Vaidya Upahar Gruha in Pune completes 100 years today

Vaidya Upahar Gruha, known for its special misal and Maharashtrian ambience, enters its 100th year on the auspicious day of Hanuman Jayanti on Monday. The well-known joint is located  near Phadke Haud Chowk in Raviwar Peth.

Deepak Joshi, great-grandson of the joint’s founder, Raghunath Ramchandra Vaidya said, “I am running this joint to carry on the legacy left behind by my forefathers, not for earning my bread and butter.”

Joshi, who is also a software consultant said, “Since day one we have been treating misal as our main food item as it has the typical Marathi food qualities with high nutritional values. In those days, the Peth area was the market place, so traders, peasants and farmers from rural areas used to visit it. They wanted to have a heavy breakfast and so my great-grandfather chose misal as our main dish.”

Concern for health lies behind the preparation of Vaidya’s special misal. Joshi said, “We don’t use red chili and use green chili and garlic paste, which also treats cough and cold.” All ingredients for the misal are prepared at Vaidya’s eatery. The ambience of the joint includes teakwood furniture, wall-mounted mirrors and the age-old board saying credit is not allowed.

Joshi said timings of the eatery were set by his grandmother Sushila in 1960 as she had to look after the house too. “But we don’t want to change it  because we serve only breakfast and not lunch,” Joshi said. The timing of the joint is 7.30 to 11.30am and 3 to 7pm.

Recognising the contribution of the 14-member staff, Joshi said, “Like my forefathers, some of our staff are second and third generation. They  consider our joint as their own and serve the food-loving Puneites.”