BEVERAGE -- 4:

READING ABOUT TEA AS WE DRINK TEA

BY P S SUNDAR

‘Global Tea Digest 2015’, (GTD), the storehouse of statistical data on tea acreage, production, yield, prices, exports, import and domestic consumption relating to tea industry around the world, has come out.

“The data compiled in GTD are of great use to tea industry and trade for decision making.   They reflect the economic situation obtaining in current tea market with rising prices and consumption trends.  These data post a bright outlook for 2016”, Tea Board Executive Director C Paulrasu told me after releasing GTD on Dec 22, 2015.

“There is high demand from exporters for GTD as these data help on deciding their intake from India”, L C Singhania, Chairman, Coonoor Tea Trade Association, who received the first copy, said. 

“This is our fifth annual edition.   It contains 60 classified tables, 120 detailed tables and colourful graphs spread to 160 pages”, Rajesh Gupta, GTD compiler, noted. 

“The data relate to black tea, green tea and instant tea around the globe”, N Sriram, President, Global Tea Brokers (GTB), said.

“Details of tea grades, tea tasting terminology and glossary are also included in GTD”, GTB General Manager Senthil Kumar said. 

“The GTD is distributed free-of-cost as our dedication to tea industry and trade”, GTB Executive Hariprasath added.

Besides the widespread statistical data on tea industry and trade, some facts about tea listed in the GTD are as fascinating as the very beverage.

For instance, do you know that In Myanmar, people eat, not just drink, tea?

“Fermented or pickled tea is a national delicacy of Myanmar.  It is eaten as Tea Leaf Salad”, records Tea Glossary section of GTD.

“We have recorded many less-known facts about tea production and drinking round the world”, GTD Compiler Rajesh Gupta told me.

Chinese green tea from Zheijiang province is rolled into small pellet-size ball and dried.  So, it is called ‘Gunpowder’.  This tea’s colour is also like gunpowder. 

The 7^th Duchess of Bedford gave birth to ‘afternoon tea’ drinking practice in the 19^th century as she drank tea to stave off hunger pangs between lunch and dinner.  Finger sandwiches, cakes or pasties accompanied the ‘afternoon tea’.

Chinese and Japanese tea mixed with stalk and dust and moulded into bricks under high-pressure were carried by Asian travellers to drink tea on their way and it was called ‘brick tea’.  

‘Handkerchief tea’ got its name from large silk handkerchiefs which Chinese tea growers used to collect their very tippy tea.

‘Chunmee tea’ is Chinese green tea resembling the shape of human eyebrow.

Tea transported on camel from China to Russia in the past was called ‘Caravan Tea’.

In Tibet, ‘Butter tea’ is boiled tea mixed with salt and soda, strained into an urn containing butter and dried barley and churned.  It is served is a basin with lumps of butter.

Collectively, GTD is an asset to tea industry, trade, consumers and academicians / researchers. 

(response can also be sent to : pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)

FOOD -- 3::

NOW, NORTH INDIAN VEGETARIANS HAVE EXCLUSIVE FACILITY IN OOTY

 BY P S SUNDAR

In the context of North Indian tourists visiting the Nilgiris in large numbers not only during summer but throughout the year, hoteliers are focussing on specialised North Indian meals.

“The latest happening this summer is dedicating exclusive vegetarian North Indian restaurant facility to relevant tourists”, Rohit Jain, President, Ooty Citizens’ Forum, told  me.

Nitesh (left) & Rohit

“North Indian tourists account for nearly half the over 15 lakh domestic visitors to Nilgiris annually.   Many of them suffer for want of exclusive North Indian vegetarian food.   Instances of self-cooking and carrying packed dry food by such visitors surface underlying the need to create eateries to cater to them”, he noted.

"in this context, Pakwan Restaurant centrally located in Commercial Road is a welcome addition for quality North Indian vegetarian cuisine from 12 noon to 3 pm and 7 to 10.30 pm", Rohit said. 

“After year-long survey of tourists’ requirements, we have launched for this summer North Indian vegetarian Thali in our exclusive North Indian vegetarian restaurant”, disclosed Nitesh Jain, Managing Partner, Pakwan Restaurant, Ooty.

