55. Jolly Jalopy
Hello again, all you lovely people at CFC/FOM. So happy to bring you this Friday’s story. Stories from the tea gardens are all yarns – they’re all part of an oral tradition. These ‘kahanis’ are narrated…
Indian Chai Stories
What started off as an exciting new collaboration with Indian Chai Stories as part of the Chai for Cancer Season 8 Campaign, has only grown from strength to strength.
Indian Chai Stories is a blog by Gowri Mohanakrishnan with almost 200 original stories from 58 contributors from the tea gardens of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Sri Lanka!
Season 8 Campaign tagline was “Ek Chai Zindagi ke Naam”, and it was felt that there was no better way to take the campaign forward than to showcase the real life stories of tea planters. As Gowri herself puts it, “Back in the tea gardens, our motto has always been “Ek Zindagi Chai ke Naam”.
So, while our tagline changes Season wise, the sentiment remains the same!
When Gowri got married to a tea planter in 1986, she had to leave her city life behind and experience first hand life in the “Dooars”. Amazed by the incredible stories people shared at the tea garden clubs, she decided to start a blog and share their stories with the world! “Life here is a celebration of the human spirit. Indian Chai Stories is all about the people who live here!”
Tune in to Chai for Cancer every Friday for stories of elephants and leopards, of people and of ghosts; some stories so vivid and amazing, they beggar belief!
54. Back in the Day – Part XII
Hello all you lovely people at CFC/FOM. Story-time again – my favourite time! Many of you have read parts of Shipra Castledine’s ‘Back in the Day’, in which Shipra writes about her childhood in the…
53. In Memory of David Air
Hello again, all you wonderful people at CFC/FOM! I wait for these weekly tea time sessions with all of you. Hope you are all ready to settle down with a cup of chai to enjoy…
52. The ‘Taste’ of Tea
Hello, all you lovely people at CFC/FOM. I do look forward to Fridays, when I share a story with all of you, because it gives me a chance to revisit ‘Indian Chai Stories’ and read…
51. The Bungalows, Baga & Sibsoo
Hello to all of you lovely folks at CFC/FOM. When summer begins, my mind goes back to that day around four decades ago when I first set foot in a tea garden bungalow. Today I…
50. The Face of Doyang
Hello to all the lovely people at CFC/FOM. Last week I told you all about the ladies who wrote the first Indian Chai Stories. Today, I’d like to introduce another dear friend, a gentleman whose contribution…
49. A Predator- Lost & Lovelorn
A very Happy Women’s Day to all you lovely people at CFC/FOM! Today, let’s think about the ladies who help to bring us all our daily cups of tea. Cheers to the women who work…
48. Here Comes the Bride!
Hello, all you lovely people at CFC/FOM! Friday has come around again, and I’ve been going through a lot of stories to decide on today’s pick.An enjoyable task, and for this reason a difficult one;…
47. Back in the Day – Part II
Greetings to all you wonderful people at CFC/FOM.Today I’m sharing a personal favourite, a lovely story that captures the atmosphere of a lost era: Shilpa Castledine’s childhood recollections of life in the tea gardens of…