Tea Kadai conversations – Episode 15

 

May 1st being Labour Day, the housekeeping staff and horticulture team in our Ashiana community had a holiday. However, for the security personnel and the kitchen/dining staff, it was business as usual since their roles fall under essential services for running a senior living community. I assume they would be given a compensatory off or overtime, though I’m not entirely sure.

Early this morning, we were lucky to have a slight drizzle accompanied by cool winds. It made my regular morning walk especially pleasant, and I noticed many residents enjoying the weather just as much as I did. At the tea kadai yesterday evening, an interesting (and slightly scary) story came up. Apparently, a snake had entered Senthil’s scooter, and he rode around for quite some time without realizing it. Only when the snake peeked out near the handlebar did he become aware of it! He tried to get it out, but each time he attempted, the snake slithered back inside. Eventually, he drove back into the community and made another attempt, this time successfully removing it. I’m not sure whether it was poisonous or not, but the thought of a snake so close to your hands while driving is quite unsettling.

Another topic that everyone is talking about is a reported robbery in one of the flats. An elderly lady is said to have lost her gold chain and diamond earrings, and a police complaint has been filed. The culprit has not yet been identified. Interestingly, a similar incident happened about a year ago, which later turned out to be a case of misplaced jewellery rather than theft. Given that the lady is around 80 years old, it is possible that this could be a similar situation, as age-related forgetfulness cannot be ruled out. However, it’s best to wait for the police investigation to conclude before forming any opinions.

Today, the tea shop remained closed, which meant no tea or snacks for the regular evening crowd. Yet that did not stop us from gathering in front of the shuttered shop, spending time together and chatting away as usual. Sometimes, it is not the tea that matters most, but the companionship that brings people together.

This was the third consecutive day that the tea kadai had not opened. The reason given by the owner was that two workers from his flourishing main shop at Maraimalainagar had taken leave, and the staff from our little tea shop had been sent there to manage operations. We were told that hopefully by tomorrow or the day after, our tea kadai would once again spring back to life. The residents of Ashiana are eagerly waiting for that moment.

We also had a new face joining our informal gathering today — Mr. Shankaran, an ex-banker from Canara Bank, who moved into the community on the 1st of May. As always, it did not take long for him to become part of the lively discussions that naturally flow within our group.

And then came the fourth consecutive day without the tea shop opening. But once again, the absence of tea did not prevent the regulars from assembling and spending time discussing happenings within the community and around the world. The main topic of conversation today was the counting of votes for the recently concluded Tamil Nadu elections.

The discussions grew animated as results showed actor Vijay’s party, TVK, performing strongly and eventually securing 107 seats. Both the DMK and AIADMK did not fare particularly well, and many felt that the people of Tamil Nadu were looking for a change from decades of Dravidian politics. Though TVK still requires around 12 more seats to achieve a majority in the Assembly, there was widespread speculation that support from others could help the party form the government.

For many of us seniors, the political developments brought back memories of another actor-turned-politician MGR. Comparisons between Vijay and MGR became the highlight of the evening discussions, with people pointing out several similarities between their journeys from cinema into politics. Social media too has been flooded with memes and comparisons.

Naturally, the conversations then wandered further, with some jokingly speculating that actress Trisha might one day enter politics and perhaps even become the future Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, drawing parallels with the late Dr. Jayalalithaa and her association with MGR.

Well, we seniors may not have much else to do in the evenings, but these conversations, speculations, debates, and laughter keep our days lively and interesting. After all, life does go on.

 

Tea Kadai 04 - A week of casual meet

 

On 8th January 2026, the tea shop felt a bit empty. The doctor didn’t come, and Senthil, the banker, was also absent. Still, the rest of us gathered as usual and chatted without any clear direction. Soon the talk turned to love and death. Ravindra quoted some famous person, saying a man becomes mature only when he learns to love death. Mr. Shridhar added that a man actually dies twice—once at marriage and again at the end of life. He also said love begins not in college, but in school.

