The entire country might have switched to plastic and paper, but Kolkata has clung loyally to the earthen cup for its tea.
Drinking tea from clay cups was once a familiar tradition across North India and Pakistan; but it waned slowly over the years, ultimately succumbing to disposable plastic and paper.
The cups are crafted from clay scooped from the banks of the Hooghly and distributed all across Bengal as it courses towards the Bay of Bengal. Meant to be used once and discarded, the cups are fired at high heat, but left unglazed, giving them their crude, raw appearance.