BOTTOMS UP!

The Hindu : Metro Plus Delhi: "What was this 'refrigerated cold water' business? Well, these were simply aluminium or brass water tanks atop an iron cart on wheels. A slab of ice was usually dropped in to make the water cold, though it was seldom clean, filled as the tank was from the roadside tap! Some of the sellers acquired a posh look by attaching an umbrella to the trolley. It kept them cool and their lemons, which were an add-on for the rich, reasonably fresh. In those early days of cosmopolitan living, some were uncomfortable with the practice of having water from a glass that had just been used to serve somebody else, and had, at best, been only perfunctorily cleaned. The notions of caste, religion and class sat uncomfortably with many, though the need to have a drink often prevailed over grandma's wisdom! "