77
year old 'Joint Family' restaurant on Therku Vaasal serves the best ‘afternoon tiffin and
snacks’ in Srirangam
Akkara Vadisal on Thursday, Kesari on Saturday and Bun Halwa on Sunday
Brothers Ranganathan and Anantharaman
A
small almost unnoticed 'Palakkad Iyers' Joint Family run Vegetarian Restaurant on Therku Vaasal, opposite the ‘Ranga Ranga’
Gopuram in Srirangam is one of the best eateries, one that
has served high quality homely tiffin and snacks for over 75 years.
72
year old Ranganathan Iyer hails from Palakkad. The 1930s had been a financially
terrible period for the family and his father, the then 17 year old Venkatraman
moved to Srirangam in 1940 in search of a job that could strengthen the
finances of the family.
He
found a job in a hotel opposite the police station in Srirangam near the bus
stand. Within 6 months, seeing the quality of the food served there, a few residents of the
temple town suggested to him to start his own eatery and helped him with a
place right next to the Ranga Ranga Gopuram on South Uthira Street. It was
a very small shop with an overhead thatched roof.
Theirs was a large family of 9 members
and this was intended to lessen the financial burden.They
had to pay a rent of Rs. 50 in the 1940s that went up to Rs. 500 by the early
60s.
A full meal at 4annas
In
the initial decades, the shop was open from 6am to 10pm serving Idly, Dosai,
Pakoda, Kaara Sev, Bhajji and coffee. An idly was sold at half an anna, dosai
at 3/4 anna and the sweet savories at half an anna each. Coffee cost one anna
while the most expensive was the ‘limited meals’ at 4 annas.
Ranganathan
Iyer looks back at life during his schooling days in the 1950s ‘I never had
a ‘slipper’ to wear. I would use the same trouser for months. My mother
had to auction her wedding jewellery to fund my SSLC examination fees, such was
the state of our family in those decades.’
The
residents of Srirangam were delighted at these new entrants and enjoyed the high quality of the food served by the
Palakkad Iyers. As the family members were involved in the day to day running
of the restaurant, the staffing expense was minimal and they have been able
to price it economical right from the beginning. And that has remained a big differentiating factor at Venkatesa Bhavan, named after Ranganathan's grand father.
However,
they received a jolt. In 1960, two decades after its launch, the
Ranganathaswamy temple served a notice on them to vacate the place and they
lost the battle.
Soon,
Venkatesa Bhavan moved on to Therku Veethi, a hundred yards from the Ranga
Ranga Gopuram. They bought out the place in 1972.
Ranganathan
Iyer joined his father in 1963 at the age of 18 and he has been there every day
since. His elder brothers Ananatharaman Iyer and (late) Ramani Iyer too joined him.
Sweet Specialities
At
this new location, they provided a daily 'sweet' special that has been now been a
favourite of his guests for close to 50 years.
The
specialities include Sevai, Jeera Boli, Akkara Vadisal, Rava Laadu, Bun Halwa
and Kesari. There are five decade old regulars who make it every day to this restaurant
that serves home like snacks and tiffin.
With
the next gen moving away to more lucrative jobs, Venkatesa Bhavan shortened the
timings a few years ago and now serves only between 2pm and 5pm each day. And much to the disappointment of the visitors, on most days they run out of stocks within a couple of hours such has been the customer
loyalty at the restaurant.
The Ever Smiling Selvam
Anantharaman
and Ranganathan take care of the Kitchen while Ramani’s son Selvam Iyer engages
with the guests. Rarely does he ask his guests and serves the days specials in
the order he thinks would best suit them. Even the number of idlies and dosais
served to a guest are decided by Selvam, such is his friendly nature. And the
customers quietly enjoy his servings.
Many
restaurants have sprung up around the temple in recent times but the loyal guests of Venkatesa
Bhavan restrict their entry to this over seven decade old eatery.
Their Kadapa (a side dish) on Wednesdays became instant favourite with each of my guests. Needless to add, visit to Venkatesa Bhavan was a must for all our visitors when we stayed at Srirangam.
ReplyDeleteI know people who used to reserve curd vada ( 5 or 6 even) because that item used to vanish.
All dishes served on leaves, which the guests themselves cleared before coffee.
The founder had made an unthinkable rule " coffee cost should never cross a rupee!". Common feeling was Venkatesa tiffin should be topped by Murali coffee.
Their Kadapa (a side dish) on Wednesdays became instant favourite with each of my guests. Needless to add, visit to Venkatesa Bhavan was a must for all our visitors when we stayed at Srirangam.
ReplyDeleteI know people who used to reserve curd vada ( 5 or 6 even) because that item used to vanish.
All dishes served on leaves, which the guests themselves cleared before coffee.
The founder had made an unthinkable rule " coffee cost should never cross a rupee!". Common feeling was Venkatesa tiffin should be topped by Murali coffee.
Nice food outlet. Was mainly catering tothe needs of residents and elderly people of srirangam. Now the items r relished by outsiders too. there r loyalists who will be satisfied taking a spoon full of chtney/or sambhar even if no main dish is not available due to more customer visit. Grand taste reasonably priced personal attention and the kaimamanam all made this success.
ReplyDeleteGood hotel. Tasty tiffin
ReplyDelete