The Way of Chai
In India, a glass of chai is never more than 20 meters away. Makes no difference whether you’re in the bustling alleyways of Chandni Chowk, or on a windy mountain road in Himachal, or wandering the main thoroughfare of a tiny village. Somewhere, close by, will be a stall manned by a gentleman who’s made it his career to turn out glass after glass of piping hot, sweet and milky chai, at 3 to 5 rupees a pop.
Chai is a much more than a national beverage. It’s a social and business lubricant, smoothing personal interactions by the millions daily throughout the country. Here in Rewalsar, for example, the main chai-wallahs are strategically located at main thoroughfares, so that a customer enjoying a chai can see old friends, acquaintances, enemies and just plain interesting strangers from the comfort of a shady bench. If you’re already seated with a cuppa as a friend passes by, it’s good form to invite them to join you, at your treat. At some point in the near future, they’re sure to return the favor.
It’s in the souks and bazaars, however, where the chai-wallah really makes a decent living. Stop in any stall or shop, and the first thing to happen is a conversation with the vendor about what you’re looking for, and whether or not he has any in stock, and so on. Then comes a period of looking at all of the wares available. In a fabric store, especially, this step can take some time. Once a decision’s been reached, there’s the crucial step of determining whether the item you wish to purchase is actually physically in the shop right now, or whether someone will have to be dispatched to fetch it from elsewhere. And last but not least, comes the expected stage of haggling back and forth before any money changes hands. For all of these steps, once it looks like a buyer will be spending a considerable amount of time, or money , or both in the shop, the wallah offers chai, and sends out a helper or kid to fetch it. What comes back is usually a set of glasses nestled in a wire carrier, containing nuclear-hot chai, freshly boiled and made with milk and spices. The glasses are served bare, without holders; most people grasp the glass at the top, above the tea, where the temperature of the glass is still in the tolerable stage.
So you see where tea-selling can become quite lucrative. A chai-wallah strategically located in a souk full of fabric-sellers, or jewelry makers, or so on will find himself selling tea all day long, without having to fit all of the chai drinkers in his tiny stall. The vendors have an easy way of entertaining customers without having to whip up the chai themselves, and so turn the wheels of Indian commerce.
