Posted on January 28, 2011.
Munnar hill-Mind sedentary refreshing Munnar
Munnar - breathtaking - a haven of peace and tranquility - the idyllic tourist destination in God's own country.
Located at an altitude of 6000 m in the Idukki district, Munnar was the favored resort of Colombia in the former leaders of the colonial era. endless expanse of tea plantations - pristine valleys and mountains, exotic species of flora and fauna in its wild sanctuaries and forests - aroma of spice scented cool air - yes! Munnar has all this and more. This is the place you want to visit - this is the place that you never want to leave-so welcome - log on to munnar.com for all information on Munnar anytime, every time.
Munnar - Fact Sheet
Altitude: 1600 to 1800 Mts m
Temperature: Min. 0 c - Max. 25 c
Clothing: Warm clothing and waterproof
Tourist Season: August to March.
Chai tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. The tea plant, Camellia Sans, is a cultivated variety of a planttree tea that has its origins in an area between India and China. There are three main varieties of tea plant - China, Assam, and Cambodia - and a number of hybrids between varieties. The variety China develops the highest of nine feet (2.75 meters). It is a hardy plant can withstand cold winters and has a lifespan of at least 100 years.
The Assam variety, a single stem tree ranging from 20 to 60 feet (6-18 meters) high. Regular pruning keeps its height to a 4 to 5 feet tall easier to manage. It has an economic life of 40 years with regular pruning and plucking. When grown at an altitude near that of Darjeeling (Assam) and Munnar (Kerala), it produces a tea with intriguing flavors, sought worldwide.
IN HAND teas
The offer of light-leaved Assam
The less tender dark-leaved Assam
The hardy Manipuri and Burma types
The very large leaves Lushai
The dark-leaved Assam plant in Upper Assam.
The variety of Cambodia, a single stem tree growing to about 16 feet (five meters) high, is not cultivated, but has been naturally crossed with other varieties.
The history of tea
Behind this mixture every day is a fascinating and turbulent history that winds through the social and cultural history of many nations. According to ancient legend, tea was discovered accidentally by a Chinese emperor in the third millennium BC a few tea leaves floated into his pot of boiling water somewhere.
Whether true or false, we will never know. In fact, there was no written reference to tea until the third century BC, until a famous Chinese doctor has recommended increasing the vigilance of a person. Most historians however agree that tea has been used in China long before that date.
Tea entered its "golden age" during the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century AD. Tea entered the era of rituals and traditions. No longer just drunk as a tonic medicine, tea was taken as much for pleasure as for its restorative powers. The preparation and serving of liquor produced in an elaborate ceremony, while the cultivation and processing of the sheet are well controlled.
The tea has become quite important during this period for a group of merchants in the commission of the writer, Lu Yu, to compile the first book on the subject - Classic of Tea. All tea produced in China was originally green.
However, with increased trade during the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368-1644), Chinese producers have been challenged to preserve the delicate qualities of tea during his long journeys, as far as Europe . The solution was the invention of new treatment methods for making black tea and fragrant flowers. Ming producers found that fermentation was able to preserve the tea leaves, making them suitable for long jo abroad.
