Fancy a Cuppa Tea!
In times of coffee breaks, tea break may seem an outdated concept, but tea drinking has not lost its charm. It is the second most consumed beverage in the world. Brewed in myriad ways, from an expensive and exotic drink of the elite to the famous Boston Tea Party to a popular drink of the masses. Now a whole room at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is dedicated to Tea, the quintessential British symbol from the drink from China.
India is the second-highest tea producer next to China. While the exact origin of tea is unknown, it is believed to have originated in northeast India, north Myanmar, and southwest China according to the UN. The myriad variations of making it range from the Masala tea with lots of milk to the typical English brewed one to the green Matcha to the Turkish one and the varied other tea varieties.
In life, there is no trouble so grave it cannot be diminished with a nicely brewed hot cup of tea which brings people together bringing joy and happiness in our lives. There is also something unique in tea that leads us into the world of quiet contemplation. So sit down, sip your tea slowly without rushing, and let it soothe your being. When you are feeling low and at odds with the world around you, brew a cup of tea and enjoy the magical fragrance as it offers the solace of its kind. You will see your troubles vanishing away.
Tea has been a cure for a long time in history encouraging us to steep and sip our way to good health in life. It has numerous health benefits. Even though many of the therapeutic benefits are yet not substantiated by science, it is high in antioxidants, flavonoids, and polyphenols which help neutralise free radicals in the body, speed up metabolism, boosts the immune system, and have the ability to calm us down and refresh us. When you get your kind of tea when you are out of your home, it makes your day especially when life feels stormy and topsy-turvy, the hot brew will bring tranquility of its kind. It is a therapy for me, I enjoy turmeric tea in the early morning as it is anti-inflammatory, a cup of nicely brewed long-leaf darjeeling one refreshes my being, and a green one in the mid-morning boosts the metabolism while black tea in the afternoon improves the focus and chamomile before bed ensures good sleep at night. Tea with lemon and ginger soothes cold and flu, ginger tea settles the stomach and peppermint helps with digestion. With so many benefits in its kitty, it is truly the elixir of life. There are numerous ways to consume it and each household will have its unique one. The antioxidant levels of both green and black tea make it a popular drink with health-conscious people.
UN may have its reasons to dedicate 21 May as an International Tea Day. The delectable ritual of preparing the tea, the sound of water bubbling, tea brewing, seeping, and pouring the champagne-coloured drink is therapeutic and meditative for me. In monsoons, Chai and pakora become a quintessential combination while you enjoy the pitter-platter of the rainfall. Cold winter mornings get enlivened as you sip the hot brew while warming your hands while holding the cup.
When you have found someone to sit with and enjoy your tea, you have found a friend for life. At times, a cup of tea and the company of a good friend is the only therapy we need to take us out of distress as it makes everything better. Sometimes all you need is a cup of tea.
Ek Garam Chai Ki Payali Ho……..
