82-year legacy of faral thalis and festivities in Pune

The Sarpotdars at Poona Guest House, Laxmi Road have been serving Puneites with festive savouries and sweetmeats for a little less than a century now.

The Sarpotdars at Poona Guest House, Laxmi Road have been serving Puneites with festive savouries and sweetmeats for a little less than a century now. The current generation is led by Sanat Sarpotdar, who assists his father Kishor Sarpotdar at the eatery shop on Laxmi Road.

(From left) Sanat Sarpotdar, Sadhana Sarpotdar and Kishor Saarpotdar at the Poona Guest House on Laxmi road. (Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

Come rain or sun, you will find a smiling Kishor humbly greet you at the eatery every day. And, during festivals, the entire family will ensure that you are stuffed with traditional dishes. “My grandfather always made sure lodgers and other visitors on Diwali were treated like family. It has been 38 years since I joined the business and I have maintained the legacy,” says Kishor.

The family has also been setting up a faral stall at an economical rate for 30 years too. Kishor adds, “Many bachelors and out-of-station students miss celebrating Diwali as their families are not around. So, we offer a faral thali and snacks to them. In this way, even they can be a part of festivities without burning a hole in their pockets.”

The family doesn’t spend time together on Diwali and instead, spends every waking hour tending to visitors and customers at the eatery. “This is the time we utilise to spend time with our customers and lodgers as they are also a part of our family. We also encourage people to come out and experience the actual rituals of Diwali. We offer ubtan and other traditional items to people visiting.”