breathtaking tea gardens with a visit to the Pallyvasal Hydel Power Project.

Grampi, Pathanamthitta, Vilangakunnu, Ponumudi are some of the other important tea plantations of Kerala.The tea plantations of Kerala employ about eighty-four thousand laborers and over twenty lakh people derive their bread and butter from these tea estates. Kerala registered twenty six percent hike in the total output between 1980 and 2000 and is a huge money spinner for the state.

The tea industry of Kerala fuels the burgeoning tourism industry of the state too. Stroll through the verdant tea estates on your holiday to majestic Kerala. Cashing in on the tourist frenzy, the booming hospitality sector has jumped on to the bandwagon. Hundreds and thousands of hotels and luxurious resorts have mushroomed in and around tea estates. You can have a whale of time exploring the tea gardens and sights and sounds that dots the state.

Last Updated on 25 May 2011

Plantations in Kerala