Coffee is probably humanity’s favourite drink. As a storytelling ape species, we, the humans, often attach stories to our beloved, and coffee is not an exception. Although coffee is not India’s ‘cup-of-tea’, it has a very fascinating history of its arrival in India, which I came to know while visiting a tiny hamlet in southern India.
Two years ago, my career focus shifted from research to teaching with a course lying in the periphery of my expertise. The challenges were formidable, but the semester bestowed upon me a new identity.
A single arrival date? Think again. Archival records now reveal a Latin American weed entered India three distinct times via three different routes, slipping unnoticed through history to become the relentless force it is today.
You search for the tourist attractions around Chikmagalur, the famous coffee destinations in India, and one name keeps appearing: Ayyanakere Lake. The photos in the search results promise a breathtaking vista, but what you are missing is a legend of two friends to whom every picturesque sunset pays a tribute.
My travel itinerary is usually filled with tiny hamlets in the lap of a mountain, a serene seaside town, or the dark greens of a dense tropical forest. Sanchi is not any of them, but it offered an unexpected peace that settled deep within. Nestled on a hilltop, Sanchi was a different travel experience for me. This blog is not just about the facts and figures of this world heritage site, but the feeling it evoked in me that day.
You can never be forgotten’, I thanked all, ‘as you have written one of the most beautiful chapters of my life’. The farewell note from Mumbai, as I started my journey back home after staying there for 3 months.