Vidyarthi Bhavan

2021-07-01T15:42:33Z

2600:1005:B04F:F9B1:ECA6:BC53:4297:3D40: /* History */Great grandfather founded this restaurant. The last name is Ural not Udal

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}

[[File:VidyarthiBhavanEntrance.jpg|thumb|Vidyarthi Bhavan Entrance]]
'''Vidyarthi Bhavan''' ({{lang-kn|script=latn|Vidyārthi Bhavana}}; {{lit|Student House}}) is a vegetarian tiffin restaurant in [[Gandhi Bazaar]], [[Basavanagudi]], South [[Bangalore]]. It has been considered an iconic establishment of the area and Bangalore in general, with its masala dosa being particularly recognized.

==History==
It was founded in 1943 by Venketarama Ural to serve students who originally hailed from outside the city who were attending the nearby [[Acharya Pathasala Public School]] and [[National College, Bangalore|National College]] in addition to other schools in Gandhi Bazaar, an area known for having a high concentration of educational institutions. At that time, newly opened restaurants would be given names that featured the word "Bhavan" (''Bhavana''; {{lit|House}}) at the end, which led to the establishment gaining its name.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2021-04-26|title=Gandhi Bazaar's Vidyarthi Bhavan celebrates 75 years on their platter|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2018/apr/01/gandhi-bazaars-vidyarthi-bhavan-celebrates-75-years-on-their-platter-1795480.html|website=The New Indian Express|archive-date=26 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426234429/https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2018/apr/01/gandhi-bazaars-vidyarthi-bhavan-celebrates-75-years-on-their-platter-1795480.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Later, Parameshwara Udal took over before selling it to current owner Ramakrishna Adiga in 1970.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=2021-02-28|title=Bengaluru's dosa heaven, Vidyarthi Bhavan, turns 75|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/dosa-heaven-vidyarthi-bhavan-699387.html|date=23 October 2018|work=[[Deccan Herald]]|archive-date=9 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109041753/https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/dosa-heaven-vidyarthi-bhavan-699387.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="News18">{{cite web|access-date=2021-04-26|title=बेंगलुरु: यह खाने का अड्डा बेहतरीन है, तो आप कब जा रहे हैं 'विद्यार्थी भवन'|trans-title=Bengaluru: This joint is the best around, so when will you come down to 'Vidyarthi Bhavan'|language=hi|url=https://hindi.news18.com/news/lifestyle/know-about-vidyarthi-bhavan-bangalore-viv-3551852.html|website=News18 India|archive-date=29 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429102921/https://hindi.news18.com/news/lifestyle/know-about-vidyarthi-bhavan-bangalore-viv-3551852.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Adigas trademarked the Vidyarthi Bhavan name in 2008, and ten years later sued two restaurants with similar names.<ref>{{cite web|first=Kushala|last=Satyanarayana|date=13 August 2018|access-date=2021-02-28|title=Namesake woes haunt classic Bengaluru eateries|url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/namesake-woes-haunt-classic-bengaluru-eateries/articleshow/65379199.cms|website=Bangalore Mirror|archive-date=13 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813015015/https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/namesake-woes-haunt-classic-bengaluru-eateries/articleshow/65379199.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>

Vidhyarthi Bhavan celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2018 with a silver jubilee celebration and by releasing a coffee table book, and [[India Post]] released a special postal cover and stamp the same year.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2021-03-01|title=Iconic Vidyarthi Bhavan to treat soldiers as it turns 75|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2018/oct/25/iconic-vidyarthi-bhavan-to-treat-soldiers-as-it-turns-75-1889776.html|website=The New Indian Express|archive-date=28 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028152420/https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2018/oct/25/iconic-vidyarthi-bhavan-to-treat-soldiers-as-it-turns-75-1889776.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Food and reputation==
The restaurant features a limited menu of South Indian breakfast items and is known for keeping its decor and food as close to its original state as possible.<ref name="News18"/> It is particularly noted for its crispy and buttery [[masala dosa]], considered its signature dish.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2021-03-01|title=Bengaluru: Dosa lovers celebrate 75th anniversary of Vidyarthi Bhavan|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2018/oct/27/bengaluru-dosa-lovers-celebrate-75th-anniversary-of-vidyarthi-bhavan-1890698.html|website=The New Indian Express|archive-date=18 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118121743/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2018/oct/27/bengaluru-dosa-lovers-celebrate-75th-anniversary-of-vidyarthi-bhavan-1890698.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=2021-03-01|title=Bengaluru's bother: The predicament of Vidyarthi Bhavan masala dosa in a parcel|url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/india/bengalurus-bother-the-predicament-of-vidyarthi-bhavan-masala-dosa-in-a-parcel-q9lodb|website=Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803154624/https://newsable.asianetnews.com/india/bengalurus-bother-the-predicament-of-vidyarthi-bhavan-masala-dosa-in-a-parcel-q9lodb|url-status=live}}</ref> Arun Adiga, Ramakrishna's son, attributes its taste to using different proportions of red rice, methi and urad dal in the recipe compared to other places.<ref name="TH">{{cite news|first1=Ranjani|last1=Govind|access-date=2021-03-01|title=Why is Bengaluru's Vidyarthi Bhavan so famous?|url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/setting-the-table/article24047034.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=31 May 2018|issn=0971-751X|via=www.thehindu.com|archive-date=1 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101224907/https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/setting-the-table/article24047034.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The restaurant is also known for its clientele, with writers in particular patronizing the restaurant and using it as a "creative meeting space".<ref name="TH"/> At peak times, the restaurant is so popular that customers have to wait outside before their name is called to enter and often end up sharing tables.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2021-02-28|title=Vidyarthi Bhavan bets on tech to sell more Masala Dosas|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/industry/article/vidyarthi-bhavan-bets-on-tech-to-sell-more-masala-dosas/646183|website=www.timesnownews.com|archive-date=2 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200902215335/https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/industry/article/vidyarthi-bhavan-bets-on-tech-to-sell-more-masala-dosas/646183|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first1=Aditya|last1=Sondhi|access-date=2021-02-28|title=What is it about Bengaluru’s iconic Koshy’s that keeps drawing patrons back?|url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/what-is-it-about-bengalurus-iconic-koshys-that-keeps-drawing-patrons-back/article33305731.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=12 December 2020|issn=0971-751X|via=www.thehindu.com|archive-date=27 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127133056/https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/what-is-it-about-bengalurus-iconic-koshys-that-keeps-drawing-patrons-back/article33305731.ece|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TH"/>

==See also==
* [[Bangalore]]
* [[Cuisine of Karnataka]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

{{coord missing|Karnataka}}

[[Category:Restaurants in Bangalore]]
[[Category:Restaurants established in 1943]]
[[Category:1943 establishments in India]]

Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]

Vidyarthi Bhavan