Everyone may not know what I’m referring to, so in public
interest, I will first explain what a Kitli is. A Kitli is the roadside stall
that serves tea. That is at least the basic definition of what it is and what
it does. It is, in my opinion, much more than what it appears to be. It is not
only made up of the guy who makes and serves tea; rather it is the gathering of
peoples, the makings of a family, the mixing of cultures, a potpourri of thoughts,
the generator of ideas, the stirring of emotions and somewhere perhaps the
beginning of a revolution.
I know that above sentence must have taken you by surprise but
kindly bear with me while I attempt to clear my thoughts and explain my point.
The kitliwala does not only sell tea, but also cigarettes, minor snacks and a
lot of information and local gossip by extension.
The Kitli is
therefore...
A Social platform. People from anywhere and everywhere
gather in one place, not with the particular intention of mingling but it is
something that happens automatically among those who are frequent visitors to a
particular kitli. Exchanging common courtesies like passing the tea, holding
the plate, lighting a cigarette and asking for change often lead to conversations,
sharing of incidences, common friends, gossip, fun, fights and more often than
not, a closer bond among those kitli-goers. After a few visits, even the kitli
owner is familiar with the order you usually place, your brand of cigarette and
whether you have cash to pay him or not!
A Newsroom. Kitliwalas subscribe to at least three different
newspapers for their customers. At least the ones I visit do. Customers often
ask for the papers while sipping their morning tea or while chatting over their
evening snacks. This leads to a lot of information being shared along with
maskabuns and omelettes. People all over the place recount incidences of
similar happenings in their part of the city and whether one realizes it or
not, one does certainly become aware of what’s happening in their city simply
by visiting the kitli.
A Platform for discussion. Students, employees, players,
officers… all visit this place to discuss the most important aspects of what
they do, what should they be doing, what is happening, what’s wrong with it and
how it can be rectified. Groups of people gather at the kitli with a certain
purpose too, though it may seem unlikely. These gatherings focus around certain
subjects and often lead to strong or heated discussions/arguments within the
group. But ultimately, everyone makes up with a hot cup of cutting chai and one
cigarette being shared by everyone. Discussions here often lead to serious
decisions by individuals and can affect their mindset. Opinions change, faith
is reinforced, doubts arise and fate is changed all because of a talk at the
innocuous roadside kitli.
This has been my experience at the kitli; you are welcome to
share yours. It’s always good to hear stories, because after all, it is stories
that make up this world, not atoms.
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| Image Courtesy: Joel George. |
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