Such is the love for tea, that the world has dedicated a day for chai lovers! A cup of tea does make everything better, isn’t it?
The History of Chai
History paves the way to supporting the fact that tea-drinking commenced around 750 BC. In India, however, the origin of tea dates back to the initiative of the British that is during pre-independence years. In order to challenge the Chinese monopoly in the tea industry, in terms of commercialization, the British commenced cultivation and consumption in the country.
What started as a business goal didn’t take long to become a household habit, with almost everyone orchestrating their days to the tune of their tea-cups which has now become a tea culture. After Assam and Darjeeling proved to be successful spots for cultivation, mountainous areas like Kumaon, Dehradun and the Nilgiris were inspired to also do so.
India and Tea
The effective and significant response made India begin trading. The country soon started exporting tea to different countries, thereby, spreading the magic of Indian tea across the globe. With import-export business, India was seen as the country synonymous with tea and if one has to gauge its resonance, even today, the first beverage that foreigners drink when they come to our country isn’t their regular beer or whiskey, it is tea. That itself speaks a lot about the synonymy of India with chai!
The advertisement for tea also experienced different flavors. Early advertising puts tea as an accompaniment for snacks, be it for the family or for guests. Also, to make it the most profitable venture, tea stalls started popping up around. The likeness of tea leads people to gather at each other’s homes and socialize with cups of tea and biscuits or cakes.
Vari-TEA
What started as a basic cup of tea has seen major changes over time. The innovation has been seen in the different flavors of tea like- regular and masala, to elaichi, ginger, lemon and now, for the health-conscious generation, green tea, herbal tea, chamomile tea are doing the rounds. However, one thing is common in the way that people like to play around with their steaming cups of invigorating chai.
There are several varieties of tea that are now being loved by many!
Veggie Tea Mixes
With vegetarianism and veganism on the rise across the globe, a lot of people want their teas to have vegetables in the composition, for instance, onions, tomatoes, potatoes and more.
Power Teas
Although several teas provide energy naturally, power teas combining vitamins and herbs is a new trend to look out for, considering the “quick-fix” patterns of people due to the fast pace of life.
Probiotic Teas
Probiotic teas are those which go through microbial fermentation, which is said to work wonders for one’s immune system as well as improve digestion and help with weight management.
Natural Colors and Hues
With the advent of “Instagram-worthy” pictures, natural colors will play an important part in terms of tea representation for the consumers.
On International Tea Day, it is worth noting that no doubt tea has changed over the years and it sure will continue to but the love for tea will never change as it makes our life more beau’tea’ful
Also, read our blog: “6 Awesome Chai Infusions that every Chai Lover must Try”
