Merico Tea Estate

Merico Tea Estate is located right in the village of Kalchini. We are part of the Alipurduar Taluka, and the railway station is pretty close by. Being so near the tracks means we hear the trains coming and going all day long. It’s a busy sound, but you get used to it. The estate is where we spend all our time. It’s a lot of physical work, especially during the picking season. We have a small group of people who help us out. The village life is quiet in some ways but very busy in others. We aren't some massive company with offices in the city. We are right here on the ground in Kalchini. The air is usually fresh, though it gets very humid when the rains come. We focus on the tea and nothing else. There’s no marketing department here. We just grow what we grow and hope for a good season. Sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate, and we just have to wait it out. That’s just the way it is with this kind of work. People from the village often stop by to talk or see how the crop is looking. We’ve lived here a long time, so we know the land well. It’s not a glamorous job, but it’s what we do. We just keep our heads down and work. If you're at the Kalchini station, you’re not far from us at all. We’re usually around if you need anything.