Life style

Chai is tea, tea is Chai: India’s favorite hot drink

Published

3 years ago

2023/04/30

Thilina Walpola

Painting of Majuli Tea Estate, Assam by Bibek Kr Das

Indians took the tea the British were marketing to them, added spices, milk and sugar, and transformed it forever.

Chai can be enjoyed alone, but it excels in company
By Nupur Roopa

I remember jumping up to sit on the kitchen counter one afternoon. My five-year-old self wants to watch my mother making chai. She pushes me away from the gas stove but I am indignant and refuse to hop down, although I do move away a bit.The water bubbles. She adds sugar, then takes a flat steel grater, balances it on the edge of the pot and grates in adrak (ginger).

“Why do we add this?” I ask, watching the shreds fall into the bubbling water.

“Child, I have to hurry I don’t have time for your questions,” she says. I sulk but I know that, being a doctor, she has to get to the hospital on time. I will ask grandma, I tell myself.

The ginger threads dance in the water. Then she adds the tea leaves, turning the contents of the pot brown. Stirring, she adds milk and lets it simmer over a low flame, still stirring. After a few minutes, she removes it from the heat and covers it. I hop down to watch the next step. She strains it in cups, puts them on a tray, and carries it to the dining table.

I run out. I have no interest in tasting it but am proud, boasting to my friends: “I know how to make chai.” By the end of the day, I have memorized the process forever.I don’t want to ask to taste it because I know if I do, she will dilute it with more milk. “Children should not drink tea,” she would say. I hated that pale milky liquid.

The first time I tasted real chai, I was in grade three. I had scored good marks on a maths test and ran home that August afternoon to share the news with my mother and grandparents as they were having their chai. Basking in the appreciation and pats on my back, I asked if I could have chai. Mother refused, but grandfather smiled and poured some into a cup. I took it and breathed the aroma in deeply. I took one sip, then the second. The creamy, rich beverage warmed my heart and spirit and at that precise moment, I became a chai lover.

I yearned to make chai but wasn’t allowed. “What if you spill the boiling water and get burned,” my grandmother would fret. Finally, when I was in grade five, she reluctantly allowed me to make it under her supervision and soon I was making it alone.

Prerna Kumar and her family enjoy a mug of steaming chai on a chilly day

I felt so accomplished, measuring water, grating ginger, and scooping sugar and tea leaves to add to the boiling water. Watching the tea leaves spinning with the ginger. Then adding the milk and watching it lighten the chai and simmer, steeping the flavours. “A good cup of chai needs a slow fire,” I was told, something I follow to this day.

Fast forward a few years, and I am on my way home on a bitterly cold January evening in Indore. The sun is on leave and the wind drills into my bones. I enter a silent, cold apartment – my mother isn’t back from the hospital yet and my grandmother has moved to live with my uncle since my grandfather passed away.

I need chai. Soon, I’m sitting with a hot, steaming cup, sipping it slowly. I close my eyes, savouring the sweet milk, sharp ginger and cinnamon. By then, I was experimenting with spices and adding what felt right at the moment – cinnamon, fennel, green cardamom and more. I would add lemongrass, holy basil and peppercorns if I had a cold or sore throat.

Chai can be enjoyed alone,but it excels in company

Chai is tea, tea is chai

Chai in India is a drink for no reason and for every reason, morning, afternoon, evening and night. It lifts your spirits while studying for the maths paper or learning chemistry formulas. It spices college gossip and fans rumours. A welcoming or parting drink, to convince friends and family to stay longer to share more stories.

It brings everyone together. It is served in homes, board meetings, college canteens, cafes and at weddings. “Chalo chai ho jaye,” (Let’s have tea) is heard every day.

Tea is chai in India. When, where, and how the first cup of chai was brewed is still up for debate, it is our elders who gives us an idea about the evolution of this delicious, addictive beverage.

Prerna Kumar, founder of ChaiVeda and purveyor of medicinal blends, says: “The early reference to tea is found in the Buddhist texts where the monks drank some kind of tea while fasting and meditating.

“They made tea from foraged tea leaves and perhaps added certain flowers to the decoction to help them feel calmer.”

But how did tea become chai and give birth to chaiwallahs (chai sellers) and chai drinkers?

