A BRIEF HISTORY OF TEA

The history of tea is long, complex and steeped in legend and lore. Like beer and wine, tea is an ancient beverage. Yet in some countries that are strongly associated with it, such as Great Britain, it was introduced only recently on the historical time scale. There is no evidence that clearly tells one about the first person who had the odd idea of taking leaves from the Camilla Sinensis plant and adding them to hot water to make a brew. It may have been an accident at first, with leaves from the bush floating into a heated kettle. But most certainly, tea is reputed to have been discovered in China in 2373 BCE, by Emperor Shen Nong, the father of agriculture and medicine.

Over centuries the tradition of tea has spread and evolved worldwide. From China it was adopted into Japan through Zen buddhism around the 6th Century. It eventually became their way of life with the conception of the Japanese tea ceremony “Wabi Cha” and the ennoblement of tea into a religion of aestheticism, referred to as “Teaism”

The Portuguese and other western seamen later made contact with the Orient. They were introduced to a beverage unlike any other they had known in their native countries. The importation of this then-expensive novelty rapidly made many of them wealthy. In the mid-17th century, Britain finally got into the act and began to import tea from China and the East Indies. As is obvious now, it became so popular that afternoon tea is now strongly associated with that country.

Simultaneously, tea was spreading to a lot of other countries at the same time. The United States, as some may remember, had a little 'ceremony' called the Boston Tea Party. As an act of protest against the heavy-handed British government, several Americans decided to dump large quantities of goods into the Boston harbor. In reaction, the British government closed the port and troops occupied the city which gave rise to a revolution. The results that followed changed the world forever.

Hence, it is safe to say that the practice of tea drinking goes way back in time. It has inspired thought and conversation for centuries. Research suggests that it offers an array of health benefits, helping more and more people to lead healthier lives. Its popularity is on the rise till date with a lot of avenues to buy tea online as well.

Let us take a look at some of the best stores to buy tea online.

• Sancha tea
• Teafloor
• Adagio teas
• Teatulia
• Vahdam Tea
• Palais des Thés

As stated above, tea has a long history that spans across numerous countries over thousands of years. It is a universal phenomenon with millions of people across the globe savoring it on a daily basis. Today, it is hard to imagine a world without tea. Whether one prefers white, green, oolong, or black; there is a tea for every occasion and mood!

Want to buy herbal tea online in Delhi? Sancha Tea boutique offers over 75 varieties of teas which includes blends of teas mixed with herbs, fresh flowers, Indian varietals, natural spices and revered single estate teas, They provide all types of teas like slimming tea, white tea and chai tea in Delhi.