BENGALURU: I was very young when I first noticed India’s obsession with chai. I had accompanied my grandmother to the Government Treasury so she could withdraw her pension. From the ground floor, empty milk packets were being filled with piping hot chai and tied to a rope.
From the office floors, a peon would pull the rope and serve the chai to the babus! The British left a number of cultural aspects when they left. Our obsession with English, our proclivity towards cricket – but none of them as remarkable as what we’ve done with chai. We took the bland form of English tea, and made it our own. We added milk, and let the milk boil until it became a thick, creamy payasam. We then added sugar to make our very own dessert.
It’s hard to imagine an India without chai. As the sun rises on our streets, chai shops are the first to open. As people begin to go about their jobs, they make a stop at the local chai shop. The other distinctly Indian aspect of our chai consumption is how we changed the denominations. Starbucks might have sizes named ‘Tall’, ‘Grande’ and ‘Venti’– each with ascending price tags. Chai though, is served as half-chai, single-chai, and my personal favourite – ‘One by two’! There is no waiting line for a chai, and the server does not need to write down your name while murdering the spelling. So obsessed are we with chai, that even the coffee we have in India actually looks like a wannabe chai!
The humble chai understands that India is a diverse nation and allows for local versions of itself. For those rooted to their roots, there is Ginger and Masala chai. But for those willing to explore other cultures, there are versions like Tandoori and Irani chai. Unlike fruits and vegetables, there is no element of ‘freshness’ involved with chai. If you’re the last customer of the day, you get the thickest, creamiest chai available.
Like a true Indian, the chai understands that life is about enjoying the small things. Those looking for a healthy lifestyle can opt for Green Tea or Lemon Tea. But chai in its purest form involves a few calories thrown in as a blessing. Chai also allows you to indulge in your vices without judging you. Have a sweet tooth? Have your chai with biscuits. Like street food? Help yourself to a samosa. Are you a smoker? A chai stays by your cigarette without judging you.
Chai is truly one of India’s greatest innovations. Like cricket, it is something we took from the British, and bettered beyond measure. It is hardly a surprise that chai shops are spaces for public discourse. From politics to sports to the economy, the chai shop is the most inclusive and accessible space for citizens of the country.
It is hardly surprising that our Prime Minister speaks about leading India into the future with Digital India and Make in India. But when elections are looming, and he wishes to connect to the masses, he chooses to have ‘Chai Pe Charcha’. To understand chai and our obsession with it, is to understand India and Indians. It is said that with all our diversity, Indians are united by two Cs, Cricket and Cinema. I’d like to add a third C to the mix – Chai – and then wait for the mix to boil for five minutes, before serving hot!