Raj Tea Stall

Raj Tea Stall is right on National Road in Ghumar Mandi. If you know the area, you know it’s always packed with people and cars. Our stall is right in the middle of all that action. We start very early in the morning because that’s when people want their first cup of tea. The stove is going almost all day long, and there’s always a pot of tea brewing. It’s a small space, mostly just enough room for us to stand and work behind the counter. We use a lot of ginger and cardamom, so the air around the stall always has that smell. Ghumar Mandi is a famous market, and being on National Road means we never really have a quiet moment. We serve tea in small glasses and people usually stand around on the sidewalk to drink it and talk. It’s a very simple setup. We don't have fancy furniture or a menu. People just know what they want when they come here. Sometimes it rains and everyone tries to crowd under our small awning to stay dry. It’s a bit of a squeeze, but nobody seems to mind much. We just keep pouring tea and collecting the empty glasses. It’s what we’ve done for years and we don’t plan on changing anything. The work is steady and it keeps us busy from dawn until the market starts to close up at night. We always have a few extra stools for people to sit.