Tea Kadai conversations Episode 19 -- Happening within Ashiana Shubham

 

The past few days have been rather eventful, both within our community and on the home front, leaving me with very little time to pen down these happenings.

On the 6th of this month, a theft was reported from a flat in Phase 2 of our Ashiana community. Two gold rings weighing around 9 grams were found missing. The flat owner suspected Chandra, a stand-in maid who had come in place of the regular maid, who was on her weekly off. The owner initially complained to the housekeeping service provider. During their internal inquiry, the maid vehemently denied any wrongdoing. However, not being satisfied with the investigation, the owner lodged a complaint with the MaraimalaiNagar Police Station. The police acted swiftly and questioned the maid. After initially denying the allegation, she eventually confessed to the theft. She revealed that she had handed over the stolen rings to her husband, who had pledged them at a pawn broker's shop in MaraimalaiNagar. The police recovered the rings, and after due identification, they were returned to their rightful owners.

The incident created quite a furore among the residents. Many blamed the service provider for failing to carry out adequate background verification of workers employed by the various subcontractors operating within the gated community. At the same time, the episode serves as a reminder that residents too must remain vigilant. Valuables should always be kept in locked cupboards or lockers instead of being left in plain sight while housekeeping staff are working inside the home. Unfortunately, incidents of theft within the community have become more frequent of late, perhaps because many of the residents are senior citizens who tend to be more trusting and less vigilant about safeguarding their belongings.

On the personal front, the 6th of July also marked the end of a wonderful family reunion. Our younger daughter, who had been home from Canada on a two-week vacation, flew back to Toronto. Around the same time, our elder daughter moved to Mumbai to take up a new assignment. Their departures have suddenly created a void in our lives. The house, which had been buzzing with activity and laughter over the past few weeks, now feels unusually quiet. I suppose the reality of the "empty nest syndrome" has finally sunk in for both of us.

Just as we were coming to terms with this new phase, another unexpected challenge awaited us. In the early hours of 11th July, while I was in the restroom, my wife called me over the phone saying she was feeling extremely unwell and asked me to come immediately. I found her shivering violently with a very high fever. I immediately contacted the duty nurses at Ashiana, who checked her temperature and found it to be over 104°F. They advised us to rush her to the nearest hospital without delay.

We traveled by the community ambulance to SRM Global Hospital, where she was admitted through the Emergency Department. The doctors first stabilized her condition and then recommended admission for further investigations to determine the cause of the high fever and chills. She was started on intravenous fluids and antibiotics, and the treatment continued for three days, requiring a total hospital stay of four days.

Being alone at home posed its own set of challenges. While I wanted to be by her side throughout, I also had the responsibility of returning home to take care of and feed our pet cat. Consequently, I had to arrange for caretakers to stay with her during the nights in the hospital.

Much to her relief, she was discharged on 14th July, just in time before our son-in-law's departure. He had extended his stay by an additional week and was scheduled to fly back to Toronto on the 15th. One of my wife's biggest concerns during her hospital stay was that she might not be able to see him off. Thankfully, she recovered sufficiently, and together we were able to bid him farewell at Chennai International Airport on the morning of 15th July.

Life certainly has a way of keeping us on our toes. Within a span of just a few days, we experienced the anxiety of a theft in the community, the emotional emptiness of our daughters leaving home, and the health scare of my wife's sudden hospitalization. Thankfully, the stolen jewellery was recovered, my wife responded well to treatment, and despite the emotional void left by our children, we remain grateful that everyone is safe and settling into their respective journeys. Such moments remind us to cherish good health, value our loved ones, and appreciate the resilience that helps us navigate life's unexpected turns.

 

Tea Kadai Conversations Episode 18- Tea, Family, Friends and Community Life at Ashiana Shubham

 

The little tea kadai within our gated community has suddenly become a much busier place over the past couple of weeks. With the holiday season in full swing, many residents have been welcoming relatives from Chennai, other parts of India and even from abroad. Naturally, almost every visitor is introduced to what has now become one of the landmarks of our community—the humble tea shop.

