In an unprecedented blend of cultural exchange, the Prime Minister allowed the French President to explore the Indian cultural experience and introduced him to the specialty of Jaipur’s local Kulhar tea. Sahu Chaiwala accepted a token payment of ₹2 for his masala tea. Adding a modern touch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced President Macron to the convenience of using UPI for their payment transactions, a moment captured on video that is now making waves across various social media platforms.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, who are the chief guests of this year’s Republic Day, visited Rajasthan’s Jaipur on Thursday and chatted over a cup of masala chai at Jaipur’s famous Sahu tea stall. Sahu Chaiwala set up a temporary stall for the occasion in the world-famous Hawa Mahal built by Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799. He politely accepted a token payment of ₹ 2 for the masala tea served to the leaders. In this unique combination, it was also seen that Prime Minister Modi paid for tea at the tea shop through UPI (Unified Payments Interface). This is an important moment, which shows that India is taking steps towards digital transactions and it is convenient for any individual.
Macron reached Jaipur around 2:10 pm, where he was welcomed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. After his arrival, Macron headed straight for Amer Fort. During his visit, Macron visited the imposing 16th-century Amber Fort, located on the Aravali ranges, which offers panoramic views of Jaipur. Amber Fort, along with five other hill forts, has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After this positive encounter, the tea shop owner said that he was very happy about this unique incident and considered it a valuable experience of his life. He said, “The Prime Minister has promoted our small shop to a bigger level and we are grateful to him for this wonderful and memorable experience.”
