On the way back from Ranthanbore to Jaipur, we stopped at a small chai (tea) stall, where a group of old men were sitting and probably discussing village politics. As we stepped out of our vehicles they stared at us for sometime before offering a small bamboo stool for us to sit. During the conversation I hinted that I wanted to click a snap and he nodded. The spotless clothes, and elaborate turban, and the look in his eyes, gave a sense of pride I had not seen before.
A younger group soon joined us, and offered me tobacco, and even though I refused, started rolling one for me. They took a think pipe and stuffed something in it, and then lit it at one end and then took a deep puff, as he exhaled I started coughing, and he laughed and said it was charas. Thats when I decided enough tea, we need to move on, even as the man tried to hand me the joint he had made.
