by He says the tumbler-and-davara ritual is “non-negotiable” and “frankly, sacred”
A longtime Chennai resident has become locally known for his firm and repeatedly stated refusal to classify instant coffee as, in his words, “a real beverage at all,” maintaining that only properly brewed filter coffee served in a traditional tumbler and davara qualifies.
A Firm Position, Widely Shared
“Instant coffee is a warm brown liquid,” said resident Srinivasan Iyer. “I am not saying it is bad. I am saying it is not coffee. There is a difference, and I will die on this particular hill, peacefully, with a tumbler in hand.”
Iyer’s morning ritual, which reportedly takes no less than twenty-five minutes from decoction to final pour, has become something of a neighborhood spectacle, with younger relatives occasionally filming the process “for archival purposes,” in his words.
A Generational Debate
Iyer’s grandchildren, several of whom admit to keeping instant coffee sachets in their own kitchens “for emergencies,” say they have learned not to mention this fact within earshot, having witnessed “the reaction” firsthand on more than one occasion.
Neighbors describe Iyer’s stance as “extremely consistent,” noting he has reportedly turned down instant coffee at three separate family functions rather than “compromise on principle,” even when filter coffee was not readily available.
A Tradition, Defended
The London Prat‘s food and drink desk covers Britain’s own tea purists, including one reader who has refused, for decades, to acknowledge the teabag as anything more than “a compromise, at best.”
The Hindu notes filter coffee culture remains a deeply held tradition across Tamil Nadu households.
Iyer says he remains hopeful the next generation will “come around eventually,” though he concedes this hope has “not meaningfully progressed in roughly fifteen years.”
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SOURCE: https://bohiney.com
