It is quite significant that people start
their day with a beverage and the very beverage has been, nevertheless, Coffee or
Tea, at least in Indian context. It is inferred that Coffee is considered to be ostentatiously opulent drink while tea is not, not only for the reason that tea
costs less than coffee, but also for its composition and processing and many
other reasons. This could be well understood from the notion that Coffee Shops
certainly are more starred than Tea stalls. It dates long back to the history
to know how and why Coffee started gaining the upper hand over tea, despite tea
being consumed in abundance.
There was a time not only for mother India
to have struggled under the British East India, but also for the great America,
who were under the same for quite a considerably long time. It was then that tea
was so fanatically associated even for the Kings and Queens of the Britain. The
famous ‘Boston Tea Party’ and subsequent Tea parties that happened in America
were not apparently happy and merry making celebrations, rather pure outburst
of discontent by boycotting Tea and consuming Coffee over tea against the practices
of the British. John Adams, the ex-President of America happened to remark Tea
as a “Traitor’s drink” and so, most of the Americans gave up tea in addition to
the persistently consistent rage through Tea parties. For over two decades, Tea
was resented and it was in this process where the Americans found an
inclination and liking towards Coffee.
Having stated the reasons for America’s coffee interest, it would certainly be perplexing and abrupt to state that the interest of Indians has been figured out to be Tea, not for the regards towards the British, but for its affordability, irrespective of the differences being very marginal. Lately for over a decade, India has been witnessing an aggressive increase and hype in the Coffee production asserting their position in the subcontinent’s beverage marketplace. Chains of Café Coffee Day, Barista, etc. have set up examples for the push and promotion of Coffee. This rapid growth of Coffee consumers is considerably one main reason for the ministry to not declare Tea, the national drink for its preference and popularity.
It could be termed illogical insensibility if
stated that the above discussed reasons were and still are the reasons for
Coffee, Tea preference. It perhaps ought to be agreed that the preferences and
choices lie within the subjective person on a microscopic level of
observation. Hence the uncertainty in
the certainty of the individual predilection of a person could be well
justified as the passive reflection of tracks and trails of the historic
conflicts over the Tea and Coffee.
“Not that people love tea less, but that they started loving coffee more.”
Yours controversially,
Arun Shankar. M
Arun Shankar. M
