Temi at the Foodex – Japan 2018

 LA DITTA Co., Ltd. is an official distributor and sales and marketing as an exhibitor of “Phantom tea tea / tea” at “FOODEX JAPAN / International Food and Beverage Exhibition” held from 6th March to 9th March 2018 Support etc.

LA DITTA Co., Ltd. (Minato-ku · Singapore, Representative Director Hiroyori Kosato) is the largest food and beverage special exhibition in Asia “FOODEX JAPAN / International Food and Beverage Exhibition” (43th meeting, Makuhari Messe) at ” Sales and marketing support etc. are carried out along with exhibition of “Phantom black tea Temi · tea” (Booth is 4C 0328 in the Indian Pavilion).

Also, at the exhibition booth, promoting the world’s first Sikkim with “VR video”. We are collaborating with partner ltd East Times partner in charge of VR animation production and promotion that introduce the charm of Temi · Tea and Sikkim State abroad in response to the request of Indian · Sikkim State. The content of the animation is a virtual experience tour of “tea tourism” which foreign visitors can actually experience in Sikkim.

FOODEX is held from March 6 (Tue) to March 9 (Fri) in 2018. We are planning to get to know the attractiveness of Temi · Te and many buyers, retail stores and affiliates this time, and expand the expansion in the future in Japan. Also, yesterday, I will pay courtesy visit to the Embassy of India and plan to collaborate and plan with various events under the cooperation of the embassy.

In addition, official general agency LA DITTA of Indian Sikkim province ‘Phantom tea tea / tea’ is scheduled to join the Japan Tea Association from April 1 next month.

Read original post here: http://www.dreamnews.jp/press/0000169877/

Photos at Foodex – Japan 2018

Paragliding at Temi Tea

For hours I surfed, predicting the mountain swell,
Riding breaks and soaring off the crest.
And then I cruised back to the Earth, landing on the Tea-greens
Feeling heaps, and way less stressed

The poem above forks out another promise of maiden reality from the vision-quiver of the current MD Ms Mrinalini Shrivastava at Temi, Sikkim. Yes one more maiden venture Temi offers & would open its adventurous joys to the outside world is Paragliding.

I read somewhere that longitude or latitude is neither an attitude nor a mystified contemplation of a sausage roll on a shelf. Ok then. Tell it to the feathers, mystic beak in realm, tell it to the cloven hooves trotting in the towns, tell it to a block of frozen ice, soon to break and thaw, and don’t forget the number two waiting at the door. And now go bake a cake using a lorry, a car and a huge seventy acre highway. It’s Temi Tea garden all way –

Kudos again to the current management that opens up a vista of new possibilities in this part of south Sikkim.

Paragliding elsewhere in Sikkim has become an increasingly popular adventure sports. And why not. Who would not love to see the magnificent Himalayan range and the snow peaks from the sky as you fly like a bird and the look below to see the stunning mountain landscape of Sikkim and Heavens above.

In fact there is no experience or training required to enjoy paragliding.
As per plan the operators at Temi proposes to offer Tandem Flights … where an experienced and certified pilot will accompany you. Both pilot and the passenger sit safely and comfortably in harness which is attached to the paraglider. The pilot takes care of the entire flight and its navigation. So after an easy take off, you will only enjoy the flight with breathtaking views.

A few snippets – you should be physically fit and within normal weight limits (90 kgs). While the pilot does the bulk of the job, you will need to participate in take off and landing. So wear sneakers, jeans/trousers etc.

Paragliding location and flights in Temi

A section at the garden has made way for take off including flattening of space for landing too –

Proposed paragliding flights you can enjoy are offered with Tandem Flights which means there will be a certified pilot with you.

The first type of Paragliding flight is known as Medium Fly. As the name suggests, you will fly at a medium altitude of about 1000 – 1200 meters and will get a lovely aerial view of Tarku township as well as that of Himalayan snow peaks. The take off location for Medium Fly Paragliding is at one of the sections at the garden. The flying time is 5-10 minutes. Landing takes place at another section at the garden near the diocese of Barabangla-

Pictures below portray the mystic experience that awaits you

The second type of paragliding flight is High Flywhere you will fly at a higher altitude. The take off location is being decided.

