Coffee Aayita? - 'Had your coffee?' - That's it!! This morning, as I asked my neighbour this question, I realised that I had finally become a true citizen of the Malnad region :) In these parts, a smile and Coffee Aayita? or Aayita Coffee is equal to 'Hello'/ 'How are you?' elsewhere. Walk down the street - anytime and everybody you meet will ask you Coffee Aayita? ( except lunchtime.. then the question is OoTa aayita ) :) During my initial years here, I would wonder if this is what people here did through the day... and it seemed so! Most houses had a pot of coffee boiling at all times - on a stove fuelled by coal. Every other hour, family members would dip their tumblers into it and drink - like I would drink water! Not that I mind coffee, but, I prefer tea. And, I'm no 'tea-guzzler' either - 1 BIG cup at around 9.30 a.m (when the house empties) and half a cup at about 4 p.m.- that's all. Whenever anyone asks me Coffee Aayita? ,