Paper short abstract:

From colonial novelty to global commodity, this paper unveils the journey of tea in India. It explores how colonialism transformed traditional food system with tea, and how it's commercialized today. It highlights tea's dual role in propaganda and resistance, showcasing its colonial legacy.

Paper long abstract:

Tea, one of India's most beloved beverages, carries a rich and complex history that is inextricably linked to the colonial and post-colonial narrative of the subcontinent. This paper aims to explore how tea, as a colonial product, has transformed the traditional food systems of India, and how it has become a commercialised and standardised commodity that caters to the imperial tastes of the global market today. Tracing the history of tea in India from its introduction by the British in the 19th century to its widespread consumption in the 20th and 21st centuries, the paper will be focusing on the similarities and differences between the two epochs of production of tea. It will also examine how tea has been used as a tool of propaganda, nationalism, and resistance by both the colonisers and the colonised, and how it has reflected the complex and contradictory nature of colonialism.

The data will be drawn from secondary literature centred around interpreting related archival/historical sources, such as advertisements, newspapers, travelogues, and memoirs, as well as recent literature covering contemporary value of tea and a brief outlook on its advertisements, and media representations. By shedding light on the cultural and political symbolism of tea and its profound interconnectedness with India's ever-evolving social and economic landscape, this work contributes significantly to our broader understanding of the beverage's enduring significance in its production and consumption, and to its broader post-colonial discourse.