Production of Gendered Space Inside the Tea Gardens of Dooars, West Bengal

The origin of India’s tea plantations dates back to 1837. It began by bringing in young and able-bodied men from the backward, drought-stricken Chotanagpur region. However, it now employs more women than any other formal sector in the country. The tea plantations’ environment as a workspace, based on the gender identity of the workers, is the primary focus of this article. Within this industry, there is a clear separation between female and male workers. Female workers work in the gardens, while male workers operate in processing units or factories. Tea estates in the Dooars region of West Bengal have been chosen to analyse the gendered space and its dynamics. The way space becomes gendered and functions as an emancipatory agency for marginalised women has been examined here. This article explores the stresses and challenges that men and women employees face in the workplace, as well as the processes by which they overcome them. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests and narratives were applied to analyse how the gendered workspace functions.