Indicative Rates

  • Medium fly: Rs. 2,500/- per person.
  • High Fly: Rs. 4,500/- per person.

Start making your advance bookings. The operators at Temi plan to arrange hotel pickup and drop at additional cost. It can take up to 2 hours for the entire paragliding trip including flying time and ground movements.

Welcome to a whole world of new experience …

Temi – Community Based Approach – A Qualitative Concept for Tourism

Temi & Tea

Tea Tourism is a relatively new concept in the world and Sikkim can be a new entrant to the field. Tea centered tourism has already become popular in South India and Bengal Dooars. Adjacent Darjeeling also started making organized efforts to promote Tea Tourism centering some of the selected heritage gardens like “Makai Bari” and “Margate’s Hope”. Up on the hills with cool breeze and misty weather, Tea Gardens form a wonderland where tea grows in the finest form like nowhere else in the world. The Heritage Tea Estate at Temi definitely adds to this existing list of gardens as an attraction.

Temi in South Sikkim, a quintessential hamlet in high mountains is a familiar destination in the tourist circuit – a must in the bucket list of places to visit. The tea garden of Temi is laid over an idyllic sloping green up in the mountains at an average height of 1200 to 1800 meters. The road to Namchi meanders through the sprawling tea bushes and cherry trees, looking over a flowing Teesta river deep below in the gorge. In seasons, the greens are dotted with Pluckers in their colourful costumes bent over the tea bushes – making the passage thriving with sparkling goings-on.

What does tourism mean to you? To many, the word conjures images of idyllic beaches, mesmeric garlands of mountain ranges, fascinating historical excursions, or even a long overdue opportunity for retail therapy. But what does tourism mean to the communities being visited? Are we aware of the effects it has on them?

For the past couple of years Ms Mrinalini Shrivastava has been developing a workable and effective process for implementing a tourism policy for Temi and its attractions around. The biggest issues that could delay, or even scuttle, such a project are: commitment, short-termism, and the commoditisation of the tourism experience.

Tourism: The Briefest of Histories

Tourism has developed greatly over the past few centuries. It is no longer an activity reserved to the elite. In 2017, traveller totals reached 1,586 million globally, a rise of 52 million from the previous year. Of those, more than half (53%) travelled for leisure purposes. This comes despite the threats of terrorism, natural cataclysms, and economic recession.

As of date tourism success is pegged against absolute numbers, a kind of short-term analysis that has many shortcomings. Principal stakeholders––politicians and business people––need practically instant, tangible returns on investment, a modus operandi that is simply unsustainable.

The ‘carrot’ many businesspersons and politicians dangle in front of the communities––the employment opportunities––is not quite as fresh and enticing as it once was given that many of the jobs in hospitality and tourism are being taken up by so called outsiders.

Collaboration between stakeholders is key to answer this question.

And this cannot be a reactive strategy, a result of market forces or legal requirements. It has to be a move that is understood to be the way Temi avoids that commoditisation and development which reduces the very character and uniqueness which attracted the tourist at the outset.

In Sikkim, tourism is considered as a natural industry that enjoys policy thrusts and factor advantages. The attached thrust matrix clearly establishes the rationale behind the current initiative of sustainable development through area tourism development in Temi and Tarku. The local Organic Tea Garden is ideally suited to place a central role to create the investment environment by attracting visitors in adequate numbers to the area. In the last decade, tourism sector in Sikkim has seen a growth rate of 12 % and its contribution to the state’s GDP is estimated to be around 8 % (Source HDR, 2014) The Gross State Domestic Product of Tourism Sector in 201314 has been valued at Rs 55,914 crores with an annual growth rate of 16.34% over the previous year.

The following table presents the visitor statics during the period 2011 to 2016.