I remember sitting with my grandfather and a history book in grade 10. He could make history dance in front of your eyes but I wasn’t enthusiastic about that day’s lesson. It wasn’t about kings or queens or battles, but the dull history of the everyday drink. How interesting could it be?

Grandfather pushes the book away and tells me to just listen.

“Tea,” he began, “comes from China.”

With that, he launched a history

lesson replete with scenes of Britishers drinking tea, tea traders at seaports and expansive green tea plantations in Assam.

India is the largest consumer of tea in the world, the second-largest producer and the fourth-largest exporter – about 80 percent of its production is for domestic consumption

The English were introduced to tea when the Dutch East India Company began to import it into Europe in the 17th century, and its popularity gradually grew. By the 18th century, the English East India Company was importing enough tea from China that it was considered one of the company’s main assets. But there was worry over China refusing to renew the English trade

monopoly and a search for alternatives began.

English botanist Sir Joseph Banks suggested that the English in Assam grow tea there in 1778 after it was discovered that the Singpho tribe in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh drank a wild tea plant. But there was little interest until China broke the monopoly in 1833; two years later, tea growing in Assam began, food historian Mohsina Mukadam from Mumbai elaborates.

The Assam Tea Company was formed in 1839 and started marketing in Europe. Tea wasn’t a widely known beverage in India and it wasn’t until the start of the Great Depression in 1929 that the company looked at the Indian market to move its perishable stock, Mukadam added.

They started mandatory tea breaks in factories; tea-making demonstrations in markets and in homes where women could watch from the purdah (a screened enclosure); film screenings in villages to dole out free tea samples. Free tea on the purchase of saris. Tea sold at railway stations. But tea still wasn’t becoming as popular as hoped.

“The British were overconfident about changing our food habits,” grandfather smiled. Indians were wary of this new beverage. “We took it, added spices, milk, and sugar, transforming tea-making forever.”

Now I’m completely fascinated with the tea lesson.

Author and chef Sadaf Hussain, a lover of food history and stories, tells me later: “Britishers gave us the habit of tea but … we Indianised the recipe to suit our taste.

“We were used to drinking ‘kadha’ [herbal decoctions] for ages and we innovated tea into something similar by using spices, milk, and sugar. The addition of milk was … to increase the quantity as tea leaves were expensive and, India being an agricultural country, milk was easily available.”

Today, India is the largest consumer of tea in the world, the second-largest producer and the fourth-largest exporter. According to Tea Board India, the country produced 1.34 million tonnes of tea in 2021, about 80 percent of it for domestic consumption.

The best chai is inspired by the masala dabba, a quintessential presence in Indian kitchens

Masala chai

Basic masala chai is tea boiled in a mixture of milk, water, sugar, and any or all spices, like cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger or black pepper.

Every family has a special chai recipe. “Some like a mild version, others enjoy it strong,” chai-making is personal, Sadaf says. Some like ginger or cardamom, or both or neither, he explains.”There are around 20,000 ingredients that have been added to tea around the world,” shares Prerna. “It is mind-boggling … Anything that can be added to food can be added to tea.”

Masala chai can include herbs, spices and flowers – black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, ginger, holy basil, liquorice, nutmeg, rose petals and more. The best chai is inspired by the masala dabba (box of spices), a quintessential presence in Indian kitchens. Ginger and black pepper are good for digestion and warming. Cloves, with their antiseptic properties, are good for sore throats and cardamom can elevate your mood.

I will never forget my Mumbai neighbour Sumathy Aunty’s masala chai. A new bride, I had reached Mumbai early that morning and was taking my stuff upstairs when the apartment next door opened and a lady draped in a sari dashed out, smiling over her shoulder in the way people in Mumbai do when they need to get somewhere.

I was new to Mumbai and wasn’t aware of what a feat it was to catch the trains crisscrossing the city. Every second counted and could delay you. That evening around seven, Sumathy Aunty knocked and asked me over for tea. What blossomed thereafter was a unique friendship between me, recently married and in my early twenties, and Sumathy Aunty, who was in her late fifties.

We would sip chai with farsan or chivda (fried lentil and flat rice spiced snacks) and sometimes, on rainy days, I would make mangodis (spiced lentil fritters), a speciality of central India, where I’m from. We exchanged recipes and cooking tips from our home states and she shared life skills to survive in Mumbai, a city that, for a small-town girl like me, was quite stressful.

