The Tea Thoughts and Stories


The Tea Thoughts and Stories...



I always wondered and wander through the dimensions of my thoughts, rather I would say forcefull reasonings of the mind, looking for inspirational realizations. It hardly knows how to stop talking and feel the moment. Not everything has to have a reason right. But everything seems right with a cup of my best Kerala grown tea leaf or Nilgiri tea on days like this.

Mind has very less time with itself, it worries too much of the world within and without 'common sense' and a hot cup of good tea seems like a relief, a stop at the station where strange noises seem to choke the air out of my lungs.



So when days like today comes, I look for the best cup of tea, a real good book to let me go on a meditative journey of taste,stories and nostalgia.

I was never a tea person and in the name of coffee all I cared about was the frothy creamy capachino which got colder by the minute I started savouring it.

My journey with tea started two years ago when I started taking lemon tea with tulsi to keep the pollen baloons in my nostrils happy in the hope of not blowing my brains when I got for no reason and out of nowhere Sever sinus and allergic reactions. I once broke my own record of sneezing more than 30 times in my economics class back in school and landed up with running nose and cold for 10 days and punishment. So this was almost a routine given I had the most bizarre medical history, it seemed almost all kinds of disease loved to take shelter in my body parts.


Creepy isn't it. I have lots to talk about disease but I'll come to that later.

So this tea did help cause taking anthing hot kept the bacteria from growing or attacking your pollen balloons- I don't know what they are called but let's keep it pollen balloon that blocks the entire breathing passage for the time being.

Then I really started getting  used to the taste and it's healthy benefits given it never made one feel bloated, reduced stress and always increased the sense of perceptions(not true, I think it otherwise) since caffeine made me a zombie walking in the dead of the night throughout the house, tea was good.

So whenever I went, even on a vacation in other States where lemon tea isn't the local tea, I had to hunt for lemons in the markets.
Where as Kolkata 'lebu/nimbu chai' is available in abundance and mind you it's wonderful concoction of taste.

And every area the taste of the tea differs. Its fantastic to know how when one cooks or brews tea, one leaves a mark or rather creates a new taste in it. Each of us have a taste in our hands that gets transported in what we cook and that is why flavours vary so much.My mother's biryani flavours would be different from your mother's cooked biryani even though the recipe has been the same for generations.



In my search I found the tea served by the vendors inside golpark lake is spicy and excellent while the tea near Pantaloons camac street is blissfully artistic. The vendors sit on a stone with little chopstick boards and add finely chopped ginger and secret masala and a dash of lemon with a little shake and the best tea is for you to love and savour.

My sister sent me two big packets of Black tea leaves that she got from Kerala and chocolate/Vanilla and Masala Nilgiri tea. I drank it all, still have some with me making sure I don't run out of stock. But coming to the point when I tasted the black tea, I fell in love with tea and whoever thought of growing them was the heartiest person on earth.


It was earthy, slightly bitter, tangy but left an amazing aftertaste in the mouth. I think this is why people love expresso shots so much. Not yet that bitter taste crazy but I do like tea hands down.




In BK market Georgia Company tea is also
good, the flavour is bit soothing on the tongue but it's not available everywhere. The Gariahat crossing bridge is the perfect inspiring place for an artist or poet which I happen to be both, and for people who love to play chess in traffic noise. Yes the best part there is an amazing tea vendor who makes these tall cups of masala chai and one can play chess also.


 The idea is to become a yearly member for just 100rs and play. I got the opportunity to see how it's done and buy they were such serious professional players. Its really something to see a game of chess under a bridge in Kolkata. Another good chai is the cafe inside Max Muller Bhavan- a Theater and Art organization dedicated to creativity and I must say I have seen some of the best art movies in their festivals. And the ambience of the cafe is great and so is the chai.




      I drank and lived on them in Bangalore and I did explore a tea cafe heaven in Tripasanda area called My Tea House. The owner Mr Shashank was a very lively person and he showed us his tea entire tea collection. You must definitely go there if you are in Bangalore.

I tried the lotus and jasmine tea, really beautiful and refreshing. In Gangtok I got the first flush and second flush with green tea, I am still trying to down it given it costed me more than 2k. The normal green tea is tasteless so irrespective of a healthy option I try to avoid it if I get the chance to.


I also got the Bangalorian coffee, it's just too good, better than capachino any day and so pocket friendly I must say. Here in cafes we pay 200 something for a cup with taxes mind you and service charges as well, I got 500gms grounded coffee just for 200rs. Imagine that and the best part they grind it in front of you and serve you a
 good cup too. My sister always gets it for me.

In Kolkata there is Express cafe beside the fire brigade which serves a real good Darjeling tea with lemon dips and I love the entire feel to it. Its the perfect English tea and only for 40rs. The ambience too is great

Mr Magpies pot of Darjeling Tea for two with that ginger man cookie and cakes is to die for. Its just reminds me of my childhood careless days where I could go on living in imaginary world and reality was nowhere to touch me.

I love cafe exploring and 90% of my earnings is drained there every month but the feel of tea, outdoor greenery, music, chaos,books and words is what gives me inspiration and today I painted this. Hope you like it.

Realization of the day

We are too small and too vulnerable: Universe is too big and loving: Nature the face of all truths
Keep reading
Keep realizations alive

Love
Sufi






















Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Nameless Artist

Image
The Nameless Artist Here I stand, Here I bow, From Kings and queens to peasants and thieves, None could deny his magical deeds, The Poor and hungry his slaves, Humankind his gift, I stand here, I am through, The light if divinity so pure to know, A touch all it took for me to heal, Born again to live in peace, My world through my colors now one sees. Here is the nameless artist.... The Nameless artist...the words just flew and a string was made...this poem is my dedication to artists like them. This art my friends is called road drawings.We know about 3D road drawings back in the West which is practiced and loved by all, but not this because it is here in India that such art arises out of necessity.This particular man whom I encountered while walking down  had to say many things.What astonished me the most was that he said his art was not for sale when I asked him why he did not paint and sell his works?He said h...
Read more
Image
My Small adventure........... there I am with our Phucka in College street Adventure is a big word and for me it means to be able to do what most cannot think off...and in a busy city like Kolkata and a busy life like ours...we forget the small things in live which can become an adventure if we want it to be...most of us would just wait for our friends to make plans for movies or outings in the weakened but I always like to have my small adventure all on my own and absolutely alone....I know its hard to think how can we enjoy alone but believe me for an observer and writer like me its a blessing to be able to go and explore the various parts of the city alone...so I often go on such days and I have planned some more in the future but today I would tell you about my small adventure....I am a great foodie and nothing can match the "Phucka" of Kolkata. I had tried phucka in other cities as well like in Mumbai its called pani puri and usual...
Read more
Image
Madari's of Kolkata-  lost life, lost Animals Wherever you go in your city, on the streets you might have encountered the Madaris entertaining the crowds with their highly trained and skilled performers, singing in exuberance and glee. One such performer you wold have often seen sitting pensively on the railings or pavements and chewing the leftovers of the city's amusements, what we were once in our primitive stage, are the monkeys. Like you all, I too love to walk through the busy city road and discover stories on my small journeys. In a suffocating lifestyle, these escape in nature and open air gives me inspiration to look at life and believe in beauty again. On one such expedition, I discovered Md Asgar silently sitting with his monkeys playing under the tree shed in park st and looking at the passer by expectantly. He had the look of a tired man who goes out everyday with the hope of earning something for his family and returning home empty handed. Some of us...
Read more