Anupam- The Dreamer

First of all, greetings to every chai lover and also to not-so chai lover out there on the International Tea Day today i.e. 21^st May, 2025. I take this solemn occasion to reminisce about the deep association that people in the sub-continent have with chai in general, and mine in particular.

Chai (tea) is a hugely emotive issue for us Indians. The day of crores of hindustanis begins with a simple cup of chai. For many poor and also many not-so-rich people, just a cup of chai is enough for the breakfast. Nothing much is needed as a complementary eating option. But, if arrangement could be made of the antique and traditional Parle-G biscuit, then it would be like “सोने पे सुहागा”! For many years in a row when I was a teenager, my evening snack was just a cup of chai with a few biscuits of Parle-G taken out from a 5 Rs. packet. You had to be meticulously deft in your timing as to how many seconds could the biscuit be dipped into the hot cup of tea, lest it would sink in the cup like the Titanic ship (and then you would have to run to the kitchen to bring a spoon to take out the remnants :D).

Coming back to the point, chai is an emotive issue for the people, not just because their day starts with that, it is rather having a cup of tea eases out many things in their lives. For a temporary few moments while having chai, they forget about every other worry of their lives. It gives such a “नशा” or sensual pleasure, that the relisher forgets about everything else in the world for the time being. He/she is transported into another world of bliss, where there is only sweetness in life similar to that of the tea. The beauty of chai is that it can be relished at any time of the day, in any season of the year, on any occasion of life, and with any group of people, and any number of times (ideally speaking :P). Not many problems of the world can be solved easily, but many problems in life can be solved over a cup of chai, albeit temporarily. Sometimes permanently also, depends on the intention with which the person is offering chai.

And chai has become such a crucial part of people’s lives, that if you take it away from them just for a day, then people will literally go crazy and start pulling out their hair. I don’t know how the people were living in the era before chai was made hugely popular in India, after the arrival of the British, particularly in the 19^th century. Now, after 200 years, it has turned into such an addiction, that some people can live without a roti or rice, but they cannot live without having tea atleast once daily. You may be thinking it as an exaggeration, but ask the people who live and die for a cup of chai daily.

It is therefore, I firmly believe that it is just a matter of time that chai is officially declared the “National Drink of India”. And it will happen in our lifetimes, don’t worry. And when it will be so, turning down a chai offer will invite fine and punishment 🙂 ! But, what qualities are there in the chai which make it hugely popular among the crores of people who can’t live without it daily. Let me list out a few- Chai connects all parts of the country viz. North, South, East, West, North-East. It is accepted by people of all religions, castes, creed, sex, gender, place of birth, ethnicity etc. It is for all age groups, whether a toddler, a kindergartener, youth, adult or old. It is for all seasons-winter, spring, summer, rains, autumn. It can be relished at any time- in early morning, with breakfast, after the lunch, evening, late night, before sleeping at night. It can be prepared by any person with ease. It does not take many ingredients to prepare it. It can be customised to suit every person- Kam chini, zyada chini, adarak wali, elaichi wali, green wali, blue wali, kaali wali, bla bla bla…It takes very less time to prepare. It can be prepared in the kitchen, in the hotel, in the shops, on the rooftop, in the roadside “gumti”. It can be served easily in the cups, glasses or in the kulhads. Is there really anything which can compete anywhere near to chai? I am afraid but there is none. On top of that, it is affordable by rich, poor, middle class alike. Also, it is available with ease at every damn local kirana store near your home. Additionally, the waste of tea leaves is environmentally friendly. What else do you need more? It is a cure for the ill-person, an energy booster for the lazy folks, a favourite past-time with your old friends, a bonding thing in the social gatherings. The health benefits of the tea are too many to list here, but the biggest one is the mental satisfaction that gives to the person having it, which is hard to emulate by any other drink without getting bored of it.

When I was preparing for civil services exam in Delhi, my dadi used to call me up in evening and often asked me whether I had my cup of tea today? Because for her, having evening tea on time was the true barometer of my day going well! If in case I told her that I didn’t go downstairs to have a cup of tea today, she ordered me to go and have tea first and then continue with the studies later. It was more of refreshment from the mundane routine that we had in those days, and a quick deviation from our recluse lifestyles. Going for tea in the morning and in the evening, as a ritual, was among the best times in the day, when I would meet my few friends to get recharged again for the hectic day ahead. Those were the times you can never forget. One day it was raining cats and dogs, and it was time for evening tea. I called up my friend to meet me up at the junction of his street, to which he replied “Bhai, bahut tez baarish ho rahi hai, kaise jaiyenge”! I sort of rebuked him in frustration “Tu neeche aaja, main chatri lekar aa raha hu”. Tea in rainy season tastes better, you see!

And there was one more incident with chai, which is worthwhile recounting. One of my very good friends was living with me in the same flat in Delhi, where we both were preparing for the civil services mains exam. He was equally fond of tea, and I should say even more because he used to make the tea himself daily, while I used to go to the roadside vendor for having tea. And see the craze for tea that this young man had! On the first day of our mains exam, I was surprised that my roommate was missing from his room in the early morning. I was getting a little worried where has he gone, and that too without taking phone with him. Crazy thoughts were popping up in my mind that whether my friend has decided to not give exam this year or what. We had to go to the mains exam centre together, as we had the same centre coincidentally. As the clock was ticking by, I was getting more and more worried. After some 20-30 min, my friend turned out with his innocent admission- “चाय पत्ती लेने गया था!” And I couldn’t have been more furious and amazed at the same time that why didn’t he stock up chai-patti earlier. Such is the importance of chai, that one can even afford to miss the mains exam of civil services but cannot miss morning chai! To my good friend and to all such people, who give meaning to the expression “चाय” with their numerous stories. तो एक कप चाय हो जाए? 😀