Biswanath Ghosh, in his book “Chai, Chai: Travels in Places Where You Stop But Never Get Off”, paints an amazing and mystical picture of small towns in India, where he starts his journey from the Itarsi Station, Madhya Pradesh.

Ghosh enriches this story with various descriptions and personal insights. The book is witty, humorous and helps rediscover those areas of India which have been forgotten due to commercial tourism.

Bishwanath Ghosh recounts his experience of getting down at Itarsi junction to grab a cup of chai while travelling from Kanpur to Chennai. And how while sipping on the tea, he realises that the Itarsi junction connects the length and breadth of India on the rail map, but almost nothing is known about the town. This is where his quest to tell the story of all the towns behind some of the country’s biggest junctions began. Such places, he says are always a stopover but never a destination.

The little towns that people have never heard of which Ghosh talks extensively about om this book are, Shoranpur, Arakkonam, Itarsi, Jhansi and Mughal Sarai.

Ghosh says no matter how obscure a town maybe, it still holds a rich cultural history.

He avidly describes the beautiful sun, its rich cultural history and the people he meets on the way with humor and love. The reader can almost feel the author going through the little lanes in Kanpur and then end up in Madras.

Chai, Chai, focuses on something we all Indians hold dear, the trains and the towns it passes through. It evokes in us the feeling we have always felt, it is the sensation of looking out the window and wondering what these places are about.

Author writes in a simple language and let’s us go with the flow. No doubt it is a good attempt by the author it being his debut one. Some of us who want to explore India especially some places which have been ignored can certainly enjoy this book.

Just as the author says !

It’s the story of the places where you stop but never get off !

©️✍️Sheetal Pradhan Deshpande