The above data indicates that visitors from overseas locations have nearly doubled over last five years and CAGR of total visitors are in the range of 8.87% pa over the same period. Further analysis of data since 2010 – indicates that

  • 78% of overseas visitors and 64% of domestic visitors staying overnight, are Leisure Tourists
  • 77% of visitors prefer to stay as compared to 23% of same day visitors – though in case of Temi – Tarku, the visitors are mostly same day tourists who prefer to stay either in Rabang La or Gangtok.
  • USA, UK, Spain, and Canada are top markets while South Africa and Netherlands are the low contributors of foreign tourists. Nepal also contributes approximately 7% in this category. o It is a popular family destination, where female visitors outnumber males in both domestic as well as foreign visitor categories.
  • For both domestic and foreign visitor segments Sikkim is preferred by mid-income groups – which for overseas visitors is mid–to–high [> US$ 80,000 pa]
  • Small private accommodations with around 11 to 15 rooms are most preferred enjoying approximately 40% of the market
  • Travel mode is arranged directly by domestic visitors, while 67% of foreign visitors operate through Tour Operators for local transportation
  • Average duration of stay is around 1.2 days for both segment of visitors based on occupancy data analysis – while the visitors based out of Gangtok region, the day count tends to be around 2.1 days
  • Sikkim is preferred by visitors of the age groups 25 – 34 and 35 to 44 [70% of total] from domestic segment and by 25 to 34 age group [69% of total] in the foreign visitor segment.

A recent study on forecasting the visitor count in Sikkim has established that – though both domestic and foreign segment is increasing at 8.77% pa [CAGR] and the trend is expected to continue, there are specific trends where –

  • Domestic segment has a distinct seasonality factor with high peaks and lows, over the span of 12 months studied for 7 consecutive years where as
  • Foreign segment does not have any annual seasonality factor as most of the visitors use a 6monthly window each year without any specifically identifiable Highs or lows.

These trends are important to note as they have direct bearing on any capacity planning. Further, fragile, and sensitive ecology of Sikkim, specifically the rich flora and fauna of South Sikkim, makes it imperative that limits are to be imposed externally to create any capacity and controlling the visitor flow in the future. The state is already having a visitor flow that is close to 100% of its population base.

While planning for any sustainable economic development in Sikkim, it is pertinent to note the factors that presents Sikkim advantage

  • Natural resources – Sikkim is naturally endowed with rich flora and fauna. Its climate and topographical conditions support industries such as agriculture, horticulture, food processing, tourism and nontimber forest produce.
  • Policy and fiscal incentives – The state follows the North East Industrial Investment Promotion Policy, 2007, which makes any investment proposal for the state highly competitive by providing several incentives and concessions
  • Institutional support – The state provides excellent institutional support through various central and state government agencies viz., North East Council, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Commerce, and Industries Department. [Incidentally, it will be interesting to note that the Temi Tea Garden is owned by Commerce & Industries Department, Government of Sikkim.]
  • Facilitating infrastructure – Sikkim is well connected by state and national roads. Telecommunication connectivity compares with the national standards. Air connectivity is also being developed in the state that is expected to start operations in the near future.
  • Rich Labour Pool – Sikkim has a high literacy rate; with the establishment of Sikkim Manipal University and the Sikkim University, the quality and quantity of employable graduates has improved in the state.
  • Stable political environment – The state has a stable political set up committed towards creating a progressive business environment.

Based on analysis of available data, visitor pattern experienced specific to South Sikkim [with focus on Temi – Tarku region], and investment facilitating advantages detailed above – it is forecasted that

  • Accommodation be made for 200 bed-nights in the region providing for 10% of the total visitor nights [i.e. based on an average 300-day operation pa – a capacity be created for 60,000 bednights].
  • Food & Beverages capacity should be around 78,000 covers p.a. assuming an additional 28% of visitors will be same day tourists. This means, an approximately 18,000 cover space to be created only for Cafes and Restaurants.

The capacity proposed needs to be created over a time span of 12 to 18 months, so that the region gets ready to meet the requirements of the expected visitor’s inflow and associated facilities & services supports.

Qualitative Concept for Tourism

The solution here is to build strong synergies based on trust and honesty between all stakeholders, and to maximise those skills which each group or organisation can provide the project or initiative with.

