Wo shaam ki Chai…

“Chai bana lein”, “Shaam ko chai pe milte hain”, “pehle chai to banane do, fir uthenge”, “Bhaiya ek chai dena” have been most commonly heard phrases if you have grown up in India. The occasion can be anything, chai (tea) brings people together, it is a reason for the family to come close and share some good moments. It adds to the value of the rain droplets touching the dried mud, resonating a familiar fragrance in the air. It gives us company while we enjoy the scenery outside on a long train journey. It is such an integral part of our lives which comes in the form of a fresh five minute break from work or gives company in an intense discussion on life with parents. Chai has always been there as a friend, companion and buddy.

Reminded of my childhood days, I used to look forward to evening 5:00 pm when mom used to enter kitchen again after an afternoon nap. Though I never used to get my own cup then, the feeling that everyone present at home at that time are going to sit together, chat over multiple things with this chai cup holding them like a fevicol bond cannot be expressed easily. The feeling of achievement which comes when you as a 7 year old are able to dip your Parle G in mom’s cup can easily be compared to winning a race. Many won’t agree but I used to adjust my playing time accordingly.

Chai holds a special place in my life as all the important gyaan I gained during discussions over tea still guides me through life somehow. I had my first self-owned cup of tea when I was 15, it was a proud moment. To a teenager in me, it gave a feeling of being included in the grown-ups. Trust me, nothing is more valuable than being considered as equal then. It was different during these years of growing up for me. We had shifted to Mumbai and did not have a big family which will come together during tea time. It is now that I realized that I have started looking forward to the post dinner chai which we had with Geeta aunty, my mom’s best friend who was also our next door neighbour. It was now that I was not only a mute listener but also a part of the discussion. I saw myself making some valuable points (at least I thought so) in that 15 minute chat session. The relaxation that a hot cup of chai offers after a long day at work is incomparable. Chai to me is about relations, values, thoughts, ideas, bonding and spreading happiness.

A lot has changed since then – places, friends, priorities, life and I as a person. However, one thing which still holds a special place is that Chai ka cup… Cheers to that!