The Melting Teapot

Tea drinkers from the U.S. love to visit countries where tea is a much more important aspect of the culture. In many Asian countries, tea is often viewed as a social custom  -- ranging from a way of casually visiting with friends to a more ceremonial, formal way of recognizing friends and family.  The brewing of tea can also be seen as a path to enlightenment or inner peace.

In most tea-drinking countries (even here in the United States), tea is viewed as comforting, invigorating, and a great way to relax.  In particular, Britain and India have embraced the concept of comfort and relaxation through a good cup of tea, and in both countries tea breaks and tea carts are often part of the work day.

When my husband was on a business trip to Udaipur (India) two years ago, he really enjoyed being able to walk outside and around the corner to the chai cart.  Getting a delicious chai was one benefit, but he also felt that it was a chance to socialize with other employees in a different way than the office interactions.

I won't be visiting India any time soon, so I try to get my cultural fix by watching travel shows, reading blogs, and viewing online videos. Youtube is a great resource for ads and shows (professional and amateur) from other countries.  With just a few key words and a couple of clicks, anyone can view videos from other countries -- some are instructional, some are clips from travel shows, and a few are fun television ads.

I've just poured myself a cup of Majulighur Assam (milk, no sugar) and have YouTube ready to go because . . .

Today I'm Dreaming of Chai in India:  मसाला चाय

If you're lucky enough to travel to India, you should be able to find chai wallahs on most city streets.  There is often a sense of pride associated with the chai-making technique, much like you find in coffee baristas here in the Seattle area.

WARNING: loud music alert.  Be ready to turn down the volume!

Not all tea vendors are so young.  However, you'll still see the artistry and pride as the man brews and pulls the chai.

Of course, tea is also very important on the home front.  I've been told that every Indian grandma has her own chai.  Whether living in the country of India, or making a home in another land, chai is a tradition that is passed down in many Indian families.  You'll get a sense of this in the next video, "How to Make Masala Chai." I'll have to try this version of coconut chai soon -- looks delicious!

The lump of sugar she drops in at the end must make a really sweet cup.  I'll take my sans sucre, please.

Much like coffee ads in the U.S., there are also many tea ads in India that focus on the home front.  It's fun to note that many of these home-brewed tea ads are multi-generational, which is very representative of family living arrangements in India.

Don't we all wish we had homes like this?!

Here is a classic ad, from 1987, with an Indian version of "a man's home is his castle"

And, here is an ad that manages to be romantic and funny at the same time:

This one takes a more artistic turn:

Note: the ad is over after 40 seconds (for some reason this upload replays the video several times).

The next Tea India ad features quick clips of tea-drinking in Indian cinema. Two of the world's most famous movie stars, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan make multiple appearances.   I also caught a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance by Kajol, plus a few other familiar faces.

As an aside, Amitabh Bachchan has his own blog!  It really is a thoughtful and interesting blog, and I'll be spending more time reading through it in the coming days.

In this last video for today, I'm stepping away from ads and back to informational video.  This time we go to the ends of the earth to visit The Last Tea Shop of India.  Here is a NewsX news spot about the tea shop, which is located near the Badrinath shrine in the far northern reaches of India.