Tea and my friends

Sophia Khumukcham *

This article acknowledges all the beautiful tea loving people on this planet and is dedicated to this aromatic drink which never fails to refresh my life. Thank you for being an indispensable part of my life :)

My introduction to tea was made by my Idhou when I was a kid. Traditionally, children are supposed to have milk but as a kid, I never liked the smell of it so was a pain for my Ima every morning to make me drink milk. Who can defy Idhou when he permitted to have tea!! I love you, Idhou!!!

Idhou was addicted to tea and so was everyone at home. The tea kettle was always on the stove, never did I see it removed from that place. The only time, it was removed from there was maybe, when it was being put down to be cleaned up and made it rest for the heavy duty the next day. Everything for tea, tea for everything seemed to be what was prevalent in the family!!!

As I entered my college, somehow, unconsciously or consciously, not sure I found myself to gel well with people who drink tea like me. I remembered our endless discussions over unlimited supply of tea from the bhaiyaji under the banyan tree in the campus. Was tea a stimulant for the discussions? Yet to decide... may be my next research paper!!!

I remember the negotiation my friends used to have with me, "Can you come with me till JNU? I will treat you with tea in Ganga dhabha..." Zoom, we used to reach in the heat taking DTC bus route no. 615 from Minto Road. After my friend's work is completed, as promised, I had my cup(s) of tea and we both are happy.

We used to be locked up after 10 pm in the hostel. Then busy was the hostel's one burner stove gas, giving away the mesmerising smell of different flavour- ginger tea, green tea, lemon tea, red tea, milk tea... Girls in the verandah wide eyed, telling stories, some on phone, some with class notes but all has a cup of tea in their hands. I also came back to my room with my share, too lazy to browse through the day's notes....

Now, am a working career woman busy with life attending meetings, hopping from one state to another on tours, less time for myself and for those who remember and pray for me but I swear on my tea, you all are remembered and treasured by me. You all are special like my tea who has got me going in my times of need, in my times of loneliness. Thank you!!!