wm-times-july16

Elegant and graceful, Jayati is the quintessential Tea lady. She keeps a lovely home,

reads a lot, loves knitting and is an avid gardener.

he planters' club has always been an integral part

of a planter's existence in Tea. So many tales have

been swapped about the 'good ole days' at the club

and yet so many more are in the making even as the times

are 'a-changing'.

Nestled in the Eastern part of the Dooars in the brand

new district of Alipurduar in North Bengal is one such

club: The Chuapara and Central Dooars Swimming

Club. Records date its existence since before the 1940s.

As the name suggests, it was formerly the 'watering hole'

for only two estates – Chuapara and Central Dooars.This

changed in the late nineties with the Polypack Packet Tea

Division being set up and the acquisition of three more

estates, namely Bhatpara, Jaibirpara and Mathura. From

a mere fifteen odd members the club was suddenly

bursting at its seams, boasting more than fifty members.

Home to many seasoned planters, the club has, over the

years, welcomed into its fold many rookie planters and

many shy young brides who have left its comforting

bosom teary-eyed when the time came for transfers to

new districts.

Despite its diminutive club house in the days of yore, it

boasted its own swimming pool, a hard court for tennis,

a squash court and a small field for badminton in the cold

weather that also doubled up as a 5-a-side football field.

In fact, the Inter-Company Quadrangular 5-a-side

football was hosted here several times, the last being held

in November 2000. This used to be played between the

estates of Assam, Darjeeling, Dooars and Head Office.

Till the recent past, due to fewer

members, the club had only one main

lounge/bar, a verandah and a service

pantry-cum-kitchen with a powder room

for ladies and a gentlemen’s restroom. Around

2006-07 with an increased membership and the addition

of many children, the need for a children’s room was felt

and finally around 2010/11, one was added to the existing

club house.

As in the rest of the world, the effect of global warming

was felt even in this tiny corner and so the air conditioner

made its entry around 2007-08. A pool table was also

The Chuapara and Central

Dooars Swimming Club

~ Jayati Thapa

Chuapara T.E.

July 2016