A Love For 'Thindi': How To Start Darshini-Hopping In Bengaluru

For decades, Bengaluru locals have had a well-kept food secret: ※thindi§ at the local ※darshini.§ Thindi in Kannada can mean either breakfast or evening snacks, depending on when you have it, while a darshini is an unassuming establishment, often a self-service eatery, offering primarily South Indian fare. As Bengaluru grows and grows, many immigrants to the Garden City have hopped on the thindi bandwagon.

A darshini is a many-splendoured thing. Besides the standard idli/dosa, the menu tends to include khara baath (a spicier version of upma), shavige baath (lightly tempered vermicelli upma) with delicious coconut chutney, bisibelebaath with khara boondi, khaali dosey (pronounced ※dosai§), palav (a spicier version of pulao), and poori sagu. All of this is rounded off with a piping hot filter coffee.

The prices are often a steal for the variety of dishes one can get. At an average darshini, a plate of steamed idli can cost around ?20-30, while a butter masala dosa might set you back by ?100. Not every darshini features ghee pudi thatte idli, a large plate-shaped idli, but the ones that do will charge you close to ?30-40. The idea is to order different types of thindi during an outing, and even then, your bill remains in the region of ?400. That＊s the price of two cups of coffee at a standalone cafe 每 even an Udupi restaurant with seating and service facilities, will charge far more for each item.

Pudi Idli Chikkana Tiffin Room | Photo Credit: Ajit Bhaskar

Apart from the wide variety of fresh snacks and the affordable pricing, what sets darshinis apart from, say, the chai kiosks of North and West India is the quality of food. Naturally, this appeals to younger people, looking for a quick-fix breakfast or a substantial coffee break.

Darshinis are a relatively recent phenomenon, dating back about 40-odd years. In the early 1980s, Prabhakar R, whose family was already operating Udupi hotels, came up with an innovative idea to start quick self-service cafes. ※Darshana§ in Kannada means a glimpse, and that＊s how darshinis 每 where you could see your food being made before you 每 came about.

Caf谷 Darshini, the first such establishment, started in Jayanagar in 1983. The concept soon became very popular due to its affordability and the speed with which customers could be served. Several other darshinis sprang up; there are now over five thousand in the city. And Prabhakar is rightfully called the architect of the darshini model.

A Legacy of Taste

While Prabhakar R might have introduced the darshini format in Bengaluru, exclusive breakfast-and-tiffin cafes, with a fancier service standard, were not a new concept in the city. Many, such as the legendary Brahmins＊ Coffee Bar at Shankarpuram and SLV Corner Restaurant at Basavanagudi, have been in business since the ＊70s. Govindaraju, a veteran South Bengaluru resident tells me that the famed Vidyarthi Bhavan has been in existence since 1943. Central Tiffin Room (CTR) Shri Sagar at Malleswaram and Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR) at Lalbagh were founded in the 1920s. ※All of these iconic restaurants are still revered by patrons like me,§ he said, adding that they were happy to wait for hours for their turn to get inside.

Aside from speed and self-service, a simple and homely ambience is one of the key aspects of a darshini. At the entrance, you＊re likely to find a counter that offers tokens for the food; inside are tall round tables and no seating. Unlike regular restaurants, where you pay the bill after the meal, you often pay first at a darshini. The minimal frills decor ensures that the darshini is accessible to people from all walks of life: You could be eating your snack standing next to a vegetable vendor.

One of my personal favourites includes the Uphara Darshini at Netakallapa Circle. It＊s an old joint but its popularity and quality haven＊t faded; in fact, newer establishments continue to use it as a landmark. Udina vadai (urad dal vada) dunked in a bowlful of piping hot sambar can banish any blues. The lightly tempered yet flavourful shavige baath, is another dish I love there. A trip to KR Market for vegetable shopping would often mandate a visit to Sri Krishna Darshini at Sajjan Rao Circle, VV Puram.

