The Evolution of Chai: From Desi Kitchens to Urban Cafes

Chai has been an integral part of Indian culture for centuries. What started as a simple morning and afternoon beverage in Indian homes now gets worldwide recognition in stylish and expensive cafes. Chai has gone through unique phases of evolution. We will explore these faces step by step.

Desi kitchens: the birthplace

This is the place where chai started its journey to greatness. Every household crafted its own way of having chai- some prefer with ginger, some go with elaichi, tulsi or even herbal. Making chai on a stove and mixing water, milk, sugar and tea leaves became a daily ritual for Indian women. Whether it’s the daily cup, a comfort in monsoon or an offering to the guests, chai always has its place in Indian homes.

Roadside tapris: People’s chai

After homes, chai made its way to the streets. Roadside teastalls are scattered all across the country, whether it’s a small village or a metro city. People huddle around the tapri with their friends and discuss anything and everything in the world. This is where chai turned into a lifestyle rather than a drink.

Offices and canteens: chai meets hustle

As time moved on, chai entered into people’s workplaces. Office canteens serving tea became energy recharging spots. It became a tool for coping up with heavy workload, long meetings and tight deadlines. “Chai break” is the time when colleagues assemble and discuss things other than work. It became a drink that boosted productivity.

Branded packaged chai: the commercial turn

As chai became popular, businessmen saw an opportunity to take chai from homes to store shelves. This led to branded tea packets that came in multiple forms. This made tea convenient for travelling. Tea brands also started introducing different forms of tea in different flavours. Chai now became a commercial product.

Urban cafes: chai gets a makeover

Witht the rise of metro urban cities, cafe culture boomed in India. It became a new place of hangout for young working professionals and students. No longer just limited to kitchens and stalls, it saw its place in the menus of cafes along with lattes and frappes. Cafe culture gave rise to new flavours that we never saw before. Now working professionals can work on  laptop and college students can do their assignments while having tea. This way tea received its modern touch.

These were the ways how chai evolved from a simple household drink to a cultural beverage. Despite going through several phases of evolution, chai never lost its desi touch and refreshing qualities.