Maatir Blogs

Whether you depend on your morning cup of coffee or can’t relax without a cup of tea, your habits speak volumes about you. Even things as small as your perfect mug for the occasion. A Brief History An Islamic saint by the name of Baba Budan is credited with bringing coffee to India. He is said to have gone on a pilgrimage to Mecca. On his return journey, he smuggled seven coffee beans into India. He planted them in the hills of Karnataka, in southern India. Since then, India has been cultivating the seeds in the south. During British rule, coffee plantations thrived. South India Very simply put: South Indians are accustomed to drinking filter coffee (or kaapi as it is pronounced in the South). But not just any filter will do. It is called a tumbler and dabarah. It is a metal filter consisting of two nesting cups. The upper cup, the dabarah, holds the ground coffee and has holes to let the liquid drip down. The lower one catches the brewed coffee. Milk and sugar are then boiled together...

Masala chai is probably the most iconic and popular Indian drink. Indians take their tea seriously- it’s not the national drink for no reason. You can find it on every street corner and even on the trains. The Chai Spot If there is one area of Mumbai in particular known for its chai, it would be Ballard Estate. It is primarily a Parsi area, and they opened several restaurants and cafes. In Mumbai’s early days, Ballard Estate was the business district. Chai quickly became intertwined with the culture here as people could have meetings or simply relax over some tea. It was actually easier to get a cup of chai than a cup of coffee! There are many great spots to grab a hot cup of chai throughout Maharashtra. A famous Maharashtrian cafe is Paneri Amtuttlya. It’s known for offering chai at only 10 rupees a cup. In Nagpur, there is a tea seller known worldwide because of his viral videos. He adds his own style to making tea and always draws a crowd while he works. It’s said he makes a great c...