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10 Best Chai Places for Students

By DU Beat August 15, 2018

Craving for a warm cuppa to add a perfect note to the day? Here are the best places to visit and fulfil your ‘chai ki iccha!’

Be it the sultry heat of summer or the teeth-clattering chills of the winters, tea is something which the Indian heart never stops craving. And why should it? There is nothing wrong with indulging in a good cuppa, it relaxes you and is a great way to take a break. Here is a list of some of the best chai places.

1. The Mad Teapot, Shahpur Jat
If you’re in the mood of some exquisite and relaxing vibes, The Mad Teapot is the go-to place. Situated in the posh markets of Shahpur Jat, the place welcomes you with the wafts of warm brews and the aromas of tea. One can select from a long array of teas. From sticking to your usual Earl Grey, or trying something exotic like berry blush tea, this place is a haven for all the tea lovers out there.

2. Too Mikki Tapas, Chanakyapuri
This place is a favourite for both college lovers and people who love open ambiences. Situated in Chanakyapuri, right next to Taj CCD, Tapas is a good mix of desi vibes and western influenced food. Definitely try the masala chai from Tapas. It has herbal blends and marigold teas, so if you are big on experimenting and trying out new things, the menu has an attractive tea option. One of the bigger attractions is the stray cat, which you’ll always find lurking around the place. It is sweet and friendly, just like the staff!

3. Chaayos
Spread over the entire capital, Chaayos is a popular attraction for experiencing authentic blends. Their Kulhad chai is a must if you are going there. It is a good place to indulge in and fill yourself up with the chai and samosa varieties. It goes easy on the pocket and is a perfect place to hang out for quick meetings.

4. Chai Bubble, Greater Kailash 2
If you’re in the mood for some bubble tea, this is the perfect place for you. With an elongated menu filled with lots of exotic blends, one of the main attractions is the bubble tea. Their sides along with the tea are also amazing, ranging from the desi treats like samosa and pakoras, to wraps and burgers, and tea-cakes. The bubble tea has different variants and they are just a match made in heaven!

5. The Tea Place by Manjushree, Saket
If you’re into high-tea then this place is perfect. From its serene ambience to well-organised seating, it is completely devoted to giving the best tea experience. It is one of the few outlets where the company uses its own homegrown tea which is catered and skillfully served with the most delectable treats.

6. Mister Chai, Shangri-La’s –Eros Hotel
With its eye-pleasing and grand ambience, this place has the best of the east and the west. From savoury sides like bikinis (Spanish finger sandwiches) to desi drinks like cutting chai and masala chai, to exotic and sophisticated blends of different variants, this place is royalty. Definitely go here to engross in the best tea experience!

7. The Tea Room From Blossom Kocchar, Hauz Khas Village
Situated in the beautiful area of Hauz Khas, it swims amidst the many boutiques and hip places of the city. The ambience is so home-like, it makes you feel at home, sipping tea and peering through the glass panes. It has the first-date vibes attached to it, so one can always consider this as a good option, else it is always a good place to get work done. Good vibes only!

8. Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge, Connaught Place
It is a good place to catch up with your friends and delve into the finest tea treats. If you are a khakhra lover, this place will definitely amuse you as you gulp it down with some cardamom and masala tea. With many other outlets in the SDA market and Pitampura, it is a sure shot hit among the crowds. It is a tea lover’s paradise.

9. 11 Chaa Street, Indirapuram
With its chic and classy ambience paired with a unique sense of cosiness, it is the perfect place to sip your cuppa and enjoy their amazing collection of books. The menu is flexible with a long array of honey-based teas that are soothing in every sense possible. The pricing is ideal and is the main attraction for college students.

10. The Tea Lounge, Chanakyapuri
If you’re into robust and royal decors, this place is the ideal match for you. With its stunning interiors and exquisite pastry section, it is situated in the heart of a city and one of the most critically acclaimed hotel chain, Taj. The sides are delectable and a perfect complement to the wide array of teas. Definitely, head for the macaroons and you’ll be left speechless. It’s a great way to interact with friends meeting after a long time and a good way to enjoy the serenity in full nawabi andaaz.

Let your taste buds dance in the exuberance of tea!

Feature Image Credits: NYC Cooking
Avnika Chhikara
[email protected]

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Small Screen

Web Series: A Breath of Fresh Air

By Prachi Mehra May 26, 2018

“Did you watch Baked?”, “Did you complete The Girl in the City series?”, “Oh my God, The Tripling is so amazing”. This is the age of web series and the concept is pretty new to India because it all kick-started in 2015 but we are all abreast of it. Web series are a relief for the millennials from the boring, typical and content-less Indian TV shows. In fact, not just youngsters, middle-aged people like mine and your parents are entering and traversing the era of watching shows on YouTube and other media platforms.

With the advancement of technology and availability of smartphones with everybody today, these web series are our escape with their varied and relatable content. We, the millennials, cannot while away time sitting in front of our TV’s waiting for our shows to begin every night at 8 p.m. or that movie to air at 9 p.m. because we are busy chasing our dreams, conquering the world, breaking stereotypes, and having the best time of our lives so we entertain ourselves with these thought-provoking series readily available online. They easily fit into our busy schedules because an episode doesn’t last for more than 20 minutes.

