Evergreen bhelpuri

Vithal took a room on rent near CST from where he began his shop Vithal Bhelwala. Vithal is no more but his name carries on. The shop is famous not only in Mumbai but has fans across the world.

Actors Satish Shah and Rageshwari frequent it. Politicians like Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Home Minister RR Patil are also known to love Vithal Bhelwala’s chatpata (tangy) dishes.

Seventy four-year-old Manhar recalls,“I came to know from my father that in 1939,he took this place on a monthly rent of Rs 20 and named it Vithal Bhelwala. Gradually,it got famous. Office goers and school students queued up.”

“My father told me many British used to come on trams drawn by horses. As they were not used to chilli,when they ate the chatpata bhel,their cheeks turned red,’’ laughs Manhar.

Recently,a group from Germany visited Mumbai and reached Vithal Bhelwala to order bhelpuri. “They told us they had heard of the shop and its bhelpuri from friends that they wanted to taste it themselves. They also wanted to know whether this eatery is still at the same place,” says Manhar,and adds that visitors from abroad who have heard of the shop make it a point to come to the shop.

The taste of bhelpuri and other dishes has not changed with time.

“The main reason is that raw material is still sourced from the same suppliers who provided it decades ago. Our khajur chatni is famous,and we have been getting our supplies from Shakoor shop at Masjid Bundar for almost a century,” says Sunil Khadawala,Manhar’s son.

Vithal Bhelwala’s special dishes are bhelpuri,panipuri,ragda patis,dahi batatapuri. Vithal’s Bombay Bhel,a jumbo pack of delicious bhelpuri and sevpuri is sold across the country. There is also a small pack,Vithal’s dried flavoured bhel,which is a hit with railway passengers.

“A trend we started and still continue is giving plain kurmura free. Other shops and hawkers followed it. Many school students come here and take the kurmura from the bowl kept at the entrance to the shop,’’ he laughs.

A couple of years back the popular eatery downed shutters owing to a family dispute,and is now in the custody of the court receiver,Bombay High Court,but the Khadawals continued to keep the brand alive by opening another shop near the old one. “As soon as the dispute is over,we will get it running again. This shop will also continue,” says Sunil.