Panthashala, a Signature Name in Traditional Bengali Cuisine

Tripadvisor doesn’t feature them in the “Top 10 Restaurants of Bolpur.” And do not trust them! Honestly, if you do not try a lunch at Panthashala, you’ll seriously miss out on something,you’ve to regret for.

Panthashala is located as soon as you cross Ilambazar forest, en route to Bolpur. It is a clubhouse of a gated residential community Panthaniwas . Just four and a half hours drive from Kolkata and approximately three and a half hours by train to reach the exact destination.

Bolpur is one of the most beautiful and picturesque towns in West Bengal. When the monsoon comes, the air whispers in your ears, rain Gods start dancing on the sodden beds. This monsoon is no exception. It brings a variety of delicious monsoon-specific Bengali dishes. Savour the taste at Panthashala, which continues to be one of the best hotels in Bolpur. It is as serene and seductive place as one can imagine.

Panthashala’s main focus is to serve the best quality, healthy and delicious food that satisfies the tastebuds of the visitors coming in here. It is the perfect balance between supply and demand of consumers and the luxury of having a large kitchen in the clubhouse. There are a lot of delicious cuisines from traditional Bengal being served on your plate.

We had a jumbo ‘Postor Bara’ along with other fried accompaniments to start with. And it’s a pure bliss! Then we had Sona Muger Daal, Mochar Ghanta, and Dhokar Dalna. But the real drama began when the fish items started coming one after another! Sorshe Ilish, Pabda-r Tel Jhol, Chingri Malaikari, Katla Curry, and Pomfret Jhal were out of the world! The freshness of the fish can compete the artistry of cooking these items! Each and every cuisine was exquisite and exclusive. The fishes were paired with both Chicken and Mutton. Though the mutton was outstanding, I was still licking my fingers busy enjoying the variety of fishes.

I’m sure, by now, you’re enticed to visit Panthashala in your next trip to Bolpur!

Contact:

Panthashala
Kabi Joydeb Road ( Illambazar – Bolpur Hi-Way ),
Near Kamarpara Bus Stand, Daronda,
Bolpur, West Bengal 731 236
Reception: 832737 1018
Call: 83710 27640, 93827 24710

Oh! Calcutta Hilsa Festival Brings in Poetry and Lullaby to City Life

As the South-Wester drenches the city, the queen of fish brings in the poetry!

The splash of rain, the peace in mind and the fresh River Water Hilsa Festival by Oh! Calcutta to submerge in – to my mind, what could be a perfect lullaby than this?

The flesh and eggs of Hilsa whisper to you a story of an acquired taste, inseparable from the lives of the Bengalis. And here Oh! Calcutta takes the lead to bring back memories of the bygone, classic flavours of Hilsa through a delectable variety of authentic preparations. Mind you, I use the word “authentic” consciously, and not as a cliché one.

The fortnight long Hilsa Festival at Oh! Calcutta offers you some of the rarest recipes which are steamed, fried, baked or smoked that leaves you irresistible by the traditional touches of fresh mustard paste, green chilies, hand-pounded five spices like whole black cumin, cheese, hog plum and coconut.

I tasted their famous pick, Hilsa Broth with aubergine and nigella (Ilish Beguner Jhol). And it reminds me of my grandma’s preparation long back when I was a school kid. A fresh water Hilsa delicately fried and then put into a light gravy looks amazing which I’m sure, will entice you to taste. So, both the experienced ilish-eaters who can pick out the seemingly countless bones of the fish with practiced ease, as well as complete newbies who have yet to dip their fingers in the wonderful world of hilsa-eating, this festival is for you, I swear.

The specially curated menu features classics like Ilish Fish Finger, Sea Salt Baked Hilsa (Boneless Hilsa and cheese bake together in a unique combination.) Smoked Hilsa in Banana Leaves and Steamed Boneless Hilsa, original creations like Hilsa with Poppy Seeds and Coconut, Ilish Macher Dolma (Boneless Hilsa rolled with mustard flavoured seasoned rice, wrapped in pumpkin leaves and steamed.)Kumro Pata Aam Achaarer Ilish (Pickled steamed boneless Hilsa), Aamra Diye Ilish and Tomato Diye Ilish Bhapa.

