Chai: A Tradition, A Ritual, An Art

Kyra & Vir
Jul 25, 2017 · 3 min read

Around the world, food brings people together. From traditional Japanese tea ceremonies to British classic afternoon tea, each country has its rituals and traditions when it comes to tea. In India, chai is an art.

Chai is an integral part of everyday life, and a special greeting offered to all guests visiting Indian homes.

Day and night, in the houses or the streets, the smell of spices fills up the air and follows your steps.

“Chai” literally means “tea” in Hindi which further originates from “cha,” the Chinese word for “tea.” The term means a mix of spices blending into a tea-like beverage. There are two legends connected to the origin of chai: According to the Chinese legend, tea was discovered in 2727 BC, when the Emperor Shen Nong was boiling water under a tea tree, and some leaves fell into the pot. The Emperor fell in love with the taste and color, and tea became a common drink in Chinese culture.

In India, another legend tells the story of Prince Bodhi Dharma, who left his homeland for China, to spread Buddhism. He was committed to staying awake during his 9–year mission, but nearing the end of his third year, exhausted, he decided to pluck a few leaves of a tea shrub and ate them up. The leaves gave him the strength to complete his mission, and soon his followers and people began drinking tea.

Apart from legends, history teaches us that the British introduced tea to India — the new beverage was welcomed and local tea vendors created their version. From that moment, Indian chai makers, called chai wallahs, started to set up shop on almost every street corner.

Today, India produces and consumes more tea than any other country in the world. Chai wallahs make and serve chai at every hour, day and night. They prepare their chai fresh every day, using tea, ginger root, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black pepper, and many other spices depending on the region and every one of them has its secret recipe passed from generation to generation. You can see chai wallahs pouring the chai from cup to cup, grinding spices, and masterfully sipping each batch to test its perfection.

Chai is a street beverage but also a fascinating form of entertainment. Besides being a pillar of Indian street culture, chai is important in Indian households. Guests are treated as “emissaries of God,” and they always receive a cup of chai upon arrival.

This warm tradition is also the reason why chai is seen as a way to bring people together.

You see, chai is so much more than a beverage, chai wallahs have made it into an art form, and Indian homemakers have made it into a symbol of comfort and reception.

Photo credits: Jennifer Pallian & Zaid Salman

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Originally published at kyraandvir.com on July 25, 2017.

Kyra & Vir

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