Banaras: Learning Spaces
Behind the Chai , Mithai and Paan in Banaras A slighted edited version appears in The Hindu . Warm thanks to friends at each of these learning spaces and Eesha. A lot has been said about Banarasi’s lanes being home to some of the finest chai, mithai and paan one can savour. Locals affirm that some of these older stalls and shops are, akin to the ghats, very much a part of Banaras' identity. Over almost a decade that I have put in at Banaras I have visited and revisited some of these stalls and shops. Initially I was blown away by the regularly high quality of the chai , mithai , and paan that permeated my senses. Some of the tastes, textures and smells I experienced here were new for me as were the sensations they aroused in my body. Over a period of time I realised that at these spaces perfection is the norm. As I put in more time I observed, and engaged with, the people who ran these spaces; people behind the perfection. These people, centred beings, live in the moment ( the ...