Platter includes:
Mastana’s father named him Faqeer Hussain but everyone called him Faqeera.
Having lost his mother at an early age Mastana lived with his father Alam Deen, the Munshi of Chaudhry Hashmat, in the village of Hasil Pur, Punjab.
Being an only child he became the world to his father and every day after to school he waited for his father to return from work and tell him mystical stories.
Chaudhry Hashmat being a kind man asked his father to bring him to the Haveli for work now that he was 16. Having being fascinated by the Haveli since childhood, Faqeera was overjoyed at the news and soon did all the odd jobs at the Haveli.
Chaudhry Hashmat was very learned and articulate in nature and had a huge collection of books in his library. When Faqeera saw the library for the first time, Chaudhry Hashmat noticed his excitement and permitted him to sit and read any book that he may like and so Faqeera spent most of his time there.
Being very particular about his tea, Chaudhry Hashmat one day asked Faqeera to make him a cup. Upon tasting the tea he declared that it was the best tea he had ever tasted and asked Faqeera how he learnt such an art. When he learnt that Faqeera used to make tea for his father for story time every day, Chaudhry Hashmat told Faqeera that he too wanted this “Mast Chai” every day and started calling him “Mastana”. Soon every one called him by this name, particularly those who used to visit his ‘baithak’. And with time Faqeera became Mastana.
After the unfortunate demise of Chaudhry Hashmat, Mastana moved out to Lahore and started a little dhaba in Ghari Shahu near the railway station. The dhaba soon became famous, not only for the chai but for the stories that Mastana used to narrate to his customers.
Today, Mastana is a brand that sells Mast Chai all over but if you go and look for the old dhaba you might find it in Ghari Shahu somewhere.
Mastana's flagship outlet will soon be opening in Emporium Mall, Lahore