Tea Kadai conversations Episode 08

 

23rd February to 1st March 2026

This past week has been one of constant movement and quiet anxiety. Ever since my wife’s biopsy confirmed lymphoma, I have been shuttling between diagnostic centres and hospitals. A PET scan was completed, and on medical advice, an MRI of the orbit followed.

By God’s grace, both scans revealed no abnormalities elsewhere in the body. It appears that the affected portion may have been removed at the time the biopsy sample was taken. After reviewing the reports, the MCCF doctors’ team decided on a “wait and watch” approach — no chemotherapy, no radiation for now.

It is a tremendous relief for the entire family. After days of tension, we are finally able to breathe a little easier.

With this reassuring news, I returned to my usual place at the tea kadai bench over the past three days. Though not all the regular members were present, the familiar rhythm of conversations slowly resumed.

Yesterday, a gentleman from Pondicherry joined us and his name escapes me at the moment — and upon learning that he was fluent in French, Sundarrajan, who is equally proficient, immediately began conversing with him in French. It was delightful to watch these two elderly men animatedly exchange thoughts in a foreign tongue, transporting our modest tea stall briefly to Paris. I could not resist capturing the moment in a photograph for the blog.

 

 

 On 1st March, discussions centred around the US–Israel–Iran tensions and the T20 World Cup match between India and the West Indies. The tea kadai had introduced a “special” — Kara Vadai. Essentially a masala vadai, but shaped like a small grenade. When asked about the unusual shape, the master promptly replied, “Because of the US–Iran conflict!” Even geopolitics finds its way into our snacks.

As for cricket, India must win this final Super Eight match to secure a place in the semifinals. The stakes are high, and opinions at the tea bench were even higher.

And so another day passes in our community — filled with global politics, cricket debates, inventive snacks, and steaming cups of tea. Much of it may seem irrelevant in the larger scheme of life, yet in its own way, it offers comfort and continuity after a week of uncertainty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tea Kadai Conversations Episode 07

 

1st February to 8th February

The full forum of regulars returned, and with Ravindra back from Pondicherry, the liveliness returned too. He shared cheerful stories from his trip and the delightful time spent with his niece, keeping the conversation animated and flowing.

We were also joined by Mr. Sam, a friendly gentleman in his late thirties, along with his young son Joshua. Their presence brought fresh energy into our otherwise predictable circle of retirees. It felt good to have younger voices mingle with our seasoned discussions.

But the real star of the evening was something else,  pani puris, newly introduced at the shop.

Pani puri — those tiny, crisp, hollow puris filled with potatoes, chickpeas, spices, tangy tamarind chutney, and spicy mint water — is famous for its explosion of tastes and textures.

However, our chef seemed to have interpreted “spicy” rather literally. The teekha pani contained so many green chillies that even the bravest among us had tears streaming down our faces. It was less a snack and more a test of endurance!

Seeing the seniors struggle heroically, I informed Narayanan, the owner, that such fiery enthusiasm might not suit our age group. To his credit, he immediately retreated to his kitchen and returned with a milder, better-balanced version. That gesture was much appreciated.

To close the evening on a triumphant note, Ravindra proudly announced that he had purchased a bottle of Johnnie Walker whisky and a bottle of vodka from Pondicherry, claiming they cost barely 70% of Chennai prices — a small financial victory that clearly delighted him.

On a more serious note, as mentioned earlier, the biopsy sample from my wife’s left eye was tested and confirmed as Follicular Lymphoma. The coming days will therefore be busy with oncologist consultations and PET scans.

All in all, they were simple, ordinary evenings — tea, snacks, familiar faces, and the quiet joy of companionship.

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8th February to 22nd February

The conversations during this period were less frequent for me, as I missed several evenings due to my wife’s ongoing medical appointments.

A couple of incidents within the campus, however, deserve mention.

An elderly gentleman, nearly 86 years old, passed away. His only son, who lives in America, did not come to India for the final rites. The ceremonies were conducted by the community maintenance team, as instructed by the son. At first glance, this felt strange. But as we discussed among ourselves, we also acknowledged that we do not know the circumstances that prevented him from coming. Therefore, no judgement.

It did, however, spark a meaningful reflection among us: perhaps we elders should not emotionally burden our children with expectations shaped by tradition. Times have changed, distances have widened, and responsibilities must be understood in context. Letting go gracefully may be a wisdom we need to cultivate.

In contrast, another senior gentleman and his wife donated ₹1 crore to the Army Welfare Fund last week. Such generosity is rare and admirable in today’s times. When I met him to convey my appreciation, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that he had made a similar donation last year as well.

Acts of detachment on one hand, acts of generosity on the other — life in our little senior community continues to present quiet lessons.

On that reflective note, I close this episode of the tea shop conversations.

Tea Kadai Stories- Episode 06- 22nd Jan to 31st Jan

 

This week passed quietly, without much excitement, except for a small argument that arose out of some pointless discussions at the tea shop. During the exchange, Ravindra suddenly burst out loudly, accusing me of trying to influence his opinions and impose my views on him. As usual, he declared that it was his constitutional right to express whatever he felt and that he would not and could not be subdued.

One of the seniors present gently remarked, “Why have unpleasantness and arguments when we all have one step already in the grave?” That simple line struck a chord with me. I immediately withdrew from the discussion and decided not to comment unnecessarily on Ravindra’s opinions anymore. At this stage of life, peace of mind feels far more valuable than winning an argument.

I was also absent from the shop for nearly four days — two days because our cat was recovering from its health issues, and another two days to attend to my wife’s eye problem.

What we thought would be a routine visit to the ophthalmologist, merely to check the corrective lens prescribed for her left eye, unexpectedly opened up a new concern. The doctor noticed a lymphoid growth in the conjunctival area and advised a biopsy, especially considering her past history of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The sample collection was scheduled for 30th January 2026.

As instructed, we went to Billroth Hospital, where the procedure is expected to take about thirty minutes and was completed within an hour. The collected sample was handed over to me, which I then submitted at Apollo Cancer Hospital for histopathology and Lymphoma Panel examination.

Now we wait for the report, expected in four days. I came across this statement which I feel is apt “Worrying does not reduce tomorrow’s trouble; it only reduces today’s strength.”