Kaapi, Kaapi, Tea, Kaapi......
All the talk about Coffee by AC, rekindled the fond memories of those coffee and tea vendors of the railway stations back home.
Its kind of an art form, the recitation of Kaapi, Kaapi, tea kaapi and so on. And yes, there used to be so many variations, tones, and tactics used for saying these two simple words to get the attention of the rail traveller. Not only just Coffee or tea, selling anything is an art form for these vendors. It used to leave me wondering.... A few times i have even called the vendors just to see what they were selling since i could not make out from their calls. One example was " skates" or something to that effect, on calling him closer i found he was selling biscuits .
Language is no barrier for these vendors. Be it Chai, garam chai, garama garam in the North, to Kaapi.... in the south. Never mind the quality of the coffee or tea. Usualy made with some mixture of milk, water and condensed milk with nescafe added to it, or a tea bag
My most frequent travels used to be on the famous Dadar Madras express, and these vendors were good source of amusement, right from station one. Those were the good old days of train travel. Is it still the same. I wonder. Do you folks remember any specific rail vendor lingo? Do share it here
These days , i travel less by train due to time constraints, but I would give anything to hear a good old "kaapi, kaapi, tea...." May be next time
In the meanwhile, can we all imagine the immaculately dressed Singapore Airlines or British Airways Stewards coming down the aisle saying " Kaapi, kaapi, chai garam, garama garam kaapi....."
Its kind of an art form, the recitation of Kaapi, Kaapi, tea kaapi and so on. And yes, there used to be so many variations, tones, and tactics used for saying these two simple words to get the attention of the rail traveller. Not only just Coffee or tea, selling anything is an art form for these vendors. It used to leave me wondering.... A few times i have even called the vendors just to see what they were selling since i could not make out from their calls. One example was " skates" or something to that effect, on calling him closer i found he was selling biscuits .
Language is no barrier for these vendors. Be it Chai, garam chai, garama garam in the North, to Kaapi.... in the south. Never mind the quality of the coffee or tea. Usualy made with some mixture of milk, water and condensed milk with nescafe added to it, or a tea bag
My most frequent travels used to be on the famous Dadar Madras express, and these vendors were good source of amusement, right from station one. Those were the good old days of train travel. Is it still the same. I wonder. Do you folks remember any specific rail vendor lingo? Do share it here
These days , i travel less by train due to time constraints, but I would give anything to hear a good old "kaapi, kaapi, tea...." May be next time
In the meanwhile, can we all imagine the immaculately dressed Singapore Airlines or British Airways Stewards coming down the aisle saying " Kaapi, kaapi, chai garam, garama garam kaapi....."
Total Comments 19
Comments
 |  Dear Vandana, Nice humourous blog on kaapi. I am almost baffled by the fact that in India a hot country people like to drink hot hot coffee while in western cold countries I have seen people eating ice-creams. I thought it should be the other way. I would like to hear your comments on this. Regards, TDU |
Posted 15th November 2007 at 02:11 PM by Tamildownunder  |
| |  Dear Vandana Most Hilarious blog so enjoyed reading it. Ofcourse I remember kaapi kaapi tea chai garam garam chai chai .... and such. Also how about Idli idli vadai suda idli vadai and then even fruits like oranges and other seasonal ones. In some of our northern travels I have had tea or chai in a mudka pot small one put the taste and flavor so much nicer. I can agree with you that just to hear this we will make time and travel by rail transport. Like you mention language is not a barrier so they can always sell any thing. Sometimes its even woven mats, woven baskets, earthware pots and the inevitable earrings and hairclips But kaapi kaapi is a long forgotten song and still sounds pleasing to the ear.keep blogin.. |
| Posted 15th November 2007 at 03:07 PM by anandchitra |
| |  You bought my memories of my travel in trains while i was in India. But my daughters experienced those 'coffee, coffee, tea' when they travelled to b'lore, rameswaram and so on during the last summer break. They love travelling in our trains and they are also excited! sriniketan |
