Title: Hot Tea Across India
Author: Rishad Saam Mehta
Publisher: Tranquebar
Pages: 191
Price: Rs 195
Genre: Non Fiction / Travel
Rating: 7.5/10
‘Hot Tea Across India’
is a collection of experiences put together by travel writer Rishad Saam Mehta,
from his many road trips across India .
The stories are not in any particular order or about any one particular
journey. The chapters – some really entertaining, some interesting while a few
inconsequential - are independent of each other. ‘Tea’ acts as the common
element in all these stories, as the writer reminisces about various cups of
tea he had - of all tastes and compositions!
I have a thing for
travel stories from India .
I am particularly fond of stories from road trips or small, little known places;
which provide opportunities to discover many more facets of India that I am
oblivious of and also to smile fondly at Indian idiosyncrasies and stereotypes.
I believe India
is a dream for any traveler, in terms of what she has to offer. Go to any place;
its flavour, its culture and its people are unique.
I am particularly
fascinated by forts and palaces. It is exciting to walk on the same path which had
been frequented by completely different kind of people, centuries ago. The
author also puts it across very well when he says: “….I consider any ancient monument a time cell, a little module that has
frozen an era within its walls for eternity. Life may go on at frenzied pace
all around its periphery, but within its ramparts or its carved walls, history
looks you in the face as you stare at a legacy of talent, art and architectural
science left behind from centuries ago.”
When I saw ‘Hot Tea
Across India’, it offered 2 things I love - Indian travel stories and tea. I am
addicted to Tea.
The title of the book
is interesting and very catchy but the focus on ‘tea’ in the title could be
misleading because the book is less about tea and more about experiences. The
cover page is quite apt and fetching. It beautifully captures the essence of
various stories narrated by the author. I did not like the font used on the back
cover though. It was difficult to decipher.
Author Rishad Saam
Mehta is among those lucky few who have converted their passion into
profession. He is passionate about traveling and has been writing travel
features for several publications. His travel stories in this book are diverse
- from hitching a ride on a truck from Mumbai to Delhi , to almost losing his beloved bike in
Kargil, from negotiating his way alone through some of the most dangerous
terrains to experiencing unexpected kindness of government officials in getting
back his misplaced bike. Unexpected turn of events and interesting people, are
the two things which make every travel story interesting, and the author has
packed in enough of those in this book.
‘Hot Tea Across India’
is an easy read. I was particularly impressed by the author’s effortless
writing style – witty and articulate. Sample these:
“… They were three
foreign tourists riding hired Enfield
Bullets: one of them was shirtless, another was shoeless, all three seemed
clueless about the consternation they had caused by jumping barriers. They rode
towards the policemen exuberantly calling out, ‘ Juley, juley’ – Ladakh’s happy
word for hello – not realising that Ladakh was a few hundred kilometres behind
and a very sticky situation lay ahead.”
“…He, of course, thought his voice was as smooth as silk
and could carry the same strain of sorrow that Mukesh was so good at – when in
fact it had the abrasiveness of heavy-duty factory grade sand paper.”
“…Zubair,
unaccustomed to transportation that moved so fast and turned so rapidly within
such a small radius, was fighting to keep his morning tea within the confines
of his stomach and was going green in the process.”
The piece where he
recounts his Maruti Van’s story in its voice (chapter ‘Automotive Love’) is quite
funny, while the chapter ‘Unbiased Bullet’ was another laugh-out-loud part of
this book.
This book is not so
much about information about places mentioned but interesting experiences of a
traveler. Over all, the book will appeal to anyone who loves reading travel
stories or travelogues. The only thing which I felt missing was a few pictures,
perhaps!
Image source: http://www.westlandbooks.in
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