The Epic Love Story of Chai

Reading Time : 4 minutes

We have adopted many norms and cultural stories from the colonial times- many that we forgot to leave behind when we partitioned from British India 72 years ago. Some of them were fruitful for the growth of our independent country, while others were barren to bear any kind of fruit for us; such as early marriages, gender segregation, caste differences, and the list goes on. As we have progressed, most of these norms are now packed away in boxes labeled backward times and stored away in rooms guarded by progressive-modern revolutions. But, the one story that we all are unconsciously most grateful to the British for is the love story of Chai.

My Love for Chai

This cup of chai that I behold right now is my solution to every headache, every stress-inducing situation, and every boring hour of the day. It is my companion when I am alone; it is the friend indeed when I am in need the most. Chai is the first thing I think of when I open my eyes in the morning, and it is the thought of chai which gets me out of bed.

The first stop before every morning class in IBA is the Aman Cafe whereupon my entrance, the cafe uncle starts preparing my chai. He knows it is my usual order on a daily basis. My breaks between the classes are spent in the library cafe where the cafe uncle without even asking me prepares that perfect cup of chai for me. Right before I leave for home in the evening, the Adamjee Cafe uncle knows what I want as soon as I open the heavy aluminum door to the cafe. If you are wondering, yes, this is what I live on for eight hours in university.

We drink chai at our home more than we drink water. This led me to think- with Pakistan being the 7th largest consumer of tea in the world, I cannot be the only person obsessed with this beverage. To feed my curiosity, I ran a short informal survey to find out the epic love story of Chai across these 212.2 million possible consumers.

Chai is the cure for headaches

The most common response I received was of chai being the cure for headaches. One participant’s articulate response was,

“If I have to explain my chai time then it means something really relaxing and soothing. I can’t go a day without chai and if I do, I have to bear headaches.”.

Truly, the headaches disappear as if they were never there. Another love story goes like this,

“It’s like how the presence of someone you love brings you comfort and takes away all your worry. That is what the love of Chai does to me.”

Chai is the perfect kick-Start to the day

It did not come as a surprise that many people prefer to start their day with a steaming cup of chai. But the way they have described their attachment to that morning chai is mesmerizing.

“Can’t work effectively or wake up without it in the morning. Can’t refresh my mind without it in the evening. It’s a must.”

One of the most sentimental love stories goes like this,

“Chai to me means everything. When I was a kid, my grandmother couldn’t decide on breakfast so she gave me chai; so, from that moment on it has become a mandatory part of my morning.”

It’s almost surreal how this one perfect mixture of tea, milk, and sugar carries such emotions for all chai consumers. “Morning chai is like oxygen.”, is a response that describes the importance of this drink in every chai lover’s life perfectly. My mornings definitely don’t start until I receive the warm love of chai in my favorite mug.

Chai is a state of mind

For me, chai is my partner in everything I do. It is there for me when I am the happiest and comforts me when I am anxious. This drink feeds me when I am short on appetite. It is always by my side. But I am not the only one with whom this heavenly drink shares the same love. Many of the respondents also had the same love stories to share.

“For me, chai is equal to peace of mind, body, and soul. It not only refreshes us but helps us to take a break and enjoy the calmness of this life amidst all the busy schedules we have.”

On a windy evening, my favorite spot is the rooftop of my house. Music in my ears, light winds swirling through my hair, and that divine cup of chai as my companion. Gradually the nerves calm down, I breathe better, and all the negative thoughts fly away with the gush of a strong wind. That is when I look up at the clear blue sky and call out a prayer of gratitude for all the blessings that are too many to count. Every sip of chai is truly a blessing that can not be taken for granted.

This is the epic love story of Chai that is truly better than that of Romeo and Juliet’s.

Chai is making memories with people

Chai is my survival pack. No matter how humid the weather is, that evening cup with my mother is essential. An outing with friends is never complete without a classic cup of our beloved drink. Blessed are the souls of the Chai Walas at the dhabas who are the world’s best chai makers out there.

As it happens, many stories are incomplete without chai. A girl recalls,

“Chai means a lot to me. One of the fondest memories I have of my grandfather before he passed away is that he made chai every day at 5 pm for the whole house and I would dip toast in his cup of chai.”

Human beings find their happiness in the smallest of things. Such as having chai with the family to take up on the chance to bond with them.

“Chai is my entire family sitting together on the table at dusk. It is munching on chips or eating crispy and crunchy samosas that my mum gets for us as a daily tradition. It is reminiscing the old times.”,

Oftentimes we have shared stories about our love for chai more than the wishful stories of our love life.

Chai is what brings us closer

While I collected these responses, I came across plenty of strangers who shared the same love of chai. We couldn’t stop ourselves from rambling on about it. I didn’t know these people before but now it feels as if I am connected to them in some way. We have exchanged attachments for our mutual love and I have never related to a better love story than this one.

Thank you to all my friends and the chai-story companions for sharing your epic love story of chai.