Chai- The Indian Day Starter

Indian tea (chai) gives a natural flow to life. A typical Indian family starts their day with a hot cup of chai while reading the newspaper. Chai is like a welcome drink that makes your guests feel at home. The roadsides of India are filled with chai wallahs. Friends, colleagues discuss almost everything over a cup of chai in India. Chai is not just a drink, but a gateway to nostalgia.

Chai is the most popular drink in India. Thousands of cups are consumed across the country. India is also famous worldwide for its Assam tea and Darjeeling tea. The roadsides of Kolkata, India serve tea in earthen cups. For Kolkata, it is an emotion that lives in every Bengali’s heart. India is one of the largest drinkers of chai. To enhance the flavors of the chai, different states have different twists to it. Indian spices play a huge role in adding flavors to the chai.

Origin.

Chai was discovered more than 5,000 years ago. A King in India once ordered a spiced healing beverage that can be used for Ayurveda, a traditional medicinal practice. Once the recipe started spreading nationwide, a wide variety of Indian masala was used to experiment with the flavors. Milk and sugar later became a popular addition to the drink.

Health Benefits.

There are several health benefits of drinking Chai. Apart from being an energy drink, chai with ginger keeps your body warm in winter, cures sore throat, improves digestion, and can also support your immune system. It was the Britishers who popularised chai in India in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Chai or Coffee?

When asked to choose between the two, Chai is always a winner in India. Around 50% of Indians prefer drinking chai to coffee. Indian masala chai is the favorite type for maximum chai lovers. This is why India is known as the tea-drinking nation. Kolkata, Bengaluru, Pune, and Delhi are the most ‘chai loving cities’ in India.

Chai should be on the top of your list of shortlisted items to taste in India. It is an important part of the culture. The different flavored chai from the 29 states in India, makes the beverage hold a special place in the hearts of the Indians. 

CHAI - THE NATIONAL DRINK OF INDIA

There is hardly any Indian whose day does not start with a cup of tea or chai to be specific. Today India is the second-largest producer of tea only after China. The cultivation of tea was started by the British but chai has now become a part and parcel of Indian culture. It is something that unites all the people from diverse regions, religions, and castes.

 

The major part of the tea produced in India is in Assam. However, the finest quality is produced in the hills of Darjeeling in West Bengal. Much of it is exported abroad. But a substantial part is also retained for domestic consumption.

 

There are many brands of manufacturing tea in India. They appeal to their customers in their own unique way. There are people who almost get addicted to a particular chai brand so much that they cannot drink tea from other brands. These different chai brands in India range from big giant conglomerates to small or regional businesses. It is not always that the big brands sell the best quality chai. These small or local and regional brands also sell some of the finest quality teas for which their customers crave.

 

Well, tea is not something that is the same, and uniform and available in only one particular type. There are various different types of tea and this mostly depends on the degree and type of processing that the tea leaves have gone through. There are certain types of teas that are strong and intense while there are others that are known for their excellent aroma and flavor. It is the latter variety that Darjeeling is known for. And then there is green tea for all the health-conscious people out there. Green tea really has a lot of health benefits as it is full of antioxidants.

 

So indulge yourself in the amazing flavors and tastes of your favorite chai and take pride in the national drink.