Her chai was a caramel brew that always made me crave more. It had ginger, fennel seeds, cardamom and lemongrass, but there was more to it. When asked how she got it to taste this way, she attributed it to a mantra she chanted.

No two chais are the same, even the process and the mindset of the person making chai play a huge role, according to Prerna. “My husband is able to discern a difference if I am unhappy with him for some reason while making tea,” she laughs.

‘If you’re Indian, you must like tea’

South India has been a coffee stronghold for many years but things are starting to change as the humble chai made its way into people’s hearts and chai shops serving a variety ranging from ginger to masala and lemon hold pride of place along with “Kumbakonam coffee” houses, writer Chandrika R Krishnan shares.Every day is Chai Day. May 21 was declared International Tea Day in 2019 by the United Nations, but every day is Chai Day in India.

– Al Jazeera

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Life style

Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams receives prestigious five-Star certification from SLTDA

Published

7 days ago

2025/12/14

Thilina Walpola

(L-R) Roshan George - Hotel Manager, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams; Sanjiv Hulugalle - CEO/General Manager, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams; Buddhika Hewawasam - Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority

Cinnamon Life that has re-defined Colombo’s skyline added another accolade to its journey as it officially received its five star certification placing it among the most distinguished luxury properties in Sri Lanka’s hospitality landscape.

Receiving the five star classification is a significant achievement for any hotel but Cinnamon Life – the flagship of Sri Lanka’s most ambitious integrated lifestyle development, the accolade carries exceptional meaning. The recognition follows a rigorous evaluation of service standards,facilities,and operational excellence,underscoring the property’s commitment to delivering world class guest experiences

– Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams has been officially awarded the esteemed Five-Star Certification by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), underscoring its status as a landmark in Sri Lanka’s hospitality landscape and a benchmark for excellence in the region.

As South Asia’s largest and first fully integrated resort, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams represents a transformative investment in Sri Lanka’s tourism and leisure economy. Developed by John Keells Holdings PLC with a historic USD 1.2 billion investment – the largest private development in the country – the resort has reshaped Colombo into a premier destination for luxury travel, entertainment, world-class events, and international business.

The team marks a major milestone with the property’s five star accreditation

A hallmark of the property is its extensive event and convention infrastructure, featuring over 160,000 sq. ft. of versatile, high-spec event space. With five signature ballrooms, cutting-edge technology, and three exceptional outdoor venues offering panoramic views of the ocean and the Colombo skyline, Cinnamon Life has established itself as an unrivalled hub for global conferences, high-profile celebrations, and corporate gatherings for both local and international travellers.

“We are deeply honoured to receive this Five-Star Certification from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority,” said Sanjiv Hulugalle, CEO and General Manager of Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams. “This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to world-class service, guest centric innovation, and the elevated experiences that define Cinnamon Life. Our aspiration is to set new standards for luxury, leisure, and MICE tourism in the region, while supporting Sri Lanka’s positioning on the global stage.”

The Five-Star Certification further cements Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams as one of Sri Lanka’s foremost luxury destinations. With its two luxury hotels, curated signature dining concepts, immersive entertainment arenas, and a vibrant retail and lifestyle precinct, the resort offers an unparalleled blend of hospitality, lifestyle, and experiences under one iconic address.

The certification was presented at Cinnamon Life, attended by senior leadership from SLTDA and Cinnamon Life, members of the hospitality industry, and media representatives. The event celebrated this milestone achievement and marked a significant step forward in elevating Sri Lanka’s luxury hospitality offering.

About City of Dreams

City of Dreams is Sri Lanka’s largest and most ambitious integrated resort, redefining Colombo’s skyline as a symbol of modern luxury and innovation. Designed as a “city within a city,” the destination offers 800 luxury rooms and suites, with 687 at Cinnamon Life and 113 at NUWA, complemented by a diverse selection of 13 restaurants and bars that showcase global cuisines alongside Sri Lanka’s rich culinary heritage. Adding to its appeal is a vibrant mix of high-end retail, Sri Lanka’s premier entertainment arena, a shopping mall, office towers, and luxury residences. This integrated ecosystem enables delegates to stay, work, meet, dine, shop, and celebrate seamlessly under one roof, delivering unmatched convenience and engagement.

