Behind the steamy pots of the chai stand, the owner of the stand was laughing

Walking through the wholesale district, I came across a corner where steam was rising. There was a chai stand there. I was thirsty and decided to stop by. The hot, sweet chai was soothing to my body after a hard day's walk. After all, authentic chai is exceptional.

I remember that when I visited India more than 10 years ago, it was common to drink chai in an unglazed cup in Kolkata and a glass cup in Mumbai. However, in Mumbai in 2024, most stands seem to use paper cups. Even at this stand, it was served in a paper cup. In the case of the traditional unglazed cups, it was customary to smash the cup on the ground to break it when finished drinking. This was a very tasteful practice, but it seems to be almost unheard of nowadays.

In Japan, by the way, I have heard that there is a chai shop in Kyoto where people break the unglazed cup after finishing the drink. In any culture, tools and customs change over time, but it is still interesting to experience a glimpse into the scenery of the past.

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