'Chai, garam chai!' The call pierces the bustle of an Indian Railway station, its sound as familiar as the rumble of an approaching train. Chai is the heartbeat of India—a drink that carries the warmth of home and stories as rich as its flavour. For generations, chai has travelled across the country in clay cups and steel tumblers, becoming a loyal companion to countless travellers, offering comfort and connection along the journey.
Tea to chai – the transformation
Chai’s journey in India began with the British, who saw India as a new frontier for tea cultivation, hoping to rival the established tea trade in China. Tea was meant for export and was reserved for British consumers far away from Indian shores. In the early 19th century, the British were eager to challenge China’s dominance in the global tea market and saw India as a fertile ground. By 1835, experimental tea plantations took root in Assam, and by the 1850s, the British East India Company began commercial production.
However, as the 20th century approached, the British started to see the Indian population itself as a promising consumer base. In 1903, the British passed the Tea Cess Bill, which regulated a small tax on tea exports. The revenue from this cess was directed towards promotional efforts to popularize tea consumption within India and abroad. Railways, rapidly expanding under British rule, presented an ideal channel to introduce tea to Indians. To familiarize the local population with tea, the Indian Tea Association launched aggressive promotional campaigns through railway networks. Vendors were encouraged to set up tea stalls at stations, where they sold affordable cups to travellers. These campaigns included instructional posters on how to brew tea, displayed in multiple languages at busy railway hubs.
By the 1930s, tea stalls were a fixture on nearly every platform. But Indian vendors began modifying the tea to suit local tastes, blending strong tea leaves with milk, sugar, and spices, creating a thick, aromatic drink we now call “chai.” This spicy, rich tea quickly gained popularity, spreading across regions and social classes. The transformation was so profound that by the end of the century, India consumed most of its own tea production—a dramatic shift from tea as a colonial export to a deeply local tradition.
Chai on wheels
The Indian Railways offered more than just transportation—they carried chai, a drink that soon became as common as the sound of a whistle or the feel of a speeding train. Vendors called out from every platform, selling tea brewed in large kettles and poured into humble cups. This tea, however, wasn’t the light drink that the British had envisioned. Indian vendors boiled it with rich milk, blended in generous amounts of sugar, and added spices like ginger, cardamom, and cloves. The drink transformed into what we now call “chai”—a thick, spiced infusion with a warmth that stays long after the last sip. Travellers stopped on platforms, reaching out for a hot cup, inhaling the aroma that blended with the scent of the railway dust and steaming 'vadas'.
For many, chai became an essential part of the journey, a familiar face at each stop. The chaiwallah, balancing a kettle in one hand and stacks of cups in the other, was a welcome presence, weaving through train compartments, his call of 'chai, chai' a melody to the waking passengers. This scene repeated in every region and every state, from the Hindi-speaking heartlands to the southern states, where “chaaya, kaappi” echoed across stations. In every dialect and region, chai became a constant—offering a brief moment of warmth, a shared drink that reminded travellers of home, of stories shared, and journeys taken.
In the years following independence, chai shed its colonial ties and became a symbol of the Indian spirit. No longer just a beverage, chai embodied connection and warmth. Railway chai vendors, with their distinct calls echoing across platforms, spread the essence of chai to every corner of the nation, creating moments of comfort and shared identity among travellers.
From tea to chai, to 'chai teas'
Chai, originally brought to India by the British, has seen a fascinating evolution. While British colonizers introduced tea as a beverage primarily for export, Indians adapted it into a rich, spiced concoction, transforming it into the beloved milk tea we know today. However, since the early 21st century, chai has increasingly found its way onto Western menus too, often rebranded as 'chai tea' or 'chai latte.' This trend, driven by global exposure and social media, reverses the initial colonial relationship. Western consumers have embraced chai, albeit through a lens of dilution and experimentation, often toning down the spices and richness that characterize the Indian version.
This newfound popularity, particularly among younger demographics, has spurred brands to innovate by blending traditional recipes with contemporary flavours. In response, Indian startups have also started crafting unique chai experiences, attempting to balance modern tastes and cultural authenticity.
India in a cup
Western “chai lattes” might capture hints of the flavour, but they lack the soul, the nostalgia, and the weight of shared journeys that every cup of chai holds in India. A cup of chai on a railway platform carries the scents of crowded stations, the warmth of countless hands that have held it, and the stories of strangers who have shared it.
Today, chai continues to be a constant on India’s Railways. While trains have become faster and railway stations have transformed, the essence of chai remains unchanging and steadfast. The familiar sight of the chaiwallah, the steam rising from a fresh batch, and the call that breaks through the hum of a crowded station—these remain, anchoring millions of travellers in a moment of warmth, nostalgia, and connection.
For many, a cup of chai on an Indian train is far more than refreshment; it’s a taste of memory, a reminder of home, a companion through the journey. It’s a piece of history, a moment of belonging, and a symbol of India’s culture that, like the railways themselves, carries us forward yet stays rooted in tradition. Chai isn’t just tea in India; it’s a legacy, a heritage, a taste that reminds us where we come from and where we’re headed. A cup of chai on a railway platform isn’t simply a drink—it’s India in a cup.