As usual, Oh! Calcutta is committed to simultaneously recreating the past and upholding tradition. This is plainly demonstrated in how they prepare pickled steamed hilsa, which has unquestionably been a festival favourite. The superb culinary processes for these meals use a variety of approaches, but hilsa remains the main ingredient in each of them.

As a Bengali fine dining entity for years together with a lot of appreciation and accolades from thousands and thousands of happy customers, Oh! Calcutta has creatively changed many things about their cooking methods. For example, their Smoked Hilsa is essentially an Anglo-Indian creation. Unlike traditional Bengali preparation, they grill the fish and use some smoked sauces at the top. Then there’s the Steamed Mango Pickle Hilsa, which they tried to innovate by swapping the usual banana-leaf wrapping with pumpkin leaves or bottle gourd leaves instead. There’s also the Mochar Ilish, which involves the banana flower and some boneless ilish being pan-fried.

So, time’s running out! Hit the door of Oh! Calcutta before it is too late.

What: River Water Hilsa Festival

Where: Both the outlets of Oh! Calcutta

When: 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm for lunch, 7 pm to 11pm for dinner

They are also delivering a Special Hilsa Meal Box through Swiggy and Zomato. You may opt for Take Aways as well.

For reservations, contact:

Oh! Calcutta

5, J.B.S. Halden Avenue

Silver Spring, 3^rd Floor,

Kolkata- 700105

Call: 22517037 / 9330627512

Oh! Calcutta

10/3, Elgin Road

Forum Mall, 4^th Floor

Kolkata – 700020

Call: 46014605 / 9330627510

অর্ধচন্দ্রাকৃতি এক মখমলি কবিতা

হিউস্টন থেকে ফাল্গুনির ফোন। শনিবার ভোররাতে কলকাতা ঢুকছি। দশদিনের ছুটি। ফেরার দিন দু’শ পিস বলরামের গুড়ের জলভরা চাই। নিয়ে ফিরব। একটু দেখিস।

অগত্যা! তোড়জোড় শুরু করতে হল। ছোটবেলার বন্ধুর আবদার বলে কথা! কিছু একটা তো করতেই হবে। জাস্ট ভেবে দেখুন ব্যাপারটা। বন্ধুবর টেক্সাসে বসে অর্ডার দিয়ে যে বলরামের মিষ্টি পাবে না, এমন নয়। হয়ত প্যাকেজিং কস্ট, ক্যারিং কস্ট মিলিয়ে অনেকটা খরচ বাড়বে। কিন্তু দোরগোড়ায় পৌঁছে যাবে নিশ্চিত। অথচ হাজার ঝামেলা পোহাতে হোক, ফেরার সময় বাক্স ভরে বলরামের ঐ ট্রেডমার্ক সন্দেশ বগলদাবা করে না নিয়ে গেলেই নয়।

বলরাম মল্লিকের জলভরার বিশেষত্ব কি? নামীদামী যেদিকেই তাকান, জলভরা মানেই কড়া পাক। বলরামের ইনোভেশন’ হল এক ছাঁচের, এক পরতের নরম পাক। পাক্কা তিরিশ বছর ধরে একই ধারা অব্যাহত। কোনো কমা-বাড়া, ছোটো-বড় গল্প নেই। অর্ধচন্দ্রাকৃতি এক প্রেমের কবিতায় মশগুল গোটা দুনিয়া!

তিরিশ টাকায় নরম, অতুলনীয়, মুখে মিলিয়ে যাওয়া এক অনির্বচনীয় স্বাদ – ঠিক যেন মুখমলি এক কবিতা।

জলভরার যে গুড় আপনার মন মাতায়, স্বাদ কোরকে সরোদের মিষ্টি আবেশ তৈরি করে, তার যোগান আসে ঝাড়খণ্ড, নদীয়া, মুর্শিদাবাদ, এমনকি বাংলাদেশ থেকেও। তারপর মিষ্টি তৈরি হলে তা দ্রুত ছড়িয়ে পড়ে ভারত-সহ আমেরিকা, লন্ডন, কানাডা, অস্ট্রেলিয়া পৃথিবীর বহু দেশে। সেলফ লাইফ তিন থেকে চারদিন।

কলকাতায় বলরামের চারটে বিপণন কেন্দ্র থেকে বিয়ের মরশুমে প্রায় দশ হাজার জলভরা বেরোয়। আর শীতের সময় মোটামুটি পাঁচ থেকে ছ’হাজার।

ফাল্গুনির মিষ্টি রেডি। লং হল ফ্লাইটের ধকল নিতে পারে এমনভাবেই যত্ন করে প্যাকিং করে দিয়েছে বলরাম। এবার তা ডানা মেলবে হিউস্টনের আকাশে।

দোয়েল সন্দেশ যেন এক সুরেলা ভালবাসা!

