For Mysoreans, city means the places around KR Circle like – City bus stand, Devaraja Market, Sayyaji Rao Road and D Devaraj Urs road. Whenever Mysoreans went to the city area and were tired doing the shopping in the hot sun or during summers, we would usually hit this place called “Phalamrutha” (phala – fruit. Amrutha – nectar). Before you start searching for this place, let me tell you, this is a thing of the past!
This place was located on “Lansdowne Building” adjacent to the KR Circle. Lansdowne Building was the iconic heritage structure that was famous for old and new books, newspaper offices and typists. More about this building, I shall be writing in another article.
The location of Phalamrutha was very convenient for us to reach after finishing our tiring shopping in the hot sun. Especially during summers, we would surely visit this iconic place. We would be sweating and holding bags and enter this place. They used to have limited items. I remember they had just the fruit salad served in a steel or glass cup. Fruit salad with ice cream. And maybe a couple of cold juices. The fruits were fresh. They would usually add sapota, papaya, banana and pineapples. Ice cream – they had just one flavour – vanilla!
There were heavy rains a few years ago. And during this rain, a part of the lansdowne building collapsed. Authorities asked all the shop owners to vacate their shops! This is when even Phalamrutha had to shut its shop. One man (cannot recall his name) whom I met during a heritage walk told me that he visited the place on the last day before they shut the doors. They celebrated. There was a man serving ice cream and fruit salad and he had joined this place since the shop opened. He was old and emotional.
Now we no more have this place. It’s just a memory. But Mysoreans who have lived through the 80s, 90s and 2000s will surely remember this place as a fond memory.
I made a quick Google search to see if anything has been written about this place. This article on Star of Mysore makes a reference to Phalamrutha. The writer AG Raghu says that their “sogade beru juice” was good. Now the place isn’t listed on Google maps. I feel someone should document all the old places that have ceased to exist.
