Master.. oru strong tea!

It is loaded with antioxidants that are helpful in inhibiting the harmful effects of free radicals in the human body thereby preventing damage to healthy cells and tissues.  But, that is not exactly the reason why most people drink tea. Tea is synonymous (atleast in a PSU/Govt institute context) to a period of time that can be as short as 2 min to about half an hour when people get themselves updated on the latest news (read gossip!), add their  own twist to a new rumour doing the  rounds or simply think out of the box (office cubicle).

I am a big tea aficionado and am proud to be one. After all, tea is the most consumed drink in the world next only to water (animals are not privileged enough!). I feel a wave of warmth, freshness and happiness whenever I sip into a nice cuppa. Being fairly experienced in the topic, I now delve into some of the finer aspects of the concept of “tea adichchufying” (taking tea in colloquial tamil). Taking tea in your house or a restaurant is too banal to be written about. So, please let me introduce you to a description of the usual tea stall in my state. 

Tea stalls are a vital link in the Indian socio economic framework. They serve as the melting pot of expert opinion and local flavor on any topic from the day’s cricket match to the deplorable state of politics. The t-kada is an extremely important part of the culture of Tamilnadu to the extent that it enjoys great coverage in Kollywood movies. On close inspection, one can actually discover an entire genre of jokes related to the tea stall in our films.  Right from Vivek to Vadivelu and even Super star have been brand ambassadors for this humble stall. It would be injustice on my part to proceed any further without mentioning our beloved “Nair” brotherhood of Kerala and the popularity of the Nair Chai Kada. It is rumoured that when Armstrong first landed on the moon, he was greeted by the site of a Nair Chai shop and an SBI branch. Such is the ubiquitous nature of the tea stall in India.

The tea stall (provided it is good and established) is a landmark by itself. When you are lost in an area, I would recommend that you ask directions for a tea stall (which everybody knows by default), visit the place, order a tea, then ask for directions to your place (you will get the best possible directions including the modes of transport to take and whether or not you will get caught in traffic en-route). Some tea-stalls are complemented by the presence of “Iyengar Bakeries” nearby (which btw is material enough for at-least 2 full length posts)

The tea stall is generally characterized by wooden benches encroaching outside the actual “stall”. This is the place where the most diverse topics in the world are discussed thread bare. The stall has metal covers which double up as storage trays for the glass biscuit jars. The items in the jar range from biscuits of various sizes and shapes (Rs. 1 butter biscuit is compulsory) to cup cakes to murukku and so on depending upon the ingenuity of the tea stall owner. Tucked in between the “cycle gap” between the jars is the newspaper – the fuel that drives the conversation in the benches. A radio is generally a part of the tea stall and provides the latest updates to the busy junta who are not fortunate enough to enjoy the luxury of taking tea on the bench. (mind you, being on the bench here is no way related to the parlance used in an IT industry context)

In the heart of the tea stall stands the “master”. (The man who makes the tea) This proves beyond doubt the respect and supremacy accorded to the maker of the divine drink. He is the heart and soul of the ambience of the place. Every tea master has a unique style of making tea. I am not only taking about the taste, but the actual actions he performs in preparing the concoction. To cut a long story short, it essentially involves adding sugar, tea decoction and milk (not necessarily in the same order) and then mixing it well. In mixing lies the signature move of the tea master. Some have actually mastered the art of pouring tea from one vessel (held aloft) to another lowered vessel in the other hand separated by about 2 feet in most cases to an astonishing 4 feet (there are Youtube videos to support this figure!). Ahh.. finally you get your glass of tea.. You may be surprised to find that half the level of tea in the glass was because of the froth. Nevertheless, you should get yourself an accompaniment such as a biscuit or a murukku before taking the idyllic first sip.

And since I feel that this post has exceeded the originally intended length and for the fact that I have no ideas for a concluding statement, I better stop here and take a Tea break! Adieu.. and ya, I am thankful to the Chinese for giving the world this wonderful drink and a topic for my blog.