History Of Chai
There is no accurate proof of where the tea came from. But it is said that it was invented in China 5000 years ago when the emperor of China suddenly found boiling tea leaves in a pot. Later, it was populated by the British. One more theory depicts that in ancient India our ancestors used chai but not in the name of chai. It was more like a Kada. It was used for medical purposes.
India’s Connection with Chai
There are many metropolitan cities in India but it’s Assam(northeastern part of India) that has a historical connection with tea. Sources said that a tribe in Assam called Singhpo used to use tea shrubs for medical treatment in the 12th century. Even if you now go to the house of commoners they welcome you with a cup of tea. There is one more place which is famous for tea and it is Darjeeling. The aroma of the tea smells different and hits to your heart. The popularity of Darjeeling tea is worldwide because of its rich aroma and taste.
Chai And People
If you live in India you are not far from a tea stall. Select any road and walk on it for 10 minutes and you will find at least one tea stall. Tea has become such an integral part of our lives that the first thing people look for once they wake up in the morning is tea. And the best part is that there is a time to take lunch or dinner but as far as tea is concerned you can take it at any time at any place. We Indians love to talk. And tea adds extra energy when you are gossiping with your friends or neighbor or when you are fighting an intense debate on politics. Whenever you go to a tea stall you never find an empty tea stall. In Kolkata, “Adda” in a tea stall is what you should experience once in your lifetime. Be it in Bagbazar ghat(at the bank of river Ganga) or at dharmatala(esplanade) you will find people arguing from cricket to politics over a cup of tea. They pretend to have knowledge in everything. That’s the essence of tea.
Career with tea
Well how many of you can say I want to make a career out of tea. Very few I guess. Let me give you an example. Delhi road is an extension of the national highway which is 15 minutes away from my house. 5 years back there were very few tea stalls. Last year when the pandemic hit us people started losing their jobs. Since then I have seen hundreds of tea stalls opening. Now if you go there you will find thousands of people sitting at those tea stalls. And all of this within a span of around 2km. Some came after losing their job and some others came to try new things. One thing that I must say is that those stalls have made the place lit.
