View source for Gandrapara and Lakhipara Tea Estates

{{Infobox park
| name = Gandrapara and Lakhipara Tea Estates
| alt_name = 
| photo = 
| photo_width = 
| photo_caption =
| type = 
| location = [[Jalpaiguri district]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
| nearest_city = [[Banarhat]]
| map = 
| area = 
| open = {{Start date|late 1800s/ early 1900s}}
| elevation = 
| owner = Goodricke
| operator = 
| visitation_num = 
| status =
| website =
}}
'''Gandrapara Tea Estate''' and '''Lakhipara Tea Estate''' are [[Tea garden (cultivation)|tea gardens]], located near each other in the [[Dhupguri (community development block)|Dhupguri]] [[Community development blocks in India|CD block]] in the [[Jalpaiguri Sadar subdivision]] of the [[Jalpaiguri district]] in the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]]. Both the tea estates are located in the north-central portion of the [[Dooars]].

==Geography==
{{OSM Location map
| width=400| height=300| zoom=9
| coord={{coord|26|37|0|N|88|47|0|E}}| float=left|caption='''Places and tea estates in Jalpaiguri Sadar subdivision (including Rajganj, Jalpaiguri, Maynaguri and Dhupguri CD blocks) in Jalpaiguri district'''<br/>CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, N: neighbourhood, C: cantonment, NP: national park/ wildlife sanctuary, TE: tea estate<br/>Abbreviations used in names – TG for Tea Garden (town/village), TE for Tea Estate, JRS: junction railway station<br/>Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
|mark-coord1={{coord|26|43|10|N|88|27|41|E}}| label-pos1=top|label1= Dabgram| numbered1=CT| mark-title1= [[Dabgram]] (CT)|label-color1= #800000 |label-size1=11| mark-size1=12|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1= #A40000|shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2
|mark-coord2={{coord|26|39|7|N|88|30|56|E}}| label-pos2=bottom|label2=Chakiabhita| numbered2=CT| mark-title2= [[Chakiabhita]] (CT)
|mark-coord3={{coord|26|39|35|N|88|28|7|E}}| label-pos3=left|label3=Binnaguri 2| numbered3=CT| mark-title3= [[Binnaguri, Rajganj]] (CT)
|mark-coord4={{coord|26|31|52|N|88|42|8|E}}| label-pos4=left|label4=Kharia| numbered4=CT| mark-title4= [[Kharia, Jalpaiguri]] (CT)
|mark-coord5={{coord|26|34|0|N|88|49|12|E}}| label-pos5=top|label5=Mainaguri| numbered5=CT| mark-title5= [[Mainaguri]] (CT)
|mark-coord6={{coord|26|32|50|N|88|50|17|E}}| label-pos6=right|label6=Dakshin Khagrabari| numbered6=CT| mark-title6= [[Dakshin Khagrabari]] (CT)
|mark-coord7={{coord|26|40|48|N|89|1|48|E}}| label-pos7=right|label7=Gairkata| numbered7=CT| mark-title7= [[Gairkata]] (CT)
|mark-coord8={{coord|26|46|40|N|89|2|26|E}}| label-pos8=right|label8=Banarhat| numbered8=CT| mark-title8= [[Banarhat]] (CT)
|mark-coord9={{coord|26|43|30|N|89|3|6|E}}| label-pos9=left|label9=Telipara TG| numbered9=CT| mark-title9= [[Telipara Tea Garden]] (CT)
|mark-coord10={{coord|26|30|10|N|88|43|48|E}}| label-pos10=right |label10=Jalpaiguri| numbered10=M| mark-title10= [[Jalpaiguri]] (M)| shape-color10=#800000
|mark-coord11={{coord|26|36|10|N|89|0|25|E}}| label-pos11=right|label11=Dhupguri| numbered11=M| mark-title11= [[Dhupguri]] (M) | shape-color11=#800000
|mark-coord12={{coord|26|45|20|N|89|3|20|E}} | label-pos12=right|label12= Binnaguri 1| numbered12=C| mark-title12=[[Binnaguri]] (C)|shape-color12=#AA6666
|mark-coord13={{coord|26|38|19|N|88|24|59|E}}| label-pos13=left|label13=Phulbari|labela13=checkpoint| numbered13=R| mark-title13= [[Phulbari, Jalpaiguri]] (R)|shape-color13= #A42222
|mark-coord14={{coord|26|34|50|N|88|31|43|E}}| label-pos14=left|label14=Rajganj| numbered14=R| mark-title14= [[Rajganj, Jalpaiguri]] (R)|shape-color14= #A42222
|mark-coord15={{coord|26|35|24|N|88|35|20|E}}| label-pos15=right|label15=Belakoba| numbered15=R| mark-title15= [[Belakoba]] (R)|shape-color15= #A42222
|mark-coord16={{coord|26|33|31|N|88|41|57|E}}| label-pos16= left |label16= Danguajhar TE | numbered16=TE| mark-title16= [[Danguajhar Tea Estate]] (TE)| shape-color16=#87A96B
|mark-coord17={{coord|26|48|17|N|89|0|13|E}}| label-pos17= right |label17= Gandrapara TE | numbered17=TE| mark-title17= [[Gandrapara and Lakhipara Tea Estates]] (TE)|shape-color17=black| label-size17=13|label-color17=black <!-- make the subject of the article stand out with black colors -->
|mark-coord18={{coord|26|49|45|N|89|0|53|E}}| label-pos18= top |label18= Lakhipara TE | numbered18=TE| mark-title18= [[Gandrapara and Lakhipara Tea Estates]] (TE)|shape-color18=black| label-size18=13|label-color18=black <!-- make the subject of the article stand out with black colors -->
|mark-coord19={{coord|26|41|20|N|88|25|50|E}} | label-pos19=right|label19=New Jalpaiguri JRS| numbered19=F| mark-title19= [[New Jalpaiguri Junction railway station]] (F)| shape-color19= #A40000
|mark-coord20={{coord|26|43|10|N|88|48|10|E}}| label-pos20=bottom|label20=Gorumara |labela20= National| labelb20= Park| numbered20=NP| mark-title20= [[Gorumara National Park]] (NP)| shape-color20=#228B22
|mark-coord21={{coord|26|52|40|N|88|51|18|E}}| label-pos21=bottom|label21=Chapramari |labela21= Wildlife| labelb21= Sanctuary| numbered21=NP| mark-title21= [[Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary]] (NP)| shape-color21=#228B22
|mark-coord22={{coord|26|43|43|N|88|35|40|E}}|label22= Teesta| label-color22 = #77A1CB| label-angle22=60| label-pos22=top| label-size22=10| mark-size22=0| mark-title22=none
|mark-coord23={{coord|26|38|0|N|88|39|40|E}}|label23= River| label-color23 = #77A1CB| label-angle23=50| label-pos23=top| label-size23=10| mark-size23=0| mark-title23=none
|mark-coord24={{coord|26|39|0|N|88|53|0|E}}|label24= Jaldhaka | labela24=River| label-color24 = #77A1CB| label-angle24=80| label-pos24=top| label-size24=10| mark-size24=0| mark-title24=none
|arc-coordA={{coord|26|30|0|N|88|25|0|E}}|arc-textA= BANGLADESH| arc-text-colorA=hard grey| arc-angleA=28| arc-gapA=3.5| arc-radiusA=0.4
|arc-coordB={{coord|26|56|30|N|89|6|30|E}}|arc-textB= BHUTAN| arc-text-colorB=hard grey| arc-angleB=20| arc-gapB=3.5| arc-radiusB=0.4}}

