Food to Lahoris is what a pen is to writer or a credit card to a shopaholic. Lahoris are known to devour their food and most of them could kill for a lot less than a good chop masala. For Lahoris, drinking tea used to be a fashionable habit but with the passage of time it turned into a national habit meaning that it became the favourite beverage of all age groups. It is more like an addiction, which is the part of our culture. In Lahore one can find lots of options for unconventional tea places. There is a long list, which contains all-exotic to desi style offerings.
Recently, I had a chance to explore a very unique place which is named as ‘Yakoo Chai Wala’ or ‘Goonga Chai Wala’ at Temple Road, Lahore. This place is not where one can order or eat pizza or burgers, nor will you find brownies or some Italian tea here. Rather, tea is served in a simple glass without any snacks. There are many other restaurants on the same Temple Road where one can find and eat famous dishes include Siri Paye, Biryani, Hareesa, Taka tuk, Nihari, Lassi, Faloda, Daal Chawal, Chargha, Fish, Bateray and many more.
Yakoo Chai wala has been here for the past many years and every evening at about 10 PM, special people who are dumb and deaf sit down together to have tea and gossips. One can explore and enjoy a pure open air dhaba to drink tea. This place is always occupied by a massive number of people, starting from dawn till late night. As it is said for New York that the city never sleeps, it goes for Lahore as well. The place is open 24/7.
This place is not where one can order or eat pizza or burgers, nor will you find brownies or some Italian tea here. Rather, tea is served in a simple glass without any snacks
This dhaba has got a charm and a unique taste of tea that if anyone drinks once, it’s impossible from them to forget. Goonga Chai wala is famous for his doodh patti, the tea is thick, light texture, and hint of sweetness leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling that momentarily drowns out any distress or disappointment. All day within the area of Temple Road and Abid Market, cups full of this unique tea are distributed in the whole market and then collected later on. Tea is served and offered on credit to these market persons.
When it comes to the exterior Dhaba environment this shop doesn’t have a shutter or door. On one side of the shop, there is a bank and people sitting at a footpath outside of it and on the other side there are benches occupied by people outside closed shops. All places are occupied. The most interesting point is that many like-minded people frequently visit this place, as it is favourite spot for them to discuss their political thoughts without any interference.
The writer is a social and political activist based in Lahore and can be reached at [email protected], tweets at Salmani_salu
Published in Daily Times, May 20th 2018.