By Nidhi Prakash*
Before meeting Cutting Chai, an adorable Indie rescue from Mumbai, I have to confess, I never truly understood the depth of kindness or love. Sure, I always loved the idea of love, but it was a superficial feeling for me. My perception of love changed after adopting Cutting Chai. It went from a distant concern to a profound, all-encompassing feeling.
Let me take you back to a Sunday afternoon during COVID. I was visiting my sisters when they showed me a heartbreaking post circulating online. Four or five puppies needed urgent adoption because their mother had died in an accident near a railway station (chembur, Mumbai). Moved by the story, my sisters decided to adopt them, and on a whim, I said, “I’ll adopt one too!” . There was no prior thought; it was a spontaneous decision. I came home with this tiny puppy in my arms, and my husband was shocked. He said, “We can’t keep him!”. He was smiling though. You see, he never had any exposure to animals growing up, so this was a bit overwhelming for him. I firmly told him, “No, he’s staying.” Thankfully, we were on the same page, and despite some initial objections from our in-laws, everyone eventually fell in love with him.
Now, about his name—Cutting Chai. When we first got him, we couldn’t decide on a name. He had so many different moods: hangry, happy, sleepy—you name it. Plus, my husband knew about my love for chai, which I have practically made him addicted to. He thought the name ‘Chai’ would be perfect but because our little guy was the runt of the litter and smaller than his siblings, he added ‘Cutting’ to it. It was also a nod to Mumbai’s famous ‘cutting chai’. So, Cutting Chai it was!
After adopting him, our life changed dramatically. We moved cities, Bangalore to Gurgaon, and then finally to Pune. While settling down in a new city , we stayed at an Airbnb ( run by a lovely lady who had adopted five rescued female dogs) for the first few days. One of them, an Indie girl named Pari, took an immediate liking to Cutting Chai. Their interaction was magical—it was like witnessing a romantic love story in real life. Watching them together, it was clear they shared a special bond.Their relationship has added so much joy and wholesomeness to our lives.We have created an instagram page ( @he_is_cutting_chai) to document his love story and his travel adventures with us. He has traveled extensively with us across India. We have traveled from Bangalore to Gurgaon, and from Gurgaon to Pune by road. Together, we have explored Goa, Chikmagalur, Chennai, Kerala, Khajjiar, Darjeeling, Manali, Udaipur, Indore, and Bhopal and many other places till date. Each adventure highlights his adventurous spirit and our shared passion for discovery.
My love for Cutting Chai has taught me the true meaning of love and kindness. I never understood these emotions as deeply as I do now. For example, I can’t even catch rats anymore because, in their eyes, I see Cutting Chai’s eyes. He’s made me see the world differently.
Thanks to him, I now truly understand how a mother feels when her child gets hurt, or the hunger of street dogs who sometimes have no one to take care of them. It is no longer just words to me—I feel it deeply. He’s taught us so much about compassion and love. If you want to understand what kindness and love really means, adopting a pet will do that for you. Connecting with a pet will change your life in ways you can’t even imagine.
So, here’s to Cutting Chai, our little bundle of joy, and all the love and kindness he’s brought into our lives. If you’re thinking about adopting, do it. Your heart will thank you.
### Author’s Note
Nidhi Prakash is a passionate content creator in the hospitality industry and for various pet brands. With 14 years of experience in the corporate world, primarily in sales and marketing for cement companies , she has now transitioned to freelancing. She combines her love for animals and expertise in content creation to bring joy and awareness to pet parents everywhere.