The MD of Temi Tea Estate MS Mrinalini Shrivastava IPS (she is from the Indian Police Services and of DIG rank) opined with a lot of conviction that Marketing is the final issue. She said cutting into the market share of any established tourism industry means looking for that potential client who wants to be at a destination rather than the one who happens to be there. The challenge here is to persuade practitioners that new and diverse experiences can offer a broader perspective of a destination and reduce the uncertainties of the mainstream markets. This also, however, feeds into the first issue of financial resources. Temi would need to rebrand to attract a different kind of tourist –

Looking to communities

The research project to develop community-based tours, which is being spearheaded by Mrinalini Shrivastava & The Temi Tourism Committee will provide the basis for developing a strategy or policy document on the Introduction of Community-Based Tourism for the Temi and may even serve as a template for other destinations.
Mrinalini is striving to develop the project in five stages. We started with the development of itineraries and maps together with local councils, local businesses, and the local community. These itineraries list those places of interest in any locality (town or village) that have socio-cultural value as well as a living history. These itineraries serve as a guide for visitors who would like to learn more about the locality, but are also a vehicle through which the local community can develop a sense of awareness and belonging, a vital element in the creation of a sustainable and authentic visitor experience. She has an infectious smile when she proclaims the same with elan laced with conviction.

The next stage involves the development of community-based tours, activities where the visitor has the opportunity to meet the locals rather than simply looking at the places they inhabit. This whole process will mirror the development of the itineraries and maps, turning it into a collaborative effort that meets the needs of all involved.

At the next stage, the community-based tour will undergo a marketing process that is unique. Rather than looking at promoting this tour for groups, it should offer an opportunity for one-to-one personalised hospitality and service. Besides an online presence, there also needs to be hospitality meetings with potential visitors who prefer this more individual experience.

The final stage consists of a continuous study to monitor the progress of the community-based tour and itineraries. The monitoring should be used to tweak and perfect the original project.

Temi Tourism that works

This shift is a challenge. Financial means are another hurdle as are the differing aims of organisations. However, consistent and continuous commitment by all the key stakeholders through dialogue, trust, and synergy combined with rigorous planning and implementation of a long-term plan that satisfies the needs of all involved is the only way towards an integrated, holistic, and inclusive tourism strategy. It needs to be sustainable and responsible to offer the quality destination the Maltese Islands deserve.

In addition to above, keeping the profile of an average visitor in perspective, the MD further proposes to create tourism activities to create additional attractions using the nature and creative investments.

A few additional projects proposed are as follows-

  • Short & Long Trekks: identify eco-tourism/high-terrain trails that will attract the young visitors interested in trekking. Lots of visitors come to Sikkim Himalayas for high terrain trekking experience. Identified Trekks need to be promoted globally as well as in the domestic market. For Trekks longer than a day facilities for camping, storing and porter services to be created, besides organizing trained guides. – Implementation: Short Trekks – Immediate | Long Trekks – Intermediate.
  • Adventure Sports: create facilities for Zip Lines, Biking, Para Gliding, Pony Ride, and similar adventure sports.
    • Mountain biking facilities can be created within the garden perimeters after careful survey of the locale and without impacting the organic nature of its operations. – Implementation: Immediate
    • Pony Rides are also easy to start with low investments using the Garden paths. – Implementation: Immediate
    • However, Zip Lines or Para Gliding facilities can be created only after proper survey of locations. – Implementation: Survey – Immediate | Execution – Intermediate
  • Day Trips: Create linkages to nearby interests – Rabang / Namchi using the local taxi and tour operators.

To operationalize these projects, it is essential that detailed plans are made immediately for the following

  • Creating a coordination agency that will synchronize all the stake holders like local taxi operators, tour operators and the facilities operators
  • Arrange for short duration training for all the operators using the State Institutions with specially designed short skill development courses

She signs of with her signature anthem

“Thoughts are your own motivations – keep them a fillip – Temi & tourism will go a long way”

Green Tea Extract Helps You Lose Weight

green-tea-temiThe popularity of drinking tea has exponentially increased. According to, to the Tea Association in The US, over 158 million and around 165 million in the US and Great Britain drink tea, daily, respectively. In the Australian market, tea accounts for 13% of the overall hot drinks value of sales in 2014, according to the Euromonitor website.