We connect with the shows because the characters are funnily clumsy (just like us), real, and flawed. Web series like Man’s World and Ladies’ Room shatter stereotypes, and All About Article 377 brings issues of transgender people to the limelight. Issues like sex are no longer relegated to the fringes with Sex Chat with Pappu and Papa. The millennials are woke in the truest sense with the issues of the world and don’t shy away from writing about them.

Raabiya, a student of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College contributes, “I no longer like to watch movies now and that is because of web series. It’s a movie but with episodes, so it doesn’t feel like a chore. Moreover, since web series are being produced by the new generation, current issues are often taken into account. Interestingly, I realised that I was transgender while watching a web series. While watching All the Women, I somehow realised that that’s where I want to be.” Shows like Permanent Roommates, The Tripling, Pitchers, Haq Se, The Trip, Little Things, Rise, and Official CEO Giri empower the audience in certain ways along with the comical elements. Muskan Sethi, a student of Jesus and Mary College comments, “I feel that these series are breaking the rut that the Indian soaps have created, the way they break away from the patriarchal mindsets and bring a fresh take on the 21st century lifestyles.”

The TRP ratings have immensely dropped with the advent of web series and their popularity has multiplied to the extent that Bollywood celebrities like Irrfan Kan, Naseerudin Shah, Priyanka Chopra, and Said Ali Khan wish to be associated with this revolution and bring more content with them. Companies like TVF, Y Films, Arre, and ALT Balaji are great platforms of opportunities for creative talents. These organisations have provided jobs to numerous upcoming artists and who are now famous even without their ‘big breaks’ in Bollywood.

These web series have come to our rescue when Indian television shows and Bollywood have disappointed their audiences and there is still a lot of scope for exploration, creative scripts, and ideas that need to see the light.

Feature Image Credits: The Yellow Sparrow

Prachi Mehra
[email protected]

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Top Picks

Winter Bucket List – Things to do before college ends

By Tamanna Goel December 31, 2015

Winters, a season when you can be extremely lazy without having to make any excuses. An additional five minutes of sleep in the morning really does matter in winters but there’s a lot you’re missing out on for it. Go out and have fun because it’s the perfect time to gather the golden moments. Here is a list of things everyone needs to do with their friends this winter:

Road Trip To Murthal:
Let’s admit it—we eat more during the winters. It’s the perfect time to plan a short road trip to Murthal for indulging in the butter loaded stuffed kulchas & parathas on the road side dhabas which are over 50 years old.
Crash A Wedding:
Delhi is filled with an astounding number of people getting married on specific dates during winter. So go crash a wedding this season because, as cliché as it may sound, memories like these with friends never fade

Image Credits: dvdizzy.com
Throw a Party:
Nights are best celebrated with music, friends, dance, barbeques and bonfire! If you have open space like a lawn or terrace, winter is the best time put them to good use by throwing a party.
Cycling:
Good roads, early morning chills and spectacular sights all make Delhi a wonderful place to cycle. Some of the best cycling routes are from India Gate to central ridge, the Mehrauli Gurgaon road and the stretch behind St. Stephens.
Shopping:
Spend a day shopping with your girl friends, who actually tell you how well the clothes suit you, at exquisite yet pocket-friendly markets in Delhi like Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Delhi Hatt, Janpath and Connaught Place.
Visit unconventional places:
Every group has that one person who is always looking forward to visit weird and unconventional places. Maybe it’s time to listen to him/her. Some of the most haunted places in Delhi are Agrasen ki Baoli, Delhi Cant, Khooni Darwaza, Zamali Kamali Masjid, Lethiyan Cemetery and Sanjay Van.
Picnics:
Winter time is picnic time. Why not take a break from the tedious college schedule and spend a day with your friends at a lakeside or a picnic in a beautiful garden? There are many places in and around Delhi that make for ideal picnic spots like the Lodhi Gardens, Damdama Lake, Tulaqabad Fort, The Ridge, Nehru Park, Buddha Gardens and India Gate.
Take a trek:
Plan a trek with your friends to some of the best trekking places near Delhi like Lansdowne, Benog Tibba Trek, Kalka-Kasauli Trek and Roopkund Trek.

Image Credits: Google
Study:
This one’s for people like me who hate attending college lectures and assure themselves at the last moment by saying “Yaar next semester mein pakka” . Try improving your college score this semester. Start with attending classes.

Featured Image Credits: www.theguardian.com

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Uncategorized

Top 5 things that can kill you other than swine flu

By DU Beat August 26, 2009

A tour of DU’s toilets (with special mention to Venky for their untiring efforts at maintaining such high standards of filth)
Prolonged exposure to Kangana Ranaut’s English/ Himesh Reshamiya’s songs
RGV flicks (Agyaat, we hear, is particularly lethal)
The Sad Jokes Corner (if it doesn’t kill you, it’ll at least induce suicidal tendencies)
Mentos and Coke, if chain mails are to be believed

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Top Picks

Top 5 ways to make use of your Rakhi money

By DUBeat August 7, 2009

5. Let the shopaholic in you take control. Waltz into random malls and buy everything you see!

4. Remember the nasty shopkeeper who refused to bargain when you were broke? Stomp right past his shop and buy two of whatever it was you wanted from the shop beside it.

3. Take out your loaded wallet every time a hot girl/guy walks by and loudly say “If only I had a girl/boyfriend to splurge all this money on…”

2. Convert all the money into chillar, fill your bath tub with them and have a money-bath like that demented duck in some cartoon show

1. If you still have money left, spare some thought for your kind brother who made this all possible. Buy him the weirdest and most useless thing you can find!