|
|
|
| Sunday, 21 August 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Ceylon Tea Museum's contribution to economy From Don Asoka Wijewardena in Hantane The Ceylon Tea Museum,the first and only one of its kind in the world, is on the Hantane Hills in Kandy. It is a unique project initiated by the Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) supported as promoters, the Sri Lanka Plantation Association, the Colombo Tea Trade Association, the Tea Research Association of Sri Lanka and the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority. Its many rare exhibits trace the history of Sri Lanka's tea industry back to the day when the first tea bush was planted on Loolecendera Estate in Hewaheta by a Scottish national James Taylor in 1867. Over five years James Taylor planted 10 acres of tea on Loolecendera estate and the first shipment of tea from the then Ceylon comprising 23 pounds in small packs, were exported in 1872 and the value of this shipment was Rs. 58, compared to the 280 million kilograms the country exported last year. The Ceylon Tea Museum at Hantane, three kilometres from Kandy city is served by a motorable road that circles the museum, provides easy access and adequate parking facilities for cars and tourist coaches. The museum consists of four floors. The ground floor and the second floor exhibit very old items of machinery and the first floor consists of a library and an auditorium with facilities for audio visual presentations. The third floor is allocated to tea sales outlets, where a selection of Sri Lanka's fine tea is available. The entire fourth floor is a restaurant. A panoramic view of the Kandy town surrounded by the beautiful Hunasgiriya, Knuckles Range and the Matale range of hills can be viewed through a telescope mounted on the fourth floor. The grounds surrounding the Tea Museum are to be landscaped with different varieties of teas. Kandy is a mandatory stop virtually on every tourist itinerary and the location of the Ceylon Tea Museum at Hantane enhances the attraction of the hill country to visitors. Additionally, its proximity to the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens and Loolecendera estate, where tea was first grown commercially in Sri Lanka makes Hantane the perfect location. Typical exhibits The typical exhibits at the museum include a "Little Giant" tea roller - a hand operated tea roller over 100 years old, a Hot Bulb Engine also over 100 years old, the first Tea Dryer ever made by W & Jackson called the Venetian, dryer is a special feature on display (1880). The oldest known packet of Ceylon tea, 56-year-old is still in its original packing, a photograph of the largest tea bush in the world showing 28 pluckers surrounding the bush holding outstretched hands, archives containing items belonging to James Taylor. A hand-written visiting agents's report dated June 25, 1895 and many more items depicting the evolution of Ceylon's greatest industry. The pioneer of the Ceylon tea industry was born in 1835 to Michael and Margret Taylor at Mosspark, Monboddo Estate near Laurincekirk in Kincardineshire, Aberdeen, Scotland. A bust photograph of James Taylor is on display as one enters the Tea Museum. When James Taylor passed away in 1892 at the age of 57, a small army of people bore his body to his final resting place Kandy's Mahaiyawa cemetery. A picture of his grave and gravestone are also on display in the museum. The concept of a Ceylon Tea Museum had been considered for quite some time, but it was only in 1997 that Clifford Ratwatte, the then chairman of the Sri Lanka Tea Board, initiated positive steps to make it a reality. Ratwatte who was involved in this project from the inception, had a series of discussions and then scoured the tea growing areas for an ideal location. After countless visits, whilst spending a night at the TRI guest house at Hantane, by sheer chance, Ratwatte spotted the totally abandoned and completely dilapidated Hantane factory which was literally in a state of collapse. No time was wasted in visiting the location, assessing its potential, especially its breathtaking view and immediately decided that the search had ended. The Ceylon Tea Museum was formed in January 1998 and the Hantane Tea Factory, built by Gordon Piper in 1925 and unused since 1986, was formally declared as the home of Ceylon Tea Museum. Unique findings A senior tea planter, Dhramasiri Madugalle, just retired with a wealth of experience and knowledge, was selected to serve as manager of the museum and from the very inception, he began tirelessly visiting tea estates around the island searching for old machinery and other items used in tea industry to be displayed in the museum. His unique findings include a 100-year-old water-driven Pelton. This was discovered outside the abandoned Girindiella factory in Rangala, buried 10 feet below ground level, with shrub grass growing over it. This exclusively water-operated machine provided the power to an entire factory in the days before electricity became the power source. Likewise many items of ancient machinery were discovered and brought to the museum, where they were cleaned, painted and repaired into working order and placed on display. These operations commenced in mid 1999 and continued resolutely and vigorously until the museum was formally opened. Under the professional guidance of Chandra Dissanayaka (the manager of the Kandy branch of Colombo Commercial Co. (Engineer) Ltd) and Sunil Amendra, a leading architect the restoration and refurbishment of the museum premises commenced in October 2000. Following one year of relentless work,the abandoned and dilapidated Hantane factory was restored to its former glory and completely refurbished to what it is today. On November 29, 2001, the Ceylon Tea Museum was formally opened by the then Minister of Plantations Industries Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka. James Taylor's contribution to the tea industry is duly acknowledged in the bronze tablet at the Planters Association Headquarters in Colombo, which commemorates the three pioneers of Plantation Industries George Bird (Coffee), James Taylor (Tea) and Henry Wickham (Rubber). Ceylon Tea Museum Company Chairman Ajit Goonetilleke said that the primary objectives of the Ceylon Tea Museum were to exhibit memorabilia, machinery, documents, books, pictures and objects of historical significance to the tea industry and to promote tea as a global beverage enhancing tea exports, to publish and distribute materials for the enrichment of the tea industry, to exploit the tourism potential of the tea industry, strengthening Sri Lanka's image as the world's largest exporter and to enhance the knowledge of Sri Lanla's youth and students on the history of the tea industry and its contribution to the economy. The Ceylon Tea Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15 a.m. to
4.30 p.m. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
