MS Raghunath aka ‘Snack Appooppan’ no more, but his delicacies still tickle taste buds

KOCHI: MS Raghunath, 66, owner of MS Bakery and known as the ‘snack appooppan’ of Changampuzha Park in Edappally, passed away around 10am on Wednesday due to  Covid. On his demise, Kochiities across the country shared their favourite delicacies prepared by Raghunath on Twitter. For many Kochiites, Raghunath was a definite part of food nostalgia. It was  irresistible to not stop by his stall to taste his delicious snacks, recollects Adithya Kamath, a 28-year-old who has been a regular visitor to Raghunath’s stall since his childhood.

Raghunath was known by different names among the people. Some called him ‘Snack Appooppan’, while others addressed him as ‘Snack Santa Claus’ and some others even called him ‘Grumpy  Appooppain’ because of his not so talkative nature to his customers, unlike  the other tea stall owners who are known for their chit-chatting. ‘Parippuvada’, ‘sughiyan’, ‘uzhunnuvada’ and ‘pazhampori’ were some of his signature snacks.

He  was one of a kind with his long white beard and silky white  hair. “Those who have been living in Kochi for many years must have been  to his shop at least once. He was that famous,” said Ardra Balachandran, a food blogger and a media professional.

 “A close friend  of mine who stays near Changampuzha Park took me to Raghu uncle’s shop  one evening. It’s a small stall behind the park. Evening 4pm to 6pm is  the peak time and probably the only time to find him at the stall. At  that time, he could be seen involved in his work, busy making snacks that vanished within seconds (as soon as) he placed them on the serving tray. Eating  those delicious lip-smacking parippuvada, one of my favourites, is indeed  nostalgia now. He will be missed,” said Ardra.

“Having snacks from  his shop had been a regular practice for me since I was a kid,” said  Adithya, who is a bank employee. “Not just the snacks but watching him  making those snacks was an enjoyable time for us  friends. He was indeed a part of my childhood memory and will always be  remembered,” he said.Reghu’s stall was like a cherry on top of a  cake. Changampuzha Park became a thriving cultural place for all age groups because of people like him, recalls Shirly Somadundaran, a close  friend of Reghu.

Having known him for quite a long time, Shirly said Raghu was a talented theatre artist and a drama producer. “Raghu was a  close friend of my husband and was like a family to us. Changampuzha  Park that we see today is because of the hard work of Raghu and others  who have been working hard to make it a culturally rich place in Kochi,”  said Shirly. “He was determined to make all activities he had been involved in a success, including plays for elders and kids organised at the park,” she said.

The decades-old stall run by Raghu was a go-to spot for food lovers. “Of all the  snacks prepared by him, parippuvada was my favourite. Ever since I moved  to Kochi, I have been a regular customer at his stall,” said writer N S  Madhavan. “The parippuvada prepared by him is the world’s best. They were flat and crispy,” he recalls.