SK Tiffin Room CubbonPete | Photo Credit: Ajit Bhaskar

New entrants such as The Rameshwaram Caf谷 and South Kitchen adopt a blended model of these two approaches and also follow a corporate style of management. Unlike small, single-outlet darshinis, modern ones can scale up across various suburbs in the city. TRC, for instance, became immensely popular within a short period and now has outlets at JP Nagar, Rajajinagar, Brookefield, and Indiranagar.

Thindi-Hopping Movement

As the city grows more cosmopolitan in nature, darshinis help citizens stay in touch with their roots. The staff are mostly locals, who are comfortable speaking Kannada. In the era of competitive pricing, many hole-in-the-wall darshinis still keep their fare affordable for their blue-collared clientele. Darshinis in more upscale neighbourhoods, however, have to strike a balance between attracting newer affluent customers and keeping their regular clientele. So, they reinvent themselves by tweaking their menus, their ambience, and aggressive social media marketing, like Shri Sagar CTR and Vidyarthi Bhavan.

Over the last few years in a bid to attract a wider customer base, some darshinis have even attempted to expand their menus and include dishes like Gobhi Manchurian, Schezwan noodles, and even pani pauri, which are popular in North India. This has led to a mixed reception. Krishnappa, who is in his 70s, and a patron of a local darshini does not like this diversification 每 but his two 16-year-old grandkids love it. Krishnappa is happy with his ※set dosai§ (three small and soft fluffy dosas served with chutney and a gravy), washed down with a filter coffee, but frowns at the very mention of ※Manchurian§. ※Who would have thought a darshini would be a cool place for teenagers to hang out?§ laughs the mother of the grandkids.

Bengaluru＊s darshini culture is constantly getting reinvented, most recently via a new ※thindi-hopping§ movement. Ajit Bhaskar was first introduced to the world of thindi through his wife and her family, when he moved to Bengaluru in 2010.

Bhaskar, who is a research scientist, relocated to Whitefield and found a severe dearth of good darshinis. He combined his love for eating with his other passion 每 marathon running. Every weekend, Bhaskar ran from Whitefield to any part of the city where he could find a concentration of darshinis, usually a distance of 20-25 km. He＊d eat at a place of his choice, and then take a bus or a cab back home. This allowed him to explore the city, while he acquainted himself with different types of idlis and dosas.

Gradually, Bhaskar was joined by other thindi enthusiasts, though many preferred a walk instead of a run. What started as a small WhatsApp group, slowly became Thindi Capital, a body of almost 650 people. Food walks are not a new concept, but the thindi-hopping walk is unique 每 it is free, organic, and often uncovers hidden gems that are not on food delivery apps.

Sweet (And Savoury) Somethings

※People get to see areas like Cubbonpete, which, typically, one would be averse to exploring on their own,§ Bhaskar told me. ※These places are located in the interior of the city and can be confusing to navigate. But as a group, we＊ve had some of the best dosey and idlis in Cubbonpete.§ In the process, the group also gets a micro lesson in the city＊s social and cultural history. They have been introduced to ※regional Karnataka specialities including dill/sabsige idlis, haalbai (a sweet dish), and gojjavalakki, a sweet-sour tamarind-infused poha dish. You don＊t get many of these at popular establishments.§

Haalbai at Jagli thindi, JP Nagar | Photo Credit: Ajit Bhaskar

The beauty of the thindi-hopping movement is that it is as much about people as it is about food. Bhaskar says that he has learnt a lot from people who have been living in Bengaluru longer than he has. Members of the group have made new friends, and together, they are a rich repository of local culinary culture.

As several darshinis recover from the impact of Covid, a picture of adaptation and survival emerges. Some establishments have taken steps to improve their hygiene practices, offer delivery and takeaway services, and focus on customer service. Others have chosen to expand their clientele. Groups like Thindi Capital help bring in newer patrons to old, small-scale darshinis.

And who knows, maybe thindi will go the way of steamed momos. Once a hyperlocal snack, momos are now consumed with relish from Delhi to Dombivli. Thanks to new-age darshinis, maybe a niche snack like baath masala dosa or khara baath will just be as ubiquitous as chaat or vada pao.