Indian Chai Stories is in the middle of its first flush! The 'sorting room' is full, and rather like a modern tea factory, most of the work's been done by women!
Thank you to all the contributors : some of you are dear and valued friends who have been writers and editors for many years: Ranu Singh Taragi, Joyshri Lobo, Roma Circar, Sarita Dasgupta and Shalini Mehra. Some are Cha ka Baby log, daughters of friends, and now my friends too - Madhumita Neog and Ipsita Sengupta (Ipsita was my student, too).
Dhiraj Barman was the first gentleman from tea to write for Indian Chai Stories and Shreya Chanda is the youngest writer so far!
In the 1980's, Joyshri Lobo started the first planters' magazine in the Dooars - 'Reach Out'. I hope we'll all read the story of 'Reach Out' in this blog one day.
Shalini Mehra started the hugely popular 'Camellia' magazine in Assam for the tea community, and the Camellia connected not only the Dooars and Assam, but the expat planters' community as well. The Koi-Hai website, now in its 20th year, opened up for many of us who became regular contributors ( in my case, thanks to Shalini Mehra)
David Air has now been joined by Shona Patel as Editor, and they have sent their good wishes and kindly placed a link to Indian Chai Stories on their 'What's New' page.
All these ventures have been inclusive in spirit, and that's the idea behind Indian Chai Stories as well.
Thank you to everyone who has followed this page on Facebook and written comments. Special thanks to those who took the trouble to leave comments on the blog itself - that's the best reward a writer can get! Thank you to all friends who have encouraged this venture with cheery whatsapp messages and emails!
I hope to have lots more for our readers over the coming weekend!
Cheers to the spirit of Indian tea!
Gowri
Thank you to all the contributors : some of you are dear and valued friends who have been writers and editors for many years: Ranu Singh Taragi, Joyshri Lobo, Roma Circar, Sarita Dasgupta and Shalini Mehra. Some are Cha ka Baby log, daughters of friends, and now my friends too - Madhumita Neog and Ipsita Sengupta (Ipsita was my student, too).
Dhiraj Barman was the first gentleman from tea to write for Indian Chai Stories and Shreya Chanda is the youngest writer so far!
In the 1980's, Joyshri Lobo started the first planters' magazine in the Dooars - 'Reach Out'. I hope we'll all read the story of 'Reach Out' in this blog one day.
Shalini Mehra started the hugely popular 'Camellia' magazine in Assam for the tea community, and the Camellia connected not only the Dooars and Assam, but the expat planters' community as well. The Koi-Hai website, now in its 20th year, opened up for many of us who became regular contributors ( in my case, thanks to Shalini Mehra)
David Air has now been joined by Shona Patel as Editor, and they have sent their good wishes and kindly placed a link to Indian Chai Stories on their 'What's New' page.
All these ventures have been inclusive in spirit, and that's the idea behind Indian Chai Stories as well.
Thank you to everyone who has followed this page on Facebook and written comments. Special thanks to those who took the trouble to leave comments on the blog itself - that's the best reward a writer can get! Thank you to all friends who have encouraged this venture with cheery whatsapp messages and emails!
I hope to have lots more for our readers over the coming weekend!
Cheers to the spirit of Indian tea!
Gowri
Gowri thank you! Always a pleasure to read your articles & this blog of course is such a fantastic read💖
ReplyDeleteA big thumbs up from me as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks and undying gratitude for starting the ball rolling. There were 5 of us who slaved over and enjoyed giving birth to Reach Out. I do have the copies and will work on a brief historical comment once my most recent project gets posted. Hope the gents are getting inspired enough to write their fabulous stories. All the best for a cup of chai.
ReplyDeleteI was in Bangladesh Tea for about 40 years, mostly with Finlays. I have gone through all the Chai Stories and completely lost time and space in nostalgia.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing that although both the countries have inherited same tea industry - divided from British Raj, the culture, traditions and dastoors have remained the same even after 70 years as reflected in the Stories.
I however salute Indian Memsahibs for their superior and quality write ups with rich flavour of English language.
Thank you very much on behalf on the writer Memsahibs!
DeleteThis is such a delightful site! Am thoroughly enjoying the tea life vicariously through these essays. Keep them coming!
ReplyDeleteGowri...so glad to be a part of your initiative...which is growing in proportions( of shared anecdotes and renewed friendships)...none of us could have forseen.
ReplyDeleteLove your editorial..do keep in touch more often.
Great initiative by the hugely talented Gowri. More power to the Chai Bagaan & its Kahanis, makes for a great charming weekend read, connecting with another world. Congrats & well done!
ReplyDeleteLove the name " indian chai stories ". The word chai evokes many many memories and emotions. From train travel , warming hands over kullad, to soirees with complicated tea names. Familiarity with those gets you approving nods on your sophistication. Gowri you have unchained nostalgia
ReplyDeletegreat going Gowri, loving the stories of the past...
ReplyDelete