On Monday, a “hotel” in Kolkata’s College Street offered free ‘puisaag-er chochchori’ (a Bengali dish made with a mixture of vegetables and pui saag in a mustard sauce) to its customers. However, for this famous “pice hotel” located in Bhawani Dutta lane, this free food is more than just another incentive to attract customers. Instead, it has now become a tradition at Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel, which three generations of owners of this 110-year-old eatery (95 years at its current address) have strictly adhered to as a ” small and humble tribute” to legendary freedom. fighter, Netaji Subhas Chandra Boseon his birthday every year.
Arunanghshu Panda, the restaurant’s current owner, said Bose is a regular customer. “He first visited us as a student at Presidency College, and continued to come even after he became mayor of Kolkata (then Calcutta). My grandfather Mangobinda panda served him every time he visited this place. We’ve heard a lot of stories about how Bose preferred our ‘puisaag-er chochchori’ and ‘murighanto’ (a dish made with fish heads and rice) over anything else.” Panda recounts that Bose once took Chittaranjan Das out to dinner. The restaurant, according to the old people, used to be a hiding place and secret meeting of revolutionary soldiers, with a back passage leading to a secret passage outside. During one raid, the hotel’s founder, Mangobinda, was brutally beaten by British police, but held out until the revolutionaries escaped to safety.
Arunanghshu Panda, the restaurant’s current owner, said Bose is a regular customer. “He first visited us as a student at Presidency College, and continued to come even after he became mayor of Kolkata (then Calcutta). My grandfather Mangobinda panda served him every time he visited this place. We’ve heard a lot of stories about how Bose preferred our ‘puisaag-er chochchori’ and ‘murighanto’ (a dish made with fish heads and rice) over anything else.” Panda recounts that Bose once took Chittaranjan Das out to dinner. The restaurant, according to the old people, used to be a hiding place and secret meeting of revolutionary soldiers, with a back passage leading to a secret passage outside. During one raid, the hotel’s founder, Mangobinda, was brutally beaten by British police, but held out until the revolutionaries escaped to safety.
