Face behind iconic Jannal Kadai Bajji in Chennai's Mylapore dies due to COVID-19

58-year-old Sivaramakrishnan sat on a slab surrounded by bowls of piping hot Bajjis, Bondas, Vadais and Idlies with all conversations meaning business to him.
Sivaramakrishnan, alias Ramesh  | facebook
Sivaramakrishnan, alias Ramesh | facebook

CHENNAI:  For many, a visit to Mylapore is synonymous with a pit stop at the iconic "Jannal Kadai" to munch on the famous Bajji. The fritter shop (kadai) that operates out of a tiny blue window (jannal) on Ponnambala Vathiyar Street near the East gate of the Kapaleeshwar Temple has been a landmark in Mylapore for over a decade now.

One of two familiar faces behind the window, Sivaramakrishnan, alias Ramesh, is however no more. The 58-year-old man succumbed to COVID-19 on Sunday morning, his family members told Express. At the time of his death, the family was unaware of the reason.

An unkempt queue, the smell of deep fried food, a crowd of people gobbling the snack and the grilled blue window was the only way to locate the shop. For years, it gained the fondness of Chennai's residents and visitors, picking up the title "Jannal Kadai Bajji." The shop bears no name board.

Peek into the window, Ramesh or his brother Chandrashekaran, sits on a slab surrounded by bowls of piping hot Bajjis, Bondas, Vadais and Idlies. All conversations meant business to Ramesh. He spoke firmly and smiled only at a compliment and avoided most attempts at small talks politely. His famous Bajji carried out the conversation most times.

Jannal Kadai Bajji near Mylapore's Kapaleeshwar Temple. (Photo| EPS)
Jannal Kadai Bajji near Mylapore's Kapaleeshwar Temple. (Photo| EPS)

It was light, crispy, warm and bright orange in colour. It was accompanied by a tomato coconut chutney. "Even as he was famous for his Bajjis, my family and I used to eat the poori, pongal, idly and vadai from the shop twice or thrice a week before the lock down," said Srinivas Parthasarathy, the founder of Thamizh Mozhi Koodam, who was a regular to the shop.

Jannal Kadai was also an integral part of most street food trails held in Chennai. There are hundreds of videos food bloggers have posted from the inconspicuous shop. Sridhar Venkataraman, who has been  conducting food walks in Mylapore since 2012, said that Jannal Kadai has always been a part of his tour.

"The shop was part of growing up for many in Mylapore and I realised that only some people outside had tried it. The walks made the shop more famous than it already was," said Venkataraman adding that Ramesh was stern to the staff but kind to the poor.

"I have seen him offer free food to the poor on many occasions. Even those who paid for the food always found the food moderately priced," he said.

Baskar Seshadri, a social activist and a resident of Mylapore told Express that he will miss Ramesh dearly. "I have been eating at the shop for the last 15 years. I used to be terrified of eating street food and I made an exception for this place," he said.

He added that he visited the shop a mere two or three weeks ago, even during the lockdown, as he felt nostalgic for the food. "I have arthritis and cannot stand for long. Despite this, I used to wait for the Bajji and munch it on the street," he said.

Ramesh suffered from diabetes and had been admitted to a private hospital last week after he fell sick. He was later moved to a government hospital where he was being treated until Sunday. After his demise, his COVID-19 tests returned positive.

Speaking to Express, a family member said that the shop will however not shut its doors. "Even as many people recognise Shivaraman, the shop is registered under Chandrashekaran - his brother. Give us a month and we will be back to business. The shop will sell food that tastes the same," the family member said.

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The New Indian Express
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