June 2016 1 In Narration, read how the women workers coincidences, traced it back to its origins. on our estates have been positively We invited him to share his story with us influencing their community for decades, in SerendipiTea. while young girls are being educated about All the Company’s estates in the Moran their rights and encouraged to find their circle were part of the Ahom kingdom ‘place in the sun’. and still retain relics of their illustrious Education is a cause that the Company past but it is Rajmai T.E. which is situated and its executives believe in implicitly. An closest to the historic town of Sivasagar. initiative by a resident of one of the In The World Around Us, one of the estates was given impetus by the executives from the estate tells us about Management, resulting in an English the monuments that still remain in and medium school for the estate’s children. around Sivasagar. Incidentally, a statue of We bring you the Green Valley Academy Siu-Ka-Pha, the Shan prince from China at Koomsong T.E. in Beneficence. who founded the Ahom dynasty in 1228, is situated just outside Lepetkatta T.E. We have many talented, interesting Six months of the year are gone and the “Let others sing in praise of wine; people working in the Company whom next six lie before us, like chapters of a Let others deem it joy divine we feature in Cameo. This time, it is the turn of an adventurous young planter book waiting to be written. What would Its fleeting bliss will never be mine – we like to achieve? Where would we like with an unusual hobby. Give me a cup of tea!” (Anon) to go? What would we like to have In addition to our regular features, we So, sipping a cup of fresh, aromatic tea, happen in our lives? Let’s fill those pages bring you a story that reflects the fact that delve into this issue… with memories we can look back on with the world is indeed ‘a small place’ and that happiness and no regrets. Those who have been posted at coincidences, sometimes serendipitous Au revoir … Bhooteachang T.E. and Raidang T.E. can ones, do happen! A poet, writer and revisit and rekindle memories while those inveterate tea drinker from Tasmania, who haven’t can explore them in Australia, bought a tea chest off the Treasury. internet and through a series of happy 14 It's a Wild World 46 The World Around Us Features Pit - Pat ~ Rupa Saikia Sivasagar & Panidihing Bird Sanctuary Issue – 18 July 2016 16 African Beat, Rwanda ~ Rajdeep Buragohain Lake Kivu ~ Sameer Singh 49 Health Watch 18 SerendipiTea Vertigo ~ Dr Neelmonee Dutta Bordubi C06047B ~ Nick Flittner 50 Gardening 20 Beneficence The Art of Bonsai ~ Hridayesh Chettri AVS - Moving on... ~ Leslie Peter Watts Assam Valley Literary Award 2015 53 Visitors’ Vignettes Green Valley Academy ~ Karan Jaswal Trip to Boroi /Singli ~ Tim Robertson 24 Narration 55 The Gem Collection Empowering Women on the Tea Estates Atri Muni’s Ashram ~ Rajnish Das ~ Sarita Dasgupta 25 Melange 56 The Memsahab’s Guide to Gracious Living 32 Centrespread: The Chairman’s Sri Lankan Cuisine ~ Roshni Dagar 01 Cover: Morning Hues at Gisovu Visit to the Margherita Estates, Assam Photograph: Mr Saneer Gurung 34 Laurels & Shabaash 58 Kamjari The Accidental Midwife! ~ Sivaji Dutt 02 Editorial / Features 35 Treasury Raidang T.E. ~ Rupa Saikia 60 planters@play 03 Honours The Chuapara & Central Dooars Swimming 40 Cameo Club ~ Jayati Thapa 04 Planter’s Punch Avinash Khadka – a profile My Early Days in ‘Tea’ ~ G.S. Sodhi ~ Siddharth Thapa 62 Requiem 42 Management Mantras 63 Postscript 05 Treasury Delegation ~ Raj Kamal Phukan Bhooteachang T.E. ~ Sarita Dasgupta Wistful Thinking... ~ Rupa Saikia 44 African Beat, Uganda 11 Phu Ben Communique A Memento of Home 64 Back Cover: Lone Ranger Celebrating 20 Years ~ Sakina Hussain ~ Bathsheba Okwenje-Sharma Photograph: Mr Abhijeet Das Balipara Foundation Lifetime Service Award 2015 CITATION “This award is for an individual whose life has been devoted to the ecological welfare of the people of the Eastern Himalayas and whose philosophy and purpose have been guided by the need to protect, restore and care for nature. A true hero; an Indian woman or man who is an inspiration to all. B.M. Khaitan, the doyen of the tea industry, is known throughout the country for his ethical and moral values and philanthropic way of life. His ingenious move of acquiring tea companies in Assam when several of the big players diluted their interest in plantations, ensured that the tea estates were in safe hands, before those with short-term ulterior motives could lay their hands on them. He has always given special importance to the preservation of natural habitats in and around the tea estates and has been involved