There are many benefits of drinking tea. For one, it can help boost the immune system, as documented by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Secondly, tea can rehydrate the body.

Per report from the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the caffeine content in the tea, in 200 to 250 ml of fluid, is not correlated to excessive fluid loss of dehydration. Dehydration happens when the caffeine is used in high doses or bolus. However, when it is at the minimum level, 200-250 ml, this is not significant. (Huffingtonpost, 2014).

Similarly, for those who are trying to lose weight, can also benefit from drinking green tea extract. According to the research study “Beneficial effects of green tea extract: A Literature Review,” 2010, authors, Chacko, et a.l., reported that human studies indicated that drinking green tea and green tea extract may help reduce the body weight, mainly body fat, by increasing postprandial thermogenesis and fat oxidation. (US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health).

Vital Nutrients

Green tea extract contains a significant phytochemical called polyphenol called epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG. The research findings revealed that the six overweight men, who were given 300 mg of EGCG for every two days. They have the potential to increase fat oxidation or burning of fats.

Green tea’s contribution to anti-obesity is vital. What remains a challenge for those who want to see the  promising results of green tea in relation to weight loss, is the brand or type of green tea extract to purchase. There are many competing brands in the market today, both online and offline and picking one can be difficult.

Temi Green Tea

Lush green gradient slopes of Temi Tea Estate are perfect for the world fine black and green tea. The green tea is prepared by the days when the pluckers bring the fine green leaves which are then taken in for steaming rolling and drying. This gives a right mix of exposure for gentle oxidation during rolling and not a strong fermentation like the Orthodox Temi Black Tea.

The Temi green tea is not only 100% organic but also uses processes which are sans use of pan frying. Temi green tea is loaded with antioxidants and aids brain function, fat loss and the risk of cancer. Temi green tea is a perfect cup relisted as flowery liquor with a gooseberry after taste.

Tea Preparation Guidelines

Tea preparation is a personal event, and carries with it tradition and history. It is unique to each person’s preferences. For tea newbies and those seeking a truly immersive experience, we have outlined the basics to assist you in brewing the ultimate cup.

Water

Always use fresh cold water to prepare tea. Purified and spring water are best because they are relatively free from pollutants, which will negatively affect the tea’s taste while still possessing natural mineral content, which will enhance the tea’s flavor. Distilled water should be avoided since the lack of minerals may leave the tea tasting flat.

Bring water to full, steady boil before preparing the tea. At this point, the water is sufficiently heated and has a good oxygen content. In contrast, using water that has been held at a fierce, rolling boil can leave tea tasting dull and flat. Pre-heated water from the faucet has mostly likely been overheated, losing oxygen content while picking up potentially harmful substances from the water pipes.

Temperature

To prepare a green or white tea, allow the hot water to rest for 3-5 minutes before pouring. This will bring the water down to an ideal temperature: between 150-160 for Green Tea and 180-190 for White Tea. Because of its more delicate processing, green and white teas need a cooler temperature to bring out their flavor without denaturing the leaves. Red and black teas, which are hardier and have been fully oxidized, need much hotter water to bring out their characteristic baked sweetness. They can be added to water immediately after boiling.

Duration of Infusion

Similar to water temperature, different kinds of tea need to brewed for different lengths of time. Green Tea needs to be brewed for 2-4 minutes to achieve full flavor without bitterness. White Tea should be steeped for 4-6 minutes, as the leaves are less processed and require more time to infuse. Black and Red Teas can be steeped for 4-7 minutes to achieve maximum flavor. We recommend sampling a variety of steeping times to see which is your favorite!

Teapot Material

If using a teapot to serve the tea, the material of the teapot will affect the quality of the infusion. Consider the variety of tea and the temperature at which it is best prepared. Metals like iron or Chinese yixing ware are great at retaining heat, making them more suitable for teas that steep at higher temperatures, like Black or Red Teas. Glass or porcelain are more likely to release heat, making them better suited for a Green or White Tea.

