Here are my coffee highlights of 2020: I tried the following roasters from India: Blue tokai, Kapi kottai, Corridor seven, Subko, Curious Life, Black baza, Karma Kaapi, QBF, El Bueno, Beanrove, Third Wave.

A short story:

In Nov 2018, a man from UP’s Shamli named Saleem gave an affidavit in local court that he and his family were changing religion. News leaked in local media and became national news. I also visited him and wrote a report +

Saleem was born in Hindu Jat family and named Susheel. He was left orphaned at 8. One Mohd Sabdar picked him from streets and took him in as assistant in his transport business. Sabdar changed his name to Saleem and even got him circumcised as Islamic ritual +

When he turned 15, Sabdar got him married to Wajida. As Saleem grew independent, he left Sabdar & began to work for another transporter, a Punjabi Hindu. Susheel told me Sabdar never paid him a salary

In 2018 when he was 31, he decided to revert to his original name and faith +

Wajida supported him. Things were fine till her father Israel arrived from Jharkhand. He tried to change Saleem’s mind. When he remained adamant, Israel brainwashed Wajida into leaving him. When Saleem went for a tour, Israel quietly took Wajida and their 5 kids to Jharkhand +

Saleem immediately went to Jharkhand on his return. Israel asked him to read kalma again and serve Tablighi Jamaat for 40 days as penance. Saleem refused. He did not have Wajida’s support anymore.

On 16 Jan, he sent me a Whatsapp video saying he was ready to commit suicide +

The BJP Bhakt is more dangerous than the BJP itself. He uses the BJP to channelise his hate, insecurities, and biases against the minorities, political parties and all those who he disagrees with. In BJP he has found a voice which he had lost for 700 years. (1/22)

Sharing one incident... After Modi's Trichy youth conference, the very next morning when police were clearing up their mini-control room, they found 5 strange boys who were roaming there with bags. When police enquired them "Sir, we are from Subramaniapuram in Trichy.

Whatever political meeting or conference is held in this ground, we come here on the same night or morning hours to collect the Liquor bottles to sell in the scrap shop for 50 paisa to 1 rupee per bottle and we used to earn Rs 200 to Rs 400 on each such event.

Even in the last DMK meeting the very next day we collected around 1500 bottles. But for Modi's BJP meeting, we could not find even a single bottle in the whole ground. We are coming around and around and not a single bottle in any corner of the G Corner ground in Trichy,

we are much disappointed, sir!". Police seem were stunned and pleasantly surprised. This is what Modi magic does in this nation. Modi is the one who can lead our nation and make everyone prosper with hardwork in right direction and proper approach.

This funny but interesting anecdote was published by a statewide local daily Dinamalar. I have just translated and posting it here for rest of the nation;

#LangarPR

Milk and biscuit distribution by a gurudwara committee in Lucknow.

Value of material distributed may be far smaller than its show off, advertising and PR.

Thoughts. 1/n

According to a किंवदन्ती, once a follower of Tulasīdāsa needed a loan for a family wedding.

Rahīm was then living in Kashi, and known to be a rich and generous man. No needy would return emptyhanded from him.

Requested by the man, Tulasīdāsa sent him to

2/n

Rahīm with a letter.

Rahīm not only helped the man but also sent a humble letter to Tulasīdāsa thanking him for the opportunity to be of service.

Tulasīdāsa wrote him back:

सीखे कहाँ रहीम जी
देनी ऐसी देन
ज्यों ज्यों कर ऊपर उठत
त्यों त्यों नीचे नैन?

3/n

(From where did our Rahīm ji learn such way of giving? As his arms rise in charity, his gaze turns lower in humility?)

To which Rahīm wrote back to Tulasīdāsa:

देनहार कोइ और है
देत रहत दिन रैन
लोग भरम हम पर धरत
ता सों नीचे नैन!

4/n

(The provider is someone else, who keeps providing for all beings, day and night! But when people call me the provider and donor etc, my eyes are naturally set down in shame and embarrassment)

This is the only way of real service. With humility, away from PR.

5/n