Five years ago, after retiring from a university in Tamilnadu, We moved a house in Bengaluru’s Whitefield area. In the years since, we have explored the Bengaluru city and its surrounding areas with family and friends, as well as for a variety of other purposes. I have had the opportunity to explore a few iconic areas of Malleswaram on several occasions.
Malleswaram (also spelled Malleshwaram) is a cosmopolitan neighborhood in the north west of Bangaluru. Among the highlights of the areas are tree-lined boulevards, charming boutiques, prestigious educational institutes like IISc (Indian Institute of Science), ancient temples, and a variety of fantastic eateries that serve mouth-melting dosas and delectable idlies. It has also has a residential feel with thriving business all around.
Central Tiffin Room – a Quick Service restaurant
In the 1950’s (1952), Central Tiffin Room or CTR (now unimaginatively known as Shri Sagar) opened its doors in the heart of Malleswaram. From social & print media I had been aware of CTR for a long time, and I have always wanted to visit once. One fine morning we (me and my wife) took a long trip from Whitefield to Malleswaram to sample the famous dosa at CTR located at 7th Cross Margosa Road, Malleswaram . It is a very basic and small restaurant with minimalist furnishings.
It took us thirty minutes to get a seat, walking through a crowd of 20-30 people waiting patiently outside the entrance. Eventually, I ordered the benne masala dosa (“Benne” in kannada language means butter) , and it came in a few minutes. We soon had a medium sized, dark coloured, dosa on our table, served in a yellow tray, along with two types of chutneys (one was coconut-white and other was coriander-green). You are tempted by the aroma of butter as soon as the dosa lands and you are unable to wait any longer. Taking a quick bite revealed it to be super crisp on the outside and thickly fluffy on the inside. In the mouth, it makes a creaking sound followed by a smooth buttery base. A balanced blend of spices is used in the filling of the masala potato.
It’s affordable pricing and tradition of dedicated service to maintain quality and aroma make CTR a culinary icon in heritage Bengaluru. The eatery’s busyness is a testament to its popularity. At CTR, the atmosphere is described as charmingly nostalgic and has managed to maintain its traditional identity despite the intrusion of modernity.
Kadu Malleswara Temple – the area gets its name
Two friends and I decided to attend the Kadalekai parishe (ground nut festival) at Basavanagudi, Bangaluru. However, we learned that the festival that week begins at kadu malleshwara temple, Malleswaram, so made our way there. Kadu Malleshwara Temple, or Mallikarjun Swamy Temple, was built in the 17th century by the Maratha ruler. It is because of this temple that the neighborhood is named Malleswaram. Kadu in Kannada refers to forest in tribute to the beautiful trees growing so densely in the region.
Located on a small hill and at the front entrance overlooking greeneries we climbed approximately 25 steps to reach the temple. Stone stairs led up to the temple in the middle of a lush green surrounded by old trees. Just inside temple is a large Nandi, Lord Shiva’s conveyance. On our way out, we passed a large statue of a snake housing a god, along with a small collection of snake idols. It takes us around 30 minutes to experience the serenity of this old temple complex that gives the place its name.
Veena Stores – Another Heritage Eatery
Bangaluru city is synonymous with quick service restaurants (QSRs) that offer limited menus and affordable pricing accompanied by a few signature dishes. In the bylane of Malleswaram, there is a place known as Veena Stores, which is said to offer the best idlies in Bangalore according to social media. The first time I visited this Veena store was when I was passing through Mantri Mall Metro with my two friends on our way to IISc.
We hired an auto to take us to Veena Stores on Margosa Road, near 15 Cross after getting off the Metro at Mantri Mall. Founded in 1977, it was initially a condiment store, and we believe that its name is derived from the name of the founder’s daughter.
It is a tiny place and always crowded, and we had to wait either in line for the digital kiosk or at the cash counter in order to pay for food. We tried (ordered) their ubiquitous idli and vada and received them freshly prepared from a counter with unlimited chutney. There are a few seats are available inside, but the majority of the people pick up their food and eat on the footpath of the street. While I knew earlier the idli was good here, I was satisfied more than expected. The idli, vada with pudina chutney are simply amazing. And entire dish cost less than Rs 100. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast on a chilly morning and we were pleased to return home knowing that we had visited an iconic eatery and were satisfied with our dining experience.
We visited IISc, Indian Institute of Science on open day which is just one and half kilometer from center of malleswaram and a man made sankey tank is a prominent landmark in the viscinty of Malleswaram. We understand any Malleswaram Landmark’s address is parallel roads and perpendicular cross roads. The most famous roads are called the Sampige Road (named after Champak trees) and Margosa Road (named after Neem trees) .
Malleswaram visit is must for people who appreciate our cultural heritage and know the rich history of Bengaluru. I will definitely back to Malleswaram and find interesting facts of this place.
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