I would admit that i have recently been little careless, so sorry for that. The truth is Ive been barely keeping up, with so many things ending in my life there was loads to be done. By the way i have an MS in Architecture, yay...... definitely makes me happy.
Now coming down to business, this entry is dedicated to the "JOYS OF CHAI".
Tea or "Chai " is definitely seeped into the Indian culture because of the British influence. Chai is an integral part of everyone's routine in India. To truly understand the joys of drinking chai you would have to guzzle down sips on the platform of a railway station. I remember vividly the "chai wala" who came in train shouting on the top of his voice "chai chai". Being not too fond of the food served in the train this was all i longed for, a cup of the masala chai coupled with the famous PARLE -G biscuit (the unofficial national biscuit). The only thing better than a tasty cup of chai, is a cup of chai with some chai dipping biscuits to dip in it. Also you can never really appreciate its flavor if you haven't had it in the canteen of a hostel of some college, the watery tea is something you long for. But you can never truly enjoy it till you let the it soothe you heart and brain and lets the secrets loose, for what is tea without a dainty conversation.
Its December now and I'm thinking suddenly of the Decembers gone by. I begin to reminisce December and the chai chin-fests, the cold lured us to the canteen more than ever. The gingery flavor and the mingling conjoined with Rumjhum bhaiyas singing made most of our day. It recharged our batteries and broadcasted our feelings into the stratosphere. The PGI bun omelet and tea at three at night also had another whim that struck us mostly when we were barred like inmates by the hostel timings. How could i fail to remember the jacketed aloo samosas (boiled with its peel) at Des raj in the PEC market, and when served with tea in CUTTING glass is something i long for sitting here in New york. To top it up when enjoyed with the best buddies its indubitably priceless.
Towards the end came days of sipping endless cups of tea with our eyes filled with tears. When we fell short of tea but never short of the chit chats, we re-winded every moment that we spent together in those 5 yrs and we went over and over again like a broken record but it went on. Oh i miss those college days. I remember them and will always do and will perhaps, hold onto it like a slice of time, always beautiful.
As i write this all i can think of is making myself a cup of steaming hot tea, though i will be missing my old friends to share my stories, but then again i have made new friends with whom i made new stories and shared the old ones. That's life and you have to move on and keep pace with it. And its almost time for me to move on again hoping i make new friends that share the same passions as i do and who listen to all the endless stories that i want to share.