General Guidelines

  1. Bring cold water to a boil in a kettle
  2. When water is at a gentle boil, remove heat.
  3. Pour hot water into teapot or teacups and then discard.  Pre-warming guarantees a consistent temperature.
  4. Add the proper amount of tea leaves or tea bags per person to the pot, or your mug.
  5. Allow water to cool to the proper temperature, if necessary, and pour over the tea leaves or bags.
  6. Steep for the proper length of time.
  7. Strain completely into another teapot or directly into the serving cups or remove tea bags from teapot or mug at this point.

Temi White Tea

Temi white tea is world renowned for its gentleness, pale colour and characteristic sweetness.
Plucked mostly in spring this tea gives a bright but delicate curl when made as bimudan. The curls are large and unfold/ed as full leaf on infusion.
Temi’s loamy soil is perfect for White tea — it’s unique weather allows a bimudan even during the summer season. Despite these two possible seasons the Temi white tea remains rare and very expensive because of the tender fine and meticulous hand plucking that goes in making it.

Temi white tea is rich in antioxidants . In fact has antioxidants in greater measures than the Temi green tea. This fabulous white tea is an excellent liquor for cardiovascular issues and also for lowering the cholesterol levels.
The infusion which one gets from the bimudan is useful in also removing the under eye-bags and rheumatic pains.

Combining the therapeutic value and the rarity around this world famed tea its thus reasoned that only a select few can afford the luxury called Temi White Tea.

Temi Fusing Flavours – Another Fusion Tale of Seers from Temi

Smile & Twinkle

Kiwi Guava Apple and Orange

The bliss hill they call the Temi Blorange …
Temi forays into the novel, heedful & venturous craft of blending tea with the addendum to its plate of multiplying surprises.

Kiwi, Guava, Apple & Orange ….
The great poet Douglas of yesteryears reminds us of a pied piper of a never-forgotten era of rolled up fusion

How deftly does the gardener blend
This rose and that
To bud a new creation,
More gorgeous and more beautiful
Than any parent portion,
And so,I trace within my warring blood
The tributary sources,
They potently commingle
And sweep With new-born forces!

Smile & Twinkle, Smile & Twinkle ….”

The story at Temi has a chapter added to it with precision & passion. Tea leaves that are lovingly and carefully handpicked, are harvested with the utmost care and attention to detail to ensure their separate flavours come through…. hear this out …. fact about tea that lends itself to the numerous options we have available is this: tea absorbs the flavour of almost anything. And tea blending is a common process that is used to keep our taste buds guessing at new flavours, and ensure we can recognize the old ones.

Tea blending was originally intended to mask inconsistencies in the flavour of batches of tea.

The story at Temi is startlingly different.

As the flavour of the final tea is so dependent elsewhere on the growing conditions of the plant, a batch of tea made from leaves picked on a sunny day can taste entirely different from a batch of tea made with leaves picked on a rainy day. Season to season, day to day, any changes in the climate or handling can result in big changes to flavour, and producers don’t want that. They want a tea that their customers can easily recognize, tea that is consistent in taste, colour and quality. So they turned to blend ….

Ah blending at Temi has its own original yarn – it’s like beading one rose with another the mole hills do become the mountains as it becomes a discovery with Temi Tea with its own originality maintaining its unique “Flag of Resurrection”.

Most people, when they hear of “tea blending,” assume that it is done to create flavoured teas like Chocolate Mint, or Apple Spice. Blending is where flavoured teas come from, but many a connoisseur fail to realise that the majority of black tea is also blended. To ensure that their teas will be consistent many producers mix a variety of black teas together, it helps to even out the taste and makes the tea more reliable.

At Temi the blending of Kiwi, Apple Guava & Orange are done by hand. It’s mixed in with the drying leaves.When tea at Temi is hand blended it results in beautiful creations of an unique flavour – reminds us of a Rose getting beaded to another rose while nature is garlanded with myriad experiences that’s futuristic perennial ….

Enjoy our new blends from Temi thus & we salute the distinct identity that always remains as a hall mark.

