टपरी (Tapri)
Road side tea stall
I have always been fascinated by new words or words coined for the first time and trying to find their etymological meanings. Living in Mumbai one comes across a variety of such words in everyday parlance.
One such word which is so commonly used is Tapri. Mumbaikars have given their own meaning to the word Tapri - a shanty tea stall strategically situated at the corner of a street, outside college campus near offices and outside railway stations.There are several ways of describing a tapri but what is it that makes tapri-chai tick . Strong and sweet, energising, affordability for all pockets availability through the day , cuts across communal and class and gender lines and the right quantity , served in small cups or the typical Irani type glasses . Sometimes there are accompaniments like a jar of khari biscuits . If the tapri counter is slightly bigger then some cream rolls where a tapri chai lover can dunk it in the hot chai.
One such word which is so commonly used is Tapri. Mumbaikars have given their own meaning to the word Tapri - a shanty tea stall strategically situated at the corner of a street, outside college campus near offices and outside railway stations.There are several ways of describing a tapri but what is it that makes tapri-chai tick . Strong and sweet, energising, affordability for all pockets availability through the day , cuts across communal and class and gender lines and the right quantity , served in small cups or the typical Irani type glasses . Sometimes there are accompaniments like a jar of khari biscuits . If the tapri counter is slightly bigger then some cream rolls where a tapri chai lover can dunk it in the hot chai.
