TheDC caught up with Srijana Lillian the owner of Coffeelicious, Salbari

Many a times, we see women with bright and illustrious career having to give up on their hard earned jobs and dreams just to be that one peg that keeps their family and home intact. The burden of responsibility of being a wife, daughter-in-law and a mother sometimes outweighs the dreams and passion that one may have.

However, today, we are going to share with you all a story about Srijana Lillian who once found herself in a similar position in life. The only difference is that she that instead of giving up, she decided to be strong, pursue her passion and work towards making her dreams come true.

This is her story…

Srijana Lillian, who completed her Bachelors in Economics from the prestigious St Joseph’s College, Darjeeling and received her Master’s degree in Economics from Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, was at the heights of her fortunes in terms of her career. Working for around a decade in Bangalore, she had made a name for herself and a career in Business Development working for companies like Dell, Aviva (Norwich Union) and Hewlett-Packard (HP).

That is before she faced a typical crossroads in life where she had to choose motherhood over her career. Like all loving mother, she chose motherhood.

That may sound like an end of her career to many, but then she bounced back with her passion and hard work and turned herself to an entrepreneur – running a one-of-its-kind cafe in Siliguri.

If you happen to come across a small yet beautiful cafe around Salbari, going by the name of Coffeelicious, you would be looking at Srijana’s dream materializing through her hard work and never-give-up attitude, which has provided a strong peg to the looming cafe culture in Siliguri. TheDC sat down with Srijana for a short interview.

TheDC: Can you tell us something about yourself?

Srijana: I was born and brought up in Darjeeling. I did my schooling from Loreto Convent here in Darjeeling, and studied Economics (Hons) from St Joseph’s college. I completed my Master’s degree from Tribhuvan University Kathmandu. After which, I started my career in Business Development and had the pleasure of working in companies like Dell, Aviva (Norwich Union) and Hewlett Packard. I was in Bangalore for more than 10 years.

During my stay in Kathmandu, I developed the liking and interest for coffee and its culture. The Himalayan Coffee was blooming at that time and slowly Coffee turned out to be my passion. Staying in Bangalore, filter coffee too was my favourite and working in Multi-National company fresh brewed coffee with fancy Italian Machines was a perk, which I loved the most.

There was a time in life when I had to choose between my career and my daughter, and that is how I became a full time mom for a few years. However, I felt that there was a glitch and a missing component in my life, which was always filled with a perfect cup of Coffee.

Between the quest for my passion, my family and children’s school, I used two summer and winter breaks for to go to Kathmandu and train myself on Coffee culture. I learned how to make Coffee, the types of plants, the roasting techniques and more details on Himalayan Coffee and its health benefits intrigued me more.

I am very lucky that I had a supportive family.

I completed my Barista training and also got a hands on training of how exactly it feels like working on a Cafe. The gathered knowledge, the studies, my little expertise and most importantly my immense love for Coffee is what it took me to Start “Coffeelicious “ – completely driven by passion.

TheDC: Why coffee and why not tea?

Srijana: Not many know that in our Darjeeling hills, Coffee plantation was done in 19th Century and is as old as Cinchona plantation. Most houses in Kalimpong village side still have coffee plants with Red berries and white blossoms. Many villages in Sittong (Kurseong Sub division) too have Coffee. At Coffeelicious we promote Himalayan Coffee and I hope this effort will eventually help lift help the Socio-Economic condition of Darjeeling Region.

I am grateful to God that today Coffeelicious is not just a Cafe but it’s a family of like-minded people united with coffee, Music, Art, literature rendering more to People and masses in each field.

TheDC: What motivated you to drop your full time housewife-cum-mom role to get into this business?

Srijiana: I had taken a stop gap in my career to take care of my daughter who was sick and when it was time to get back to work. I decided not to return to my job but to start up with my passion which was Coffee.

TheDC: What are the challenges that you faced being a woman/mother trying to start something new?

Srijana: It’s a juggle between work and home. The first thing to resolve was to look for a cafe space very near to my house where I could go time to time and check on my children at home. Today, my younger one who is now 5 year’s old is as involved with my work as she is the first one to taste and give suggestions of food cakes or bakes. My elder daughter helps me with online research. She gives me suggestions about the likes of the new generation kids and follows new cafe trends that we need to match up with time. My daughters are very well aware of what work I am doing and they understand the reason for times I am away from them.

TheDC: How supportive has your family been in your endeavour?

Srijana: My parents and my brother have been very supportive. At first they were uncertain of my sudden drift in career, it took time for me to make them understand. Eventually they asked me to follow my passion and helped me as much.

Coffeelicious – Ready for Christmas Season

TheDC: What do you think about the cafe culture in Siliguri?

Srijana: There is more to coffee and variations of coffee in a cafe. It is also about reading books or enjoying music and spending a good needed “me-time”. Place where people can go alone and yet have a good time. In early 2019 we also started with sharing co-working space where individual contributors could work from cafe. The cafe culture will surely evolve in Siliguri, and with work from home becoming a popular concept and individual contributor jobs in the rise, I am hopeful, Coffeelicious will be a new home/work for many from our place.

TheDC: How did COVID affect your business?

Srijana: The Global pandemic has hit us as badly as any other business in the scene. I am hopeful that we will be able to at least sustain the business until we wait for the Magic Vaccine to arrive.

TheDC: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Srijana: Working at plantation and production of coffee from saplings to the cappuccino in the cup. In five years hope to achieve self-production and create our very own Himalayan Coffee brand in itself. The next cafe will be in my hometown Darjeeling. Keeping fingers crossed and working towards it.

