Although a tea frenzy—similar in many ways to California’s Gold Rush—ensued, establishing tea gardens in Assam was difficult, if not harrowing. A months-long boat journey up the Brahmaputra offered the main means of accessing the region. Once there, workers were plagued by disease and had to be alert to the attacks of jungle animals. Their perseverance paid off, however, and continues to reap dividends. According to statistics from the Tea Board of India, Assam currently is responsible for a little more than half of India’s tea production and approximately 13 percent of the world’s tea supply.
