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Dorje Mail
Treat this as a Dispatch from Darjeeling. Here you will find tales about your teas, fables about the tea estate, legends about its birds, trees, and animals, and stories about the people who work so hard to prepare it.
The 11 Monteviot Homestay for a Memorable Vacation
16 hours ago
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Regular enquiries for homestays in the Kurseong/Darjeeling area led us on a hunt so that we could make suggestions to Darjeeling Tea Lovers. After visiting many homes, we stumbled upon a real gem – 11 Monteviot Homestay.
Herbs and Habits
2 days ago
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Needless to mention are the beautiful Selim Hill Tea Estate tea bushes, putting out their bounty on acres and acres of land. From birth to death, from marriage to divorce, from meeting to greeting, from winning to losing, from party to party…… the one thing that is common, is a cup of tea.
On the Swing
2 days ago
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When I am on the swing, there is this constant feeling that if I kick hard enough, I can touch the sky. As I look out at tea bushes of Selim Hill Tea Estate, I get the feeling that if we work hard enough, we can swing fortune to our side and make Dorje Teas a household name.
Shades of Green
2 days ago
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The beauty of creation can be most obviously felt during Spring. New ideas and thoughts are pushing their way out. New leaves on the branches look spanking smart in their brand-new attire. There is joyous celebration in the surrounding buzz and chirp. This light green colour is the colour of innocence and inexperience. The fluorescent shade is like a flag that is being waved at the world to announce a new day and a new way. This green is called Lime Green or simply Spring Green.
It’s Time for ‘Herstory’
2 days ago
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Tea gardens are women centric. The gentle flick of the wrist to pluck the two leaves and bud is combined with the strength needed to climb up and down the mountain with the basket full of leaves. And all the while she is probably planning what to cook for lunch and dinner! Approach one of them and you will see a wide smile as if her task is as simple as drinking a cup of tea. Very few rise to the level of Sardaar. This is reserved by the men for men only.
Forest Rules
2 days ago
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Every Dorje Team Member realises that working at a Tea Garden is possible only if you are nature loving and nature fearing.
Showers of Blessings
7 days ago
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Waiting for the celestial nectar to kiss our beloved tea bushes is a lesson in patience and humility. The darkened clouds hover over us building hope, some streaks of lightening light up our eyes, but the wind entices them away to another land. We are left stranded outside the circle of love and fulfilment.
Dorje Easy Brew Boxes
In today’s fast paced life, it is always a race against time. We understand that a lot of things have to be on the GO. At Dorje Teas, we do not believe in tea bags.
Instead we have come up with the Dorje Easy Brew, On the Go Packs.
Dorje Hibiscus Tea
Humankind has always been on the hunt for happiness and beauty. At Dorje Teas, we spend time pondering on such treasured emotions. After much thought and effort, we present you with a cup of tea which conveys ideas such as love, happiness, and beauty - the Dorje Hibiscus Tea also represents life and vitality.
Goodricke Tea Vs Dorje Teas
Of course, you have been drinking Goodricke Tea for years and feel quite comfortable and do not want to change. However, we urge you to try Dorje Teas for the following reasons –
Unexpected Intrusions
Almost all relationships are need based. However, need is not the only factor that ties us to each other. Sometimes there is a shared experience, belief in the same values and ideas or just a tug from another lifetime.
Darjeeling Gold Roasted Milk Chai
After much research, trial and error, we have come up with the Darjeeling Gold Roasted Milk Chai. It has the goodness and style of Darjeeling Tea on the one hand, and the familiar taste of milk and sugar on the other hand. The Darjeeling Gold Roasted Milk Chai Is the first and only one of its kind.
Dorje Blue Pea Mint Tea – Beyond the Usual and Regular
Why should tea be only green in colour? What if it was the colour of dark blue skies and dark mysterious water? The Dorje Blue Pea Mint Tea has been created for those who want to break boundaries and go beyond the age-old traditional.
Dorje Marigold Ginger Tea – Bright and Beautiful
Marigold flowers are known as the ‘Herbs of the Sun’. These bright, cheerful things are perfect to inject an air of positivity into any day. At Dorje Teas, we realise that sometimes you need a reliable and familiar smile. The Dorje Marigold Tea is a celebration of positivity and happiness.
Dorje Jasmine Tea – Pearls of Fragrance and Purity
Jasmine tea is the most popular blend of Chinese tea and has been produced for more than 700 years. It was first produced during the Sung dynasty, by plucking the jasmine flowers as soon as they begin to bloom. This tea was reserved only for the elite, however, Dorje Jasmine Tea is available and affordable for everyone.
Dorje Gondhoraj Lemon Honey Tea – An Aromatic Journey
Living in West Bengal would be incomplete with the gondhoraj lemon – The king of scents. Dorje Teas decide to use this aromatic brew to provide a heady experience for the senses. In addition to being tasty, it is a great way to boost immunity. We present you with Dorje Gondhoraj Lemon Honey Tea
Dorje Lavender Tea – Lingering Sweetness on your Senses
In ancient times lavender was used as a holy herb. On further research, Dorje Teas realised that this gorgeous flower symbolizes purity, quietness, elegance, calmness, deluxe and Royalty. It was only natural that we should combine our Darjeeling Tea and come up with an exotic blend – Dorje Lavender Tea
Rose Tea | Hoovu Fresh x Dorje Teas
Our Rose Tea Blend is prepared in partnership with Hoovu Fresh. It is made using dehumidified Rose petals instead of any essential oils. This subtle tea blend is prepared with Organic Green Teas from the legendary Selim Hill Tea Garden in Darjeeling.