Life style

Championing mental health, rehabilitation, and social upliftment

Published

7 days ago

2025/12/14

Thilina Walpola

Directors of Tiesh and Stephanie

Tiesh jewellery , announced a meaningful partnership with the Infinite Grace Foundation Sri Lanka, an organisation dedicated to transforming lives through love, dignity, purpose, and long-term social impact.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone as two Sri Lankan entities join hands to address some of the country’s most urgent and overlooked challenges, including mental health, drug addiction, prisoner rehabilitation, anti-human trafficking awareness, and the empowerment of estate communities.

Founded on the belief that “Every life deserves to be seen and loved,” the Infinite Grace Foundation symbolises hope, transformation, and inclusion. The Foundation works to extend a lifeline to those often ignored or marginalised, ensuring they are reminded that they are valued, loved, and never alone.

Their vision is deeply aligned to create a Clean Sri Lanka—not only in its physical environment, but in its hearts, minds, and communities. Through systemic intervention, awareness, and rehabilitation, the organisation aims to restore dignity, provide second chances, and help individuals reclaim their potential.

Stephanie Siriwardhana, Founder of the Infinite Grace Foundation and Brand Ambassador for Pure Gold by Tiesh

As part of its awareness and empowerment initiatives, Infinite Grace Foundation has launched the “I See You” campaign—an effort to recognise, support, and uplift individuals who have long been overlooked. Through this campaign, the foundation aims to promote year-round advocacy, encompassing mental health support, panel discussions, and collaborations with organisations and hotlines that support vulnerable groups across the island.

In support of this meaningful initiative, Tiesh has designed an exclusive jewellery collection created with intention and purpose. All proceeds from the collection will be donated directly to the Infinite Grace Foundation. The range features intricately crafted earrings, pendants, chains, rings, and more for women, as well as bracelets, cufflinks, lapel pins, and rings for men. Offered in diamonds, as well as gold and silver, each piece carries a profound message—that every life deserves to be seen, acknowledged, and loved.

With a legacy spanning more than two decades, Tiesh founded by Lasantha and Bryony De Fonseka, has become synonymous with innovation, excellence, and artistry in Sri Lanka’s jewellery landscape. Today, the family-run business is led by the next generation, with Directors Ayesh De Fonseka and Thiyasha De Fonseka continuing to uphold the brand’s commitment to integrity, community, and craftsmanship.

Stephanie Siriwardhana, Founder of the Infinite Grace Foundation and Brand Ambassador for Pure Gold by Tiesh, expressed the impact of this partnership: “This collaboration is special in many ways, and I’m truly grateful that a prestigious jeweller like Tiesh cares about communities that are often unseen—such as prisoners and estate workers. When you change one life, you change a family. When families transform, communities transform, and soon you change the nation. This initiative comes from a personal place. Many people struggle to ask for help, including myself. Through the ‘I See You’ campaign, we aim to provide support, raise awareness, and offer year-round mental health programs, alongside organisations and hotlines that are equipped to help victims and individuals in need. This partnership with Tiesh will be deeply impactful.”

The work of the Infinite Grace Foundation spans multiple critical pillars, including prison reforms, addiction rehabilitation, community education, vocational training, anti-human trafficking awareness, and mental health destigmatisation—all designed to create long-term, sustainable change across Sri Lanka.

Reflecting on the significance of the collaboration, Director of Tiesh, Ayesh De Fonseka, added, “Helping the community is rooted in our beliefs and upbringing. This partnership presented a meaningful opportunity to give back and support an important cause. We believe in second chances, and many individuals need guidance, care, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives. We are honoured to donate all profits from this collection. In the future, we hope to extend support further by offering job opportunities—whether in jewellery craftsmanship, box making, design, or other livelihood pathways.”

Through this partnership, Tiesh and Infinite Grace Foundation reaffirm their shared commitment to building a Sri Lanka where hope thrives, opportunities are equitable, and transformation is within reach for all.

For those wishing to support this initiative or explore the special collection, please visit the Tiesh showroom at 253 R. A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 03, or follow Tiesh on social media for updates and campaign information.

Life style

Tourist Board reassures: Sri Lanka safe, open and ready

Published

7 days ago

2025/12/14

Thilina Walpola

Deputy Minister of Tourism Professor, Ruwan Ranasinghe with other hospitality partners in the tourist sector

Cyclone Ditwah carved a trail of devastation as it roared across many regions, unleashing a deluge that transformed the entire towns into destruction. This is one of the most unforgiving storms in recent years – bringing torrential rains, violent winds and a trail of destruction that left thousands displaced in a matter of hours. Homes swept away, roads disappeared and families were forced to flee.

