Tea In Kerala.
By Rummuser. Filed in Humor, People |Tags: Kerala, Malayali, Mallu, Munnar, Tea
One of India’s 28 states is Kerala. Kerala is the most literate state in India and is a classic example of a remittance/ money order economy. Local industry is almost nil as Kerala has a militant trade union movement strongly supported by the ruling left front. The left front consists of communists and socialists of various hues. Most Keralites, also known as Malayalis leave Kerala to work elsewhere in India, the Middle East and send back money for the family. You can read about Kerala here.
Kerala’s preferred beverage is Tea and its grown up in the mountains around the head waters of a river called Moonar meaning three rivers. The British Tea Planters called it Munnar and made the tea famous for its unique flavour.
People from Kerala speak a language called Malayalam. They are therefore affectionately called Malayalis or Mallus for short. They have a very high sense of humour and are delightful conversationalists. They are also known for thier sangfroid. I have intimate connections with this wonderful state due to my mother having come from there and our own posting there for a few years.
In the picture below, you can see the Malayali sense of humour, their sangfroid and the local favourite beverage being vended from a mobile tea shop atop a bicycle, with aplomb.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 at 13:06 |
First, there’s no way I’d be drinking tea out of that! lol
Second, weird question I’m sure, but is that sweet tea, flavored tea (you said unique flavor, which means indescribable to me, but maybe I’m reading too much into it), tea with lemon, tea with milk (ick), unsweetened tea, strong or weak tea, etc? As you can see, I’d be tough to get to drink the tea without lots of questions.
Rummuser Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 10:31
Connoisseurs of tea can differentiate between the various teas from different parts of the world and that is what I meant by the flavour of Munnar being unique among other Indian teas. Somewhat like wine and whiskey I suppose. I personally cannot make out the difference.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 at 14:43 |
No thank you! I am suddenly not thirsty.
At the moment there is a series on BBC Radio 4, the show ‘Whatever Happened To The Teapots?’, has returned to meet the potters to find out what has happened to their industry. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8350518.stm
The only tea I drink is green tea with mint and it is infused in a glass teapot with a central sieve-like well to hold the leaves.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku7583347/?pkey=cglsgsvi&cm_src=None&bnrid=3183101&cm_ven=GoogleAff&cm_cat=Affiliate&cm_pla=CommShop&cm_ite=General
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 at 16:38 |
Ramana, that tea dispenser might be a distant cousin of the charming statue of ‘Manneken Pis”, to be found in Brussels/Belgium.
All those whose sensitivities are offended by the way in which the above tea is dispensed might like to have a close look at the spout of their kettles and tea pots, indeed watering cans. A faultless, most efficient design; no doubt refined by a man.
U
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 at 20:51 |
“Kerala is the most literate state in India”
Is there a link between literacy and the method of tea dispensing? The link between literacy and the remittance economy is clear.
When I was a kid, there was a book on my father’s bookshelf with the title “Malayalam for Foreigners”. Now I have an idea what this is about.
Rummuser Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 10:28
Looney, Kerala has a sizeable Christian population, predominantly Roman Catholic but also a number of other sects. Your father may perhaps have been catching up on that aspect.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 at 21:03 |
My parents were Americans, but I was born in Sumatra. Daddy said to me Three Little Pigs in Malaysian.(I still can recite it.) Put a “lam” on the end of that word & it looks Indian.
This isn’t about tea but I got carried away.
Jean Browman--Cheerful Monk Reply:
November 12th, 2009 at 08:43
What a charming story. Thank you!
Rummuser Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 10:24
Jean, are you serious?
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 at 21:13 |
I am not offended by the tea dispenser and do find the humor in it, but I really don’t think I would enjoy the tea from that spout. The phallic shape of my tea kettle spout does not occur to me when I pour from it, but the more graphic spout is so obvious that I would be turned off by the thought.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 at 23:21 |
That’s what I like about you, Bike Hike Babe: You go off at a tangent and don’t care where it leads. And if anyone follows you down the garden path they are welcome to make their own way back if they can’t hack it.
Darlene, these are delicate matters (ask any man). Let no one round up on one of the most vital, revered and sacred parts of the human body. Oh, Ramana, hugs and kisses to make up for any aberration of mine: They say ‘When in Rome do as the Romans do’, but of course I am not in India so I just do my thing – and hope it somewhat translates.
U
Rummuser Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 10:26
I would love to see you doing “your thing”! See what you are missing by not blogging, you can blog about those mysterious things if you do.
Thursday, November 12th 2009 at 06:40 |
Hi U (Ursula) There is a tiny connection here. When I saw “Malayalam” in the post, I knew there’s gotta be a connection to Malaysian, the language spoken in my Sumatra.
Speaking of getting off track (which I like to do)–My father took a pic. (70 years ago) of very THIN Sumatrans squatting in a circle. I recently saw a pic. of very FAT Sumatrans squatting in a circle. Guess our fast food & potato chips have made it over there.
Thursday, November 12th 2009 at 07:32 |
Thanks for the laugh. I shared it with my husband.
Rummuser Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 10:24
This is more like it rather than the other comment which I saw first!
Thursday, November 12th 2009 at 09:16 |
Your sense of humor is showing! I agree with Darlene, I don’t think of my tea kettle that way, but I think I might have a hard time drinking tea from the above spout. I think I might have to modify “When in Rome”, though I did try raw squid when I was in Okinawa. To be honest, I ordered it because the menu showed “Tacos”. Boy was I surprised! I went ahead and tried it to be social. I stopped after one bite, to me, that was social, either that or gag! I enjoyed your post!
Rummuser Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 10:23
Thank you Judy. During my non vegetarian days, I have tried just about everything possible all over the world. I simply gave it all up one day twelve years ago and have not felt the need to revert.
Thursday, November 12th 2009 at 11:22 |
My Church is full of Malayalis. Nurses from Kerala working in the local hospitals.
Rummuser Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 10:22
I hope that you showed them the picture! I wonder what all the Malayali Nuns would say if they saw the picture?
Wednesday, November 18th 2009 at 18:54 |
I have not visited Kerala so far. But after reading this article I am very much interested to visit Kerala as soon as possible and I would like to taste the tea. Hope it will be very much tasty.I would like to know more information about the greatness of Kerala. But what i read in this article is quit interesting.Thanks for sharing this here.
Monday, November 30th 2009 at 17:17 |
Your sense of humor is showing! I agree with Darlene, I don’t think of my tea kettle that way, but I think I might have a hard time drinking tea from the above spout. I think I might have to modify “When in Rome”, though I did try raw squid when I was in Okinawa. To be honest, I ordered it because the menu showed “Tacos”. Boy was I surprised! I went ahead and tried it to be social. I stopped after one bite, to me, that was social, either that or gag! I enjoyed your post!
Friday, December 11th 2009 at 18:49 |
yes kerala is located on the south-western tip of India, enjoys unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in Asia.Ayurveda have also helped Kerala to gain a pan-global reputation as a worth-visit destination.