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| Courtesy : Rupa Jana/ Instagram @ miss_bong_foodie |
No, this is not a brand promotion article but a sheer tea-lover. Tea is known to be the most consumed drink after water. India is the second-largest producer of tea, the largest consumer and the fourth largest exporter in the world. That’s how tea is the national drink of India. With its variation in flavour, taste and aroma, it is easily recognizable. To the people of India, ‘chai’ isn’t just a beverage or drink, it’s an emotion. It is believed to construct the daily rhythms of life. ‘Chai’ connects people to their culture and heritage.
Across the country, you will find numerous ‘chai-walas’ in the streets, whether it’s a tea stall, or a ‘chai-walas’ moving with a large kettle and paper bio-degradable cups. This wholesome beverage originated in China. The Chinese farmers used to compress freshly cut tea leaves into the kettle of hot water and served with salt, ginger, spices and orange peel.
According to Indian folklore, a tea-like beverage was made in the royal court by a king for Ayurvedic purposes. This beverage was widely known for its benefits and medicinal properties. This exclusively included ginger and black pepper to stimulate digestion, cardamom to elevate mood, cloves for pain relief, cinnamon to stimulate circulation and star anise to add flavour. When these spices were combined with tea leaves and steamed in hot water, it was considered to be an elixir.
‘Chai’ has become a ritual in Indian society. It is used as a very common welcome drink in Indian families. It’s a medicinal beverage to quench one’s thirst and impart peace to the soul. Tea has got its variation from lemon tea to milk tea. There are a lot of experiments done, which came out successful, yet the masala ‘chai’ remains the most loved.
Tea has evolved as such a beverage which varies from Rs. 5 to Rs. 400. One may find a local tea stall down the street serving ‘chai’ in an earthen cup or a glass. When going for a posh way, one may a number of cafés around the town which serve tea comparatively of high prices. Several tea-themed cafes are taking place in the metro cities.
As per Statista, consumption of this aromatic beverage has increased throughout the years. In 2020, one billion kilograms of tea was consumed in India. Around 62% of the total population in India are regular tea consumers.
India is a land with diverse cultures and traditions. The country has ‘chai’ which has evolved in different forms like ‘Masala chai’, Assam tea, Green tea, Butter tea, Kashmiri Kahwa, Noon Chai, Nilgiri Tea, Darjeeling tea and Black tea. Most Indians start their day with a cup of hot tea.
Such an aromatic essence to enliven the soul!
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