Friendship is a term used to denote cooperative and supportive behavior between two or more humans. It defines a relationship that involves mutual knowledge, esteem and affection.

Although friendship and association are considered to be part of the same continuum but comparatively former is considered closer than the latter.

Historically, friendship is considered one of the central human experiences and has been sanctified by all major religions. The Epic of Gilgamesh, a Babylonian poem that is one of the earliest known literary works of history, chronicles in great depth the friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu.

The Greco-Roman has a paramount example of friendship between Orestes and Pylader.

The Abrahimic faiths have the story of David and Jonathan. The Christian Gospels state that Jesus Christ declared “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15: 13).

Different cultures have different views of friendship. Very few people are accorded the status of a friend in Russia, but intensity of relationship makes up for the numbers.

Greece viewed friendship from the eyes of rulers, who required their subjects to be in poor spirits and did not want a strong bond of friendship among them. In Middle East & Central Asia, friendship is more open than in Russia.

In modern West friendship is viewed, more in terms of physical relationships. According to a study the number and quality of friendships for an average America is declining. It says 25% of Americans have no close confidants and average number of confidants per person has dropped to 2.

Japanese psychologist Doi Taker claims that male friendship in American society are fraught with homosexual anxiety and thus homophobias is a limiting factor stopping men from establishing deep friendship with other men.

Colloquially a friend is defined variously: A fair weather friend supports when it is easy & convenient for him; a true friend supports emotional difficulties all through; Casual friend maintains a relationship of benefits; a best friend is the one who is closest with reciprocal & complex rapport.

What ever it may be? In the sequence of emotional development, friendships are the most important relationship between the end of early childhood and the onset of full adulthood.

Friendship is related to the value, a friend demonstrates in terms of desiring the best for the other; in terms of sympathy, in terms of empathy in terms of honesty and mutual understanding.

In China and Japan the art and tradition of drinking and serving tea plays a major cultural role. It inspires poetry, songs and life long friendships.

The ceremony involves large number of steps and may last for hours. But the emphasis is on preparation and serving of tea to the guests.

This region of our country is the largest producer if tea in our country and second largest in the world after China. It will not be wrong to adopt a recipe of tea that brings friends and dispels opponents.

One such recipe is:-

Take the Water of friendship;
Add the Tea leaves of good will,
Good wishes and Goodness;
Add the Sugar of love;
Add the Milk of sincere prayers;
Boil it on the Heater of warmth;
Strain out all the ill will with the Sieve of affection;
Pour it in a Cup of understanding;
Offer it to your friend in a Tray of smile.