23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
Tea for the Tired Soul

The ritual began with quiet precision: a tea bag lowered into a waiting mug, the chipped edges marked by evenings gone by. Each drop in the cup was more than flavour—it was a piece of the man’s weariness dissolving, the bitterness shifting gently to calm. The man did not seek the tea for thirst, but for comfort. Through this act, his tired soul eased, as if the tea itself quietly listened.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 06.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Jhalakathi, Bangladesh
Camera: ILCE-7M3
Copyright: © Md. Saiful Islam Khan