Nostalgia - life style -Cafe Samovar- Mumbai's India coffee House to shut shop

Cafe Samovar of Mumbai could be termed as the India coffee house of Mumbai after the famous coffee shop at Connaught Place in Delhi which was shut down during the Emergency period by Sanjay Gandhi and Indira Gandhi led Delhi administration.

If campaigners against Fuedal rule of Indira Gandhi had Mae Coffee House as their home; the Samovar Cafe of Mumbai was home for artists, musicians and writers on a mere 700 square feet.

It's where Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bhaduri went on one of their first dates, where artists like MF Hussain and Tyeb Mehta sat doodling for hours, where Singer Kishore Kumar and Mannadey used to wait for offers from producers and the comic drunkard Kesto Mukherjee who was a regular beginner from this joint.

Now, after 50 glorious years, if it can't extend its lease, it could well be curtains for Cafe Samovar. The beloved south Mumbai eatery is also famous for its keema paranthas and mutton chops.

The Jahangir Art Gallery, that owns the plot of land that Samovar is on, has wanted its land back for decades now, so it can expand. And Samovar has for almost 30 years been fighting in court - and succeeding -- to extend its lease. Five years ago, the Cafe and the gallery settled out of court and Samovar got a five-year reprieve.

"Even the Supreme Court judge who was hearing our case (then) said Samovar is an institution, one he himself visited often for coffee," said Devika Bhojwani, daughter of Usha Khanna who started the iconic cafe. "He (the judge) requested the art gallery give us more time or an alternate space," Ms. Bhojwani added.

Even today, a cup of tea at Samovar costs only Rs. 7 as the food is heavily subsidized, sumptuous for the hungry and those looking for taste in a city of showmanship.