Every nook and cranny of India would have a tea stall. This explains the love for Tea Indians have today. However, Tea, a drink now synonymous with Indian culture, has a surprisingly complex history in the subcontinent. There are multiple theories around the Indian legend regarding the discovery of tea. Contrary to popular belief, tea was not always the beloved beverage of India. Its journey from a foreign import to a national drink is a tale of colonial influence, industrial ambition, and cultural adaptation.
In the late 17th century, tea was primarily used for medicinal purposes in Indian cities near trade routes. English traveller John Ovington noted in 1689 that Indian traders in Surat drank tea with spices and sugar candy, a far cry from its current ubiquity.
The turning point came in the 1830s when Britain, facing conflict with China, sought alternative tea sources. They expanded into Assam, where an indigenous tea variety grew, establishing plantations that would change India's landscape and economy forever.
However, the early days of Indian tea production were marked by exploitation and resistance. Many Assamese people distrusted the industry, leading plantation owners to rely on indentured labourers from other regions. Working conditions were abysmal, with mortality rates reaching 50% and sparking rebellions.
Despite booming production in the late 19th century, tea consumption among Indians remained low. Most Indian tea was exported, with domestic consumption limited to Europeans and upper-class Indians who adopted British social customs. In fact, some Indian nationalists boycotted tea due to the industry's exploitative practices. The tide began to turn in the early 1900s when an economic depression led tea traders to focus on the domestic market. Marketing campaigns initially targeted middle and upper-class Indians, emphasizing refinement and health benefits. However, Indians quickly developed their own preparation methods, boiling tea leaves directly in water or milk and adding spices, laying the foundation for masala chai.
The 1920s and '30s saw the rise of tea shops in urban centres, becoming hubs for intellectual and political discourse. Parsi cafes in Mumbai and Delhi introduced their unique "Irani cha," further diversifying India's tea culture.
The Great Depression of the 1930s prompted an aggressive marketing campaign to increase tea consumption across all segments of Indian society. Traveling salespeople promoted tea nationwide, and the drink was advertised as healthy and energizing.
Post-independence, technological advancements like the "crush-tear-curl" (CTC) process made tea more affordable and accessible. In the 1950s and '60s, the abundance of inexpensive CTC tea led to a rise in both roadside vendors and household consumption, finally cementing tea's place as India's beverage of choice.
Today, it's hard to imagine India without its chai culture. But this national love affair with tea is a relatively recent phenomenon, born from a complex interplay of colonial history, industrial innovation, and cultural adaptation. From a foreign import to a symbol of Indian hospitality, tea's journey in India is as rich and varied as the nation itself.
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