News — India

Far from the news reports in the USA, massive protests have shut down Darjeeling, the famous tea growing region, for the last two months. Lives have been lost, and industries decimated. Considering that this is an important issue in tea, we want to give you a brief overview of current issues in Darjeeling. Darjeeling Problems have been a long time coming Darjeeling is tea growing region located in the Himalayas. It is home to 87 tea estates. Unlike Assam, Darjeeling teas are grown on hillsides at high altitudes. Elite tea drinkers seek out these teas for their light, subtle flavors,...

When all of Kolkata Stops The city shuts down for a week. Traffic is insane. For a month, you see bamboo facades in the most inconvenient intersections in the tiniest of lanes. You curse the city, you curse the traffic, you wish you were out of this hell-hole. Then comes the first day of Durga Puja. There’s a flowery aroma in the air. The hot, humid air gets a twinge of coolness. You hear drums. Huge crowds of revelers choke the streets until 5 am. They 'hop' from one ‘pandal’ to the other. Street hawkers line the sides. Adults dress...