Every Karachi-ite’s cup of tea

Karachi Tea Festival set to be the answer to citizen’s brew-related prayers

KARACHI:

The year 2016 started off with a bang, with festivities and celebrations in the air. The people of Karachi had stuffed their faces at the Karachi Eat Festival for the third time, only to test their intelligence at the 7th Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) shortly after. But this is not the last of this year’s winter-time festivities. The Karachi Tea Festival has got on the bandwagon, promising a beverage festival, the likes of which no Karachi-ite has seen before.

The one-of-a-kind tea festival is being organised at Frere Hall by the Digital Media Consultants (DMC). The idea behind the event is pretty simple and straight forward - tea for all seasons, all occasions and all reasons. “Tea is in our blood,” revealed Laiq A Qureshi, an organiser of the event. “We have tea when we rejoice, when we cry, when we wake up and when we go to sleep. We decided why not do something like this for Karachi,” he explained. “We are starting from Karachi but we will spread to other places in Pakistan too. After all, it’s a Pakistani thing,” he added enthusiastically.

The tea festival will be hosting themed stalls and will also include tea workshops. From Chinese and Spanish to Kashmir and masala, tea will be presented according to themes, keeping true to the tradition and culture to which it belongs. The workshops will cater to those interested in how particular types of tea are prepared in different regions. In addition to all this, discussions will also be held, with regards to how freshness is ensured by importers and exporters of the drink. “It will be an occasion of interaction over tea,” added Qureshi.



At present, entries for public participation are underway. Mindful of the prevailing tea war in the city between the leading yellow and red brands, Qureshi is quick to respond about being impartial. “We are encouraging startups and entrepreneurs mainly. The big corporate groups will be there but we will make sure that none of them will dominate the festival,” he assured. Tea is not the only thing being featured at the tea festival. Confectionaries, cake, spicy nimco and all other edibles that complement a steaming cup of tea will be available. “Everything but cold drinks,” laughed Qureshi. The festival will be held on the concrete flooring at Frere Hall and not the garden area. “We don’t want to damage the greenery there,” he said.

Public response so far

The social media page for Karachi Tea Festival has thus far revealed that people are making plans to attend the festival scheduled between March 4 and 6. Others are enquiring about the way to book a stall. “We have been approached by eager people so far. There is a girl who organises tea parties privately who has contacted us,” said Qureshi.



“There is also a couple who runs their own dhaba [who contacted us],” he said, adding that these are the type of businesses that they are encouraging to take part in the festival. “Oh, I’m already onboard,” responded Yumna Haroon, a self-declared tea addict who often posts memes and tweets about tea on social media platforms. “Karachi-ites are the khao piyo [eating and drinking] type, as we saw at the Karachi Eat Festival. With tea it wouldn’t be any different,” she added, excitedly.

Yes to more festivals

For estranged friends and young graduates who embarked on their individual professional lives, these festivals have become reunion points, both planned and unplanned. Ali Zaidi, who recently completed his university studies, maintains a Whatsapp group for such occasions. With the group name changing with every such possible meet up, Zaidi says it is his way of meeting his friends. “How else will friends meet one another now that everyone has different lives?” he asked. And when asked about the tea festival? “Who doesn’t like tea? We are all working class, we love tea!” he exclaimed.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th,  2016.