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kulad-wali-chai

An Ode to Kulhad Wali Chai in Indrapuram

Posted on December 9, 2015

I have said this before, I am a tea lover. But if there is something better than chai it is kulhad wali chai. On a recent trip to Thailand a mate asked if I missed home food on my trips? I told her more than food I miss ghar ki chai! There is something about chai the desi chai that feels just so right! Β And there is a good corner shop in Indrapuram, Ghaziabad that sells chai in a kulhad.

I frequent the shop because it is close to my sister’s place. It is simply named Pandey Tea Stall, located close to Shipra Mall. There is a local complex opposite the main entrance of Shipra Mall where you find custom sized good’s shop, PP Jewellers, SRS Jewellers etc. This shop is next door to the SRS Jewellers. There are other small eating places around it.

pandey-tea-stall
Pandey Tea Stall Near Shipra Mall, Indrapuram

Going by the crowd that gathers around the shop, it is already quite popular in the vicinity. Actually there are two brothers who run the shop. They know us by face as we have been going there for a while now.

Close to Diwali I asked one of the brothers if they were going home, to which he said, no there was so much work, he would manage to go home only after Diwali.

tea-indrapuram
The General Ambiance!

I have to say the general area could do with a bit of face lift. The sidewalks are dusty and not too clean. There are a few rickety tables and chairs. But they are mostly occupied. And if I find them empty, the previous occupants would leave their empty cups/kulhads on the table even though there are dustbins a few feet away. They serve tea in paper cups too but I always ask for it in a kulhad.

ambience-indrapuram
The Railing and a Cup of Tea

I clear the table myself and I make sure I clear it after we have finished our tea. We often go and sit on a railing nearby. So you see, the ambiance certainly could be improved.

bliss-hot-tea-kulhad
The Bliss that is a Hot Cup of Tea

But then the chai is top class. Even tough I stopped taking sugar in my chai a long time ago, he puts so little that I don’t mind. I don’t know what he does with adrak (ginger) but it gives just the right flavor to the chai. However, I feel his kulhad is too small! In reality it is notΒ but the tea vanishes just too fast. He sells a cup for 10 rupees, all that bliss just for 10 rupees!Β As the brats of my family say, in Dwivedi family no one says no to tea!

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40 thoughts on “An Ode to Kulhad Wali Chai in Indrapuram”

  1. Prasad Np says:
    December 10, 2015 at 1:20 am

    I love Kullhad wali chai.. .superb pics. here…

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 3:37 pm

      Thank you Prasad.

      Reply
  2. Purba Chakraborty says:
    December 10, 2015 at 3:14 am

    I also love this Kulhad wali chai.
    A great read πŸ™‚

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 3:38 pm

      Thank you Purba!

      Reply
  3. Archana Kapoor says:
    December 10, 2015 at 8:31 am

    I love kulhad… had loads of kulhad wali chai in Meerut… love the bheeni bheeni khushbu… πŸ™‚

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 3:39 pm

      Archana πŸ˜€ hope things are well now with you πŸ˜€

      Reply
  4. Indrani says:
    December 10, 2015 at 9:05 am

    Better than plastic cups any day!
    Great captures Mridula!

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 3:39 pm

      Thank you Indrani!

      Reply
  5. Arun says:
    December 10, 2015 at 10:17 am

    Up for tea any time. Never had tea in this kind of cup so far.

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 3:40 pm

      Arun come to North, even though it is difficult to find it here too, but we get it sometimes.

      Reply
  6. Kishor Kr says:
    December 10, 2015 at 10:32 am

    There is a different “Earth” flavor in Kulhad tea, definitely making is special.

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 3:40 pm

      Maybe that is why it tastes so nice!

      Reply
  7. datta ghosh says:
    December 10, 2015 at 10:46 am

    Thats a cool info. If you love Kullad wali chai then do visit Kolkata, as almost all tea over there is Kulladwali chai (Bharer cha)

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 3:42 pm

      Wow It has been ages since I went to Kolkata I was in standard 4 when I visited!

