‘Chai’ – The Most Important Drink of India

Tea also known as ‘CHAI’ is India’s hot beverage and a thick sweet drink. But let’s say, tea is not just a sweet drink but an emotion that is an integral part of the rhythm of life.

In India, tea is made by the addition of tea leaves, milk, sugar, and some hand-grounded spices and boiled until it turns to be a Golden beverage.

From Kashmir to Kanyakumari tea has united the whole country. Whether it’s hot sizzling summer or Bitter cold you will find every street has one shop surrounded by so many people. That one person running the shop might not be famous in your area.

But the vibes and aromas from that place have great satisfaction on their own. And that one person running the shop is known as ‘Chaiwala’ or tea vendor.

In India Tea has different names and a variety of tastes as per the region. Some of the famous tea as follows:-

• Kashmiri Chai ‘Noon Chai’:- Famous for its pink colour Noon Chai or Sheer chai has unique tastes and various health benefits.
• Masala tea:- Famous in North India for its strong flavour and spices. Masala tea is famous since the British empire and now it has been recreated by Indians in different flavours and ways.
• Assamese tea:- known for its various health benefits Assamese tea is not only famous in India but around the globe. It helps cure diseases like cancer, lung, and ovarian. It is like black tea.
• Butter Tea:- Also known as Gur Gur Chai has a unique taste and recipe. Well-known in Ladakh and Sikkim butter tea gives instant energy and heat to the Mountain people. This tea is made traditionally by adding yak milk butter, tea leaves, water, and salt.
• Niligiri Tea:- Helps in reducing body weight to fight diabetes. Blue mountain tea has popularity not only in India but also around the globe.

In India, approximately 1.1 billion kilograms of tea has been consumed during the financial year 2021. Also, tea gives employment to millions of ‘chaiwallahs’ or tea sellers, khullad makers ‘a cup made of mud’, Farmers, and labourers and contributes a major part to the Indian economy.

But have you wondered how tea has evolved in India? What is the history behind the success of tea-making in India?

A Brief History of Tea In India

If you are assuming that tea evolved in India you are assuming wrong. Tea has a long history and it took a long path to come to India. So keeping the story concise it was the Britishers who introduced tea here at first.

But the Britishers were also belated, It was nearly 2000 years ago china first used tea as a medicine when Buddhism came to China. Due to its health benefits, the Chinese started drinking on the daily basis.

Also, from a religious point of view, the Chinese celebrate tea as a tea ceremony. Later Dutch added milk to it and offer it to the Britishers. They went mad with the taste of tea. Later, they added sugar to the tea to make it more delightful.

Later due to the bad quality of Dutch exported tea, Britishers began strengthening relationships with China. Britishers used to offer opium to the Chinese which was produced in Calcutta and Patna, Benares, and Malva plateau in exchange for tea.

But that was not enough to fulfil the demand for tea so they brought the techniques to cultivate tea in India. In 1788, The Royal Society of Arts began contemplating the idea of transplanting saplings from china.

Later in 1824, tea saplings were discovered by Robert Bruce and Maniram Dewan. After some time tea was planted in Assam and expanded across the country. Now we know the different names of tea like green tea, masala tea, pink tea, and butter tea.

Now, the Britishers left the country and India is an independent state but the love for tea become immortal. Tea has become a member of every family. Almost every house has an addicted member of the tea.

For a full history of tea read:- How tea has arrived in India

Relationship between Tea and Indian families

Tea is not just a beverage but an emotion for Indians. Many people despite any age group have a habit of getting up and having bed tea before moving out of the room. Most of us have a habit of reading the newspaper and sipping chai (Including me). Working people often have bread and tea for breakfast before going to work.

There are various reasons which show our bond with tea is immeasurable.

