Returning from the Bundi Fort and still soaking in the eternal beauty of the Chitrashala Mahal Palace I was walking through the streets of Bundi and stopped by the Krishna Tea Stall. The exquisite paintings all over the shop grabbed my attention and my feet were unknowingly drawn towards the shop.
The owner Mr. Krishna welcomed me with a big smile and offered a high seat that I could take only after climbing a few steps. Soon I realized this was an unusual tea shop. Krishna took more time than normal to make tea and I used this time to marvel at the modern art that adorned the walls that looked more like street art but clearly having the traits of the world-famous Bundi style of painting.
Noticing that I was not a mobile addict, Krishna struck a conversation and narrated how the recent lockdown of 8 months brought immense losses to his little tea business.
With a heavy heart, yet a little glee in his cheeks, also told how he took up his hobby of painting when the customers trickled down from an easy hundred per day in the pre-pandemic era to just a dozen per week. For him, there was no better canvas than the four walls of his little shop.
Day after day and week after week he continued painting relentlessly, pursuing his hobby zealously with great enthusiasm and vigor. This was the best phase of his life when he could give himself a wee little time and for his long-cherished hobby of abstract painting in the Bundi style.
Soon the tea arrived and he served a glass-full for only INR 40. I realized it was special with the first sip. Krishna revealed that it contained green cardamom, dried ginger, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel seeds, the ingredients of the classic Indian Masala Chai. The taste of the tea was heavenly and instantly drove away all the fatigue from the arduous visit to the colossal Bundi Fort.
So how did the pursuit of his hobby helped Krishna earn a livelihood? He continued revealing how his shop started appearing enticing to the passer-byes as his artwork caught the attention of everyone. Many customers were art-enthusiast who thronged the Chitrashala Mahal Palace to admire the miniature paintings and frescos. Krishna invited them over and generously allowed contributing little pieces of art on the walls of his tea shop.
People spent hours drawing little figures of Hindu Gods or abstract art or natural scenes or just phrases in fancy fonts and styles. They experienced fatigue and Krishna served them Tea to overcome that. Soon business flourished.
Looking from the high seat Krishna’s Tea shop looked neat and tidy. There’s a Genius engineering work across the narrow street, a cow passing by, a toddler out on a stroll in the arms of an old man perhaps his grandpa, the neatly arranged array of glass cups, the green earthen pot painted with patterns placed in the corner, the jug, the tray, the stove and finally, a busy Krishna seen making tea, everything in harmony and picture-perfect.
The man with the turban painted on the far side near the entrance welcoming customers was also painted by a customer who worked on it for 12 hours over 3 days consuming as many as 20 cups of tea per day.
On this wall are Brahma, a peacock, a dancing lady with a Sitar musical instrument, random patterns, some Japanese Kanji fonts, and so on…
There is also some space where Krishna set up his little art studio cum training workshop.
The third wall has Shiv with goggles, a Sun face, Lord Ganesh, Swastik, Om, the Trishul trident, and an Owl all inside a pink heart shape and this extravaganza is shared at the top of the post.
Finally here is the smiling and cheerful Krishna wearing a positive attitude biding me goodbye while I was capturing the frame with my mobile phone promising him to return back for another round of talks over high-tea. Thank you my dear friend for showing a way to the many who are feeling down and overwhelmed due to the pandemic on how to think innovatively and be optimistic about the future while making the best of what we have at hand in these difficult times.
Have you come across a small business that has tactfully overcome the difficulties posed by the recent pandemic?
I’d love to read about your experience.
Until then… happy guiding 
Accessibility Features
The place is not accessible since there was no ramp seen to aid the differently-abled enter the shop. There is an accessible 2-wheeler parking though.
Here’s a snapshot:
Ramp Access.
A wheelchair-accessible Entrance.
A wheelchair-accessible Parking.
A wheelchair-accessible Restroom/Toilet.
