Thaindian News

Bhopal, Jan 20 (IANS) Ever heard of “cutting tea”? It is Bhopal’s unique offering - basically half or three-fourth cup of hot tea, served at interminable big and small tea shops across the city, over a traditional breakfast.

Breakfast is mainly poha and jalebis, followed by a cup of this tea. Most outlets serve all three or establishments serving food are next to the tea stalls.

One place to enjoy tea is the Hamidia Hospital road, usually crowded on week days but with just a few cyclists on an early Sunday morning.

As I cross Sadar Manzil, I reach the Raju Tea Stall, owned by Fareed Bhai. It began as a small tea outlet years back but has expanded and modernised to a big shop serving cutting chai, poha and kachodi to thousands frequenting it daily.

Cutting tea costs Rs.7 at Raju Tea Stall.

Though it is a chilly morning, I can still see teenagers sitting on their bikes, sipping tea and chatting, some on bicycles and others standing across the road.

Dressed in a sparkling clean kurta, the owner himself is at the cash counter, busy handing over tokens to customers. Poha and jalebi are served from one counter and tea from another.

After Raju Tea Stall, I take a whirlwind trip of the old city area to visit other tea stalls in the nook and cranny of the city.

An interesting offering is at tea stalls near Bhopal talkies where the tea, costing Rs.4, has a covering of “malaai” (cream) and also a pinch of salt.

The teas shops use a brass tank - locally called as samadan - which contains boiling water, tea and salt. The tank, with a capacity of 150 cups or so, is on the burner all day long.

Whenever a customer arrives and demands tea, water from the tank is poured into a glass, milk kept on the boil on an adjacent burner is added, and then the tea is topped with cream. There are two-three shops at the crossing, serving hundreds of daily visitors.

The bus stand is a place where you always find tea stalls. So at Nadira Bus Stand, we meet “Mausaji”, whose tea stall always seems to be open and serves freshly-made jalebis, and poha from a big plate decorated with green chillies, onion and lemon.

For breakfast in a more picturesque setting, visit Shahpura Lake, which is frequented by many morning walkers. On one side of the lake, there is a row of stalls serving tea and poha. One stall serves poha, jalebis and pakodas while the next offers tea, evident from the steam rising from the pans and empty glasses.

As friends chat, current issues are debated and deals are struck; you can be sure it all happens over a glass of hot ‘cutting tea’.

(Anil Gulati can be contacted at anilgulati5@gmail.com )