Letters from Readers
Down memory lane with chai
Being a tea-addict, I had no hesitation in quickly jumping to the interesting article by Purva Grover (“Chai: India’s Elixir”) in your April issue. As a student in Bombay, and later when vacationing in India, I watched the fascinating indulgence of tea-making, serving and drinking in India. In the college canteen, I sat with my team members and planned match strategies while sipping chai. Later, I also enjoyed countless glasses of chai at roadside stalls and dhabas, on railway platforms and trains, and at bus stands and holiday resorts. I remember watching how a typical chaiwalla would brew chai in an aluminum kettle over a gas stove, lift the kettle a foot high in the air and then pour chai in a glass. He would then pour the chai back in the kettle and repeat this several times. The chai would then be served personally by him to the standing customer, or by the young boy employed by him, to customers sitting around tables or outside on a bench. I have also enjoyed chai served in kulhads, the eco-friendly clay cups.
On one occasion, I had quickly grabbed a small glass of tea served from the window by a tea seller as the train was steaming away. I felt guilty because I could not pay him or return the empty glass. But to my utter surprise, he suddenly appeared outside my train compartment and said, “Saab, ek rupaiya” (“Sir, one rupee”). I was happy to see him and thanked him returning his glass with a rupee note! In September 2019, Indian Railways decided to use similar earthen cups to serve tea and lassi at 400 major railway stations. I have watched friends sharing a cup of chai (cutting chai) and seniors slurping chai after pouring it in a saucer.
I have also been served chai in metal tumblers. At a roadside dhaba, I once watched a truck driver park his truck, wash his hands and face, sit on a charpoy, and eat his dinner while listening to blaring Bollywood songs. Before leaving he greeted me and showed me the tall glass of chai in his hand and said, “Nabbe meel ki chai” (“Chai that would keep me awake for ninety miles!”).
An interesting discovery for me was pink Kashmiri chai, which is salty instead of being sweet. I was told that my Kashmiri host had made it with Kashmiri green tea leaves, milk, spices and salt. The color was pink because of a pinch of baking soda! Chopped dry fruits and nuts, which had been added to the brew, lent an extra flavor.
Talking of tea, India’s Prime Minister Modi helped his father sell tea at the railway station in Vadnagar, where he grew up. In February 2014, he launched his signature mega outreach and highly popular program “Chai Pe Charcha” in Ahmedabad. This initiative has helped him connect with people and also explain his government’s policies. As I finish writing this note, I can’t wait for another round of hot, spicy kadak chai!
Mahadev Desai
Atlanta, GA
How is the law asking for voter ID wrong?
I read the article in the April issue which criticizes the new Georgia election integrity law as draconian (“Opinion: Jim Crow on My Mind”). However, I don’t find any provisions as draconian. It criticizes the ID requirement to request and submit absentee ballot. Yet, when opening a bank account, boarding an airplane, buying cigarettes and liquor and many other services, a person needs to show his photo ID to identify himself. So what is wrong about state government enforcing the ID requirement for voting? Do you want the voting privilege to be made less secure and prone to voter fraud? In most of the third world democracies, one needs to show their voter ID to vote and absentee voting is allowed only in some special circumstances. Your opinion article, which dwells on this and other provisions of the law, does not make any sense. I read that many states like New York and New Jersey also have similar ID requirements, but I think you don’t want to criticize them and safely ignore those states because they are ruled by the Democrats.
Mallik Basoor
by email
What can immigrants do to reduce hate crimes?
I read the editorial in the April issue (“Hate Crimes: Important to Address the Root Cause”). You correctly opined what immigrants can themselves do to reduce hate crime. Is hate and racism exclusive to certain races? Far from it. America with all its faults is a great country to call home. Look at the proof: with all the negative news, still every day thousands legally and illegally pour into America! Look no further than the southern border, airport and entry points. If America is a racist country and a haven for hate mongers, then let the whiners warn their citizens not to come to America.
Americans are concerned when the country’s borders, immigration and asylum laws are being violated. People are flagrantly violating the law. The Dreamers’ issue has not been solved, yet every day thousands cross the border, illegally, adding to the problem. Covid-19 has made the situation worse. Americans are frustrated and, yes, some feel angry and helpless. Unfortunately, some bad apples act on their feelings and they must be prosecuted like criminals.
This is one of the most generous countries when it comes to immigration. The first-generation immigrants can do a lot and must adapt. This will help immensely. They must not cloister themselves in their immigrant enclaves. This is reverse racism. They must make it a priority to learn English. They should make an endeavor to smile and say hello to someone who is not like them. There should be no store signage or billboard or publication exclusively in a foreign language.
A Nayak
Suwanee, GA
When I was alone and new to Atlanta
I appreciated your well-thought-out editorial in the April issue. Each time I read about an immigrant being targeted in a hate crime in the U.S., it makes me want to hole up inside the house—the very opposite of what you propose. It also made me think about the hesitation we face as immigrants in participating in social organizations. I can only speak from my experience of being the only brown parent in a PTA committee at a public school in Buckhead, or being the only person of color in my docent training group at the High Museum. I was a volunteer at both the places, and I participated solely for the sake of my sanity as I did not have any friends when we moved to Atlanta and felt very much isolated. Despite the fact that at both the places I was made to feel very welcome and I do not have any issues communicating in English, it’s still an odd place to occupy. It might be easier to participate as a group, like the ones you mentioned in your editorial, but at an individual level, it requires a fair bit of motivation and a willingness to put up with quite a bit of unease. I guess that’s what you mean by challenging our comfort zones—and it’s not easy.
Aruna Padmanabhan
Atlanta, GA
Support for the Sikh American community
On April 15, a gunman killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, including four Sikh Americans. The news of this mass violence comes barely a month after the murders of eight people including six Asian women in the Atlanta area. During this time of crisis for the Sikh American community in Indianapolis and around the country, we pledge to stand in solidarity and work in unity with everyone dedicated to ending hate and violence. We call on our communities, supporters and allies to join our call for transformative justice that begins with cross racial dialogue and community-building that address the root causes of violence and hate.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta
Asian American Advocacy Fund
Atlanta, GA
Interested in writing for Khabar?
Writers are invited to contact us at editor@khabar.com for submission guidelines. Please include links and/or attach copies of published articles, if any, as samples of your work. A review of our back issues online will give you a good idea of what we like to publish. Pitches or unsolicited articles that haven’t appeared elsewhere are welcome as well. If there is further interest, Khabar will respond with an offer or provide more information on our requirements.
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Note: Views expressed in the Letters section do not necessarily represent those of the publication.
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