Empire of Tea

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Sathnam Sanghera tells the story of our national drink and its imperial past.

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Empire of Tea: 7. Punjabi Cha and Masala Chai

7. Punjabi Cha and Masala Chai

BBC Radio 4 - Empire of Tea, 7. Punjabi Cha and Masala Chai

How tea, in various forms, became India’s national drink.

Punjabi cha is the drink of Sathnam Sanghera's childhood. As he discovers, it's one of many varieties that make tea India's national drink.

Like Britain (and several other countries), India sees tea as its definitive national drink. But as Sathnam Sanghera discovers, mass market Indian tea culture was seeded, in large part, by its coloniser. With a trip to a chai stall in London and a chat with the historian Romita Ray, Sathnam charts the development of tea in India from both indigenous and imperial origins. Amid its regional diversity, how did it become India’s national drink?

Produced by Paul Martin for BBC Audio Wales

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Empire of Tea

7. Punjabi Cha and Masala Chai

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