The 1838,the tea manufactured in Assam was send to the London Tea Auction Centre .They highly appreciated it and hence a huge change came into Agricultural Sector in Assam and India.The forest areas of Assam were replaced by a number of green tea gardens. As it turned out to be a profitable business so many companies from Britain came and started tea cultivation in Assam.(
But for them it was not an easy task as they had to depend on Chinese Tea Makers for tea plantation.These tea makers were secretly brought from China .The companies had to face difficulties because the Chinese Tea Makers knew only Chinese language . So,they had to communicate through body gestures for which the progress of the work was slow.
Gradually ,the situation had changed . A number of local people of Assam received training under the Chinese tea makers and they became efficient for the task . These people got engaged in different tea gardens and hence the necessity of Chinese tea makers got reduced in the gardens.
Another problem that the company faced was scarcity of unskilled labourers. Tea industry is basically a labour oriented industry . Labourers were required for clearing the areas for tea cultivation , plantation of tea , collection of tea from them ,to carry it to the factory etc . It was not possible for the company to arrange such huge amount of labourers. The local people were cultivators at that time and there was no crisis of food for them. They were least bothered about the hard work required in tea gardens. But, as time passed,this problem of labourer was solved .
At that time ,famine broke out in a number of states in India due to drought . People struggled for survival in those states. The company took advantage of this and brought those people to Assam to work in the tea gardens as labourers. Accomodations were provided to them by constructing small huts in a line systematically. In future these lines of huts got its name as 'Labour Line.' To supervise the labours works, to inspect the factory works ,for doing various paper works..etc a new class wad created . These people had minimum qualifications and were local people . For their accomodations new houses(which were better than the labourers) were constructed.
In this way, societies were created in the tea gardens. There existed 3 classes of people- manageral, clerical and the labour class. There was huge class conflict that existed among them. Manager had the power of supreme authority and his words were law in tea gardens. Managers were provided with many facilities and big bungalows were provided for accomodations and clubs were constructed to chat and gossip in the evening . The labourers and clerical workers were not allowed to go towards the bungalows and the clubs .
The labours belonged to the lower class.They were not allowed to mix with the clerical workers as well and were not allowed to go towards their quarters . If they confronted with any manager then they had to bow down , close their umbrellas etc. Every Saturday ,the labourers were given weekly wages by cash and cheap local wine was also provided . The main objective was to keep them away from social gathering so that they cannot unite and raise their voices against the company..
These labourers who came from different states of India gave up their languages and adopted a common mixed language . They accepted Assam as their motherland. At 5.00 AM when the siren rang ,they were suppose to go to their work.Both men and women had to work in different levels in the process of manufacture of tea.
Slowly a new culture started growing ..They started observing new festivals based on different seasons. To enjoy in the festivals a new dance form came up called 'Jhumur'. Along with dance, they started using a musical instrument called 'Madal'.
Jhumur Dance.
The drum used while dancing'Madal'.
Jhumur dance of the tea gardens.
In 1947, the British rule came to an end and India gained independence .But the rules that were introduced by britishers in tea gardens remained the same . Even today the labourers are the deprived class.They live in a very unhygenic condition in labour line. Every year a large number of people die due to malaria and jaundice. The government is trying to improve their condition to a certain level yet more efforts and enactment of new laws in favour of them is essential in present time..