July | 2017 | Abha Shahra Shyama

Vraj Mandal special.

Hot ginger chai! At one of the sacred Van (woods) #belvan in Vraj Mandal.
With the peacocks, parrots, cows, the squirrels and the snake!!

This particular video is from a very sacred spot in Vraj. Entire 84 kos of this land is divine and home to several sacred divine leela of Shree RadhaKrishn or ShreeNathji
Tea is made outdoors in the choolah. The sadhu babaji who lives here is very friendly.

He always offers me tea and we spend at least a couple of hours watching the peacocks, parrots, squirrels running around.

Preparing to light the outdoor chullah he continues talking all the time.

As he has no ginger I offer him some from my little bag. I have learnt from my innumerable visits to Vraj; to always carry some ginger with me, as many of the chai places(outdoor tea making spots) do not use it when it gets a bit expensive. And I love to have some ginger in my tea!! This tea has no added water and milk used is fresh from his Gaushala.

This is a step by step video of this exciting tea making ritual.

As he brews my #tea sadhu babaji continues to give me a lecture on the adulterated milk that we must be using in Mumbai.

Watch how babaji makes tea and also describes how three snakes came in his hut the other day to eat the rats. (In fact we actually see a snake crawl in the bush as we sat sipping on our tea).

Maybe you will notice the helper who picks up the ready tea from fire, removes his slippers before nearing the chullah. As cooking is considered a sacred ritual.

Listening to the peacocks meow in the background as tea is brewed makes for a very mesmerising experience as also keeping a watch on my tea, and filming this process.

In between I manage to photograph the two parrots who come in search of water at the tap. And the few squirrels who drink from the nullah. The new born calves hide in fear and are shy.

I’ve taken several pictures in my camera which will upload some day.

(This particular way of making tea outdoors is very ancient and not many places do it any more. Also I would not accept openly made tea if this place wasn’t a sacred spot and also clean enough).

#teaoutdoors #belvan #vrajmandal

How I love this divine place!!

Jai Shree RadhaKrishn!