Our ever-smiling tea master, Guru, has been having a rather hectic time. Being the sole person managing the shop, he barely gets a moment to catch his breath as he keeps preparing ginger tea, masala tea, lemon tea, filter coffee and snacks in an endless relay. Watching him work is like watching a one-man orchestra, except that instead of musical instruments, he is juggling kettles, tumblers and snack packets!

Our own group of regulars has become a little smaller for the time being. One of our friends has left for Delhi and is expected to be away for three or four months. These days, it is mostly Dr. Mohandas and me who occupy our usual benches around 4.30 in the evening for an hour or so, while the others drift in and out whenever they find the time. The attached photograph, taken today, captures the cheerful crowd milling around the tea shop, proving once again that good tea has an irresistible magnetic pull.

Yesterday, an Indian lady who is married to a French national visited the tea kadai for the second consecutive day while spending time with her parents in Phase 2. Having travelled all the way from France, she declared herself quite taken in by Guru's ginger lemon tea. It appears that our little tea shop now has international admirers and perhaps deserves a place on Chennai's unofficial tourist map!

Adding to the festive atmosphere, another resident arrived with his two daughters, his niece, daughter-in-law and no fewer than five energetic grandchildren. Within minutes, the peaceful tea shop transformed into a lively playground filled with laughter, excited chatter and children running about. Guru handled the cheerful chaos with remarkable composure as he somehow managed to keep everyone's tea cups full while serving snacks to the entire group.

A couple of days earlier, the Annual General Body Meeting of the Shubham Residents Welfare Association (SRWA) was held in the clubhouse. More than 150 resident members attended the meeting. The Managing Committee presented a detailed report of the developmental works completed during the previous year and outlined several projects planned for the coming year. A few important resolutions were also passed by the members. Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of the meeting was that it concluded smoothly and peacefully. Considering that resident association meetings are often known for spirited debates—and occasionally for a determined opposition eager to raise every conceivable issue—the orderly conduct of this AGM was both refreshing and commendable.

On the personal front, there has been another happy development. My younger daughter has arrived from Canada to spend a couple of weeks with us in Chennai. She had often heard me speak about the tea kadai and the wonderful group of friends I meet there every evening. Naturally, she wanted to see the place and meet the regulars who have become such an important part of my daily routine.

Unfortunately, Dr. Mohandas and Senthil could not make it that evening as they were attending the month-end gathering organised by Ashiana Shubham. Nevertheless, we met Dr. Mohandas later in the beautiful OSR Garden, where he kindly clicked a few lovely photographs of my wife, my daughter and me.

Life in a senior living community is often imagined to be slow and uneventful. Yet, every passing day at Ashiana Shubham tells a different story. A bustling tea shop, visiting families from across the globe, community meetings, children's laughter and precious moments with loved ones all blend together to create memories that are simple, heart-warming and deeply fulfilling. Sometimes, all it takes is a cup of tea to remind us that the richest moments in life are shared in the company of good people.

 

Tea Kadai Closed, Friendship Open

 

Our campus tea shop has recently started a WhatsApp group where the daily menu is posted along with the all-important announcement of whether the shop will be open or closed. On 17th June, the message was loud and clear: "Shop Closed Today."

Now, one would assume that this would discourage customers from visiting. Clearly, the management underestimated the determination of six seasoned regulars! As if responding to a call of duty, we turned up at the usual spot and occupied the benches in front of the firmly shuttered shop.

 

There we sat for a couple of hours, without tea, without snacks, and without any intention of leaving. Passers-by must have wondered whether we were staging a silent protest or waiting for a grand reopening. In reality, we were simply enjoying each other's company, discussing everything from world affairs to whose memory was failing the fastest.

The gathering proved that while tea may have brought us together initially, friendship is what keeps us coming back. The shop was closed, but the conversations were open, the laughter flowed freely, and the companionship was as refreshing as any cup of tea. Sometimes, the best item on the menu is togetherness and fortunately, that was available in unlimited quantities here at Ashiana Shubham Senior Living at Maraimalainagar, Chennai