India’s Garama Garam Chai : The Tea story
In India, every significant moment is punctuated by Chai. Almost a billion people wake up to the dazzling and soothing aroma of fragrant Chai. Tea is the life-blood of productivity, transcending class and status not just in India but across the world.
Delicately Handpicked by thousands of women with exceptional expertise, Chai in India is to be savored for not just its rousing power but also its many medicinal properties. The rich past and present of India is intertwined with the leaves of the finest assortment of tea in the world.
India is steeped into its centuries old tea habit and produces 3000 varieties of its most loved beverage. It is also the most technologically equipped tea industry in the world, the largest consumer of tea in the globe and also the fourth largest exporter.
The most famous Indian teas include the strong, full bodied and brisk flavored Assam tea whose taste astonished the British Imperialists and created a lifetime demand for their morning teas and the Champagne of Teas, Darjeeling Tea which has a distinct and vibrant floral bouquet of aromas which has enchanted the entire world.
Lesser known are Kangra Tea grown in Himachal Pradesh with the backdrop of the magnificent Dhauladhar Mountains. The essence of mangoes seems to be intermixed in its smooth rich flavor and Nilgiri tea which are grown in the picturesque Blue Mountains of the Western Ghats, and have an astringent freshness and a strong aroma.
While tea is exported from India in various parts of the world and is part of iconic English teas such as Earl Grey and Irish Tea, India has plenty of iconic, unique styles of chai to overwhelm any outsider.
The most famous kinds of Tea in India are:
The Quintessential Masala Chai: Flavoured by the rich aromatic spices of clove, cinnamon and cardamom, the masala tea is the perfect way to start a day or to spend time with friends.
Famous Bombay Cutting Chai: Every roadside stall has adapted its style to the iconic Bombay cutting chai which is milk tea but cut in half, or reduced in quantity so that people can take chai two three times a day.
Healing Tulsi tea: The true best friend in times of cold, the Tulsi tea gets people back on their feet and out of misery in no time. Made best by mothers all over India.
Refreshing Lemon Tea: A soothing companion in the evening with a book or newspaper, very few people would say no to this kind of bliss.
Tea with a Twist, Butter Tea: While many people in India aren’t aware of this style of tea, but the salted butter tea is an essential tool which helps the people of Ladakh survive in cold climates.
Classic Kashmiri Kahwa: Loved by the Kashmiris, this tea has dry fruits, pistachios and other delights packed into one cup of utter joy.