“Priced ` 199, the Pakwan Thali is unlimited with over 10 cuisines to complement varieties of roti/Naan/Kulcha.  There is ala carta service as well with Jain food variant for each”, said General Manager Ranu Das. 

“Tourists also enjoy our vegetarian  kabas, Mughlai, Lucknow and Punjabi delicacies.  We also give a touch of Italian and Chinese vegetarian cuisine”, Chef Ganesh Prasad noted. 

His signature dish is Potli Biriyani, vegetables deep fried but covered with Roomali to give a totally different look and taste.

We enjoyed Fatuse Salad comprising bread, lettuce, capsicum bathed in vinegar, vegetbale-laced Longe Fong soup, Roomali Chaa, Aloo soyabean ki tikki, corn capsicum masala, paneer bhurji, dal Maharani, veg Pujlao, curd rice and semiya kheerbesides roti, Naan and pappad. 

"We change the Thali menu every day to afford variety to  guests.  We are also on the expansion mode.. this June, we intend opening our restaurant in Royapettah, Chennai.. Our next restaurant is in Bangalore", Nitesh Jain said. 

BEVERAGE -- 2 ::

VALUE ADDITION WITH TEA

(ARTICLE IN CONTEMPORARY TEA TIME JAN-MAR 2015)

BY P S SUNDAR

HAPPENING -- 2 ::

TAJ SCHOLAR AWARDS PRESENTED

BY P S SUNDAR

Among the welfare measures the Taj group adopts is the 'Learn At Taj' facility for the wards of associates.   It is a twin project -- honouring the children with their parents on the stage during the Annual Day marking the Year of Associates as also providing free education to the meritorious kids.   

Three bands are identified to entitle children benefit on level-playing ground :: 

1. Senior Taj Scholar (Std VII - X) 

2. Middle School Taj Scholar (Std V and VI)

3. Junior Taj Scholar (Std 1 - IV).

There are well-defined rules to select the topper among the eligible contestants in each category. 

This year, The Gateway Hotel Coonoor had the pleasant task of bestowing an additional honour on a girl student. K Nivetha, daughter of N Kumar of Material Department, had done the Nilgiris district, her school (St Mary's Girls' Higher Secondary School, Coonoor) and the hotel proud by bagging Third Place in Tenth standard Public Exam in the Nilgiris district in the year just gone-by.  Scoring 491 marks out of 500 (yes, just 9 marks short of the total!!), she has scripted a new history for the Taj Scholar Award at Gateway Coonoor.   And, the hotel responded by honouring her at the Annual Get-together of the families of employees on Feb 24, 2015.

Prakash Nair, General Manager (Learning and Development), Taj Group, Kochi, presented ‘Taj Scholar 2014-15’ awards to her.  

"Besides this, we also crowned her,  ‘Taj Senior Scholar’ ”, Gateway General Manager R Muralidharan told me.

“R Dharshan and R Harini, both from Stanes Anglo-Indian HS School, Coonoor, and children of Chef Ramalingam, became ‘Taj Middle’ and ‘Taj Junior’ Merit Scholars”, Muralidharan said.

“Their education is practically free as Taj will pay for their school fee, uniforms and books”, Antony Gerald, Human Resource Manager of Taj group of Hotels, Nilgiris, announced. 

HOTEL - 4::

GATEWAY ASSOCIATES' GREAT WAY FOR FAMILY GET-TOGETHER

BY P S SUNDAR

A striking feature of the annual family get-together marking the ‘Year of Associates’ at The Gateway Hotel Coonoor is that the senior-most staff in the roll is made the ‘Chief Guest’.   Of course, such previous Chief Guests are not counted to decide on the staff enjoying the honour in the year.   I understand that this practice introduced by the then General Manager R Pashupathy (now retired) is working well with the employees, professionally called, Associates.   Other important dignitaries are called ‘Guests of Honour’.

“We arrange to pick up our Chief Guest and his/her family members, give them a warm reception with garland and welcome drink of ‘Coonoor delight’ , check them into a room and explain to the family members the facilities and amenities available to the room guests.  We also encourage them to make room orders with in-house catering department.   This gives the entire family members a feel to appreciate the services rendered by the ‘chief guest’ in the hotel every day”, D Antony Gerald, Human Resources Manager, Taj group of hotels, Nilgiris, told me.

