#TnlSupportsLocal: This International Tea Day, We Reveal Where To Get The Best Chai

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Nothing is more local for Indians than a steaming cup of tea. This International Tea Day, we reveal where you can brew yourself the best cup of chai. By Bayar Jain

 

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While the British are stereotypically portrayed sipping on a cup of tea, Indians are not too far behind. So deeply engraved is our love for tea – or chai – that most of us have elevated it to statures of India’s national drink. This adopted local drink has its fair share of variations across the length and breadth of the country. While the mountains are known for their thick milky butter teas, valleys of Darjeeling brew the world-famous aromatic kind, and Punjab’s fennel-infused meanders all through the state. On one end, Kashmir’s noon chai or Pink tea brings rosy hues to the table, and on the other, Hyderabad’s famous Irani teas tease your tongue with its sweet mawa infusions. Not to forget the ever-favourite masala chai with its herbal flavours and aromas binding the country together – an apt all-season drink to soothe the mind.

 

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Penned by Rajan Kapoor and Rekha Sarin, Chai — The Experience of Indian Tea is a book celebrating this very diversity yet intrinsically local drink. The book offers a glimpse into the making of this cup which, not only strikes a chord but also celebrates the locals and the diverse peoples. Doubling as a visual treat for the tea connoisseur, the casual tea-lover, the tea industry enthusiast, or even simply the tourist, this Indian tea encyclopaedia takes you through the journey of the tea leaf from the bushes to the final brew. Along the way, you’ll find yourself getting lost in the eye-catching photographs and well-knit text that traces the repertoire of Indian teas, each distinctly unique to the region.

The book is available to buy here.