A tourist makeover for Darjeeling tea industry to beat a growing crisis

The region's storied estates are upping the luxe quotient by foraying into hotels and resorts

The Jungpana was once special for connoisseurs of Darjeeling tea — a fabled rival of Castleton, the crown jewel from the Goodricke stable, it fetched record prices and was a favourite with the Queen’s grocer, Fortnum & Mason.

It had a history going back to 1899 when British planter Henry Montgomery Lennox planted the first saplings. He was succeeded by G W O’Brien and after World War II, it was sold to the Rana family of Nepal.

In 1956, the Kejriwal family took over and held it till 2018. The ownership stints have gotten shorter since. In the last four years, Jungpana