Chaiwalas here have reinvented themselves to stay afloat in business by wooing health-conscious people with a variety of healthy beverages.
Traditionally the aromatic beverage has been prepared by them putting the cured leaves of Camellia Sinesis , a shrub native to Asia, in boiling water and served with or without milk on every street corner day in and day out.
Now the chaiwalas have introduced many variants of the piping hot beverage to satisfy their ever-demanding customers, who are always on the look-out for something more refreshing.
“The Ginger tea, Green tea, Lemon tea and Masala tea are among the fast-moving drinks brewed by us,” says tea shop owner Srinivas on the arterial Trunk Road while sipping a hot cup of black tea with properties to keep at bay cardiovascular diseases.
They source tea varieties from, among other places, Darjeeling and Nilgiris and refrain from buying the ones marketed by FMCG majors, he adds.
Benefits
The morning walkers make it a point to sip the stimulating Green tea after slugging out in the DRRM High school grounds as its antioxidant properties help ward off cancer, improve the rate of metabolism and help lose weight, explains another tea shop owner Raghuram after serving a cup of the beverage with medicinal properties.
“Ginger tea aids digestion,” says a bank officer after having a cup of the refreshing beverage at a roadside shop near the Ratnam Mahal centre.
‘Pudina tea’ garnished with mint leaves and a cut lemon is one of the popular drinks given the health benefits of consuming mint on a regular basis. It boosts the overall health in many ways, says a school teacher Srinivas, who consumes it regularly after playing badminton in the morning.
The health-conscious people also prefer the popular ‘pepper milk’ to keep away from cough and cold, particularly during winter, adds chaiwalah Ramulu while transferring the beverage from a kettle to tea cups in his own inimitable style.
