Even if it’s raining cats and dogs, no Indian household will believe monsoon has started. 

Unless.

Unless someone gives them a plate full of hot pakodas and a piping hot cup of chai.

It’s a fact. Sach keh raha hoon.

We Indians have our priorities sorted. While the rest of the world goes for an umbrella every time it rains, we look for potatoes, oil, chai patti, and water. 

For us, rains are a celebration. 

And what better way to acknowledge this celebration than appreciating the eternal love story of chai and pakode?

Yes. It’s a love story in every sense. 

Forget Romeo and Juliet. 

Forget Heer-Ranjha.

Chai and pakode is the jodi. They’re the real soulmates.

Such is the love pakoda has for chai, that even when chai hangs out with its friends adrak and elaichi, the pakoda doesn’t get insecure.

And we love every bit of their love story.

Or should I say, every bit’e’ of their love story.

Because there’s something magical about biting into those deliciously crunchy fritters and then washing them down with garma garam chai ki chuski.

Mind you, separate the lovers and the essence will be lost. Which is why you cannot have chai and samosa or pakodas and coffee.

It HAS be chai and pakoda.

It goes so well with the mitti ki khusboo all around that it’s impossible to imagine monsoon without them. No matter how stressed we are, just munching on them while looking at the rains outside soothes us.

The warm aroma of the pakodas, the enticing smell of the garam chai and the rains outside manage to convince us that life’s going to be okay.

That it’s okay to stop for a while and just enjoy the ‘now’.

And guess what. It’s July already. Be right back. I need to stock up on my potatoes.