Experience the soul of Assam through the ritual of drinking chai on a rainy day. More than just a beverage, it’s a tradition soaked in love, nostalgia, and cultural roots.
It starts with the smell.
The sharp, earthy scent of fresh rain on cracked soil—like the land itself just sighed with relief. And right then, someone in the house casually drops the most magical question in any of our Assamese home:
“Cha khaba?” চাহ খাবা?
(Want some tea?)
You don’t say no. You never say no. If you say then you might be regretting , ha ha !
Chai in Assam Isn’t Just a Drink. It’s a Ritual. It's starts with the morning, early morning cup of tea refreshes us like nothing else. Coffee is fine in the evening but not for the morning. A cup of tea is the middle of day is also a ritual for many.
In the rest of the world, maybe tea is just a beverage. A pick-me-up. A casual sip.
But here? It’s a moment. It's gossip with your mother in the kitchen. It’s your grandfather explaining world politics over the newspaper. It’s sitting under the tin roof, listening to the rain trying to break through, while the kitchen fills with the sweet-spicy aroma of brewing cha. It's a time off from work related pressure. It's a sweet moment with the people we have a vibe with.
My jethi maa used to make her tea with a pinch of grated ginger and a secret amount of cardamom. The milk? Straight from the morning’s delivery, still warm in the pail. If it’s raining heavily, she might even throw in a clove—“for the throat,” she says, though I think it’s more for the soul.
The Rain Changes Everything
There’s something about rainy days in Assam that slows life down in the best way.
The memories of rain in our childhood still a fresh in my mind. It feels like different time back then.
"Children splash barefoot in muddy courtyards, their laughter rising above the sound of the downpour. The radio crackles in the background, probably playing Bhupen Hazarika or a random film song from the 80s. Power cuts? Of course. But who cares? We light candles, settle in, and sip our cha like it’s holy water."
The windows fog up. The steel cups warm your palms. Conversations stretch longer, voices lower, eyes a little softer.
Why We Keep Coming Back to Chai
Because it’s warm when the world is cold.
Because it reminds you of who you are.
Because even when things fall apart—and trust me, in Assam, the roads, the politics, and sometimes the ceilings do—cha stays constant.
It's how we cope, how we connect, and how we carry on for the next day.
Assamese chai
Rainy day tea ritual
Assam culture and traditions
Chai in India
Monsoon in Assam
Emotional tea story
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