We meet and interact with strangers almost every day. It is one of the most common phenomena as we step out of our houses. But often, one or two of them leave a strong impression in our lives, creating a special bond that we hardly realise or speak about. One such heart-warming anecdote was shared by a Bangalore-based man named Dharmesh. He recently took to his Twitter handle (@dharmeshba) to share a story of his unspoken bond with a street-side tea stall owner near his house at Koramangala.
In India, visiting chai tapri (tea stall) is not an uncommon sight. Be it near your house or outside the office, almost every one of us has one tea stall that we visit almost every day to enjoy a hot cup of tea. These frequent visits often create a special bond with the place and its people. And this was what Dharmesh realised when he found that the tea shop near his house was closing permanently.
Dharmesh narrated his thoughts in a series of tweets, which started with his first day in Bangalore almost five years back (in 2015). According to him, the chai stall near his studio apartment in Koramangala, called 'Chetta Shop', was run by a man named PM, who hailed from Kerala. Dharmesh started visiting the chai stall every morning for a hot sip. "Every day, I visited we would share a smile and good morning. We never spoke more than that," he wrote. But, in the later years (even after moving his house), he kept visiting the chai stall often, until recently when he found out that "it was his last day as he is shutting down the shop permanently."
This last visit to the tea stall made Dharmesh realise the special bond he shares with the chaiwala (tea seller) and decided to keep in touch with him in future. Let's take a look at his heart-warming story:
I moved to Bangalore in 2015 and stayed in a studio apartment near Koramangala. I started making regular visit to a small tea and condiments shop near on my way home.
The shop was run by a Malayalee who hailed from a small town in Kerala. He was known by the name PM.— Dharmesh Ba (@dharmeshba) March 5, 2021
I have moved 4 homes since then. But it became my ritual to visit his shop for a tea whenever I was in Koramangala. He was the sort of person I had to catch-up with.
As our visits became infrequent we shared more than good morning. Asked about each other's health and life.— Dharmesh Ba (@dharmeshba) March 5, 2021
I was almost devastated but he was glad that he could serve me the last cup of tea. He had decided to go back to his village and hopefully to Dubai later for a better job.
I felt a deep sense of sorrow within. As I left, I shook his hand and thanked for being a great company— Dharmesh Ba (@dharmeshba) March 5, 2021
I couldn't find a name for the relationship we shared but I will definitely miss a friend and companion who made me happy and feel home in Bangalore. Hope PM has a great life ahead.
Bangalore is all about these relationships I earned over time ????— Dharmesh Ba (@dharmeshba) March 5, 2021
The story of the unspoken bond impressed Twitteratti, garnering hundreds of views, likes and comments. Some even reshared the story and commented, "Really great to hear still now people care about good human relationships."
Here're some of the comments that will win your heart:
About Somdatta SahaExplorer- this is what Somdatta likes to call herself. Be it in terms of food, people or places, all she craves for is to know the unknown. A simple aglio olio pasta or daal-chawal and a good movie can make her day.