Nattu Chaiwala

By Chinmayee Priyadarshini Dash

Hi Readers, I am Nattu, a chaiwala!

Why am I here?? one may think, well I am here to tell you stories, stories that I come across in my day-to-

day life, stories that I overhear without intending to when my customers indulge in deep conversations

while having an aromatic cup of “Masala chai,” stories that sometimes I make deliberate attempts to hear!

I am not proud of it though. But for me, stories are a great way to escape desolation.

Dear readers, let me first acquaint you with myself.

Growing up I only had my almost 80 years old grandmother with me, I used to call her maa. Maa left me

when I was 12 years old, and I have had no one since then. I remember sleeping on my back using her lap

as the pillow and listening to the same stories again and again while gazing at the old, rusted lantern lit and

kept next to the clay stove. This is after we return to our little shack from selling tea in a moving cart.

She used to tell, Nattu! After I am gone, I want you to love people selflessly and keep your heart open to

receive love while being vigilant and prudent, that is how you are going to get through life. And that is what

I have been following in life after her departure.

I return to my kholi (little hut) alone at night, but I carry the thoughts of all the interactions that I had with

my customers during the day, and they are the ones that I consider as my family. Maa always used to say,

my boy, every single person who comes to our shop must be having his share of despair or sorrow, so

never fail to carry a smile that resembles your tea! Warm and comforting, then she used to pass me her

precious toothless elderly smile.

Well, I will stop blathering about myself now, that is not why I am here today but to bring you few short

stories about life, life I get to experience through my customers…

By Chinmayee Priyadarshini Dash