single tea + biscuit
Early morning, at 3 am, the only shops open in Chennai will be the tea shops, they will be the only source of activity on a desolate road, they draw attention towards themselves. From those in cars to the rickshaw puller, who spent his night on the streets, will throng the tea kadai, as they are fondly called, all for that single glass of tea and butter biscuit. The sleepy tea master, who makes the tea half asleep, in a mechanical motion makes the tea, for the half asleep waiting customers, sitting in the cramped shops, using the extremely small tables, the small glass of watery tea feels like heaven.
As time progresses, as the sun rises, and more tea shops open, more and more people throng the shops for the single tea and biscuit, the smokers, for their glass of tea and the first fag for the day. Tea kadais of Chennai serve as smoking joints for most smokers, with the loud radio playing tamil flim music in the background, it is bliss for many.
One of the pecularities of Chennai tea kadais, is that by 7 in the morning, they start selling a unique combination, which is tea or coffee along with meedhu vadai, keera vadai and bonda. Thought it seems odd, and a totally insane combination, most people would scoff at it, but it is truly heavenly. A single tea along with a medhu vadai or bonda, is awesome, its something which I relish. The flavours of the vadai and tea blending in my mouth as I chew, is heavenly, something I enjoy immensely.
By noon, the tea shop starts to offer bhajjis with chutney, apart from the regular fare of coffee and tea. The places by now is filled with busy office goers taking a small break from their hectic schedule to enjoy their tea and if a smoker the fag and grab the quick bite of bhajji along with watery coconut chutney
Around 3 pm, the level of activity reduces to a bare minimum level, the tea master gets his well deserved break, probably take a small nap, a break from his hectic schedule, before the evening rush of people returning home throng the tea kadai, for their evening tea along with a small bite of bhajji, bonda or vadai, which begins at roughly 5 pm.
After the evening rush, the tea kadai closes for the day at round 10 pm, when the population goes to sleep, the night owls can visit the odd tea kadai which remains open through the night. This is a male bastion, where men discuss everything from politics, to their personal problems. It isn’t hard to strike up a conversation about politics at a local tea kadai, politics is always on the mind of everyone at tea kadais, whether it is the Rs 2 rice scheme, or the free colour television, every one at a tea kadai is an amateur political analyst, willing to offer their opinion anyone willing to listen.
nice one
The waterly hot tea and the so called samosa (a triangluar pakora like stuffed with a few bits of onion and green chilly slices)is a nice combination, which you forget to add.
ahaaa…its raining !!!!
And padikira pasanga c/o tea kadai !
A general scene in tea shop in the early mornings, the street dog will be waiting eagerly his master to come; on his arrival a cup of tea or milk along with one or two Butter Biscuit would be offerred to the dog by the master; certain days he shared half the portion his own tea and biscuit to the dog; this is according to the weight of his purse of the day – another common scene is offering the biscuit bits in the nearby roof tops to the crows and the waiting crows will also take them; But these scences are vanishing and become a rare one one now a days.
A general scene in tea shop in the early mornings, the street dog will be waiting eagerly his master to come; on his arrival a cup of tea or milk along with one or two Butter Biscuit would be offerred to the dog by the master; certain days he shared half the portion his own tea and biscuit to the dog; this is according to the weight of his purse of the day – another common scene is offering the biscuit bits in the nearby roof tops to the crows and the waiting crows will also take them; But these scences are vanishing and become a rare one now a days.
The information provided will be comprehensive if the sharing of Daily Newspaper contents and their views on it, a best way to know latest developments in local language.