[By Our Corrospodent – Jigar Pandya and Devansh Desai]
Ahmedabad: Anil Bajrangi Chhara, a 42-year-old from Ahmedabad, has turned an unusual idea into a conversation starter a tea stall inside the Bhadreshwar shamshan gruh (cremation ground) in Asol. His “Bhayanak Tea Stall” offers bizarrely named beverages like Chudail Chai, Bhoot Chai, Tantric Chai, Murda Chai, Dayan Chai, Special Kabrastan Chai, and even “Bhoot Coffee” with “Kankal Biscuits.” A board at the stall quirkily notes that the “special tea” is served “two steps underground.”
Interestingly, the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated businesses worldwide, became a surprisingly profitable period for Bajrangi’s venture as funerals made the cremation ground a busy place.
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Bajrangi, popularly known as ‘Don’, got his nickname from his father Babubhai Chhara an ardent Amitabh Bachchan fan who loved the movie Don. A school principal later insisted on changing the name for official records, so Anil Bajrangi Chhara became his legal name.
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Born with a physical disability and having completed only up to Class 10, Bajrangi is a follower of Osho Maharaj. Inspired by Osho’s philosophy and his own creative instincts, he launched the graveyard tea stall in 2018 to build a business unlike any other.
Now, Bajrangi dreams of expanding his eerie tea idea across India and abroad. “Some of our community members are exploring ways to start a stall in London. My physical condition slows me down, but I’m determined,” he told local media.
Regular visitor, a daily wage labourer, admitted that he was initially hesitant about sipping tea at a cremation ground. “At first, it felt strange, but now it’s part of my daily routine,” he said. Another customer, call centre employee Alkesh Indarkar, described it as a peaceful retreat, saying, “I come here in the evening to unwind with a cup of tea.”
Through his unusual concept, Bajrangi has turned what might seem morbid into something meaningful a space where life, death, and chai blend in one hauntingly unique Indian story.
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