You can follow Coffeelicious Cafe at: Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/coffeelicioussiliguri

Instagram: @Coffeelicious_Cafe

Scan this QR code to connect with Coffeelicious:

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Following the असारको १५ [Asar ko 15 – दहि चिउरा खाने दिन] when people sow the paddy seeds, today people in the hills celebrate Mother Nature and request her to bestow happiness and prosperity….

Having planted the seeds since Asar 15, by today all the plantation is completed and tonight is the night of partying as well as making sure the new seedlings are safe…

Tonight hill folks take out a procession, wherein people carry a fire torch with local medicinal herb पट पटे to ward off the animals and pests, while crying out loud “ढंग ढंग राति…. सक्रंती…. उपिय्याँ जा रुपियाँ आइज” thus wishing for hardship to end and for prosperity to begin.

The aroma and smoke from Pat-pate is expected to kill the pests and the shouting is expected to scare away larger animals from destroying the newly planted crops. In many places farmers also throw out burning fire (अगुल्ठो) towards three direction around the farm.

Following the procession people (traditionally farmers) gather together to share food and celebrate the community solidarity and they party after having worked very hard in the past 15 days to sow seeds.

This is a unique festival which is representative of our pagan practices, please celebrate it and spread the work so that every Gorkha across the world celebrates

Ours is a unique tradition… lets keep it alive

The post Sawane Sakranti: The Special Day We Pray to Mother Nature for Prosperity appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

On June, 8th, 2019, a man covered in blood had been brought to Eden Hospital, Darjeeling. He had been shot on his stomach, and he was bleeding profusely. The man couldn’t speak proper, but the two men who had brought him there said that he had been collecting fodder along the Indo-Nepal border in Maneybhanjyang, when a bullet hit him. The Eden Hospital staff patched him up, but referred him to North Bengal Medical College (NBMC). Since those who had brought him were from Nepal, they didn’t know what to do. That is when Eden hospital staff Bishal Chettri called Namaste Foundation and informed them of the situation.

Exemplifying true “Darjeeling Spirit” voulnteers from Namaste Foundation swung into action and rushed him to NBMCH in Siliguri accompanied by one of their volunteers Shankar Tamang.

At NBMCH, their Terai volunteer Suman Bardewa joined them and helped with all the formalities, and he was rushed to the operation theater. The bullet still being lodged in his stomach, and him having lost a lot of blood, his situation was critical.

Till that point, no one was aware of who he was, or where from he was.

Following a request from the Founder Member of Namaste Foundation Pinky Biswakarma, we had shared an appeal on our Facebook page:

People from Maneybhabjyang – do you know him?

This is Mr Raj Kumar Chettri/Adhikari

Today he was brought to Darjeeling Eden Hospital with a bullet injury to his abdomen. He claimed that he is from Maneybhanjyang and said that he got hit by a bullet while collecting fodder (ghas ma janda) on the Nepal side.

He is critically injured, and he is currently undergoing surgery at North Bengal Medical College, Siliguri.

He couldn’t speak proper to give his full details.
If anyone knows him, please contact: NAMASTE FOUNDATION at 8116312069 or 7001151248
Or Mr Suman Bardewa at: +91 82500 98165

Please SHARE, someone in your timeline may know him.

Thanks to all of our kindest readers, and their concern and care, the post quickly went viral, and garnered around 1.25 lakh reach, which included his family members.

His operation went successful, thanks to Nehal Tamang a student of Evershine Institute of Hospitality Management, Siliguri who donated blood to him. Today as he is recovering from his operation, his family members could finally reach him. Finally after three days, we could ascertain that the individual who had sustained bullet injury is Indra Bahadur Chettri, and he is a resident of Maijugmai, village in Illam District of Nepal.

Due to the remoteness of his village, his mother couldn’t travel to join him, but his uncle’s son (kaka ko chora), accompanied by a friend have reached NBMCH.

They are being well taken care of the volunteers from Namastey Foundation, and they have THANKED everyone who helped their family member to connect.

On our part, we applaud the amazing efforts of the medical staff at Eden Hospital Darjeeling, NBMCH, Namaste Foundation volunteers, and all our readers, who joined hands to help save a life.

This is the “Darjeeling Spirit” that we all should always strive to maintain.

Thank you everyone, together all of you have continued to inspire. But particular THANKS to the two individuals who rushed him all the way to Darjeeling and volunteers of Namaste Foundation, whose kindness has won all of our hearts.

Anyone, wanting to connect with Namaste Foundation can do so at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NamasteFoundationDarjeeling/
Phone: (+91) 070011 51248

The post Namastey Foundation “Darjeeling Spirit” – Help’s Save a Nepal Man’s Life appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

Kusang, a student of Philosophy in Presidency College, and his friends opened a Momo popup shop during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Tangra, Kolkata. Hailing from Gidabling in Kalimpong District, Kusang completed his ICSE and currently in his first year of graduation from Presidency College, Kolkata.

Kusang Bhutia wants to open up a small business of his own later in life. Participation in the festival allowed him to get exposure, network with people, and nurture his entrepreneurial dreams, without having to compromise in his academic performance.

The post Darjeeling flavors at the Chinese New Year Celebrations in Kolkata appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

Take a bow Jagriti Youth Club members!! you all have earned it!!

Jagriti Youth Club, Lower Shiva Gram Darjeeling with Hope Old Age Home Residents

[With inputs and pics from: Pujan Chettri]

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