Cha ’n’ C. R. Park by Shukla Banik

What better way to start your day than a steaming cup of tea.  Even though commercial cultivation of tea in the country was introduced by the British in the early 19th century, there is nothing else that India has made more its own than tea.  Being the second largest tea producer in the world, India is also the largest consumer of tea (70%) in the world.  Be it the older version like masala tea, cutting chai or the newer hip version -  herbal tea, green tea or iced tea, we simply love our cuppa.  It is like an elixir that continues to rejuvenate everyone without prejudice.  Today it rules equally in a posh drawing room as well as in a humble tea shack in the street.

For Bengalis the emotion runs much deeper than just a nicely brewed cup of tea.  Friends fight and patch up over a cup of tea.  Lovers get romantic over a cup of tea.  Students discuss serious political issues over a cup of tea.  Neighbours meet to chat over a cup of tea.  They even travel great distances to purchase the perfect tea. Tea!!!! Ki je bolish …….eeeessshhhhh!!!   For bengalis it was, is and always will be Cha.  Not just any but Dudh Cha - a sweet, milky, aromatic concoction that rules the heart of majority of bengali population. During winters or rainy season, add some ginger to it and serve it hot.  You will be blessed with a “Beche thako” in return.  Though the current health-conscious generation increasingly prefers Lal Cha, it is still a poor cousin to Dudh Cha.  To top it all, if it is served in an environmental-friendly Bhar (clay pots), then they are definitely a Mahapurush. What a combo - Cha, Maati, Manush!!!

Cha - One word many emotion.  Or even motion.  My father always blamed his IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) on a delayed cup of tea in the morning.  My mother, during her shivratri fast, would often relate her headaches to abstinence from tea.  During our many trips to Kolkata, Bhar Cha occupied the first slot in their to-do list.  Guests, with a busy schedule, would be lured with two magical word “Cha bosiyechi” and promptly a time slot would be awarded.

Chittaranjan Park, a resettlement colony for bengalis, is also not immune to the charms of Cha. Be it a road-side set-up like Niranjan, Nakul or erstwhile-Singing Tree at Market No. 1 or a designer setup like Chaayer Adda or Cafe Green at Market no. 2, all of them are doing brisk business.  After all Cha, jhal moori aar adda is nothing less than attaining Nirvana.  Even during early 70s when the markets were slowly taking shape, there were tea shops present at both the markets.  Be it Baruah’s at market no. 1 or Chaitali’s at market no 2, tea shops were flourishing at both the markets.  These shops offered Cha, Biskut and a sitting area in the form of wooden benches.  These benches were an important factor for running a successful tea stall.

Despite many tea shops, none truly qualifies as the first tea shop of C. R. Park.  That distinction belonged to Sri Sri Niramish Bhojanaloy, a tea shop-cum-vegetarian restaurant at B Block Chittaranjan Park, which came up in 1969.  Post partition, Mr. Birendra Kumar Dey from Sylhet (then East Pakistan) migrated to Delhi.  Once in Delhi, he started his life all over again.   During late ‘60s, his job at Gwalior Pottery Netaji Nagar came to an abrupt end due to company’s decision to shut shop.  Following his friend’s advise, who was running a canteen at Government school Kalkaji, he opened a tea shop-cum-veg restaurant in C R Park.   The shop was built on a residential plot opposite A-Block (A - 43) and B Block park (next to Delhi Jal Board water reservoir). 

(Mr. Birendra Kumar Dey’s shop in B Block)

The shop was probably built on a plot earmarked for plot no B 201 to 205.  So he gave his shop an address - Shri Shri Niramish Bhojanaloy, B 201 Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi.  Indian Postal Service regularly delivered letters addressed to him at this address.  Till date, the house no. between B 201 to 205 do not exist in C R Park.

(A post card, from Bangladesh, addressed to Mr. Birendra Kumar Dey)

By late 1971, he turned his shop into a shop-cum-residence set-up and shifted his family from Lodhi Road to C R Park.  Living quarters were just behind the shop. His family, at that time, consisted of his wife and three daughters.  Younger two kids, a girl and a boy, was born and brought up at this address.  The children attended the same school as the rest of the colony kids and actively participated in all the social/religious functions organised by the colony from time to time.  While the family depended on ‘petromax’ due to no electric connection, an official ‘piao’ installed by Delhi Jal Board at that very plot served as their water connection.  

(Picture of the ‘Piao’)  

(Picture of Dey Family)

Construction workers from various residential projects in C. R. Park contributed to his initial customer base.  Later on, locals too started frequenting the place.  Gradually the shop started selling cigarettes drawing a lot of young crowd.  It became quite popular among the bachelors staying on rent, as the home-cooked food provided much needed sustenance to the poor souls.  Soon, the shop became a hub for younger generation looking for their daily dose of cha, adda aar gaan-baajna.

(Picture of customers at the shop)

On March 8th 1987, Mr. Dey left his grief-stricken family for an eternal journey.  On October 20th 1987, on the eve of Kali Puja, C. R. Park was rudely shaken by a terrorist attack.  On November 19th 1987,  Mr. Dey’s shop was demolished by the authorities owing to its unauthorized status.  His widow and children (some of them were still in school) lost their home of 16 years as well as their only source of income within a matter of few hours.  Mr. R C Bhattacharya of B 174 gave them shelter at his home at that time.   They stayed, rent-free, at this address for the next one year or so.  Mrs. Dey opened a temporary tea shop at market no. 3 to provide for her children but that too stopped when she met with an accident.  Years later, a residential plot at M Pocket as well as a shop at Market no. 1 was allotted to Dey family.  By that time, all the children were well settled in their respective home and careers.   At 1989 the plot where Mr. Dey’s shop was situated, became Pocket K under ‘714 jona’ scheme.  

 

(Pocket K, C R Park - 2018)

(Dey Sisters - 2018)

A lot has changed since 1969 when the first tea-shop came up in C R Park.  Winds of change transformed the old kuccha market into a pucca DDA constructed one.  Yet the old ambience and the mood surrounding the tea shop remains intact.  During my many visit to the markets, I come across people of varied age groups enjoying their cup of tea.  Low concrete walls surrounding the market area now serve as a sitting area for tea lovers.  Older generation, retired and bored, find much-needed company over a cup of tea.  School friends, meeting after a gap of many years, swap stories over a cup of tea.  But it is the younger generation who keeps the tradition alive by frequenting these spaces regularly for their daily dose of cha, adda aar gaan baajna. 

(People enjoying tea at C R Park markets - 2018)

Next time whenever you take a sip of your coveted cup of Cha from your favourite tea shop,  remember it is not just tea he is serving but hope.  Hope of a better life.  Hope of a dignified life.  Hope to live life as equal among all men.  Moreover in this digital era, when we are slowly forgetting the art of real conversation, meeting friends over a cup of tea might just be the right antidote for an ailing society. For it is just not tea, it never was.  

Enjoy your Cha-shots.  Cheers!!!!

Acknowledgement:  Neighbourhood Diaries is thankful to Mrs. Ruby Dasgupta, Deepesh Sangtani, Ronojoy Sircar and 1989 batch of Vinay Nagar Bengali School for their valuable inputs for this article