KARACHI: Many come to Taj Tea Point in Karachi’s gritty Shah Faisal Town simply for the special tea thickened with cardamom pods, milk and sugar and cooked over open coals. Others come for Syed Taj Muhammad.
In March 2016, Muhammad completed 2,175 knuckle push-ups in one hour and entered the Guinness Book of World Records. Three years later, his record remains unbroken. And he continues to sell tea to a jam-packed stall every day.
“Sports is my passion and tea is my business,” Muhammad told Arab News at his tea stall as he mixed cardammon into a large barrel of tea simmering over a pile of coal. “I am happy with my job.”
His world record and his tea business, the 28-year-old said, was “all made possible with the prayers of my parents, hard work and dedication of my teachers.”
Muhammad hails from Pishin, a district in the impoverished southwestern Balochistan province. He is the sole bread earner in his family and the tea shop is his only business. His world record has certainly helped business.
“Sipping a cup of tea made by a world champion makes us very proud,” a regular customer Muhammad Ejaz said at the tea stall. “Taj makes wonderful tea, and his champion’s touch makes it more powerful for those who come to get rid of the day’s exhaustion.”
“Taj is a source of encouragement for those who live with meager means,” Saleem Shah, his neighbour, said. “I am optimistic that he will make more records in the coming days.”
Muhammad too said he was confident he could improve his own record but hoped the “government comes forward to support talent in Pakistan.”
