Kerala to launch ‘tea museum’ next month

The country’s first “tea museum” was inaugurated at Munnar in the high ranges of Kerala’s Idukki district. The museum gives a glimpse of the tea plantation and its growth over 100 years in this once verdant hilly district of Kerala. The Acting MD of Tata Tea P Signaporia formally inaugurated the museum. The curios and memorabilia kept in the museum included the original tea roller to the present fully automated tea

processing factory at Madupatty; a sundial in granite made in 1913 by Art Ind School at Nazarath, Tamil Nadu; Rotovane, the old time CTC tea processing machine;  a pelton wheel used in the power generation plant existed in Kanniamally estate 1920;

wheel of a rail steam engine of Kundale Valley light railway that conveyed men and materials between Munnar and top station during the early part of last century;

an EPABX of telephone system dated 1909.

A visitor gets a kaleidoscopic view of the tea processing from testing to grading and packing of the varied categories of tea.

A tea testing section adds attraction to the museum.

Kerala

Kerala is an Indian state in South India on the Malabar coast.It was formed on 1 November 1956 following the States Reorganisation Act by combining Malayalam-speaking regions.

Its capital being Thiruvananthapuram.

The state is wedged between the Lakshadweep Sea and the Western Ghats.

Kerala’s 44 rivers include the

Periyar , Bharathapuzha,

Pamba, Chaliyar,

Kadalundipuzha, Chalakudipuzha,

Valapattanam and the Achankovil River.