Stories over cups of nun chai

Cups of Nun Chai, a publication design for client Yaarbal at Itu Chaudhuri Design. 
Sharing a cup of Nun chai, a ‘pink’ coloured salted tea, over news, haal-chaal is an essential everyday ritual in Kashmir. Author Alana Hunt takes this simple act to talk to 118 families. Each cup is a part of a growing memorial for 118 civilians killed in the protests that shook the Kashmir valley during the summer of 2010. These sessions made its way to the local newspaper, website, exhibition, archive and finally a book we designed.

Stained in ‘pink’ for passage of time, and kashmir’s marked history

It’s stained in ‘pink’ taking after the tea’s distinct colour, the unifying thread and the fulcrum of these conversations. A reminder of passage of time, and the lasting marks of its blood-stained history.

It brings a personal and public lens to kashmir

A collection of personal stories that chronicles the life, and death of individuals, within the confinement of the mood and situation of the day: newspaper scans, advertisements calling out for peaceful protests around the State. Views that are obscured from people outside of Kashmir.

An artwork and a historical document

It’s a tender, pink book in one way of looking, and a heavy black one in parts. Alana’s writing comes through as true and restrained, a remarkable artwork immersed in memory, pain, and a quiet protest that seems to run under the surface

A unique personal memorial

A shot of each of the 118 nun-chais becomes a window to enter each family's life, to share their account of grief and personal loss, and to become a unique, and personal memorial of civilian deaths in Kashmir. By focussing on the individual, it presents the collective struggle of the people of Kashmir.

Client: Yaarbal
Book: Cups of nun chai
Partner-in-charge & creative director: Lisa Rath
Art direction: Alana Hunt
Design concept, development: Ritu Kumari, Ashok Dey
Typography design & motion design: Ritu Kumari
Cover design: Ashok Dey
Printing & production guide: Kaushik Ramaswamy