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Hidden Stories: The making of Appa chi khichadi, a Pune Shivratri favourite

The place had an official name, but nobody used it. Patrons simply called it — and its eccentric owner — Appa.

4 min readPuneFeb 14, 2026 10:02 PM IST

The place had an official name, but nobody used it. Patrons simply called it — and its eccentric owner — Appa.

An elderly man once sat at the counter of a small restaurant in Deccan Gymkhana. Known as much for his moods as for his food, he could warmly welcome a customer one day and scold them the next. If you liked the dosa you ate there yesterday, there was no guarantee you would get the same one today. The restaurant followed a rotating menu through the week, planned around fasting days.

The place had an official name, but nobody used it. Patrons simply called it — and its eccentric owner — Appa. Few people knew then that the restaurant would give birth to what is now a Pune favourite: Appa chi khichadi. Fewer still imagined that its legacy would be carried forward not by Appa’s descendants, but by a devoted customer.

Among Appa’s regulars was a teenage basketball player and swimmer from Deccan Gymkhana, Sangram Deshmukh. A growing boy, he was often hungry even after finishing the tiffin his mother packed for him. Appa, he recalls, was particularly kind to him.

One day, Deshmukh went to the restaurant for its much-loved sabudana khichadi, served with cucumber raita. “I saw the restaurant was closed, and I thought maybe it was a temporary thing. I went there for two-three days and found it closed. After a week, I realised the restaurant had definitely closed. I was shocked and upset. How could they do this?” says Deshmukh.

By then, Deshmukh had completed his postgraduation but was still searching for his calling. He worked at a marketing company, but soon realised where his heart lay. “I realised that my heart was in the kitchen,” he says.

He began working at his uncle’s restaurant and bar in Baner, starting from the basics. With enthusiasm, he moved from cleaning utensils to taking orders, overseeing procurement and understanding pricing. “I wanted to have a restaurant, but not serve liquor,” he says. He quit and then did a stint at an almost 100-year-old restaurant serving Maharashtrian thalis, where 500-600 people ate lunch and dinner every day.

Deshmukh then began tracing the cooks and staff from the original Appa restaurant in Deccan Gymkhana. “If I was nostalgic about Appa’s food, wouldn’t there be others like me as well? I began to focus on tracking down the staff and managed to get their numbers,” he says. The cook and a few others from Appa joined him.

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Deshmukh opened a new Appa restaurant in a 350-sqft, four-table space in Shaniwar Peth. “Some people were like, ‘Arey, Appa has opened over here’. Others said, ‘Pehle nahin khaya tha, ab achcha lag raha hai,’” he recalls. He patented the name Appa, and his mother joined him in running the restaurant.

Today, Appa has outlets in Narayan Peth and Karve Nagar. Pune may spoil diners for choice when it comes to sabudana khichadi, but Appa’s dish has attained legendary status. The khichadi is cooked so that each pearl of sabudana remains separate, without lumps. The kakdi raita is another standout. “I can’t make it at home. It does not taste the same. But, in the kitchen, it comes out perfectly,” says Deshmukh.

Every day, 300-400 people make their way to Appa to sample its extensive Maharashtrian menu. The number rises on Sundays, but nothing compares to the rush on Mahashivratri. On the auspicious day, there is only one demand — Appa chi khichadi, made from sabudana and served with cucumber raita.

The restaurant stocks nearly 500 kg of sabudana for the day, along with 300 kg of cucumbers to be peeled and chopped.

“Today, people call me Appa,” says Deshmukh, smiling.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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