Vidyarthi Bhavan (Kannada: Vidyārthi Bhavana; lit. 'Student House') is a vegetarian tiffin restaurant in Gandhi Bazaar, Basavanagudi, South Bangalore. It has been considered an iconic establishment of the area and Bangalore in general, with its masala dosa being particularly recognized.
History
editIt was founded in 1943 by Venketarama Ural to serve students who originally hailed from outside the city who were attending the nearby Acharya Pathasala Public School and National College in addition to other schools in Gandhi Bazaar, an area known for having a high concentration of educational institutions. At that time, newly opened restaurants would be given names that featured the word "Bhavan" (Bhavana; lit. 'House') at the end, which led to the establishment gaining its name.[1] Later, Parameshwara Udal took over before selling it to current owner Ramakrishna Adiga in 1970.[2][3]
The Adigas trademarked the Vidyarthi Bhavan name in 2008, and ten years later sued two restaurants with similar names.[4]
Vidhyarthi Bhavan celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2018 with a silver jubilee celebration and by releasing a coffee table book, and India Post released a special postal cover and stamp the same year.[5]
Food and reputation
editThe restaurant features a limited menu of South Indian breakfast items and is known for keeping its decor and food as close to its original state as possible.[3] It is particularly noted for its crispy and buttery masala dosa, considered its signature dish.[6][7] Arun Adiga, Ramakrishna's son, attributes its taste to using different proportions of red rice, methi and urad dal in the recipe compared to other places.[8] The restaurant is also known for its clientele, with writers in particular patronizing the restaurant and using it as a "creative meeting space".[8] At peak times, the restaurant is so popular that customers have to wait outside before their name is called to enter and often end up sharing tables.[9][10][8]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ "Gandhi Bazaar's Vidyarthi Bhavan celebrates 75 years on their platter". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 26 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Bengaluru's dosa heaven, Vidyarthi Bhavan, turns 75". Deccan Herald. 23 October 2018. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ a b "बेंगलुरु: यह खाने का अड्डा बेहतरीन है, तो आप कब जा रहे हैं 'विद्यार्थी भवन'" [Bengaluru: This joint is the best around, so when will you come down to 'Vidyarthi Bhavan']. News18 India (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ Satyanarayana, Kushala (13 August 2018). "Namesake woes haunt classic Bengaluru eateries". Bangalore Mirror. Archived from the original on 13 August 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ "Iconic Vidyarthi Bhavan to treat soldiers as it turns 75". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Bengaluru: Dosa lovers celebrate 75th anniversary of Vidyarthi Bhavan". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Bengaluru's bother: The predicament of Vidyarthi Bhavan masala dosa in a parcel". Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ a b c Govind, Ranjani (31 May 2018). "Why is Bengaluru's Vidyarthi Bhavan so famous?". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021 – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "Vidyarthi Bhavan bets on tech to sell more Masala Dosas". www.timesnownews.com. Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ Sondhi, Aditya (12 December 2020). "What is it about Bengaluru's iconic Koshy's that keeps drawing patrons back?". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2021 – via www.thehindu.com.