Across India, chai is more than a beverage - it’s a daily ritual, a social glue, a pause button in the middle of chaos. It’s how mornings begin, how conversations stretch into the evening, and how love is often first shared. There’s a reason people say “Come over for chai” instead of “Come over.” It’s shorthand for warmth, familiarity, and time made for each other.

For us, a rickshaw ride was never just a way to get from point A to B. It was the ride itself: the wind in your face, the sound of film songs playing faintly on the driver’s radio, the sticky sweetness of air thick with salt and heat. You sat open to the world, weaving through traffic, brushing past fruit stalls, pausing at traffic lights watching the waves hit against the bandstand. It’s a sensory overload in the best way, making you feel present, grounded, and alive.