ভোরবেলা জানলা খুলতেই মুখটা গোমড়া হল। মনটাও। আকাশটা ধূসর, মেঘলা। বেশ ঠাণ্ডা বাইরে। সাড়ে সাতটা বাজে। বোঝার উপায় নেই। এদিক-ওদিক তাকাচ্ছি – হঠাৎ দেখি, পাশের বাড়ির দোতলার কার্নিশে একটা অদ্ভুত পাখি! শিস দিচ্ছে, কি সুরেলা তার ডাক। নিশ্চয় দোয়েল। চকচকে নীলাভ কালো। ডানায় সাদা দাগ এবং কালচে বাদামি রঙ। আমার জানলা থেকে এটুকুই দেখা যাচ্ছে!

শুনেছি, ভোরবেলা পুরুষ দোয়েলের এই ডাক নাকি তার সঙ্গিনীটিকে প্রেম নিবেদন করার জন্য, আকৃষ্ট করার জন্য। কি অদ্ভুত! আজই তো প্রেম দিবস!

আর ঠিক তখনই, পড়ন্ত দুপুরে আরেক ‘দোয়েল’ প্রেমদিবসে নতুন এক স্বপ্নের জাল বুনলেন! দোয়েলের অনেকদিনের ইচ্ছে, তাঁর নামটি যদি চিরায়ত হয়। এমন কিছু, যা মানুষের মনে থেকে যায় ‘সুরেলা’ ভালোবাসা হয়ে!

বন্ধুর ইচ্ছেকে সম্মান জানাতে গৌতম নিয়ে এলেন এক অভিনব সৃষ্টি। দোয়েল সন্দেশ। বলরাম মল্লিক, নিউ আলিপুরে গেলেই পাবেন। মাসখানেক হল দোয়েল সন্দেশ বাজারে এসেছে। সোশ্যাল মিডিয়ায় তাই এখনও কোনও রিভিউ নেই। কিন্তু একমাসের হিসেব, আউটলেট থেকে প্রায় পঞ্চাশ হাজার সন্দেশ ভ্যানিশ! জনমত হল, লাজবাব!

আমার কাছে দোয়েল সন্দেশ এক মিষ্টি প্রেম। এক মিহি ভালোবাসা। ওপরে শ্বেতশুভ্র দুধের ক্রিম। তার ঠিক নীচেই হালকা মিষ্টির কাঁচা পাকের সন্দেশ কাজু ও পেস্তার মিশ্রণে। সবে মুখে তুলেছি, স্বাদ পেতেই মনে এল,

এবার অবগুণ্ঠন খোলো।

গহন মেঘমায়ায় বিজন বনছায়ায়

তোমার আলসে অবলুণ্ঠন সারা হল।

পঁচিশ টাকায় এহেন ভালোবাসা থেকে বঞ্চিত হবেন না। অনুরোধ রইল।

Vedic Village Scripts Calcutta Trails: A Cuisine Story

Exclusive Arena Above the Pool to Host Calcutta Trails

Some eat to live! Some live to eat! I, for one, have always considered myself to fall in the latter category. Now I do not proclaim myself to be a Gastronomist but I would go so far to say that if there was a subject called ‘Gastroeconomics’ (forgive my word play!) I would surely ace school. So what could be better for a food lover such as myself and many others like me than having a scrumptious meal in the lap of nature?

Here I introduce you to Vedic Village’s latest gastronomical adventure ‘Calcutta Trails: A Cuisine Story’ during puja, starting from Panchami (Sunday, 10^th October) to Dashami (Friday, 15^th October).

This holistic and diverse food trail is a part of Sharodiya Pujo Adda Milap 2021, which has it all starting with refreshing mocktails to filling main course. Let’s not forget their wide spread of salad and soups (definitely worth looking out for especially if you are watching your waistline). To finish it all off are some delicate desserts.

