In this episode of Chai & Chat, Sundari and Ranjit turn their attention to friendship, opening with Kahlil Gibran’s beautiful reflections from The Prophet on friendship as nourishment, companionship and mutual exchange.

Together, we explore the friends who come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. From childhood friends who know the earliest versions of us, to school friendships that offered safety and belonging, we reflect on why friends matter, what they give us, and how they help nourish different parts of our lives.

We talk about friendships that ebb and flow, short-lived connections, long-term bonds, work friends, reunions, and those special people we can pick up with as if no time has passed. We also touch on the modern complications of friendship, including being cut off on social media, drifting apart, and asking: who are your real friends?