Here's how it happened:
* Persian Influence: The Persian language had a significant influence on Marathi, particularly during the Mughal Empire. Many words related to food, drink, and daily life were adopted from Persian.
* Tea's Introduction: Tea was introduced to India through the British East India Company. The word "chai" was already established in the Persian language, which the British used in their dealings with the local population.
* Marathi Adaptation: The Marathi language borrowed the word "chai" and adapted it to "chaha".
This is a common pattern in many Indian languages where words of Persian origin, particularly those related to food, drink, and administration, were adopted and modified to fit their own phonological and grammatical rules.