Since Assam is home to some of the biggest tea estates of India, it becomes necessary to celebrate its contribution to the nation’s economy and its produced tea's ability to instantly uplift the mood at any time with its aroma and flavor. Assam is the largest tea producer in India and thus people of Assam celebrate the Assam Tea Festival, which is participated by Tea connoisseurs and tea lovers from all over the country.
Jorhat district in Assam is the place that is known for its beautiful lush green tea gardens and it is also the venue for the festival. The Assam tea festival is full of cultural performances, fun activities, and tea of course. People make the most of this season to commemorate their hard work while the visitors express their gratitude by appreciating the performances and the diverse variants of teas that are displayed in the festival.
History of Assam Tea Festival
The documented account of tea production in Assam can be traced back to the 18th century when India was invaded by Britishers who later made India their colony. In the 18th century, Britishers started the large-scale production of Tea in Assam. Initially, the tea was produced by the Singpho tribe of Assam but later Britishers took over the Ahom kingdom through a treaty named Yandaboo Treaty. Besides taking over the kingdom, Britishers also involved themselves in the tea business and started trading the tea to other parts of the world.
From then onwards, the tea industry flourished in the state and it garnered many national and international accolades for its premium quality, and therapeutic plus medicinal properties induced tea. Tea, over the years, has become an innate part of Indian hospitality, especially in north India. People of north India serve tea to their guests and just like India’s philosophy of ‘Unity in Diversity’ tea is also made with diverse proportions and recipes in every part of the country. The Assam Tea Festival is one of the popular festivals of Assam that primarily celebrates this journey of a tea seed that becomes a hot brewing cup of a warm welcome in Inda. The festival is celebrated in the winter season anytime between November to January every year.
An interesting fact about Jorhat where the festival is celebrated is that this place is also home to Tocklai Experimental Station that was established in 1911, to conduct research and development activities on tea plants, seeds, and leaves.
Major Attractions of Assam Tea Festival 2023 in Jorhat
1. Gardens
Assam Tea Festival is an opportunity for the visitors to explore the tea estates and tea gardens or even understand the process of tea plantation by the local farmers. Tourists often buy tea leaves and seeds from the local farmers for their kitchen garden or as souvenirs.
2. Fun Activities
The tea festival gives the tourists a chance to indulge in various activities like jungle safari, playing golf, eating delicious local Assamese food, shopping, and enjoying the cultural performances at the event.
3. Popular Assam Tea
The widely renowned Assam Tea is an indigenously grown black tea that is produced from a plant known as Camelia Sinesis. The tea is known to be full of antioxidants and for improving blood circulation in the body. Apart from the black tea one will also get to witness and taste white tea, green tea, oolong tea, and many other variants of tea at the festival.
How to Reach Assam Tea Festival 2023 in Jorhat
The tea festival is celebrated in Jorhat which is well-connected to many cities via railways, roadways, and airways network. It also has its own airport which is connected to cities like Bangalore, Kolkata, and Guwahati. From Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru, Jorhat is approximately 2200km via NH27, 3000km via NH52, 1300km via NH 27, and 3200km via NH16 respectively. Have a look at the following feasible plus budget-friendly travel options to reach Jorhat.
By Road
Road trips are so much enjoyable and memorable because going from the highways and the byways you get to explore nature, farms, villages and relish the food at the roadside Dhabas. Jorhat is well connected via road network hence one may consider traveling to the district by inter-state tourist buses or by driving to the place in your personal vehicle.
Arriving from Nagaon you have to take NH 715 and AT Road to cover the distance of approx.185km to reach Jorhat, from Shillong you have to cover nearly 360km via AH1/2 and NH 715, from Tezpur 160km via NH 715, from Dibrugarh 140km via NH2, and from Guwahati 300km via NH 27 and NH 715.
By Rail
You are required to deboard the train at Jorhat City Railway Station in order to reach the venue of the Assam Tea Festival. There are no direct trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru hence one has to travel via connecting trains. From Guwahati, one may get on Jan Shatabdi Express, or JTTN Intercity to reach Jorhat and from Dibrugarh, you may travel via GHY Intercity. From the railway station, one may take a taxi or a bus to move around in the city.
By Air
Rowriah Airport which is also known as Jorhat Airport is located 7km away from the main city of Jorhat. Direct and connecting flights from all parts of India arrive at the airport hence one can consider airways as a good option to reach Jorhat. After checking out from the airport, one is required to take a taxi or a bus to reach the desired location in Jorhat. IndiGo runs connecting flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru to Jorhat Airport with stopovers at Kolkata and Guwahati. From Kolkata, IndiGo offers a non-stop flight of 90 minutes to Johrat with a one-way fare starting from Rs. 3400.
You can plan your trip and create your own route to the city with Adotrip’s technically driven circuit planner. Click here.
