Maavalli Tiffin Room

(This article was first published in Bengaluru Parishe, Photography <scaled down> By Gautham Vasuki, all rights of these and many more exclusive MTR pictures belongs to Gautham vasuki)

Started as a small eat-out place in 1927 near Mavalli Masjid, Bengaluru MTR or Mavalli Tiffin Room is now a million Dollar global enterprise, with wide range of packed food products exported across the globe. MTR Foods acts as a sole saviour for millions of Vegetarians and especially Indians across the world. Amidst all these endeavours; lies a modest, authentic and a quondam looking MTR restaurant on the main road connecting the very famous “Lal Bagh” and adjacent to the eternal “Urvashi Theatre” of Bengaluru.

Founded by Parampalli Yajnanarayana Maiya, Rama Maiya and Ganepaya Maiya, MTR was shifted to the present location in 1956, with 2 floors and nearly 10 eating rooms along with 2 waiting halls, MTR restaurant is jam packed at any time of the day. MTR serves 100% vegetarian and authentic south Indian Food and this tradition has been followed from the past 80 years, it is very staggering to know that MTR has not even changed its Menu since then and yet its legacy continues till today. Hema Malini Maiya is the current Managing director of MTR.

“Quality and Quantity of the food is the main USP here” tells Janardhan Maiya, who is the Manager at MTR, working there from past 35 years. MTR style of food has its own taste and authenticity which attracts people from all over the world.

A.K Narayana who is serving as the Assistant Manager at MTR from past 15 years says that MTR provides very clean and healthy food due to which people like it a lot. He also added that there is no limit on the food and everything is unlimited here. When asked as to how many pooris would be prepared on a single day in MTR, Mr. A.K Narayana answered that it is impossible to keep track such huge amounts.

There are 150 Permanent employees at MTR and Janadhan Maiya says that they have served all kinds of VIP’s over the years. MTR sterilizes each and every plate after washing using sterilizing machines. With 100’s of people waiting to satisfy their hunger for MTR lunch, it is extremely difficult to maintain the cleanliness around the restaurant which MTR does very efficiently.

A typical MTR lunch starts with grape juice served in silver tumblers, this has been practised for over 80 years now and it stands as a mark of legacy. After the juice they serve 2 different kinds of typical South Indian side dish made up of fresh vegetables followed by very famous mouth watering MTR poori or MTR masala dosa which is served on an unlimited quantity. Next comes the Besi Bele Bath or in simple terms called the Sambar rice which is served with thick onion salad and pure ghee, if you are filled by any chance then hold on because next comes the delicious sweet which is exclusively prepared here in MTR with milk, cheese and cream called the “Hal Kova” or “Milk Cream sweet”. Then you have the white rice with sambar followed by the penultimate item on your plate, the curd rice without which the staple diet of any south Indian never ends. Wait! You are not done as yet because the very special MTR fruit salad with ice cream is due to come and finally the paan.

It is after having the lunch that one really realises as to why MTR is flocked by people always, when asked the public about the waiting time in MTR to get to that lunch they say “It’s the real fun in waiting for something and then having it, that increases the taste” as quoted by Mr. Sudhakar. “One should book and come to MTR and then there will be no hassles” says Mr. Gundu Rao and Mr. Shiva Prasad. The youth or the present generation who also come to enjoy the taste of MTR food say that because of the waiting time and the parking problem the restaurant may loose customers in the coming days.

When asked about the problems of waiting time and parking, Mr Janardhan Maiya proudly says that “it is the food that matters to our die hard customers and not the commotion that precedes it” what ever may be the difficulty MTR is one such mark that never fades away from the minds of people. With Bengaluru stepping into the next Generation and with multi facility and multi national food chains making their way, MTR stands as a lone warrior fighting all the odds of globalization and still spreading its charisma and legacy winning millions of Bengalurians hearts every day.

Abhishek Iyengar