My ode while I sign off

The vast blue ranges dotted against the cherry blossoms during this time of year at Temi makes a different world- besides being an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of living by the day

What when the world concurs that you weigh more or equal to your fill in kindness,
What when green leaves turn crimson at your blushes-

What when the garden-rain brings in chirps of the wasps who befriended the sweetest bird with a broken leg…..
We do cry out with Beatles “A day in the life” then ?

The Dalai Lama & his blessing smile – God’s calling Temi

Setting foot in Dharamsala was like entering a peaceful bubble. It felt like stepping back in time into a strange India-Tibet mix, where Tibetan-style houses stood next to local ones & then … my heart misses a beat … I meet his holiness the Dalai Lama – His holiness has his long ageless tryst with the state of Sikkim.

On his announcement as the 14th holy soul, Sikkim & it’s archives provide a chronological and detailed account of the planning and sourcing of gifts, articulated concerns and queries about culture, customs, and protocol, and vivid travel descriptions of the journey from Gangtok (Sikkim) to Lhasa (Tibet), for the infant Tenzing Gyatso’s official enthronement as His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Recognized as the official reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama in 1939, his enthronement ceremony as the next Dalai Lama was scheduled for February 22, 1940, in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital. In Sikkim (which had close relations with Tibet, spiritually, culturally, economically, and familial), officials were deciding what gifts to send to Lhasa for the occasion, and who would represent the Sikkim State at this auspicious and once-in-a-lifetime ceremony.

Sikkim’s 11th Chogyal, Tashi Wangyal Namgyal (r.1914-1963), chose to send his eldest son, Crown Prince Kunzang Paljor Namgyal (1921-1941), and the British decided to send Basil Gould (Political Officer, Sikkim), who would have been more familiar with the cultures of the region.

Come 2017 & as God privileged Temi Tea, Sikkim was blessed by his holiness yesterday with no qualms attached – our gift to him encore was a packet of tea & his gift to us was all the blessings we are carrying back.

We are carrying back blessings along with the commitments-

Commitments to the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. His holiness says that as human beings we are all the same. We all want happiness and do not want suffering. His Holiness refers to such human values as secular ethics or universal values. Temi Tea & Temi Estate promises to carry the baton.

Mind massage

Temi is a small village situated in South-East Sikkim. The Himalayan Ranges covered with green and thick rain-forests and varied coloured flowers and birds makes this place a heaven on Earth. The wonderful Temi Tea garden adds to the splendour.

The Estate is located in South East Sikkim, adjacent to Rabongla, a place which is not an unusual attraction for foreigners and travellers from around the world. This place has a geographical advantage of the Soulful view of the inexplicable Mount Kanchenjunga. An open corridor between the Mountain and Temi makes a clear and picturesque view possible. Temi is also the perfect place to view the entire Himalayan Range of Sikkim from various viewpoints.

The gravel roads and the mystique thoroughfare not much wider than a pathway, smoothly runs ahead. You could even mistake it for a grey river with slow currents had the orange and yellow fallen leaves of autumn not remained static on it. Lined by trees in fall colours, just like the old advertisement of the Lakme winter care lotion, where a woman from one car makes faces at a child in another, the road leads to the Blue Mountains in the distance.

This had been my dream destination since childhood and I had imagined, painted and written stories about living in such a locale. Part of this dream (the Blue Mountains) came true during the six-month-long stay in Temi. The hills that form the South Sikkim belt changes their pattern, height, colour and even texture with the changing moods of the clouds and mist that often creates barriers between us. This was pretty amusing especially when you are living in a town that does not offer much variation in your life.
If you had the patience you could actually see the rains pour down from the grey clouds in the distance during monsoon, from the balconies of the homestays that are beads around the Estate. The greenery around, the mountains, the forests & the Estate literally suck away the pollution that gets formed at the town-centres elsewhere, (literally, a km or a little more in circumference).

If you are a momo lover, you will not complain if you are here. The Estate is all about glory with its ivy Tea to boast and the bliss it offers with eyes and hearts yearning for mote & more.