in various programmes and initiatives to conserve biodiversity in the surrounding areas. He has helped carry out several much-needed soil conservation programmes. His invaluable support extended to the Assam Valley Wildlife Society helped the Pygmy Hog and White Winged Wood Duck conservation programmes that saw the revival of the almost disappearing populations of these species. In recognition of his immense contribution to industry, environment, society and humanitarian causes, the Balipara Foundation is humbled to bestow the Lifetime Service Award for 2015 to Shri Brij Mohan Khaitan. His exemplary vision, zeal and enthusiasm are truly inspiring.” July 2016 03 Mr Giri Sodhi retired as Visiting Agent, Assam, after a distinguished career spanning more than three decades. In partnership with his wife, Prabha, he is presently engaged in the promotion of medicinal plants related to oncology, in north-east India. My Early Days in ‘Tea’–Anecdotes ~ G.S. Sodhi, Tezpur t was on the 14th day of March 1966 – a chilly, foggy Jimmy and Barbara Lyness were great Burra Sahab and Burra Imorning – that a young man in his early twenties boarded Memsahab, except on the evening that I was invited for a Fokker Friendship Indian Airlines hopping flight from dinner to meet K.P.S. Gill and B.D. Kharagwal (then the Calcutta to Tezpur. The aircraft landed at Gauhati and its Superintendent and Additional Superintendent of Police charted route was Cal – Gau – Tez – Lil – Dib (Mohanbari) respectively, of the erstwhile Darrang District. Both later and back to Calcutta via Tezpur. The flights, piloted mostly by became DGPs of Assam). Seeing that I had arrived sans a ex-IAF pilots and those formerly with Jamair and Kalinga necktie, Jimmy kept me concealed from Barbara in the Airlines, were invariably on time and without much turbulence! verandah till he fetched me one from his wardrobe. He Giri Sodhi was told in Four Mangoe Lane, Calcutta, by obviously knew his gracious but ‘ pucca pucca’ wife very well! Mr Gillem Sandys Lumsdaine that he would be received at A few months later I was asked to share my bungalow with Tezpur airport by Mr W. J. Lyness, the Manager of Bhushan Chhabra, then posted as Mistri Sahab at the Majulighur T.E. neighbouring Pertabghur T.E. At that point of time, There were several people at the terminal at Tezpur and when Pertabghur was one bungalow short as the Chung Bungalow all, including the expatriates had left, only two remained – one occupied by Alan Leonard had been gutted in a fire. This was of them a short, middle-aged Bengali gentleman and yours one of several thatched bungalows (heavily insured) to be truly. At this juncture, Mihir Chaudhary (father to Bidhan and gutted during the late 60s much to the dismay and disbelief of Neela) hesitantly walked up to me and enquired if I could the insurers. possibly be G.S. Sodhi, the Assistant Manager designate of Bhushan was very possessive of his newly acquired sky blue Majulighur T. E. My nod invited a most disapproving look, Herald car and most reluctant to part with the steering wheel probably because the wait at the terminal had been even to his good friend, Giri Sodhi, particularly driving back considerably long! I then asked whether he, by any chance, from an Air Force party in the wee hours of the morning! He happened to be Mr W. J. Lyness to which his reply was a short would rather pull off the road and take a short snooze to and curt, “No such luck! I am just his Pilot Assistant.” freshen up, but always drove himself. The only exception to the The immediate ‘fallout’ was to head for the IAF Mess a stone’s rule was his bearer-cum-driver, Dasro, who had the privilege throw away and we found ourselves in the midst of six fighter of driving this buggy out of the garage, washing, polishing and pilots who had just returned from their early morning Sortie. putting it back under covers every Sunday. All was well for a When offered a drink I opted for a beer of which there was few Sundays till one fine morning Dasro, while reversing the plenty around the table! Mihir immediately turned around car into the garage, put his foot on the accelerator instead of and said, “All this young blighter deserves is a beer mug full the brake… The deafening crash woke Bhushan up! After of milk!” expensive repairs, he willingly offered the vehicle to his good The drive to Majulighur was smooth – perhaps lubricated by and trusted friend, yours truly, who by then had been allocated the couple of beers we had imbibed! a ten-month-old white Ambassador car in almost mint Mihir’s wife, Geeta, was a great hostess – a charming and very condition which had belonged to John Stephen, the Mistri warm human being.