How green was my tea valley

When Eddy Davidar joined Southern India Tea Estates Limited (SITE) in 1953 in Peermade, Kerala, as assistant superintendent, he was the first Indian in an executive role in a sterling British company. The Raj was still alive, if somewhat diminished in magnitude, in Indian commerce and industry. Davidar was paid a fraction of his English counterparts, and was entitled to few of the general benefits such as paid trips to England, long leave (or "furlough"). Yet, rather than ranting this historical inequity "" in time, he ascended to the plum post of general manager "" he chooses to appreciate the lasting relationships he fostered with his British bosses and colleagues. More than a memoir of life as a tea planter, this book is a testament to preserving faith in humanity, regardless of race, creed or nationality.

In his bachelor days on a remote estate, Davidar passed evenings with his British colleagues and their families, and cultivated his interests of reading, playing tennis and hunting. There are several memorable anecdotes. Oswald Horrocks was the superintendent on Ladrum Estate, one of three owned by SITE. His impressive handlebar moustache complemented his fierce facade, which concealed his truly gentle interior. When living in his bungalow (later to be occupied by Davidar), Horrocks was perpetually spied on by his binoculars-wielding general manager. Desperate to preserve his privacy, Horrocks erected a lush hibiscus hedge in front of his bungalow that served as a colourful and effective screen. When a cow ambled in and feasted on the carefully-tended grass of the same bungalow, Horrocks acted upon the advice of the general manager to scare off the animal with a gun. He did so by simply shooting it, and had to face the wrath of the cow's owner, till death compensation was duly handed over. That aside, Davidar found Horrocks an immensely sensible, forthright man, who shared with his junior a love for fine gin and the science of the English language.

As part of his inspection duties, Davidar had to cover the whole hilly estate on foot. Then he acquired a motorcycle, which worked excellently on the narrow dirt paths, saving time and muscle expense. His superintendent, Richardson, permitted the use of the machinery and even repaired the bike when necessary. Unfortunately, the head honcho in SITE India, General Manager Madden, put a wrench in the enterprise when he found out. Presumably, a motorbike was the prerogative of the (British) senior executives, such as Richardson and himself. Not only was Davidar compelled to hike, but also he was instructed to cut across the fields to till the soil with his boots. Madden was also prone to somewhat hasty and irrational decision-making, in his eagerness to be the first at implementing something. A hilarious example is the use of geese to exterminate weeds in the tea fields. Naturally, the results were disastrous. Over time, he and Madden became friends, with a shared interest of reading, and the Englishman was happy to pass on his issues of Time magazine, a luxury in these days, to his subordinate.

Davidar started writing his memoirs at the age of 80, based on his recollections and sustained correspondence with friends and former colleagues in England. As such, the book reads like an esoteric collection of bedtime stories told by a kindly grandpa figure, without strictly adhering to a singular focus or continuity of time. The endearing personal touch is clearly the highlight of the book. Yet, one wonders if he is living in a bubble of relative comfort: little is told of the hardships and poverty faced by the pluckers and factory workers on tea estates of the erstwhile Travancore-Cochin district throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries. The language barrier and deep hierarchical divide between the Tamil and Malayali workers and their English managers must have begun the simmering discontent. That would certainly shed light on the root cause of the frequent labour union troubles that Davidar speaks of at great length.

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TEA & ME
A MEMOIR OF PLANTING LIFE

E S J Davidar
East West Books
202 pages, Rs 200