It’s Tea-time!

The sun hung low in the sky, its mild orange-red rays blanketing the leaves; the trees danced softly to the tunes of the cool breeze while the smell of damp dust rose and settled, a little bit nearer every minute. Staring out of my wide open window, I felt a sense of relaxation sweep over me. I decided to take a break and get myself a hot cup of masala tea and stood gazing far & beyond as I felt the sun’s orange-red lukewarm rays cover my face, blending perfectly with my orange-red tea full of taste. I didn’t want anything or anyone else in that moment, just me and my cup of tea.

Tea is one of the healthiest beverages and is known for its medicinal values. It is the second most widely consumed beverage after water and can be had both in hot and cold forms. In countries like China and Japan, tea acts more as a digestive aid. In Arab countries, a special form of tea called ‘noon chai’, a pink milky tea with dry fruits is common. In India however, the role of tea is more of an everyday beverage. It is one of the first things that both girls and boys learn to cook. One will find tea stalls at every nook and corner of any Indian city and more so in the tourist spots. They are like man-made resting points. Tea can be had with just water (black or green) or with milk to make a simple chai or you can add zing to it by adding flavors of ginger, elaichi, dalchini, lemon, marigold etc. etc. All said and done, I believe tea plays a crucial role in everyone’s life. You could be an addict, a regular or a complete non-drinker, but you cannot escape the influence of tea in your life.

Not only does tea refreshes or energizes but also calms and relaxes ones senses. Whether its black tea or green tea or regular tea, tea time is a taking-a-break time, it is a time to step back. It’s not for nothing that we see TV advertisements where protagonists get a sudden euphoria moment after having their cup of tea. We are indeed most creative when we are relaxed and tea helps us achieve that state. Don’t we wait for those tea-breaks in every conference or meeting or even on regular working days? Drinking tea wakes us up to endure the rest of the monotonous day. I know of many offices that have scheduled tea-breaks at specific intervals of the day for just this reason. And even at home, don’t we wake up to a cup of tea and then get refreshed with another cup in the evening. This tea’s dual effect of refreshing while calming never fails to amaze me.

Tea time also symbolizes a togetherness time. Tea brings people together and gives you company when you’re alone.  Tea time is a time to catch up on the juicy gossips of the day in office; it is a time to network after the presentation or conference, a time to sit with your family and unfold events of your day, a time to read the newspaper or a few pages of that beloved book or simply it is a time to just sit down and reflect on the proceedings of the day. Let’s face it, it is indeed the most interesting time of the day. Even guests will not be let gone without serving them a cup of tea. Tea brings people together and bonds them together. Indeed the aroma of tea transcends just its physical form as it serves a bigger role in one’s life.

In my opinion, no other beverage can take the place of tea. A coffee can only wake you up but it can never calm you at the same time, a soft-drink cannot fulfill the calming and medicinal benefits of tea and alcohol will never be able to keep you sane enough to enjoy the moment. So kudos to tea and hope it continues to fill it’s aroma in our lives forever!