When Ravindra asked Sundararajan about his college romance, Sundararajan got irritated and asked why Ravindra always talked about love. Ravindra shot back, loudly, that it was his constitutional right to talk about any subject he wished. An awkward silence followed. Shridhar quickly calmed things down, saying there was no point getting upset when all of us already had one foot in the grave—it was better to laugh. Mr. Gururaj, who had just come for tea, caught the last part of the discussion, and soon after, we all dispersed for the day.

On 9^th January evening the forum met as usual but was totally subdued due to yesterday’s uproar and the subsequent discussions of the incident over WhatsApp chat wherein our freelance journalist was not willing to accept that his angry reaction was not called for and he kept insisting that we have no right to give him sermon as it is constitutional right to express his views and thoughts about others. A quite day of tea and samosa at the tea kadai.

10^th January evening we all met as usual and we had a guest Dr Panigraha , an oncologist who has come to visit his son who is staying in the villas which are for multi-generational accommodations within the gated community of Ashiana Shubhum and studying medicine at the SRM university nearby. Casual conversations took place till the time of dispersion.

I did not visit on 11^th January as I had gone to the city and could not get back till late evening and thereby, I missed meeting the regulars at the tea kadai.

12^th January evening the forum met as usual and the conversation today drifted towards the amount of water that needs to be drunk in a day by an adult male. Journalist stated 6 litres as per a doctor he met outside whereas our doctor said that the maximum fluid intake has to be 4 litres and as per Google it states 3.7 litres for male but Ravindra was not willing to accept this and he question Dr Panigraha who had also come today and his opinion was between 5 to 6 litres. It was quite evident that each had their own opinion and there was no consensus in arriving at the quantum of water intake. The conversation ended with this topic and all of us dispersed for the day after our usual sip of tea / coffee and snacks. 

13^th January both me and Dr Mohandas reached the shop at about 4.10 pm just to see a board tied on the shutter of the shop stating that the shop would be closed from 13^th to 17^th January on account of Pongal celebration as the tea master Guru is traveling to his home town Madurai. We just sat outside the shop and had small talks and also Doctor was checking my bridge camera and its operations and he was quite amazed by the zoom it has… I do have a Canon Power shot for which I paid just Rs 33000/- whereas Doctors has a much costlier camera because it is a SLR with a prime lens. I have always felt that the camera I have suits my purpose as I am just an amateur photographer and with built in zoom it is good for my wildlife photography and I never felt the need of having a SLR with large lenses. 

 

 

Tea Kadai (shop) encounters 01

Bean & Leaf Café --- Our Tea Kadai

On the outskirts of Chennai, inside Ashiana Shubham senior living community, there is a small tea shop that opens every day around 4 in the evening and closes by 7:30. It sells the usual things—tea in many varieties, strong filter coffee, samosas, puffs, and veg rolls. A couple of benches sit outside the shop. People come, sit, eat, drink, and talk. Slowly, the place fills with voices, laughter, and familiar faces. 

Five of us retirees meet there every evening for about an hour. There is no plan and no serious discussion. We talk about anything and everything, most of it unimportant—and that is exactly why it is enjoyable. 

 One among us is a retired general physician. Everyone simply calls him “Doctor.” He has lived in the community for eight years, longer than most, and almost everyone knows him.

 I am a retired building services engineer. The others include two former bankers and an educator, each with their own personality.

 Doctor is a passionate photographer. A camera is always hanging from his neck. He clicks pictures of people he finds interesting and happily takes photos of families who visit their relatives, often at the request of residents. 

One of the bankers is a freelance Journalist and he loves quoting famous people and is a serious movie buff. He watches at least five movies every week—three in the community clubhouse and two by travelling into the city. 

Every evening, at that small tea kadai, time slows down. For one hour, with tea in hand and friends around, life feels easy and complete.

 

 This piece is just an Introduction of the place and as time goes by I would surely pen and share more conversations and stories