CHIEF GUEST D RAVI

Soon after the lady associates lit the traditional lamp to mark the opening of the annual meet followed by a welcome dance, I noticed D Ravi of Engineering department, who was the Chief Guest at the 24^th Gateway Family Get-together on Feb 24, 2015, enjoying the limelight with his family members.  On the stage where he was honoured, he expressed his gratitude to the management for this privilege.

CHIEF GUEST D RAVI

PRAKASH K NAIR

P VIBHAKAR

As in the past few years, I was the only non-Taj ‘Guest of Honour’ as the other four were General Managers – Prakash K Nair (Learning and Development – Kerala, based in Cochin), P Vibhakar (Taj Savoy Hotel, Ooty), B C Kumar (Vivanta by Taj – Surya, Coimbatore) and R Muralidharan (The Gateway Hotel Coonoor).   All of them felicitated the employees and families on the occasion.

B C KUMAR

R MURALIDHARAN

In my key-note address, I used the occasion to drive home the message that the entire family has to support the employee concerned for growing together.  “Just as Mumbiakars regard Taj Mahal hotel there as an icon of the city, so do Coonoor residents regard Gateway – they enjoy telling their guests that there is Taj Gateway Hotel in their town although many would not get an opportunity to enter the campus.   If others are so proud of Gateway, the employees should be doubly proud.  And, what makes Gateway a special hotel for the guests is not just the expanse campus, parking lot, lawn, heritage building or, wellness centre but more importantly, the service rendered by the smiling staff members”, I said.

“This hotel has been posting consistent growth in almost all parameters – business, profit, guest and employee satisfaction etc.  That is because of the  service rendered by the staff at all levels.   In reciprocation of this, the employees get salary, status in society as Taj employee and welfare measures.  And, when they sacrifice their domestic chores to fulfil their professional commitments, the family steps in to shoulder their personal responsibility.   So, collectively, there is ‘Group Action for Tourism, Environment, Welfare, Active Food and Yeomen service’ which abbreviates into GATEWAY”,  I explained, much to the appreciation of the family members.  

General Managers, Prakash K Nair, Vibhakar and Kumar besides me presented prizes to winners in various competitions that had been held for the staff.

The associates and their family members staged a variety of programmes which entertained the audience.  Mementos were given to them.  

 

“We thoroughly enjoyed this evening.   It helped us get an idea on the local culture”, Hans Cizik and his wife Edith from Vienna told me.  Besides cheering, clapping hands and applauding loudly, this couple took many photos.  “We are impressed with this commitment. We will help to bring more European tourists”, they told me.

Muralidharan, who gave details of revenue to show the progress Gateway Coonoor has made, honoured five associates who had put in over 300 days of work last year -- Sathish (320 days), Martin (312), Logesh (310), Vijay (304) and Peter (302).   “This meant that out of 365 days, these men remained in the hotel for over 300 days.  We are very proud of them because they are the pillars and backbone helping this hotel achieve whatever I hailed now”, Murali said.

Murali also presented ‘long service award’ to N Kumar (15 years), Pandurangan (15 years) and R Nagaraj (20 years).

N KUMAR

R PANDURANGAN

R NAGARAJ

The overall championship for women was awarded to Malathi and men to Paulraj.

The family members were treated to a sumptuous dinner after National Anthem was sung but before that, Antony Gerald honoured the team and Master of Ceremonies that worked to put this show in order – Logesh, Martin, Suresh, Sathish Kumar, Sathish, Paul Raj, Prasad and Dharmaraj.  

SOME MEMBERS OF THE ORGANISING COMMITTEE

    

PROFILE - 1 ::

MURALI IS WORKING TO GET THE HOTEL DECLARED AS ‘HERITAGE PROPERTY’

BY P S SUNDAR

Whenever I interact with R Muralidharan, General Manager, The Gateway Hotel, Coonoor, I never miss the passion embedded in him to integrate the hotel with the society living in the Nilgiris district.    This is a vital factor that has resulted in the residents, more so those in Coonoor and its circumference, holding with pride that a Taj brand, The Gateway, is in their area.   I am forced to draw an elegant parallel to this in Mumbai where the residents hold Taj Mahal Hotel as an icon of the metropolitan city.