It would be a shame not to mention in specificity what such an exhaustive menu holds within it. Starting off with the refreshing mocktails, it constitutes of two variants- Fruit and Nut Lassi and Lemongrass Mojito. The Lassi is quite filling and for those looking for a lighter drink you can give the Lemongrass Mojito a go. The Salad spread is more than just the plan of regular greens comprising Aloo Kabuli Chat, Chicken Tikka Chat (a personal favorite), Egg and Roasted Bellpepper,  Laccha Piaz, Gondhoraj Lebu (lemon) and lanka (chili) to name a few. It also comes with an accompaniment bar bound to give the diner a feel of home with their aloo/ baingan (potato/brinjal) bharta, masoor daal, and jhuri bhaja. The soups consist of a Tomato Basil Shorba and Chicken Currypata Cream. It comes with assorted breads.

Coming to the main course buffet it is divided into 4 catogories. The Tangra Cuisine offers Vegetable Manchurain, Chilli Chicken, and Rice/Noodles. The traditional Bengali spread boasts of vegetarian dishes like Chanar Dalna, Kosha Aloor Dum. The non-veg spread have Chingri kakra paturi, Kosha Mangsho, and Pabdar Jhal not to forget the variety of dals, rice, and roti that accompany it. The Calcutta Street Live with the Vegetable Chop, Chicken Cutlet, Kathi Roll, and Ghoti Gorom is certainly a unique addition. I have to admit I might be biased to the Anglo-Indian spread featuring the Vegetable Tetrazini and Chicken Strognoff.

Ending on a sweet note, diners have a variety to choose from like the Golapi Rosomolai, Fruit Custard, Cream Caramel, and Mishti Doi. It also has an Ice Cream Bar and Live Jalebi making counter. You can finish the hearty meal off with a melodious mishti paan to reminiscence the good food and comfort your full stomach.

At Rs.1699 (all inclusive), this is one trail that no one, especially a foodie, should miss out on.

A Day at Bhoomi- An Ashram, Or A Paradise!

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When the rain-soaked afternoon entices you to drive deep into a greener path, you feel lost! When the dusk is engulfed by raindrops playing on the sodden beds, you feel enchanted! And when the sound of a conch coming out of a wet terracotta temple welcomes you to be a part of a quiet evening, you become numb with religious thoughts!

This monsoon, on a weekend morning, forget everything in this mundane world, just drive in to a loveliest eco-tourism, the Vedic Village Spa Resort, nestled just 40 minutes away from heart of the city. I bet, my words of experience will come alive and will be reverberating in your ears.

People call it a ‘Wellness Resort.’ I call it an ‘Ashram’ with all modern facilities you can imagine. It gives you pure oxygen, it gives you much needed mental peace, and it gives you long-buried creative thoughts to evoke. What else do you need to rejuvenate? A city-dweller like me looking to escape the modern jungle that Kolkata is and to connect with nature in style, waits for years together to find such a getaway.

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In keeping with the simplistic style of the resort, the restaurant ‘Bhoomi’ has been built as a two-storied mud house with a thatched roof. Kudos to the management for structuring the surroundings to resemble a village! The courtyard is the soul of this place completed with indigenous artwork carved in the walls and draws its inspiration from none other than the culturally-rich Shantiniketan, the home to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

While at Vedic Village, I stumbled upon their restaurant Bhoomi, an ethnic eatery specializing in Bengali cuisine. Being an ardent foodie that I am, Bhoomi definitely occupied the top spot on my to-do list. Before I get on with the delectable delicacies at Bhoomi, I must take a moment to mention the awe-inspiring structure of this restaurant.

Now let’s get down to what you’ve been waiting for. The food, and the menu. Bhoomi is a haven of Bengali cuisine lovers. The place boasts of dishes from both sides of the river Padma (that is Bengali and Bangladeshi delicacies. A unique feature of Bhoomi that won me over was how the atmosphere blended perfectly with our food transporting us to a rural setting as if we belong to simpler times, giving us an opportunity to not just consume but connect with our roots. The delectable maach (fish), the irresistible kosha mangsho (mutton), and the comforting basanti pulao (a signature sweet rice preparation) are only a handful among a number of dishes that Bhoomi provides to its customers. Bhoomi also consciously takes care of its vegetarian guests offering a plethora of vegetarian dishes like chorchori and aloo r dom (potato curry) to choose from. Along with an Ala Carte menu, Bhoomi also offers vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis.

