A trail around Malleswaram

As the rains in Bangalore have begun and the temperatures drop, there is no place in the world I would rather be at. Actually when I think about it, there is one place I would love to be at - Malleswaram, always Malleswaram.

There was a point in time before this lockdown, during which I used to visit Malleswaram at least 3-4 times a week. With no aim in mind, I would just stroll around Malleswaram for hours together. I would walk across different roads, discovering something new every time I went there. Sometimes, I would just to go the same place I went the previous time and it would be just as special.

Canopies of trees line every road. Smells of ground filter coffee powder waft around in the air. The place is always bustling yet there is an inherent calmness to it. One can start understanding Malleswaram through its food. This scenic suburb is home to so many iconic eateries.

Sampige road quite promisingly starts with the New Krishna Bhavan. Zomato mentions that South Indian, North Indian and Chinese cuisines are available. Though I have been here plenty of times, I have never tried the latter two cuisines. It’s always South Indian and it's delightful. Even if I were to try North Indian and Chinese cuisine here, I’m guessing it would taste similar to south Indian food anyway. And honestly, no sane person would go to a Punjabi Dhaba and order dosas (I however, am guilty of this. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Please don’t do this to yourself. Please.)

A little further down on 7th cross, Margosa road is another incredible restaurant - CTR (Central Tiffin Room) or now known as Shri Sagar. Though I wonder why the name was changed. CTR has a nice sound to it. There was a point in time where my friend and I would visit this place every Thursday, like some ritual. Some go to a Krishna temple every Thursday; we however, would go to CTR (in our defence the walls say ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’. It’s as good as going to a temple). We would promptly meet at 8 AM and would arrive at CTR by 8:15 AM. We would eat the same thing we ate last Thursday and the Thursday before that. Unsurprisingly, most of the waiters there started recognising the two new loyal customers. One waiter in particular, a really sweet, old gentleman insisted on serving us every time we went there. He would tell us our order before we could tell him, “One plain masala dosa and one benne (butter) masala dosa and two coffees at the end of the meal”. It would cost us exactly Rs. 142. So in case anyone else is going there and wants to order what we order; this is exactly how much cash you should carry with you. There used to be days where we used to come to the store much later. So much so that people would be pouring out of the store. Yet we had this unmistakeable confidence (to be read as arrogance) about getting a seat because of our friend, the waiter. He would find us among the crowd and signal to us in Kannada, “Two of y’all have come today, right?” and get us a seat at the earliest. CTR generally shuts at 12:30 sharp in the afternoon, before opening again in the evening. But we have had the audacity to turn up anywhere between 12:30 and 12:45 to eat our essentials. We once ate with the doors and windows tightly shut. Common preventive measures to ensure more fanatics like us don’t turn up demanding for dosas. Although, the staffs were supposed to be heading back home after an intense morning at work, they would serve us ever so happily.

When we walked down from 7th cross, to 15th cross on Margosa road, we’d land up at Veena Stores. Fun fact: It’s named after me. It’s not; I’m just wishing it were true. We are mutually exclusive. I would either land up here alone, or with an occasional friend. I would have the same old Shavige Bath every time. No change in the order. Of course, the end of the meal had to have coffee. The charge for a cup of coffee is Rs 10. But a ‘cup’ of coffee is not the right description for the utensil. It’s more like a ‘shot’ of coffee. Its divine coffee and it’s blasphemous to be serving it in those minuscule quantities. It is perhaps a smart marketing strategy to get people to buy more than just one ‘shot’ of coffee.

On one occasion after the usual excursion around Malleswaram, my friends and I landed up at this Bajji store.This hole in the wall Bajji store has been around for years together. It’s right opposite the Saibaba Temple on Sampige Road, roughly before 14th cross road. It is run by a really charming aunty, who makes the bajji’s herself. The bajji’s are up for grabs from around 4 PM and most of them run out before 6. They are very reasonably priced at Rs 5 a piece, irrespective of which bajji or pakoda you eat. So, though your diet may be up in flames, at least you won’t be making a hole in your pocket.

Another great discovery that we made due to our aimless escapades was the discovery of an ice cream store - Amruth Ice cream. We were walking along 11th cross road, and stumbled upon an uncle sitting inside his garage selling homemade ice creams. We tried his delectable lychee ice cream. And I’m not exaggerating when I say this, but it is the best I have had. Other options are the Rs 5 stick ice creams or Rs 10 Kulfis. Both of them are equally good and are worth going to Malleswaram for.

After having eaten so much, it’s only imperative to get some exercise (so you don’t feel too guilty about making a trip back to have these fabulous dishes). You start walking around Malleswaram; you get hungry and reward yourself a meal in any one of these establishments. Then you feel too full and continue the sightseeing again. The journey of walking and eating comes full circle.

One of my favourite ways to end a visit to Malleswaram is by walking along Sampige Road. Along the way, I stop by to see the new stock of silver jewellery that has entered the market, drop by Surya Book stall on 10th cross to check if I can get a book at a good price and just take in the Malleswaram flower market in all its splendour. This journey would terminate at Sankey Tank. My friends and I have spent hours together over here. On a visit by myself I befriended an aunty with whom I discussed everything from gods to religion to Bangalore to the construction industry and the 2019 Assembly elections.

Currently Malleswaram is a containment zone. I hope and pray for circumstances to return to normalcy. People need their happy place back. So do I.

PS: If you are on a diet and insist on keeping at it despite all the temptations around you, this sprouts salad-ish dish is perfect. It is a road side specialty available right before Malleswaram circle. There’s is no oil, ghee, sugar etc. It goes well with a side of coconut water (without a plastic straw, of course).

Image Credits:

For photos 2, 3 & 4 (Veena Stores) - Anoushka J

For photos 5 & 11(Bajji and sprouts respectively) - Isha Hiremath

For photos 6, 7 & 8 (Flower Market) - Smriti Nair