| Posted 15th November 2007 at 07:12 PM by Sriniketan |
| | TDU Sir, I think here too the culture of drinking coffee is there as well as eating ice creams in India. But I think as far as vendors selling icecream, it all comes down to how to keep the ice cream frozen in the hot climate!! Thanks for stopping by |
| Posted 15th November 2007 at 07:30 PM by Vandhana |
| | Yes AC, Idli vadai, then we have the famous vada Pav and Chikki up in Mumbai. All part of the Rail food. So also the kalanda sadam packets. Yes I too have had the chai in the matkas. Infact they were so cute, i have seen people collecting them as keepsakes perhaps?? I think train travel is by far the best way to see how people interact with each other. |
| Posted 15th November 2007 at 07:32 PM by Vandhana |
| | Hi Bhargavi, Train travel in India is a fun experience for kids. Especially when all those wooden toys sellers come with their wares too... |
| Posted 15th November 2007 at 07:33 PM by Vandhana |
| |  Hi Vandana, Yes kaapi kaapi kaapi, Chaai Chaai Chaai are the main thing that we listen too when we travel by train. Infact inbetween comes the sound of Paal soodana Paal and Idly Vadai soodana Idly Vadai. But it doesnot stop with ther, my uncles used to tell us a story, there was once a man who used to sell something on the street, and all he sounded was Adichi podi, podi kalai,udai kaalai, and all that he was selling was Arisi Pori, Pori Kadalai and Udaicha Kadalai. Now a days I listen to the sound of one waster paper man, and my son has got the knack of imitating him so well and whenever he comes giving that sound, my son too gives that sound. He calls out pazhaya paaaaaaaaapeeer. It is not the product that they sell but it is the way they sell the product that is so entertaining. |
| Posted 15th November 2007 at 09:30 PM by rajmiarun |
| |  Hai Vandana, That was a great blog. I am logging into IL after long and I saw the blog feature and was thrilled to read few blogs here. Your this blog excited me the most. Oh...tea, kaapi, kaapi, tea is something everyone who has travelled by train in India would be familiar. My neice had travelled by train a lot from Chennai to Bangalore during her early childhood and whenever at home someone said coffee, she will immediately start saying 'kaapi tea kaapi kaapi' exactly like those sellers. See how much those men sold their selling style just not their products. Interesting blog...give us more... Kanmani |
| Posted 15th November 2007 at 10:55 PM by kanmani |
| |  Dear Vandhana, That is a nice blog.... I used to frequently travel between Delhi-Chennai... There we get the Garam Chai.... Also while travelling in south kaapi.... It was great... You missed out few more... "Soodana samsa, cutlet, bajji,bonda".... "Snakes, snakes".. (Snacks actually with biscuit/choclate wafer etc..).. Though ther is no language issues... the taste of the tea coffee, varies from station to station... Though they will be using the same ingrediants... There are some places certain things are very special... Like in salem station milk used to be very good... Coimbatore.. Idllies used to be good.... It is always pleasent to travel in train and enjoy the journey... when you are in a relaxed mood... Especially, I enjoy it with my kids... My son will ask for everything to each which comes ... Shan will be shouting... I and my kids will enjoy... Thanks for rekindling those golden memories... |
| Posted 15th November 2007 at 11:36 PM by Vysan |
| |  dear vandana, my father a railway engineer so a lot of travel in train in childhood days and how about our kova paal kova of the chennai howrah sector,when u mentioned wooden toys near waltair we have those wonderful toys, rajmundhry dry aam sheets packed in packs are also too good to miss, and the mundiri [cashew] in the andhra sector is too good such large ones bright and white and smooth to chew into,in the bilaspur sector, central india we get only milk water and elaichi to keep warm in matka,and chivda in the bombay bangalore section, nearing kolkata in mecheda the chai is in a very small mud cups but heavenly near kharagpur, luchi and aloo in the morning is a must...sk |
| Posted 15th November 2007 at 11:39 PM by sunkan |