I was served on earthen wares adding authenticity to the whole process. Starting off with the refreshing aampora sorbot (mango drink) will be a delight in the humid and gloomy afternoon. I followed it up with their Moghlai Porota (egg and meat stuffed Indian bread), Mangsho Chop (meat chop), Sukto (mixed vegetables), and finished off this wondrous meal with the delectable Rajbhog (Big Rasogolla), and Gurer Ice Cream (jaggery ice cream). I would also recommend you to try out their Dhokar Dalna, and Chittagong Murgi. Bhoomi also offers Daab Chingri and Illish Bhapa making it the ideal place to visit for a meal after a Bangal-Ghoti I-League clash. If the wide arena of food is not enough to impress you let me tell you of their unique Sushi but with a Bengali-twist! Using ingredients like illish, kasundi, and kalosorshe, their Bong-inspired sushi is a novelty.

Bhoomi is operational on all days except Thursday. Lunch is served from 12 noon to 4 PM while dinner commences from 7 PM onwards. A meal of 2 at Bhoomi comes at a very reasonable cost of Rs. 1500 (approx.). Bhoomi has taken Bengali gastronomy to a notch further with its Hilsa Chronicles where guests can pair delectable Hilsa dishes with wine! The place is a must visit for all who love food. To reserve a spot, contact: 8336955999 & 9830820447. I hope you enjoy your dining experience at this dining delight just as I did!

Pics Courtesy: Vedic Village Spa & Resort

This Sunday, Instead of Luchi, Enjoy These breakfasts Instead

When born to a Bengali household, it indeed is a common tradition to sit down with the family and devour luchi and aloo’rdum for breakfast on a Sunday morning. The potato variant may be aloo’r charchari or chhola’r dal, but the luchi is a must. Those who cannot have luchi due to health reasons that prevent them from having gluten, oil, or anything deep-fried, looking for an alternative to this delicious carb takes up most of their headspace. Such is the power of luchi, for it is irreplaceable. However, it is very much possible to prepare a delectable morning concoction for the Sunday breakfast in a Bengali household without luchi. The ingredients needed for these preparations are readily available, and one does not need to scurry through departmental stores, shopping malls, and bazaars to find the necessary ingredients. They can be easily prepared at home.

Sprout Salad: Sprouts are popular for being healthy and tasty. Many people like to have sprouts after their morning yoga sessions. Sprouts that have sprouted seeds are 133% higher in fibre than regular sprouts. The high fibre content helps digest the food better while keeping the stomach full for longer hours. Add some sprouts with moong to a bowl for your breakfast to ensure a high fibre meal early in the morning, which is phenomenally good for health. It contains potassium, iron, vitamin E, and other necessary micro nutrients. Adding other salad ingredients such as cucumbers, spinach, lime, and tomatoes can help add some sparkles to the meal.

Suji’r Upma: Dahlia and semolina, or suji, is available in nearly every household. If not, it can easily be bought from the local stores at very inexpensive prices. This reduces the hassle one has to go through to prepare a breakfast that everyone in the family can enjoy. Let’s start with this meal preparation as the first on the list for exciting breakfast ideas. Suji is low in fat and high in protein, making it an excellent food with desirable nutritional value. Suji can also be digested with ease and provides all the energy one needs until it is time to have lunch. Prepare this dish by mixing vegetables and masala to the suji. This will give it that sweet but salty flavour. With the right amounts of savoury, this is the recipe to success for a hit breakfast.

Chhana’r Pawd: Those who like to have milk or chhana (a form of cheese in the Indian subcontinent) can add some sugar and salt to the chhana. Top it off with chopped capsicum and tomato paste. Use this as a filling in rotis or a sandwich for a flavourful breakfast. Chhana contains fatty acids, which help burn fat. It increases the metabolism of the body, which, in turn, aids in weight loss. 

Savouring Street Food, the Hygienic Way

Street food under pandemic? Are you mad, or what? When everything seizes, life stops to breathe, uncertainty looming large and the going gets tough, I found a ‘FRIEND.’

Due to perpetual lockdown and times of uncertainty, eating outside has become a questionable habit. Even though some restaurants have put in their best foot forward to ease out the situation, street food is still like a forbidden fruit. I’m dying to have a bite of the rich street-food delicacies but the questionable hygiene has scared me every now and then. And just then, I found a ‘FRIEND.’

