Kolkata: Slice of city culinary heritage lost forever

KOLKATA: One of the city’s much-loved eateries, known for its authentic south Indian fare, shut on Monday. Located inside the Calcutta South India Club, which was founded by two Bharat Ratnas — Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Nobel Laureate Sir C V Raman — it had been serving steaming idly, crispy dosa, crunchy uttapam and a wholesome rice meal at reasonable prices for nearly five decades.



Sited on the ground floor of an old three-storey building in Hindustan Park off Gariahat, it catered to a generation of youngsters from south India, who landed in the city in the 1970s and 1980s in search of jobs, and had over the years become a favourite of lakhs of Kolkatans of all ethnicities. Its slatted windows, ceilings with iron beams and mosaic tiled floors exude an old world charm that is gradually fading from the neighbourhood and the rest of the city.

It may be an emotional moment for patrons and old-timers, who fondly recall visiting the eatery years later with their kids, but the reasons for shutting it are hardnosed—demand for a snazzy café from some quarters and the club management’s expectation of higher rent.

“Our patrons are middleclass families from the locality or those who come to shop or work in the Gariahat belt. Our USP has been authentic south Indian dishes at affordable prices,” said R Rajeshwari, who managed the canteen with husband T N Balasubramanian.

‘Eatery reflected original Kolkata ethos’

Over the 14 years we have managed the canteen, the average annual hike in prices has been 7%-8%. We could manage this as the rent has been reasonable. But with the club now seeking a four-fold hike, we opted out as it would mean raising prices by four-times. We would lose our loyal customer base. We don’t have the expertise to run an AC joint,” Rajeshwari said.

Club secretary Unnikrishnan Nayar said it was inevitable given the changing times, tastes and expectations. “Today, people are willing to pay for innovation and comfort. Both were lacking. The menu failed to attract youngsters as did the non-AC place with an apology of a washroom. The managing committee decided to terminate the contract, renovate the place and start a café with a menu with innovative south Indian touch. There will be a huge range of coffees, including filter coffee,” Nayar said. He accepts the change was intended to rake in more revenue to revitalise the club. “Membership had gone down from 1,000-plus to barely over 300. We renovated the secondfloor hall and rented out space to an upmarket grocery store. The high-end café is another step in that direction,” Nayar said.

Notwithstanding the cold calculations, it is the warmth of the place serving goodas-home-cooked food that many will miss. When cop Arnab Mazumdar and vocalist Shilpi Pal walked in past noon, they were shocked to learn it was their last time there. “ I keep coming back whenever I crave south Indian dishes,” said Mazumdar.

Among the crestfallen fans is Dona De Nadai, an Indology researcher from Venice, working at CU. “The food, the friendly people and the setting, I love it all and am saddened to see it go. A place like this represents the original Kolkata character fast disappearing. The West-influenced café will have no character,” she said.

The canteen was a melting pot, much like its 12 employees from Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and Bengal. Waiter Fakira Jena from Odisha, who joined 34 years ago, said, “I will miss the stimulating discussions at the tables as much as they will miss the food.” Even before the canteen shut, architects took measurements for the makeover. “We have to do the makeover in 45 days,” said designer Pooja Singh.