By Jasmine Kaur
The pretty and pink beverage is a morning staple in Kashmir, often paired with lavassa roti for breakfast. But where did it come from?
=While the Kashmiri culture is widely influenced by the teachings of Persian sufi saint, Syed Mir Ali Hamdani, it is said that the pink chai travelled with him via Central Asia.
Another section of people believe that this hot beverage came to Kashmir with Bulbul Shah from Kashgar, Turkestan and was popularized by Sultan Shadruddin Shah as a morning ritual.
The specialty of this tea from Kashmir lies in the pinkish hue that is lent by the tea leaves and the salty, instead of the usual sweet flavour, of the chai.
A similar kind of tea is consumed in Ladakh known as gur gur chai which bears resemblance in taste and appearance to the Atkan chai from Turkestan.
Brewed in a traditional Kashmiri samovar and packed with cinnamon, cardamom and nuts, the noon chai is a soul-soothing drink, especially in winters.