===Location===
Gandrapara Tea Estate is located at {{coord|26.80214|N|89.0036|E||display=inline}}.

Gandrapara Tea Estate is located the hilly northern part of the district close to the Bhutan border.<ref name="tea1">{{cite web | url = http://www.goodricke.com/tea-garden/dooars/gandrapara | title = Gandrapara | publisher = Goodricke |accessdate = 4 July 2020}}</ref>

Lakhipara Tea Estate is located at {{coord|26.82614|N|89.0148|E||display=inline}}

Lakhipara Tea Estate is located in the misty hills close to the Bhutan border.<ref name="tea2">{{cite web | url = http://www.goodricke.com/tea-garden/dooars/lakhipara| title = Lakhipara | publisher = Goodricke |accessdate = 4 July 2020}}</ref>

===Area overview===
The map alongside shows the [[alluvium|alluvial]] [[floodplains]] south of the outer foothills of the [[Himalayas]]. The area is mostly flat, except for low hills in the northern portions.<ref>{{cite book |author=Debnath, S. |year=2010 |title=The Dooars in Historical Transition |publisher=Shiv Mandir: N. L. Publishers|url=http://14.139.206.50:8080/jspui/bitstream/1/885/1/THE%20DOOARS%20IN%20HISTORICAL%20TRANSITION.pdf}}</ref><ref >Dinerstein, E., Loucks, C. (2001). {{WWF ecoregion|name=Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands|id=im0701}}</ref> It is a primarily rural area with 62.01% of the population living in rural areas and a moderate 37.99% living in the urban areas.<ref name="admin">{{cite web | url = http://jalpaiguri.gov.in/district-profile| title = Jalpaiguri | work =District Profile | publisher = District administration |accessdate = 13 July 2020 }}</ref><ref name="handbook">{{cite web |url = http://wbpspm.gov.in/publications/District%20Statistical%20Handbook |title = District Statistical Handbook 2014 Jalpaiguri |work = Tables 2.2, 2.4b |publisher = Department of Planning and Statistics, Government of West Bengal |accessdate = 13 July 2020}}</ref> Tea gardens in the [[Dooars]] and [[Terai]] regions produce 226 million kg or over a quarter of India's total tea crop. <ref>{{cite web| url =https://www.indiatea.org/tea_growing_regions |title = Tea Growing Regions | work= Dooars and Terai|publisher= Indian Tea Association | accessdate = 13 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.teaboard.gov.in/TEABOARDCSM/MTA=|title = Dooars-Terai |publisher= Tea Board India | accessdate = 13 July 2020}}</ref> Some tea gardens were identified in the 2011 census as [[census town]]s or villages. <ref>{{cite web| url = http://censusindia.gov.in/pca/pcadata/Houselisting-housing-WB.html |title = 2011 Census – Primary Census Abstract Data Tables | work= West Bengal – District-wise |publisher= Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India | accessdate = 13 July 2020 }}</ref>Such places are marked in the map as CT (census town) or R (rural/ urban centre). Specific tea estate pages are marked TE. 

