Chaiwala
{{Redirect|Tea maker|equipment used in making tea|Teaware}}{{Short description|Person who makes, sells or serves tea/chai for living}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox occupation
| name =Chaiwala (Tea-seller)
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| image = India - Varanasi Chai kettle - 0666.jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
| caption = A chaiwala in Varanasi pouring a cup of chai.
| official_names =
| type =Profession
| activity_sector =Public
| competencies =
| formation = No
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}}
File:ChaiwallaKolkata (cropped).JPG on a coal fire in a street of Kolkata.]]
A chaiwala (also transliterated as chaiwalah or chaiwallah; {{Langx|ur|{{nastaliq|چائےوالا}}}}, {{langx|hi|चायवाला}}) is a tea-seller in the Indian subcontinent.{{cite web|title=What is a chai wallah?|url=http://chaiwallahsofindia.com/2013/04/chai-wallah/|work=Chai Wallahs of India|accessdate=November 30, 2013|date=April 20, 2013|archive-date=26 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026212855/http://chaiwallahsofindia.com/2013/04/chai-wallah/|url-status=dead}} They are an integral part of subcontinent culture. Chai is the Hindi and Urdu word for "tea", as in masala chai, and wala indicates the person performing the task, so chaiwala is a street vendor of tea.
Chaiwalas, as an entrepreneurial group, tend to move from different regions of India to run their small business in major cities. They typically prepare the tea by boiling a mixture of water and milk, often with a spice mixture called chai masala, and then add tea leaves and sugar, and then strain the drink into containers or a tea kettle. They usually serve tea in a small glasses or unglazed clay teacups (kulhar) but have started to use plastic cups. Traditionally, tea was made in brass vessels.
In popular culture
In the 1955 film Shri 420, the hero (portrayed by Raj Kapoor) takes the heroine (portrayed by Nargis) to a roadside tea stall. The chaiwala insists on receiving a payment of two annas (anna is 1/16th of a rupee) for the two cups.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZUDmEeDf8I "Raj Kapoor Proposes To Nargis On Street - Shree 420 Most Viewed Scenes"]. Shemaroo. February 2, 2012. This scene serves as a prelude for the famous song "Pyar Hua Ikrar Hua", during which the chaiwala is shown sipping the tea from a saucer (
', the lead character, Jamal Malik (played by Dev Patel), is a chaiwala in an Indian call center.
In the UK TV sitcom It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, Dino Shafeek plays the chai wallah Muhammad. Muhammed walks around the camp all day, selling tea from his urn. He also sings the musical interruptions between the scenes, which are mostly American hit songs, accompanied by a sitar. At the end of the credits, he starts to sing "Land of Hope and Glory" only to be interrupted by the Sergeant Major shouting "SHUT UP!!!". After Rangi leaves, he takes on the role of Bearer to the concert party, as well as still being the Chai Wallah.
Notable examples
The press has noted several successful chaiwalas:Eplett, Layla (June 14, 2016). [https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/06/14/481878368/tea-tuesday-meet-the-chai-wallahs-of-india "Tea Tuesday: Meet The Chai Wallahs Of India"]. NPR.[https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2016/10/chai-walas-india-161020153255247.html "The chai walas of India, Showkat Shafi"]. Al Jazeera October They include:
- Former Chief Minister of Bihar and Rashtriya Janata Dal Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav stated that he was once a chaiwala.{{cite web|title=Lalu Yadav claims that he is real Chaiwala|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/02/lalu-yadav-claims-that-he-is-real-tea-vendor/|work=IANS|publisher=Bihar Prabha|accessdate= February 13, 2014}}
- Laxman Rao of Delhi, author of 24 books[https://www.firstpost.com/living/new-delhis-famous-tea-seller-meet-laxman-rao-chaiwallah-day-author-night-2378024.html "New Delhi's most famous tea seller: Meet Laxman Rao, chaiwallah by day, author by night"]. Firstpost. August 4, 2015.
- Current Prime Minister Narendra Modi was once a chaiwala.
See also
- Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2012
- Tea lady, a similar occupation in Britain