The narrow bylanes of Mylapore can be a hard place to be. Vehicles try to run over you at every given opportunity, little children run about underfoot and cows wander aimlessly in the middle of the street. Combine this chaos with the mid-afternoon heat and you’re toast.
That is, unless you carry your trusty water bottle with you wherever you go. Or forgetting that, walk a few paces past the Kapaleeshwarar Temple and delight in the flavours of a simple, pink concoction given to you freshly chilled with ice on top at the Kalathy Paper Mart. At `12 per glass, the chilled rosemilk packs a punch. And if you have been wandering Mylapore thirsty, a glass (or three) hits the spot just right.
The Kalathy Shop has been selling rosemilk for close to nine decades now and the formula hasn’t changed a bit, say long-time regulars at the shop. It is the same frothy drink, prepared with the same secret rose essence recipe made by the family, served in an eight ounce glass. Only the price has changed. “I’m 62 years old now and the shop has always sold rosemilk, as far as I can remember,” says K Mani who runs the shop now.
“We used to sell it for 25p during the 30s and 40s for a 10-ounce glass of rosemilk,” he says. Though known for its trademark drink, the shop also sold everything from betel nuts to cigarettes and match boxes. “It started out as a bunk shop but it slowly expanded into selling newspapers, magazines and periodicals also. We used to do distribution as well, but now we do only counter sales,” says Mani.
Today, the shop also sells soft drinks, butter biscuits, emergency stationery items along with the newspapers and the occasional panneer soda. But the biggest draw is the rosemilk. “I sell about 200 to 300 glasses per day. During summer, it just doubles,” says Mani, a retired bank employee.
The shop also sells its homemade rosemilk essence in bottles, along with the pista, almond and chocolate essence. “We wanted to go commercial with the rose essence and got a licence as well. But sadly, it didn’t take off. We couldn’t compete with the actual commercial sellers,” says Mani with a hint of regret in his tone. “My siblings are all well-settled, so are my kids. We never had the time or the manpower to expand the shop. At this point, I want it to stay like this,” he adds.
The fact that the shop is still in its decades old self seems to add to its USP. For residents and passersby who have frequented this shop for decades, the legend of The Kalathy Paper Mart and the refreshing drink is a tradition unto itself. The place used to be a regular hang out for former schoolmates Kumar Lawrence (54) and Venkatachalapathy (55) when they were young. It still is. “I used to live around here when I was young and we always used to come here on weekends and ‘hang out’ while downing several glasses of rosemilk,” reminisces Kumar. “Now whenever we pass by this place, we have a drink or two for old times’ sake,” he says.
Others like Koushik (24) who once lived here and then moved away, the sweet taste of rosemilk still lingers. “I live in Coimbatore, so whenever I come to Chennai, I make sure to drink a glass or two. It reminds me of my childhood,” he fondly adds. (The shop is at #27, East Mada Street, Mylapore)
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Janane Venkatraman / ENS – Chennai /May 09th, 2013