<small>Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.</small>

==Etymology==
Gandrapara Tea Estae got its name from an illustrious Machia tribesman, Gandra Machia.<ref name="tea1"/>
the name Lakhipara means ‘the abode of Goddess [[Lakshmi]]’ in local languages.<ref name="diary">{{cite web | url = https://www.goodricketea.com/garden-diaries-dooars | title =Garden Diaries| publisher = Goodricke |accessdate = 4 July 2020}}</ref>

==The gardens==
Gandrapara Tea Garden was established in 1894.<ref name="tea1"/> Parnell, the first manager planted 258 acres in 1895. Duncan Brothers were the owners since inception. Goodricke took it over in 1978.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.goodricketea.com/garden-diaries-dooars | title = Garden Diaries| publisher = Goodricke |accessdate = 4 July 2020}}</ref>

Lakhipara Tea Estate produces [[Crush, tear, curl|CTC]] tea.<ref name="tea2"/> It was established in 1912.<ref name="diary"/>

==Goodricke==
Established in 1977, Goodricke owns 18 tea estates in India, all inherited from sterling tea companies, who operated from the late 1800s. Goodricke has 12 gardens in the [[Dooars]]. With its rich agro climate the area produces CTC tea. Goodricke’s tea gardens in the Dooars are: [[Danguajhar Tea Estate|Danguajhar]], [[Meenglas and Leesh River Tea Estates|Leesh River]], [[Meenglas and Leesh River Tea Estates|Meenglas]], [[Hope and Jiti Tea Estates|Hope]], [[Chalouni, Aibheel and Chalsa Tea Estates|Aibheel]], [[Chalouni, Aibheel and Chalsa Tea Estates|Chulsa]], [[Chalouni, Aibheel and Chalsa Tea Estates|Chalouni]], [[Hope and Jiti Tea Estates|Jiti]], [[Kumargram and Sankos Tea Estates|Sankos]], Gandrapara, Lakhipara and [[Kumargram and Sankos Tea Estates|Kumargram]]. <ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.goodricke.com/about | title = Overview| publisher = Goodricke |accessdate = 4 July 2020}}</ref>

Eight sterling tea companies viz., The Assam-Doors Tea Co. Ltd., Hope Tea Co. Ltd., The Lebong Chulsa Tea Co. Ltd., The British Darjeeling Tea Co. Ltd., The Chulsa Tea Co. Ltd., The Leesh River Tea Co. Ltd., The Danguajhar Tea Co. Ltd., and The Meenglas Tea Co. Ltd., were amalgamated with Goodricke in 1977.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.goodreturns.in/company/goodricke-group/history.html | title = Goodricke Group Limited – Company history and annual growth details| publisher = |accessdate = 4 July 2020}}</ref>

==Events==
Gandrapara Tea Estate is at times visited by herds of elephants, in spite of barbed wire fencing to prevent the animals from entering the garden. <ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.ndtv.com/kolkata-news/elephant-herd-barges-into-tea-garden-in-jalpaiguri-1208984 | title = Elephant Herd Barges Into Tea Garden In West Bengal's Jalpaiguri| publisher = NDTV |date= 20 August 2015|accessdate = 4 July 2020}}</ref>On the other hand Lakhipara Tea Garden faces problems with leopards straying in. <ref>{{cite web | url = https://siliguritimes.com/leopard-trapped-in-a-cage-in-lakhipara-tea-garden/ | title = Leopard trapped in a cage in Lakhipara Tea Estate| publisher = Siliguri Times, 14 February 2020 |accessdate = 4 July 2020}}</ref>

Although, most of the better organised tea gardens go in for periodical wage revisions of the workers with the trade unions, there are people who protest against the daily wage, considered to be low by many people, prevalent in the tea gardens.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/cover/the-brew-darkens/article6963043.ece | title = The brew darkens| publisher = The Hindu Business Line, 24 January 2018 |accessdate = 4 July 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|3}}

{{Jalpaiguri district}}

[[Category:Tea estates in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Jalpaiguri district]]