The unique Idea

Under such trying circumstances, an amazing initiative was taken up by my so called ‘FRIEND,’ Holiday Inn, Kolkata Airport, and their restaurant, Social Kitchen. They visualized and designed a street-food spread infusing the security of the best hygienic conditions and this event was called Unlock: Khao Galli the Eat Street Feast. It was enough invitation for me to go and try out their food. After all, I have missed street-food for so long, as much as any other foodie Bengali!

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My Experience at this event

I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations for bringing in such a brilliant, innovative concept. At Rs.499 plus tax, with a wide spread of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies, this event was a huge hit and provided the taste of street-food from various parts of the country. Imagine a fine dining experience with the likes of Maidan Chaat counter or Paranthewali Gali or some famous tea-stall in the mix of things!

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For starters they had various vegetarian and non-vegetarian chops and cutlets. I particularly enjoyed the chicken lollipops and the chaat counter was good enough to stir up the nostalgia of the days when you could freely enjoy street food. Even the famous Pav-Bhaji was authentic and left a lingering taste in the mouth. After filling up on the starters, I moved on to the main-course items where I gorged on some Kolkata style mutton biriyani and paneer dishes alongside a delicious fish in garlic sauce. The Murgh Tawa masala was perfectly spiced and they even had some Chinese options like chowmein and stir-fried vegetables.

As I headed for the dessert counter, I was pleasantly surprised by some hot gulab jamuns and a dedicated jalebi counter. They all had the conventional flavors that you would expect from a good street-food joint and those with a sweet-tooth would have a gala time! The chocolate brownie, pastries, and ice-creams were the cherry on the cake and by the time I was done, I could barely move!

Conclusion

Since they were so careful with the hygiene and maintaining food-standards, there was a significant footfall to attend the event. They are conducting this food journey from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM every Sunday and I would strongly recommend you to go and try it out!

A Delicious Vegetable Chop to Match Your Afternoon Tea

Confess it or not, Bengalis have a long-standing relationship with chops and cutlets. From as early as restaurants and cabins came into existence, people have been indulging in these delicacies for a quick snack and a perfect companion to our much loved tea. I, for instance, cannot imagine a proper afternoon tea without sinking my teeth into a crisp coating of a warm vegetable chop. As a snack that even vegetarians can indulge in, it is popular and a delicious choice for an instant meal. Monginis, the trusted brand for many years now, has come up with their unique take on this popular food-item.

The Vegetable Chop by Monginis

Newly introduced, the vegetable chop has quickly gone on to become one of their best-selling items. It has a crisp coating made of bread-crumbs deep fried in oil. As for the fillings inside, they use potatoes, beans, beet, carrots, peanuts, kishmish (Raisins), and cabbage. The ingredients are tossed in tomato sauce, butter, ginger, coriander leaves, cumin powder, and garam masala. They add the perfect ratio of salt and sugar to make this snack a blissful indulgence. The product is fried in fresh oil and they ensure that only the freshest of products are served on your plate.

It is quite fulfilling and comes right from the special hot chamber, kept in every Monginis outlet. And you get this warm item at an affordable price of Rs. 15 per piece. You couldn’t hope for a more filling and delicious treat almost in the form of a poetic couplet when the sun setting down at the western horizon. With so many vegetables, the nutritional value is high as well (as healthy as a fried snack gets!).

Conclusion

So what are you waiting for! These delicious treats are available in every Monginis outlet and there are plenty in town. Grab yourself some fresh vegetable chops from here and watch your afternoon tea become a blissful experience. Who better can appreciate the goodness of a nicely prepared vegetable chop than us!

Picture Credit: Monginis & Author

Raju, The Humane Restaurateur with a Tag of ‘God’

There is a very familiar face for the students of Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) outside their beloved Gate 3 and of course, who could that be but their very own Raju, a man from Bengal who has established his own eatery. But there is something that separates Raju from the other restaurants in the region and that is his equation with the students. He has been able to blend the professionalism of business with a personal touch and that makes him a popular figure among the students. He is the owner of Tripti Restaurant that provides the students with nutritious and pocket-friendly food.

The Journey Begins

Let us go back in time. The year is 1998, and the journey of this young man begins. He sets foot in Vellore to work alongside his brother Pradip at an eatery named Geetanjali Hotel which was located opposite to the Christian Medical College and Hospital in Vellore, with 20 paisa to his name. Nevertheless, this meager amount of money was coupled with an undaunted determination to make it large. Geetanjali Hotel used to provide home delivery services for the students of VIT and Raju used to deliver this food. Soon, the rapport between Raju and the students began to grow. After the initial years of struggle, his brother opened his own food-joint near VIT. This was named Tara Maa Restaurant and Raju started working with his brother.

