The Tea & Music Festival at International House

by Suraj Shekar

I had the pleasure of attending the Tea & Music festival at I-House last Friday, hosted by the International Asian Culture Society. My expectations of the evening were modest yet my spirits kindled, as I looked forward to an evening of sharing Tea, biscuits, and stimulating conversations, which for me is strongly reminiscent of home. While the promise of chai and biscuits had me excited, the evening as it unraveled had my jaw dropping in awe (like Tom in Tom & Jerry).

It was mesmerizing to watch many of my fellow residents bring their talents to the stage – with performances of classical music, a Play, and a Chinese Cultural Dance – which was surely the highlight of the evening. While one would be left satisfied with the plethora of quality performances so far to call it an evening, you’d find me glued to my seat as they introduced us to tea beyond my homely chai. We learned about Burmese edible tea, Indian Chai and it’s origins, and the Chinese tea culture and practices – again through enticing presentations and performances.

At this point, you’d be wondering if I’ve done all but drink tea, attending an event titled Tea & Music Festival. Fret not, I did get my Chai and Parle-G (G for genius, for my brethren from India), tried Burmese edible tea, and slowly sipped on the hot Chinese tea as I shared memorable conversations with my fellow residents, here at I-House, a home away from home!