1. Tea is used for Hospitality:- Any guest who arrives at our home is often welcomed by offering tea and snacks. Office meetings, marriages, workers’ refreshments, etc. you will find tea is a common and compulsory welcome gesture. Tea makes the bond stronger.
2. Tea helps in gossiping:- Sips of tea are like breaths and energy and freshness, also a matter of gossip. You will find every ‘chaiwallah’ or tea vendor to lead the gossip surrounded by some retired personnel. Some often share their experiences and some share their problems. In India, every chaiwallah knows every secret about you more than your family or loved ones. Also, we can say chai ‘tea’ is a stress buster.
3. Helps in Relationship Building:- In India, whenever a groom goes to see the bride, it’s a ritual that the bride welcomes the groom by serving tea. Or, we can say that tea is the starting ritual of any relationship. Also, for an international political meeting countries offer the leaders a cup of tea for bilateral talks.
4. Tea is used as the best refreshment:- Having a cup of tea and dipping a biscuit into it is the favorite habit of Indians for refreshment. Tea is the favorite drink to refresh people when their body has exhausted. It acts as a pain killer whenever the head is aching. Whether it’s a movie, a cricket match, and the interval you will find tea in a break. Tea contains antioxidants and biotin which boost the immune system. It helps in keeping us hydrated because it contains 90% of water.
5. Tea has great economic value:- Tea does not just give employment to ‘chaiwallahs‘ or tea vendors but also to more than 1 million people in the area where tea is grown. Tea gives business to sugar mills, Potters, Cup makers, milkmen, bakeries, and even tobacco companies. Tea is the major foreign exchange earner for India. There is no doubt that tea is the backbone of Indian economic development and growth.

Tea not only helps in relationship building, but it also tells the inspirational stories of people. With the support of tea, many Indian have become heroes and made a name for themselves.

Famous People Who Love Tea!

Narendra Modi

We all know about our famous prime minister Narendra Damodardas Modi who was born in Vadnagar, a small town in Gujarat. He is serving as the 14th and current prime minister of India. He is one of the most powerful leaders and famous politicians in India. In November 2021, he also topped the list of most popular leaders in the global rating list with an approval of 71% rating.

But behind every great story, there is another struggling story. He also faced a tough time at an early stage of his life. He belongs to marginalized sections of society and low-income families who struggle hard to make ends meet.

But he dreamt of a life that went beyond ordinary life and he loves volunteering in social work. When he was a child he used to sell tea on the Vadnagar railway station platform. Selling tea helps him in surviving in his tough times. Starting the journey from an impoverished tea seller to the prime minister of India is incredible.

MBA Chaiwala

This venture was started by Prafull Billore who was born in Madhya Pradesh. After completing his graduation he dreamt of going to pursue MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and became an MBA aspirant. But after doing a lot of hard work and giving so many attempts he failed to clear the CAT exam multiple times. After being heartbroken from the failure of clearing the exam, he took admitted to a private institute.

But he was not satisfied with what he was doing. So he dropped his MBA career after a few days. Then he decided to start his own business with a unique idea. On July 25, 2017, he started his own tea business on the street of Ahmedabad with an initial investment of Rs. 8000. He got the idea that tea is the thing that Indians love the most and consume a lot.

So he served his tea in earthen cups along with toast and tissue. Slowly his business started growing and now he became the second most famous chaiwala in the world.

Chai Sutta Bar

Anubhav Dubey is the co-founder of the Chai Sutta Bar along with his two friends Anand Nayak and Rahul. Anubhav Dubey is a small-town boy who belongs to a middle-class family in Madhya Pradesh. He studied in the village till class 8th and then shifted to Indore to complete the rest of his schooling. After schooling, he shifted to Delhi to prepare for the UPSC exam and he started preparing with full dedication.

But one day his school friend Anand Nayak called him and proposed to him to start a business together. Anubhav agreed and he quit UPSC preparation. They started their first franchise of chai sutta bar in Indore with an initial investment of Rs. 3 lakh near a girls’ hostel.

They started initially from borrowed furniture. Anubhav believes that tea is the highest beverage on the planet after water. So, they got this unique idea of selling tea. They used to give tea in kullhads. They also employ orphans, disabled people, and economically weaker people.

Tea made them earn multiple digits and successful businesses persons. Now they have more than 150+ outlets in 4 countries. This is a journey of tea sellers from 3 lakh rupees to 100 crore turnover.

So, there is no doubt that tea is not just a drink but a whole different world. Whatever the great idea came into our heads, came mostly at the time of drinking tea. Also, tea is the reason behind many successful people.

Whether it is India’s Masala tea and America’s Boba tea or Bubble tea emotion behind the tea lovers is the same. Ain’t it?

As ‘Chai’ is the most important & lovable drink in India as well as in the World.

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