Chai Aur Main

I love a good cup of chai anytime during the day or night. I am the sorta person who gets up early so that I can enjoy my chai. My day usually starts with a cup of chai in one hand and the newspaper in the other. No chai and I will be pretty cranky and probably a bit sick. चाय में आखिर ऐसा क्या है? I haven't been able to figure that one out since I first started drinking tea!
Chai Bonding. That's what we used to call it in College. I was the only chai drinker in the beginning and soon it was like a following! We used to maro addaa in the college canteen with a chai ka cup in our hands. The cups were those ganda walla white turned yellow cups with cracks. The chai used to be made to our tastes. कम दूध ज्यादा पानी थोडी चीनी और बहुत सारी चाय पट्टी! All the plotting used to happen over a cup of chai. All the stories used to be told over a cup of chai. Gossips and fights over chai. Staying up late with a cup of chai during exams. Raat ko khane ke baad chai to discuss the events of the day and to enjoy the star lit skies with a cup of chai in the garden!  We used to make fun of Shalu because she didn't drink tea and we even made her drink a cup once Pyar ke khaattir :) Chyaas- जब चाय पीने का मन करता है! हमे च्यास हर दम लगती थी!We would drink tea all the time.. during breakfast, break mein, bunk karte hue, classes ke beech mein, classes ke baad, evening time, after that, dinner ke baad and sometimes uske bhi baad. It used to keep us warm in cold windy winters. It was our source of energy! कुछ तो है इस चाय में!
And now its getting up in the morning and walking straight to the kitchen to prepare tea. Listening to the radio and reading a bit of the newspaper sometimes, staring out of the window holding a cup of chai. Chai at breaks in office. Garam garam masala chai on rainy days after getting back from office sitting on my window sill. Chai with friends to de-stress. Chai for the migraine. Chai to soothe my nerves. Sometimes going to the CCD round the corner and having chai. and I still wonder कुछ तो है इस चाय में!

Love,
च्यासी Shaki