Indian Chaai – Tea

It seems ironical to write about Tea, after writing about such a significant influence on my childhood and psyche like ACK – but this blog is about things both big and small, the trivial and the significant – all that have in their small or big ways helped enrich my life both intellectually, spiritually as well as provided me relief, succour etc.

I was in Colombo earlier this year on a company led jamboree, and there were about a 100 of us.  In one of the most natural group formations, another vegetarian and I were hanging around together. He was a Gujarati, and by the first afternoon, he was dying for chaai. 

Amar Chitra Katha

An important part of my childhood, and one of the most defining contributions would be that of Amar Chitra Katha comics.  My generation in fact owes significant gratitude to the founder Anant Pai for helping shape our thoughts and opinions, and also educating us about history and folklore.

It is inevitable, so let me declare that I don’t have any relation to Mr. Pai, but have basked in the rub-off of having the same surname.  So when I refer to him as ‘Uncle Pai’ it is only using the name by which he was popularly called.

As the story goes the founder was quite disappointed to see students at a quiz not able to answer questions on Indian History but cracking all questions related to the US. (This was in the 70s – decades before the internet, telecom and liberalisation –so history is what we had a lot of!)

Why this blog?

For long, I have been sold on to the dry Brit wit and ‘humour’ –  condescending (‘interesting’ they would say – you can only guess what that meant!).  From sitcoms to fashion, there are sooo many countless and creative ways to put someone  or yourself down (watch the fashion reviews of the red carpet for any event and you know what I mean!).

However, in life there is so much to be grateful for, and one should really count their blessings and privileges. This therefore is a small, well not small but pretty large collection of ‘these are a few of my favourite things’.  I can tell you this will not get too philosophical or spiritual, but let me warn you it might get schmaltzy, nostalgic and melancholic.  And for sure, there's going to be lots and lots of foods and drinks that shall pitch in (so if you're on a diet plan stay away!)

Would encourage each one of us to make their own gratitude dairies.

(the logo image was sourced from http://www.synergyart.co.uk/category/coca-cola)