Conversation over cutting tea!

I will be writing this post in “Hinglish”. For those who do not know, this term is coined when we use mixture of English and Hindi Languages in conversations, writings etc. Though, I personally do not like the same in writing, but I feel for this post, it is necessary to preserve the essence of conversation!

While coming back from my regular morning jog today, I decided to stop by a “chai-tapri” to have a cutting tea. Though I have tea ready when I get back home, I decided to have a cutting just to have a taste of Indore. Indore is a place where you would find chai-tapris in every nook and corner of the city. Along with tea there are additional delicacies you can have- Poha, Samosa, Kachori, to name a few.

People here are really mad about Poha and perhaps if I am not wrong, it is the staple diet of Indore, synonymous with the Vada-Paav of Mumbai.

Coming to the matter of fact, I took my cutting tea and stood aside nearby sipping through it. There was a group of few old people of my grandfather’s age having tea and enjoying their worldly conversations, the main topic being politics and price rise. I did not intend to hear them, but they were so loud that my ears could not reflect the voice; they had to rather absorb it!

Suddenly one Dadaji called me, “Beta zara idhar aana”.

I was wondering why on earth he is calling me. Does he know me? I was unable to recollect his face though!

Anyway, I went there- “Ji boliye”

He said, “Itni subah subah tum yaha kya kar rahe ho? Tumhaari umra ke naujawan to dikhte hi nahi hai subah me?”

“Ji main daudne gaya tha. Laut te waqt socha chai pee loon isliye yaha ruka”, I replied.

He seemed quite happy with my answer and said, “bahut achcha kar rahe ho beta. Apne swastha ka khayal har kisi ko rakhna chaiye!”

I emphatically and diplomatically nodded in yes to support his views!

Another Dadaji then asked, “Kya padh rahe ho?”

I thought for a moment, that he thinks I am studying, means I Iook young!

“Ji Padhai ho chuki hai meri” I politely replied.

“Kya padha hai?” , was his immediate next question.

“Ji maine B.E. kara hai” , I replied.

“Shabash bete!” He said as if I have won the whole world!!

In between, another Dadaji jumped to bombard with me questions. “Shaadi ho gayi kya tumhaari?”

Before I could reply, another Dadaji quicly said, “Arey Sharma ji aap bhi! Agar shaadi ho gayi hoti to yeh subah uth ke daudne thodi na jaata.”

I could clearly mark out his mischievious smile!!!

The another question came was, “kya naukri kar rahe ho?”

“Ji main Software Engineer hoon” was my sweet and small reply.

They candidly admitted that Computer was greek and latin to them, yet they know a little of it because the whole world now runs on it.

Just to clarify and dig a little more in to what I do, another one asked “Kaun sa software banate ho?”

Now I was in a soup, because to explain what I do was next to impossible and more over I wanted to go back home soon.

However, I did give it a try and said, “Hum log Airlines ke liye software banate hai-Reservations,Ticketing and Departure Control System”

One of them caught the ticketing word in the sentence I said and promptly said, “Iska matlab tum ticket banate aur bechte ho?”

I had no words for this declaration but I politely explained him that I do not make tickets but make the thing that helps in making tickets. He was not convinced though,I am sure.

The next question was-“Kaha pe naukri kar rahe ho? Poona me?”

I said, “Ji nahi, Benagluru me hoon”

Next was the question on how is Bengaluru and how does it fare as compared to Indore. I explained the same in brief to them and thought to myself that why on earth I stopped to have tea!!!

I gave up and finally said- “Mujhe thoda kaam hai isliye jaana hai”

To this all of them said in a unison, “Haan haan jao bete, humne thodi na tumhe rok rakha hai!!!! Kabhi fir mulaqat hogi”

I said Namaste to all and immediately decided to change my route next day onwards! :)

God Bless!

Cheers!

Adi