A Chai Lover's Letter To 'Tea', The Desi Drink That We Indians Can't Do Without

Dear Tea,

I¡¯ve known you since I was a little child. How? Because everyone in my family always loved their cuppa. I¡¯d inhaled the aroma of fresh tea being brewed in the morning and once in the evening as well.

And in times of joy and sorrow, someone would inevitably suggest that whatever was to be discussed, would be best done over tea.

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You taught me hospitality from a young age as I observed my mother offering tea to every guest who visited. You taught me that conversations over tea are not just more fulfilling, but also lay the foundation for a lifelong friendships.

After all, when my dad¡¯s college friends visited, they always asked for a cup of tea; it was almost as if reminiscing about college days just wouldn¡¯t be as much fun without that steaming cup of comfort. In fact, even guests who claimed that they already had their tea couldn¡¯t refuse a cup once the aroma of tea being brewed in the kitchen reached them.

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As time went by, you were the first sign that I was grown up enough because ¡®only older kids are offered tea¡¯. While I prepared for exams, my mother gave me chai to help me stay fresh enough to study through the night. When I caught a cold, my mother used ginger in the tea to help soothe my sore throat.

I even learnt how to make the perfect cup of tea from my mother, a warm memory that I share with her and of course, you- the perfect cup of chai. You¡¯re the one that makes it all the more special.

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Over the years, you became the perfect companion to me. You fill my silences with your sweetness, comfort me with your warmth when I have a bad day and each morning, the only thing that wakes me up is you. When I¡¯m on a train journey, I look forward to the man selling tea because no journey seems complete without you.

In fact, wherever I go, be it a new job or a new house, the first shop I look for is the roadside tea stall where so many strangers become friends as they discuss the daily affairs and issues of the aam admi with tea in their hands. And no matter where I go in the world, I keep looking for a cup of the perfectly brewed tea.

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You, tea, are a part of all my favourite memories. The first date I had over tea on a rainy day, the stress that dawned upon me the night before a major exam, all that was washed down with a cup of tea. The waiting time at the hospital that you filled before my first niece arrived and the first cup of tea I had at my first job which really helped with the anxiety: you¡¯ve just always been there.

Even today, I look forward to my evening tea with my colleagues who have turned into friends over various tea breaks.

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Arthur Pinero said, ¡°Where there¡¯s tea, there¡¯s hope¡± and in my opinion, truer words have never been spoken. Where there is tea, there is always hope, no matter what. Thanks for always being there, because without you, I have no idea how my days would look.

Yours Truly,

A Chai Lover