The Great Indian Chai

In this world of green tea, black tea, vanilla tea, raspberry tea, and the likes, the Great Indian Chai survives and thrives in my household, proud of its accomplishments. 

It's the same Chai, which comes from the 80s and 90s. The chai every morning my grandpa used to prepare for the family. Hot toasts with butter melting on them, dipped in the hot chai. The memory remains for ever. Granny used to brew it every evening, and sit on the floor, next to my study table, quitely sipping the hot liquid. The aroma of ginger and cardamom would fill my nostrils, and was enough to wake me up from my half asleep self, and push me back to homework. The same ek pyali chai, which my rickshaw puller was served on cold foggy winter mornings, before dropping me to the bus stop, 2 kms away. 

As the years passed, I got addicted to the evening tea - the essential cup after work, ofcourse prepared my me. This was way back in 2000s. Mom and I used to sit together and I used to talk about my day. Days full of struggle. Sales targets, project delays, presentation preparations, not to forget the evergreen topic of weight loss, and how to find time for yoga. And then I got married in 2007, to a man who was anti chai. Oh god. So how will I survive. Much to my relief, my mother-in-law, the eternal chai addict, came to my rescue. The chai chemistry we share is unbeatable. That started our bond, and still continues. Point to be noted is hubby dearest has picked up the addiction, sans sugar, ofcourse. 

And now, its 2014, living in a very cold foreign land, Sweden, keeps my love for chai going. I have tasted Chai Latte and a few cafes here as well. 

Well, along with the many cups of green tea at work, I await the evenings to relish the cup of my tea. Every Saturday, my son gets to have his knackebröd (hard bread) with a layer of butter, dipped in the ginger and cardamom flavored THE GREAT INDIAN CHAI. 

PS: Tea is called "chai" in Hindi language.