Dorje – A Homage to Darjeeling
The most important event after the birth of a child, an idea or a company is the name that is given to it. Simple as it sounds, the name ‘Dorje’ ticked all the boxes. Sitting among the clouds, like the thunderbolt, we want to be unbreakable, durable and eternal.
It Smiled in the Wild
The natural tendency of an orchid is to flower upside down. Gazing at its beauty made me think of all the different perspectives that life can have. It would be interesting, every once in a while, to change our viewpoint and look at things upside down. Maybe that is where the solution lies!
Soulmates from Sunrise to Sunset
The greatest comfort humans have is probably the fact that the earth keeps rotating at the same pace. The sun rises and sets every day. Though the sun’s journey remains the same, human voyage is ever changing and keeps altering human perceptions. On the Darjeeling Hills, sunsets and sunrises are exactly the same and yet so different.
Oranges are Orange
Darjeeling has always been well-known for its oranges. Come winter and everyone in Calcutta starts looking for the sweet Darjeeling oranges. I love a marketplace with its overflowing abundance of bounty. However, it cannot be compared to the sensuousness of watching oranges ripen on the tree. Until autumn, it seems no different from the many other trees that stand on the Himalayan slopes….after that there is an altogether different vibe to the tree.
Choose Tea over Coffee
If you do eat or drink too much caffeine, it can cause health problems, such as restlessness, insomnia, headaches, dizziness, fast heart rate and anxiety.
Flying Flowers
From the corner of the eye, you can see the butterfly flitting about. As it floats in the air, you can feel certain memories float to the surface of your psyche. No wonder the Greek call this creature ‘Psyche’. With eyes wide open, the butterfly coaxes you to day- dream a bit and acknowledge your secret desires.
Belonging, not just Fitting In
After some deliberation and thought, we decided the time was right to transport the tree to a more familiar destination. On its way from Calcutta to Darjeeling, I wonder if the tree felt scared, excited, nervous……or was it stoic like a tree is. Last year, during monsoon, the tree was planted at Second Chance House – a place for second chances at opportunities and happiness.
A Unique Gifting Idea
Prime Minister Modi gifted Darjeeling Tea to Queen Elizabeth. What about you?
Are you looking for a gift for a loved one?
Throughout the year, for different reasons and different seasons, we show our love through gifts. However, it is time to rethink the idea of gifting – Our gifts should reflect out thoughtfulness and mindfulness.
A Sun Dappled Sunday at Selim Hill
It was then time for a long walk before sunset. Day turned into dusk and conversation meandered through politics, family, friends and business (we are Marwaris you know). As night approached and the sky switched on the stars, I was content that I had spent the day well. God willing, we will keep the Sunday sacred at Second Chance House in Selim Hill Tea Estate.
“A Spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down”
The life cycle of the flower is fascinating. At a point, these aerial lotus buds start resembling small birds with a beak and an eye. Can we fly out of this life painlessly and attain Nirvana? The crescendo is building up to the climax. And the climax arrives in the after-bloom. The bud opens out resembling a flower with 5-6 large white petals. Folks from Bengal would immediately identify them with their hand made, dried sola flowers.
‘A leopard does not change its spots’
As wildlife enthusiasts, we have often visited sanctuaries and seen big cats whose whereabouts were scoured aforehand by forest rangers. Visiting a forest as a tourist and living in the forest as an inhabitant are two entirely different things. There is no aphrodisiac which gives you a high such as a chance and surprise sighting of a wild animal and that too a big cat!
Buy Whole Leaf Tea not Tea Bags
What are actually paying for?
When you buy Whole Leaf tea, the packaging cost is 10% of the total Cost of Production. When you buy tea bags, The packaging cost is 80% of the total cost of production. Which means you are for paying more for the packaging, (including stapler pins) than for the actual tea itself.
Say ‘Boo!’
Every Tea Garden Bungalow must have its own resident ghost. I was a little disappointed that Second Chance House (only 150 years old) at Selim Hill Tea Garden had no ghosts and visiting friends and family could not be enthralled with hair raising stories.
‘Morning of Darjeeling’ by Yoshida Hiroshi
This painting, in fact, resonates with the essence of Dorje Teas. It is our intention to remind people of the importance and hypnotic beauty of Darjeeling and bring it back to its former glory using techniques ancient and modern.
BRRR! The Dorje Cold Brew at your Rescue
If only there was a way to experience the brisk, unheated mists of Darjeeling or Dorje ling. We all long for a tall glass of cool and healthy something to hydrate ourselves with. Something that is completely non - hassle and can travel with us on a hectic day.
Dive Deep and Climb High
They tolerate arrogant human follies up to a point. When angered, both flex their muscles and showcase their actual clout. Amazingly, the ocean and the mountain hide many stories and many rivers in their bosom. It is beautiful how the mountain births the river and the ocean makes it immortal. How then are the two different? They are the beginning and end of the same story. They are contradictory, yet complimentary.
Dorje Chamomile Tea - It Heals and Invigorates
In the mad rush of life, filled with stress and difficulties, everyone wishes there was an easy way to wind down. Keeping this in mind, Dorje Teas has come up with a cup of tea that heals and invigorates - the Dorje Chamomile Tea
Dorje Orange Tea - Bursting with Love and Luck
What is life without love and luck? Orange peels are said to be packed with abundance, love, luck, clarity and divinity. Darjeeling has a deep connection with oranges. They are the golden fruit in the orchards of the Gods and the hills of Darjeeling. Dorje Teas, in keeping with these thoughts, has come up with the Dorje Orange Tea.