April 2026 — on chai and peace, new world tea recipes, and the quiet diplomacy of a warm cup.

Spring has consolidated. The heavy masala is behind us. This month's letter is about lighter chai, the places worth visiting right now, and a recipe that came from a reader in Nagpur.

March has been an extraordinary month. India won the T20 World Cup for the third time. Holi painted the country. And through all of it, the chai never stopped.

Every spring, India's tea world holds its breath for the first Darjeeling flush. The finest teas in the world are plucked in March and April in the misty hills above the Himalayas. This month, we explore why.

January is the month of resolutions, clean slates, and, if you are paying attention, a real opportunity to build a better daily chai ritual. This month, we redesign the morning cup.

A year of chai: the recipes that worked, the places we visited, the science we learned, and the chai moments that stayed with us. Plus: what we are making in 2026.

In a world of back-to-back meetings and constant connectivity, the chai break is a small act of resistance. This month, we make the case for doing nothing, with a cup in hand.

Diwali is India's biggest festival, five days of lights, sweets, family, and chai. This month, we explore how chai anchors the celebrations and the recipes that go with them.

The wellness industry discovered chai years ago. But what does the actual evidence say about tea, milk, and the specific spice combinations in masala chai? We look at the research clearly.

India's Independence Day falls every August 15th. This month, we reflect on how chai, once a colonial commodity, became the defining symbol of a free, self-determining India.

From the pink salt tea of Kashmir to the filter coffee country of Tamil Nadu, India's chai map is a mosaic of regional identity. This month, we travel it end to end.

The chai wallah is the most democratic institution in India. This month, we tell the stories of the people behind the cup, and what their craft represents.

The first monsoon rain in India triggers an almost Pavlovian response: put the kettle on. We explore the chai-monsoon relationship and the science behind why rain heightens every flavour.

Cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, the five pillars of masala chai all have documented health effects. We break down the evidence, ingredient by ingredient.

Holi is India's most exuberant festival, and it has its own extraordinary drink traditions. This month, we explore thandai, bhang, and why the chai at the end of Holi day is the best cup of the year.

In Indian culture, offering chai is an act of intimacy. This February, we explore the role of chai in courtship, marriage, and the quiet daily rituals of being together.

India has multiple New Years, Diwali, Ugadi, Baisakhi, Nowruz, Navroz, and each one has its own food and chai traditions. January is just one of them.

Why winter transforms chai, the spices that warm from the inside, the traditions that emerge when temperature drops, and the best cold-weather chai to make at home.

From the kulhad wallahs of Varanasi to the cutting chai masters of Mumbai, a tour of India's chai culture through its five greatest cities, ranked and debated.

From ginger's gingerols to cardamom's cineole, the chemistry behind why masala chai spices work the way they do, and what Ayurveda understood long before the lab confirmed it.

The remarkable story of how a British colonial commodity became India's most beloved drink, and what that says about adaptation, identity, and the power of spice.