Soon, Raju discovered the prospect of having his own restaurant and this led to Tripti Restaurant being his brainchild. They started in the year 2015 and soon their popularity superseded their predecessors. They specialized in Bengali cuisine and given the large number of students from Bengal, their business prospered in no time. The economically viable delicious meals they offer meant that soon the restaurant had significant numbers of non-Bengali students coming in as well.

Tripti Restaurant

The restaurant offers a great quality of Bengali food but also has other cuisines. They sell both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and the prices are well within the affordability range of the students. Tripti is open for business at 11 AM, all the way round the clock till 9 PM, which is the curfew for the hostellers at VIT. If someone is unable to manage time to come to the restaurant themselves, Raju also arranges for delivery to the college gates. His food items, from the snacks to the main course are a huge hit with the students who also love Tripti Restaurant for its student friendly ambiance. Students can be seen enjoying their leisure and having a chat and that adds to the college-canteen vibes of this place. There have been times when birthday celebrations also took place in the restaurant. I have personally observed Raju being a willing participant in the celebrations as one of their own and it is thus no wonder that he has earned the tag of ‘God’ for the students here.

Raju’s Equation with Students

The biggest highlight of the popularity and success of Tripti restaurant besides the quality of food, is that students also swear by the kind-natured and friendly behavior of Raju. He is their very own Raju-da (Raju brother) and acts as their friend, guide, and local guardian and often goes to the extent of offering them monetary help. I have been amazed by the efforts of Raju to ensure the well-being of students. In many cases, the parents are unable to send money in time and it is then Raju who comes to the rescue. Several students eat on credit and pay back only at the start of the next month. Sometimes the mere sight of some loitering faces around the restaurant is enough for Raju to understand that the students are hungry but do not have the money required. He allows them to enjoy their meals and pay back as per their convenience. Such rules often are detrimental for business. According to Raju, on several years he loses as much as 80-90 thousand INR for such lenient habits. Why he can’t stop then? The answer lies in the attachment that he has developed over the years for these students. In his words, the students have to stay away from home and away from their parents, and his support is a way to strengthen their morale. He simply cannot turn a blind eye to the plight of the students and his good-Samaritan nature also kicks in. There have been times when he has gone out of his way to book tickets for students leaving for home or arranged for a car to the airport in case of a problem faced by some parents.

Some unfortunate cases took place where he has been allowing a student to eat on credit for almost a year and the student passed away before clearing the dues. While such incidents are bad for his business he does not seem to tamper with his equation with the students which seems to be his priority. He may have lost a lot of money but has won a lot of hearts.

The team of Tripti Restaurant and their holidays

Raju manages the work of the restaurant along with six co-workers, all of whom hail from Bengal. The only time they get a break is during the months of May and June when the University is closed. They return to their native towns during this time. As for Raju, the only thing that draws him back to Kolkata is his parents who live here. He does not bat an eyelid when he says that Vellore is his city now. He is happy with the work-ethics of South India and the possibilities that await someone who is willing to work hard. He lives happily with his wife and his 2-year-old daughter.

The Helping Hand

They say that good acts never go unnoticed. The numerous acts of kindness all through the year have also earned some genuine admirers of his work. For instance, some of the ex-students of VIT who are now in prominent positions contribute in their own way. Siddhartha, who is currently based in RG Kar hospital in Kolkata after his completion of a course on Biotechnology from VIT, sends him his requirement of medicines. Mainak Basu, who is now involved with IIT also offers his helping hand. In fact, even before the restaurant became popular, Professor Ghosh from the department of Biotechnology promoted his food among the students.

Conclusion

Raju is beyond the owner of a popular restaurant. He is now an integral part of VIT. He has the deepest and darkest secrets of the college and is aware of the students as well. He has been making life easy for those in the hostels of VIT with his food and friendly ways. It is amazing how such individuals can have such an unassuming look about them and yet be a powerful presence. That is what describes Raju best for what he does. The students pass out each year but Raju da and his food remains etched in their memories, as a part of some of the best times spent in college. On my part, I can only admire this hard working soul and the kind gestures that form his reality.