What Caused Marginalization: A Study of the Tea Plantation Women of Cachar

Plantation industry, one of the major industries of the world, is a product of colonialism in India. Its discovery in Assam in 1823 was followed by the expansion of the industry in different parts of the state. Its establishment in Cachar in 1856 had resulted in the recruitment of huge number of labourers from the Eastern and Southern most parts of India. While both men and women labourers were victimized by the process of marginalization, the worst victims were the women labourers. This paper deals with the Tea garden women of Cachar district, who remain marginalized over the years. It is an attempt to explore the reasons that caused marginalization of these women workers. The paper is divided into two parts. While Part I is an attempt to understand the concept of marginalization, Part II is an attempt to explain the major causes behind the marginalization of Tea Garden women workers.