National Chai Day – Celebrating India’s Love Affair with Chai

Tea is a beverage, but Chai is an emotion that connects every Indian’s heart. In India, it is believed that if you want to start your day on the right note you should have a cup of chai! So saying good morning without a cup of chai, or worse not having chai for even a day is just not okay for desis who thrive on chai! It’s only fair that we have a National Chai Day. 

Indian chai has so many varieties, and with chai, we only mean the one that’s made with milk… if you enjoy green tea or black tea then we can’t be friends, Iykyk! 

From cutting chai to kulhad wali chai to the tandoori chai and many more. Not just the styles of chai but even sheer variety in terms of oomphing up a regular cup of chai made with tea leaves, milk, sugar, and water. From exquisite flavoured chai masala to adrak, elaichi, kesar, gud, saunf, (butter, yes you read that right) and more. Everyone has their own version of the BEST cup of chai. 

This humble beverage has been a part of so many mornings, office breaks, gossip sessions, and evening alarm clocks. You might not find a lot of things, but you will definitely find a chai shop in every street in India – from big cities to tiny villages!  Its not difficult to believe that every year, the country approximately consumes 837,000 tons of chai. 

Our love for this beverage is immense and irreplaceable so let’s take a moment to appreciate how chai is enjoyed in different parts of India and how it has become a part of our cultural identities! 

1Cutting Chai and Mumbai

Mumbai is known as the city that never sleeps because dreamers come here to realise their dreams. For those dreamers find the fuel to hustle in cutting chai. For the hectic pace of the city, sometimes you find solace in just enjoying that piping hot cutting chai. That first sip of hot adrak wali chai, especially during a rainy day in Mumbai, simply puts all your tension to halt and you start enjoying all the little things around you. The important part though is that you’ve got to have cutting chai in a cutting glass, the Mumbaiya way!

2It’s not Chai but ‘Chaha’ in Pune

Maharashtra’s largest city, Pune is a chai lovers paradise and is known for its chai makeovers. Visit any famous or your favourite chai shop in Pune from misal and Chai at Yewale Amrutalay to chai and bun maska at Vohuman. You can also find so many tiny tapri’s on every street where you can get yourself a garma garam cup of chaha and sip on it while enjoying the beautiful views of Pune.  

3Kulhad Wali Chai & Delhi ki Sardi

Ye Delhi hai mere yaar! This city is all about amazing khana and kulhad wali chai! We love the enthusiasm that Delhiites have about life! Their energy is never-ending which is why these high-spirited humans need some fuel to never dull their vibe, which is nonother than an aromatic kulhad wali chai! 

Delhiites have a unique way of modifying every basic thing into something fancy and unusual, so they have adapted styles like gur wali chai, kulhad wali chai, kesar elaichi chai, and many more varieties for their tea. They have made enjoying chai in their beautiful small lanes so much fun. The real way to enjoy chai in Delhi is after a hefty Delhi-style meal, resting on a seat at a busy market, and slurping on some hot tea! The sweetness of gur or sugar works like a delightful dessert, and for that moment you fall in love with all the chaos around you and that’s the magic of chai in Delhi! 

4Assam – Amongst the Best in the World

Assam is known for manufacturing tea, and the Monabarie Tea Farm in Assam’s Biswanath District is Asia’s biggest tea estate. It’s aromatic tea leaves are one of the best in the world. So if we are talking about tea, we won’t forget India’s greatest and most popular Assam tea. This tea grown in Assam offers a deep colour to chai and has a distinct flavour too. Assam tea comes in various flavours and is sent to several brands that you might use at home everyday!  You can enjoy it in different styles – with or without milk.

5Chaa, the Chennai Way

As much as Chennaiites love filter kaapi, there are a bunch of hardocre ‘chaa’ drinkers who really love their daily cup of tea. Ofcourse, they have their own way of enjoying it. Chai in Chennai is had in steel or brass utensils called Davara and Tumbler. Other than that they enjoy their chai made with more milk. When in Chennai youve also got to add some snacks to accompany your cup of chaa. 

6Kulhad Wali Chai, but from Amaar Kolkata

Kolkata, India’s biggest city and undisputed tea capital, has to be included on our list of the top places to enjoy chai in India. Kolkata is well-known for its food, but it’s also known for its aromatic Kulhad wali chai. The world-famous chai is now in other cities too, and everyone loves it. The Kulhads, or clay cups in which tea is served adds its own flavour to the tea. People in Kolkata like spending their time with a cup of Chai, and you can often find office employees during their lunch breaks clustering around the chaiwalla. The busy streets of Kolkata are dotted with Chaiwallas brewing their secret recipe of Masala Chai in basic earthenware cups that are crushed after each use. You may find kulhad wali chai all around India, but drinking it in Kolkata is a unique experience!

7Kashmiri Chai – Heaven on Earth

The cold weather in Kashmir always makes one crave a hot cup of chai! Sipping on garma garam chai on some hill station around the cold weather of Kashmir makes you feel like heaven on earth. Along with its stunning beauty, Kashmir is well-known for its culinary heritage. It’s not just the food thats delicious in Kashmir, but so are the beverages and versions of tea, such as Kahwa and Kashmiri Noon Chai.

Kashmiri tea, often known as ‘pink tea,’ is an important aspect of Kashmiri culture and the Kashmiri way of life. It’s also known as Kashmiri chai, pink tea, noon chai, or namkeen chai. The term ‘noon’ literally means salt and is referred to as ‘Noon chai’ in the local tongue. This indicates that this one-of-a-kind tea isn’t your typical sweet chai.’ And yet, it is incredibly special and loved. 

Isn’t it incredible how Chai is so content and yet, so varied across the country!

Well, the real T about chai in India is endless, just like our love for it! Continue this little Chai pe Charcha with your gang and share it with every chai lover you know!

by Vaidehi Pakhale

Writer at Things2do