Murali has been highly responsive to the call of the neighbours not to cause air pollution through high decibel music during celebrations or otherwise create traffic jam!  

There may be an underlying reason for Murali’s proactive role in this – he hails from the Nilgiris.  And, equally significant, he began his career in the Nilgiris as Front Office Assistant with Taj Savoy Hotel Ooty in 1987 and was Front Office Manager (and Account Manager) at Taj Garden Retreat (now, Gateway) in Coonoor from 1992 to 2003.  And, he had useful exposure at Taj Garden Retreat Madurai and Thekkadi (where he was unit in-charge) and Taj View Agra before returning to Taj Garden Retreat in Coonoor as Operations Manager in 2008.  He became unit in-charge here in 2012.   Two significant changes happened during this tenure – in 2009, Taj Garden Retreat became The Gateway Hotel and in 2015, Murali became General Manager.

He heads a team of about 70 including eight departmental heads in Gateway Coonoor that has 32 rooms including executive suites, GAD restaurant, bar, banquet hall, wellness and recreation centres.  And in the GAD, in line with the corporate policy of the Taj group, ‘Regional food’ is served – Badaga dishes prepared home-style by housewives of Badaga, the predominant community of the Nilgiris. 

Among the mentionable works he had carried out was renovation of bathrooms in this 156-year-old property.   “In most rooms, we replaced bath-tub with shower thereby saving water usage.  Upgradation followed automatically”, he told me.

His another accent was on improving the water supply source. “Considering the acute water scarcity in Coonoor, we have dug wells in the hotel premises as also in our land at Bundhumi.  The water has been certified to be potable and we are now self-sufficient.  We are currently working on harvesting rain water all over the campus”, he noted.

Environmental care has always been in the forefront. “Besides observing environment day annually and also planting trees regularly, we have embarked on recycling of used water through aerobic-cum-microbial treatment plants and the water is used in gardens”, he disclosed.

The gardens themselves have been improved.  “We grow vegetables and herbs in our garden organically which we use in the 

hotel kitchen. We have created wire cover to protect the vegetables from monkeys.  Of late, we have planted 60 lime trees”, he said.

Among the innovation creditable to Murali is his ingenuity in planting Kurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) in the garden.  Kurinji is a wild flower with varying blooming cycles and is a favourite for tourists.  However, tourists are required to travel long distances to see Kurinji during their blooming season.   It has mostly been unsuccessful to plant Kurinji in garden but, Murali’s attempt proved successful in taking Kurinji to the doorsteps of the guests. My article on this has won many accolades.

The complex housing the wellness centre itself has undergone welcome changes.  It is surrounded by vegetable and herbs gardens.  There is a well-equipped gymnasium.   There are separate facilities for Ayurvedic massage for men and women.  There is a reading room besides a recreation outfit.  “Guests are happy with this”, Murali told me.

“Two major happenings for the welfare of staff are upgradation of their quarters with added security and development of second-line management through promotion.  It is satisfying to note that a chef of our unit Ramachandran won title in the international contest, ‘Red Hot Chef’. All employees participate in all unit-centric activities including supplying food and materials to the needy as part of corporate social responsibility measures”, Murali noted.

“Among the encouraging results – we have ISO 22000 certification, Silver level in Earth Check certification, 8 to 10 per cent growth in business annually, 10 per cent growth in guest satisfaction and telling growth in employee satisfaction”, he revealed.

For 2015, my Agenda is to get this hotel classified as a ‘Heritage Property’ in recognition of its 156 year existence with traditional values”, Murali summed up.

On my part, I am waiting for my long-pending suggestion to have the Bougainville tree opposite to the hotel’s portico declared as the largest Bougainville among hospitality institutions in the Nilgiris.   Equally, I am waiting for the installation of the Board to announce the ‘Kurinji Garden Lawn’ with details of the blooms cited.  

CELEBRATION - 10:

CELEBRATING VIRAT KHOLI'S CENTENARY AT GEM PARK

BY P S SUNDAR

Tourists, including foreigners, cheered Virat Kholi’s century at ICC World Cup Cricket on Sunday with ‘Virat’s Kozhi’, a special dish in his honour, comprising boneless chicken flavoured with garlic at Gem Park Hotels and Resorts Ooty.

My article in today's The New Indian Express::