      Reply
  8. Rajeev Moothedath says:
    December 10, 2015 at 11:37 am

    Nice appetising post….

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 3:43 pm

      Thank you Rajeev!

      Reply
  9. Piyu says:
    December 10, 2015 at 12:24 pm

    Love tea in these earthen cups- they lend an extra flavor to the tea πŸ™‚

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 3:44 pm

      Indeed Piyu.

      Reply
  10. Sri Kri says:
    December 10, 2015 at 12:41 pm

    Have tasted the curd in the earthen cups.
    Not chai.Lovely post with nice shots.:)

    Cheers,
    Sriram & Krithiga

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 3:44 pm

      That also tastes so good Sri Kri!

      Reply
  11. Ravish Mani says:
    December 10, 2015 at 12:47 pm

    Seeing kulhad after a long time. It’s nostalgic. I used to have it when we’re travelling in trains during my college days.

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 4:14 pm

      It must have been fun Ravish!

      Reply
  12. rupam { xhobdo } says:
    December 10, 2015 at 1:25 pm

    Nice post and photos πŸ™‚ Thanks for sharing

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 4:13 pm

      Thanks Rupam.

      Reply
  13. Ami says:
    December 10, 2015 at 2:01 pm

    Quite interesting. Given the chilly weather in Bangalore right now, I would not mind having a cuppa.

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 4:13 pm

      It feels even better in cold weather but it is my preferred drink even in summer.

      Reply
  14. Arun says:
    December 10, 2015 at 4:36 pm

    I just love kulhad wali chai. Its always a delight to have tea in a kulhad. Ah its hard to find kulhads in Bangalore πŸ™

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 10, 2015 at 5:40 pm

      It is hard to find them here too!

      Reply
  15. Bikram says:
    December 10, 2015 at 6:32 pm

    it use to taste better tooo in the kulhad then the glass or the cup πŸ™‚

    Bikram’s

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 17, 2015 at 1:18 pm

      True Bikram! πŸ˜€

      Reply
  16. Nisha says:
    December 10, 2015 at 7:30 pm

    I also love Kulhad wali chai and for that reason I don’t like to travel in AC coaches these days. Used to have more fun in non AC coaches in trains.

    So, our next meeting point is decided now. πŸ˜›

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      February 20, 2016 at 11:14 pm

      Yes Nisha but it is very far away!

      Reply
  17. Pamela Mukherjee says:
    December 14, 2015 at 12:16 pm

    I am a tea lover, especially the kulhad wali chay and deshi chay with full of aroma…

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      February 20, 2016 at 11:15 pm

      Me too!

      Reply
  18. Yogi saraswat says:
    December 16, 2015 at 10:18 am

    You were in Indirapuram , Ghaziabad ? I live there just 3 km from This place . Ghar ki chai ka aanand hi kuchh alag hota hai !!

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      December 16, 2015 at 11:47 am

      My sister lives close to the place, hence I frequently visit! Agle baar milte hain?

      Reply
  19. Kavita says:
    December 24, 2015 at 12:15 am

    I love Kulhad wali chai.:) nice shots.
    This place was next to my home , but never noticed.

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      February 20, 2016 at 11:15 pm

      Do go next time!

      Reply
  20. Sarthak says:
    February 19, 2016 at 2:47 pm

    Hi,

    I just saw this post through a random search on Google.
    I’ve recently opened up a chai place of my own in Mumbai and thought you might be able to get a look at.
    The cafe is called Chaos Control Cafe.
    Check it out on Zomato.

    And let me know if the place gets your attention.

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      February 20, 2016 at 11:16 pm

      Thank you so much. Whenever I am in Mumbai and near your place will try it out.

      Reply

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About Me

I am Mridula Dwivedi and I started this blog in 2005. It has been an amazing ride. I have visited 33 countries till date! I have worked with many tourism boards and prominent travel companies. My blog was featured on the BBC and the Guardian.

I did my Ph.D. from IIT Kanpur. I worked full time in academics till 2015! I quit my job as a professor, thinking I will take a break for one year, which turned into five.

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