| | Dear Vandhana, Thank you so much for the refreshing chai! Indian train journeys are Indian life in a nutshell-everybody bonds and shares and sings and eats-we all become one big family and never mind any amount of discomfort. I remember hot chai in khullrs (clay cups) and oranges at Nagpur. At one time I started cooking for the long journey South but I think that was unwise as it ruins the fun of eating all the "time-pass" snacks-channa vadai, hot boiled eggs... I also wonder if Indian trains are the same as I'm thinking of some more than ten years back. |
| Posted 16th November 2007 at 03:27 AM by Gita Madhu |
| | Rajmi. What you say is so true. It comes over to the street vendors too. your "adchi podi" was too good. Even the Stainless steel hawker used to have a special lingo . could never make out till I saw his basket. But these people make life so interesting. too bad this culture seems to be going out now. But the rail vendors will be there as long as we travel by train. |
| Posted 16th November 2007 at 11:28 AM by Vandhana |
| | Thanks kanmani, Yes these people have big influence on us. see even i can remember the exact tone which they use, though its been almost 10 plus years since i had a proper train travel. Look to see you more on IL blogs now. |
| Posted 16th November 2007 at 11:29 AM by Vandhana |
| | Hi Veda, Yes i forgot lot of them. its been ages since i was on a long distance train. Now i can recall the "snakes" . do come up with more if you remember. Yes traveling with kids on the train. we need t have a separate budget for that!! keep adding to the list veda. |
| Posted 16th November 2007 at 11:32 AM by Vandhana |
| | Dear Sundari, Who can forget the aam papads. Ooh so mouth watering. I always buy some and bring with me when ever i come from India. We do get some beautiful handcrafted items on the train by these rail vendors. And yes each place is famous and distinct for one particular product. I remember, when the train used to stop in "cudappah station" lot of people used to buy the chapati kal there as it used to be famous. |
| Posted 16th November 2007 at 11:35 AM by Vandhana |
| | Dear Gita Madhu, Your following sentence sums up train travel so well:" Indian train journeys are Indian life in a nutshell-everybody bonds and shares and sings and eats-we all become one big family and never mind any amount of discomfort" Everyone willingly shares what ever they have. Rotis and subji traded for puliyogare, theplas traded for idli molagapodi and so on.... it is one huge Pot luck affair so to call. I have always enjoyed everyone of my train travels. especially since i used to travel alone most of the time, i used to get extra special treatment from all the co passengers!! |
| Posted 16th November 2007 at 11:38 AM by Vandhana |
| |  Garam vada pav-Khandala special! Chikki Lonavala Chikki!!! Everytime the train passed Lonavala-Khandala, this was a familier cry.My brother & I waited for this cry for it meatn garma garam Vada pavs with a chilli or two thrown in.All washed down by hot cups of Masala Chai.. The experience of traveling in Indian railways is something unique.You make friends on trains, in one instance a lady came up to my mom to ask for some talcum powder..They got talking & soon realised they were cousins.... I yearn for those days now it all travel by air. |
| Posted 16th November 2007 at 06:52 PM by corallux |
| |  Hi Vandhana, Somehow missed this blog earlier....enjoyed reading it. I recall my school days in Dindgul, when we used to often travel by vaigai express to Chennai. In the dindgul rly station there was a vendor who used to sell tea coffee and bonda...As soon as a train came to a halt in the station he would start his unique recital...coffee bonda tea...coffee bonda tea...it used to sound like coffee pondati...  .Ur imagination of attendants in the flight with kaapi tea kaapi was interesting.  bye |
Posted 8th December 2007 at 03:20 AM by saraswathipv  |
| |  Dear Vandhana, I just usually do not get time to go through the blogs. Only today I saw your Kaapi kaapi ... I was just taken back to my young days when we used to travel by train. After that we were travelling by car and I missed everything. Nowadays even if I travel by train it is just to palakkad and there are no vendors in the night time. Only in the morning, that too when we reach Palakkad only, they start, so I miss out on these things. Thanks once again for taking me back to those happy days. It was a hilarious post Vandhana, and very very interesting |
| Posted 14th December 2007 at 03:08 AM by Eljaype |
Recent Blog Entries by Vandhana
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- Kaapi, Kaapi, Tea, Kaapi...... (15th November 2007)
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