The receptacle in which the chai is served truly makes all the difference in the experience. In someone's home, tea would be served in a 'proper' manner, in a cup on a saucer with sugar and milk on the side, a throwback to the times of the British Raj. On the streets of Mumbai, it's usually a glass tumbler (though now, I realize the age of disposable paper cups have taken over, sadly). But in certain places in the north, if you can find it, you can partake in the tradition of the "Kulhad Chai".
A Kulhad is an earthenware tumbler with no handles. It is made from raw fired clay without any glaze. The tea takes on a slight earthen flavor the longer it sits, and the aroma is nothing short of divine. I didn't know about the existence of Kulhad chai until I moved to Delhi in my late teens for work.As part of my training, I was being sent down to Bangalore's Windsor Manor Hotel, and I was booked on the Rajdhani Express train. It leaves Delhi station at 8:45 pm but most importantly, it stops at Agra somewhere around midnight. I was advised not to fall asleep until Agra. Why? Because Railway Kulhad chai. I am so glad I heeded that advice.
There are some things in life you never can forget. Kulhad chai tops that list for me. I cannot forget shivering on the Agra railway platform on that cold December night, cradling Kulhad chai in both hands to stay warm. The creaminess of caramelized milk tea, with hints of clay mingling with cardamom, cinnamon and cloves could only be described as sublime. There I was blowing hard at the surface to cool it down quickly, in order to squeeze in a second cup before the train started moving. That happened somewhere close to 30 years ago, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. Your first Kulhad chai is a thrill similar to losing your virginity, except it's a lot less clumsy and lasts a fair bit longer.
My curiosity peaked when I came across an establishment called Chayoos in Bandra the other day. Clearly they aim to do to chai what Starbucks has done to coffee. A variety of chai experiences were on offer for 10x the cost of street chai which is the price you pay for hygiene, trendiness and air conditioning. On the menu board was listed the infamous Kulhad Chai which got me doing a happy jig much to the curious surprise of the attendant.
Sadly, it wasn't all that I expected. There was nothing wrong with the chai. It had been prepared perfectly
by their state of the art trademarked "Chai Bots". The Kulhad was a nice decent size too.It had everything you would come to expect from chai. Except it had no soul.
For me, the true chai experience happens in a non air-conditioned environment. The sound around you needs to be the bustle of the train station, garbled announcements on outdated speakers and cries of the hawkers competing for your attention. It cannot be the sounds of a curated Spotify playlist, in a room full of people scrolling on smartphones. You should not be seated on soft cushions with trendy upholstery. It needs to be a wooden bench with loose nails threatening to create a rip in your trousers,
The true experience of Kulhad chai, or any chai for that matter, is a non-sterile environment. It needs to be on a Railway platform, with noise, and pollution, among other passengers who are on the same journey. Merely strangers you just haven't made friends with yet.
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