Latest news with #Nilgiris
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Had your fix of coffee from Kalimpong yet?
For over a century, Kalimpong has been synonymous with hills draped in emerald tea estates, medicinal plants like the cinchona, and in more recent decades, cardamom, and even betelnut. Now, the town is fast emerging as a notable centre for coffee cultivation – of the Arabica variety. A Coffee Renaissance Takes Root While recorded history places the 'new' origin of Kalimpong coffee to only the last decade or so, the beginning could be much older. Rishi Raj Pradhan, cafe owner and roaster, traces the origins of coffee in Kalimpong back to the colonial era, citing a painting in an early 20th-century church – of a missionary bowing in front of what is 'possibly a coffee plant'. ·Since 2018, some 1,200 Kalimpong farmers have taken up coffee farming, shifting from traditional crops to high- altitude Arabica that's in high demand overseas – with exports reaching markets like Australia and the UK. ·Starting from a pilot effort in 2018 that saw these farmers planting saplings over 345 acres, a full-scale push followed from the state horticulture and fruit processing department. By 2022, nearly 70 quintals of coffee cherries had been harvested from both government-owned and private farms. A Different Taste So how is Kalimpong coffee different in taste from Chikmagalur or Nilgiris Arabica? According to coffee connoisseur Argha Sen, the primary flavour profile is 'rustic'. 'The dark roast variety of the coffee I have been drinking definitely has a bite, a lovely fragrance; it does not taste like the polished, well-rounded, machine-finished coffee. It has an edge, it is very robust. Certainly strong, but with a nice, lingering fragrant aftertaste,' Sen explained. Kalimpong coffee feels 'fruity', because 'it is probably grown along with oranges,' said chef and restaurateur Ishita Rai Dewan, who has been serving Kalimpong coffee at her properties since 2023. 'The main difference from Nilgiris coffee is in the aftertaste. Down south, it's that of cocoa; the Kalimpong variety tastes sweeter,' she said. 'Kalimpong coffee is for slow Sunday mornings,' said Pravesh Chhetri, restaurateur, whose cafe is a bustling hotspot both in Kalimpong and Kolkata, 'It comes in a lighter version as a French press/pour over drink, with a mellowed-out flavour profile. It is not mild, but has a taste that you'd perhaps want to savour over some time.' The best brews for KPG coffee ·Ideally, as French press/aeropress and pourover to enjoy its rustic, hilly, fruity flavour ·This coffee is grown on soil that grows oranges, berries and other fruits — a mellow version might reveal all flavours. No milk, please ·This is strong coffee — so it would make a robust espresso, depending on the roast. Best to try a single shot in that home machine, before you try a double ·Slow sips score over a quick shot A new identity for Kalimpong Kalimpong's coffee journey reflects more than just change of crop. It represents a shift from a tea-dominated legacy to a diversified, sustainable livelihood. Driven by community ambition and institutional backing, the fruity brew, with a bite, rising from these hills holds the potential to become one of India's most celebrated coffees. A crop with promise The four major coffee-growing clusters include the hamlets/regions of Bhalukhop, Gimbaling, Algarah and Lalay Gaon, while private growers in Burmik and Sangsay have converted fallow land into shade-grown coffee patches. With cardamom and ginger yields slumping drastically in recent seasons, coffee represents a lifeline. Shifting to coffee made sense to many farmers — and with the market picking it up, there is hope. 'The quality of Kalimpong coffee is proven, and we are now finding ways to boost production,' said Samuel Rai, director of the Directorate of Cinchona and Other Medicinal Plants Where to get your fix In Kolkata, one can get Kalimpong Coffee from the West Bengal government's official outlets – the Biswa Bangla stores all around town. The price of the 140g filter coffee jar is ₹399. You can also drop by at the Art Café Kalimpong, Cloud 9, Biker's Café Kalimpong to get your fill. Even better if you can source it directly from the farms in Algarah or Mangpu and roasters like Himali's Highland Coffee. A strong thrust to boost production The state horticulture department, in collaboration with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), has launched a five-year roadmap to build a sustainable coffee ecosystem. This includes: ·Branding and GI-tagging efforts n Formation of farmers' interest groups (FIGs) ·Training programmes with institutions like the Indian Institute of Management ·Establishing community nurseries and micro-processing units ·The coffee is marketed as the 'Kalimpong Coffee' brand in state-owned stores like Biswa Bangla. A handful of private brands also have a strong presence. Quote blurbs: I personally feel that Kalimpong coffee can be best enjoyed in a lighter version as a French press/pourover drink – Pravesh Chhetri, restaurateur Kalimpong coffee feels fruity, because it is probably grown along with oranges – Ishita Rai Dewan, chef, entrepreneur and restaurateur Like Darjeeling tea, our aim is to establish Kalimpong coffee as a brand – Samuel Rai, director, Directorate of Cinchona and Other Medicinal Plants The flavour profile of Kalimpong coffee is rustic; it has a bite, a lovely fragrance. It has a mountain edge and is very robust. Certainly strong, but with a nice, lingering, fragrant aftertaste – Argha Sen, food expert and self-confessed 'coffee nerd'
Time of India
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sandesh Kadur's journey into man and animal co-existence
1 2 3 An evening walk in the misty Nilgiris with Nandan and Rohini Nilekani sparked a new mission for wildlife filmmaker and photographer Sandesh Kadur . 'No one had captured the Nilgiri biosphere on film until now — it felt urgent,' says the Bengaluru-based filmmaker. 'We wanted to show how people and the wild have learned to live side by side. ' The result: Nilgiris, A Shared Wilderness — a film crafted over three years from 400 hours of footage, whittled down to a gripping 75-minute narrative. It's not just a story of landscapes and biodiversity, but of a delicate, shifting balance between humans and nature. 'Nature is not a backdrop—it's a relationship' 'The Nilgiris sees massive tourist footfall— that won't change. What can change is awareness,' he says, adding, 'Mainstream films like ours aim to build empathy, especially in children. That's where it begins.' Kadur's team witnessed wild animals and local communities adapting to each other in real time. 'Years ago, animals stuck to the forests. Now, you might spot a leopard lounging on a boulder in a tea estate. That's co-existence,' days Kadur who also has footage of a wild cat relaxing against the backdrop of the city. 'Most unforgettable moment while filming' 'There were many, but watching a young hornbill take its first flight stands out,' says Kadur. 'Hornbill parents seal their chick inside the nest for safety, feeding it daily. We watched for weeks as a tiny beak poked out of the bark, and eventually, the chick was coaxed out by its parents—especially the male—who stopped feeding it to encourage flight. When it finally launched into the air, it was pure magic.' My advice to aspiring wildlife photographers is to have and remember the three Ps - Perseverance, Patience, Passion - Sandesh Kadur 'Shooting the Nilgiris wasn't a walk in the woods' Covering the 5,500 square-km Nilgiri biosphere—spanning Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala—was a logistical challenge. 'And choosing which species to include was brutal,' he laughs. 'Some team favourites—like the star-eyed bush frog and horseshoe pit viper—didn't make the final cut. But we're hoping to feature them in short-format content online,' he says.