Yet beneath the chaos and loss, a quiet resilience emerged, communities rallied, rescue teams worked around the clock to restore roads, relocate displaced families and ensure the safety of the tourists.

Now with waters slowly receding, the full story of Ditwah’s impact is only a beginning to unfold – a story of heartbreak, survival and the long road to rebuilding.

Cyclone Ditwah delivered a sharp blow to the tourism sector within hours and days, disrupting travel routes, damaging coastal routes, and forcing authorities to reassess visitor safety. as hoteliers,tour operators,and government agencies worked round the clock to stabilise operations.The industry soon reassured global travellers that the island remains open and resilient.Rescue teams were deployed immediately, working around the clock to evacuate families and restore essential services.

While several areas experienced significant damages, authorities assured that key tourism zones remain safe and operational.

A press conference was summoned by the Ministry of Tourism and Foreign affairs, last week bringing together top officials, media and other hospitality partners to address growing public concern,assure international travellers and outline the immediate steps taken to ensure safety across all tourist zones. The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Professor Ruwan Ranasinghe and Chairman of SLTPB, Buddhika Hewawasam stepped forward to present a clear,unified message that Sri Lanka remains safe, prepared and committed in protecting the visitors. They calmed anxieties,dispelled myths,rumours and dispelled misinformation and revealed the coordinated efforts of the government to keep the hospitality industry unshaken.

Tourism authorities pointed out even in the aftermath of Ditwah,the arrival of the cruise ship sent a powerful message. the ship’s docking underscored that Sri Lanka is safe . The arrival of this luxury cruise liner carrying hundreds of international passengers, was part of a regional voyage from Mumbai to Singapore. This was a symbolic moment unfolding at the harbour, it was a glimmer of hope in a week overshadowed by stormy clouds. The Tourism authorities reflected this arrival as a sign that confidence in Sri Lanka had not lost hope and showed Sri Lanka is steady,ready,and open.

The Deputy Minister of Tourism Professor Ruwan Ranasinghe in a speech marked by confidence and determination said. “Our teams have worked round the clock to ensure safety, restore access routes and support our travellers”.

SLTPB Chairman, Buddhika Hewawasam

Today I assured every traveller Sri Lanka is safe, Sri Lanka is open, and Sri Lanka is ready. He confirmed that all major coastal resorts from Negombo to Bentota remain fully operational. Cultural destinations such as Kandy, Dambulla, Kandy,Sigiriya, are now open. He further noted that national parks,including Yala, Udawalawe,Wilpattu had returned operations following rapid assessments. Our key tourist zones are open,accessible and operating under verified safety conditions. He assured that every tourist in the island was safe,

He praised the rescue teams who had worked round the clock, cleaning roads, supporting displaced families and ensuring tourism infrastructure remained intact. To the world I say please come visit, and explore. Our island stands tall and more ready than ever to welcome you. This is not just recovery, he concluded,this is resilience in action. Finally he stressed that Sri Lanka’s tourism sector had demonstrated structural resilience,operational continuity and readiness to maintain international confidence.

The Chairman of the SLTPB Buddika Hewawasam also briefed the media on the ongoing relief operations. He acknowledged the sharp blow and destruction but underscored the country’s resilience. We want to assure travellers that Sri Lanka remains safe. Our teams are on the ground, our infrastructure is being restored and our hospitality sector stands ready to welcome visitors as recovery unfolds.

He said “New the waters have receded, and Sri Lanka is ready to welcome the world. Cyclone Ditwah swept through the island with devastating force, but in its aftermath, a story of resilience, beauty and unwavering hospitality has emerged – one that travellers are invited to witness firsthand”.

For travellers, this is a chance to experience a Sri Lanka that is vibrant and sparkling with life where cultural heritage, natural beauty and warm hospitality blend. Cyclone Ditwah may have left a mark, but it could not dim the island’s radiance.

The Tourism sector is preparing to move forward with renewed emphasis on resilience, safety and rebuilding confidence among international travellers. Sri Lanka has weathered the storm and the world is already sailing back to its shores.