8 Shades of Tea LOVERS - Everything you need to know

If you are cold, tea will warm you
If you are too heated, it will cool you
If you are depressed, it will cheer you
If you are excited, it will calm you
- By William Gladstone

A little bit of history, you may skip if you want (History is always boring 😉) 

Referring to the history of tea, I have to mention about Chinese whose culture is consort to the origin of tea. (A monk, who founded the Zen Buddhism discovered tea during his fifth year of contemplation.) It is claimed that the most obsessed drink of India was alien to Indians until the 1920s. During this period advertising and distributing free samples of tea leaves to local vendors steeped the curve of tea lovers in India. Henceforth, mass production of tea leaves started in regions like Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri. 

Drinking tea is healthy!!!

Tea contains theophylline which does not elevate the central nervous system as much as caffeine. It is also an alternative for those who are allergic or sensitive to caffeine. Herbal tea, green tea, or black tea contains the largest quantity of theophylline. I answered satisfactorily I belive.

There are various types of tea lovers. Let's see in which category you fall under.

Subah ki pehli chai: If you are an early riser, sun-gazing at the time of sunrise having a full mug of green tea, lemongrass tea or even black tea gives the feeling of gratitude and motivation to fight the whole day full of challenges. Morning tea has a major significance in almost every Indian household. It helps in kicking lethargy away from our body and makes us mentally aware.

Fact is teas have approx 10 times more antioxidant content than fruits and vegetables (Yes!!! you heard me). From being a tamer source of energy to keeping our memories sharp, sipping tea is one of the essential parts of a morning routine.

Chai & Sutta: Chai meaning tea, sutta meaning cigarettes (very bad!!!!!!). One morning I asked a person, “why do you smoke cigarettes with tea?”. Well, she laughed and answered, “Try once. It is made in heaven a couple”. Something that only happens in India. My understanding says that this combination enhances the flavor and makes it an addiction. Chai & Sutta is an emotion to all the college-going students. The late-night studies and assignments are always glued with Chai & Sutta. 

You are sad, happy, depressed, excited, and angry about life, relationship, career, or anything under the sun, only therapy to all these problems is Chai Sutta aur Yaar. 

Me-Time Tea:

In this fast-paced life, we easily lose the urge to self-care and time to reflect. It has been reminded every now and then that talking to ourselves and asking questions to ourselves is necessary. Usually, meditation or reflection (hearing inner-voice) does not come naturally to people it takes time, and 'time' is the scarcest resource of all the working people, who constantly ticks the boxes on the list.

As tea brewing takes time, it is definitely the perfect moment to observe the tiniest details of the process and focusing on self. Inhaling the aroma of the tea leaves as you open the tea canister, paying attention to the sound of the water boiling, waiting patiently for tea leaves to open up & change the color, and sipping the warm tea slowly sitting at the favorite corner of your home will help to clear the mind which will strengthen the EI and alleviate stress & anxiety. Are you one of those who love to have 'me-time' at any point in the day with a warm cup?

Nostalgia filled tea: Nostalgia is a strong emotion and is present in our daily lives in some way like remembering memories or making one. I believe that every Indian who drinks tea or not will have some memory with tea. My first MBA interview started with a question if I knew to make Tibetan tea (strange but true!!! and I aced the interview without knowing how to make it 😂).  

The warmth of chai is like a metaphor that reminds me of the warmth, love, and affection of my parents (some of you can relate to it). Did you ever feel the same?

Those who don’t drink tea will always have one tea addicted friend and must have always accompanied to a tea stall just to gaze at and wonder "How can someone love tea so much?".
These days we do not see people having tea in that saucer to cool down the boiling tea (your grandpa or grandma always had the saucer).

Gupshup aur chai: This is a scene in every tea stalls in every lane. Starting from the conversation of relationship to career to giving tips (Gyan) over a cup of tea. For a Bengali, discussions are a never-ending process, starts with wassup (kemon achen!!!!) and it goes on with anything and everything including world-changing resolutions.

Meeting old friends over a cup of tea can be all about insurmountable problems, jokes, or steaming hot gossips (chugli) that can eat away hours and hours of a day. I am sure many of us around the globe do this.

Baarish ki kadak Chai: I am writing this post on a rainy day with a cup of tea (milk one) with strong flavors of ginger and cardamom. Tea is always in limelight during monsoon season.
You are drenched in rain, you need tea. You wait for the rain to stop in a shed, you need tea. Even when you are at home, you demand tea with samosa and binge on Netflix or read a book. Tea and rain are indivisible. If you have not tried yet, next time give it a shot. 

Have a great monsoon!!!!! 

15 minutes break wali chai: Everyone at the office waits for this break, even if someone doesn’t drink tea or caffeinated drink. This is usually the time to chill and relax. Not to forget about the attraction, ie, “Office Gossips”. Being an HR person, I also want to think from a different perspective which says that benefits of this break- It brings alertness which results in lesser mistakes, more focus, and improved communication too. It definitely manages the stress level (Psychologists and doctors have agreed to it). It also has some health benefits like leg movement (walking), stretching, etc. Last but not least it is definitely an employee engagement activity which in result increases work performance (Happy employees, happy workplace).

Now the types of flavors that are required to be kept in the pantry for tea, I will do another post for it.

Covid ki Dawae Chai (Kadha): These particular lovers are the newest ones in the category. I am sure all non-tea drinkers will fall under this category. Using tea leaves in kadha is an optional one though and commonly called Herbal tea. This category is the healthiest one amongst all - there is no caffeine included. 

The best method is a decoction of herbs and dry spices to reach a pleasurable and perfect Tisane (less commonly known herbal tea).

Happy Tea Time!!!!!!