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March 5, 2018

Chini Kum, Adarakh Zyada

This how I am greeted by a few people in our office building. No kidding.

When our company started operations in that shiny new building but a small setup, a couple of us were worried about food and tea. While I chose to bring lunch from home, we tried ordering tea from cafeteria situated in an open terrace downstairs. Who on earth can survive without that one cup of tea to overcome the afternoon slump?

Now, I have CCD! - Chai Compulsive Disorder. I can drink tea, made only by a total of four specific people. On the first day, I took eternity to finish it (Read: Acting as if I am drinking), I cried silent tears. I spent many days without tea. Meanwhile my flu got worsened in terms of frequency of bouts hence, I decided to take the plunge. I took the challenge of developing a vendor and supply chain for tea of my taste.

I short listed one of the vendors who would make tea in our own building. I made an agreement regarding the price, raw material (Read: Ingredients - fresh ginger and milk) and operational instructional. In fact, I gave the secret (so much that no one wants to drink tea made by this recipe) recipe in written.To my surprise, this guy picked it up really really well.

It became a routine for them to fulfill the order of this new tea as soon as they see me entering the cafe or hear my voice for the order on phone. The code name of the recipe was 'Chini Kum, Adarakh Zyada' because that is what would be my short description while ordering, so that they dont forget that I wont touch the normal tea.

Slowly,  my name and the greeting also became this four word phrase. "Good Morning" and "Good Evening" , "Kaise Ho" and "Madam Dikhe Nahi kal" got converted into smiles and "Chini Kum, Adarakh Zyada".

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Yesterday we shifted to a bigger and better office. My heart skipped a beat when I was not greeted in the morning by the same group of people.  I missed my tea and smiles without our slogan the most.

Some where, I am not sure if I would get same smiles even if I get the perfect "Chini Kum Adarkh Zyada" Chai, ever.

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