From a lodge for Congress volunteers to 98-year-old Kerala eatery: Story of Bombay Hotel

Long before India gained Independence, a small lodge in Kerala’s Kannur district was already part of Payyanur’s freedom movement.

In May 1928, when the Payyanur Congress Conference brought national leaders, among them Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, to the town, K U Valiya Kunhirama Poduval and his colleagues set up a sathram (lodge) to provide food and accommodation to Seva Dal workers attending the conference.

Nearly a century later, that modest beginning has grown into Sree Shanmugha Vilasam Bombay Hotel, one of Payyanur’s best-known vegetarian eateries.

For an Independence Day special episode of Served Since, Onmanorama Food travels to Payyanur in Kannur to trace the history of a hotel closely tied to the town’s role in the freedom movement.

From 'sathram' to eatery

The establishment was not intended to become a restaurant when it opened. “My father told me that this hotel was started in May 1928. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and several other prominent leaders attended the Congress Conference held in Payyanur that year,” says Balakrishna Poduval, the current owner of Sree Shanmugha Vilasam Bombay Hotel.

Local residents contributed ingredients, while prominent members of the community offered financial support. But the story did not end when the conference ended. Some of the Congress workers stayed in Payyanur rather than return to North India. They continued to eat at the sathram, prompting Kunhirama Poduval to keep it open.

“Gradually, it became a restaurant,” says Balakrishna Poduval.

The establishment had no name at first. It was later named Sree Shanmugha Vilasam Bombay Hotel. Payyanur is associated with Lord Shanmughan, or Subramanya, and this connection inspired the first part of the name. The word ‘Bombay’ also has its own story.

Kunhirama Poduval’s father lived in Bombay and had taken part in a historic session of the Indian National Congress there. Kunhirama later added Bombay to the hotel’s name.

Over the years, former Kerala chief ministers K Karunakaran, E K Nayanar, and V S Achuthanandan visited Bombay Hotel. Several film personalities have also been among its patrons.

Vegetarian institution in Payyanur
Today, the hotel is known for its traditional vegetarian food. Its breakfast menu includes idli, vada, puttu, poori, masala dosa, vellayappam, noolputtu, chapati, curd vada, and bonda.

But the lunchtime sadya remains one of its biggest draws. Available in ordinary and special versions, the sadya comes with dishes including koottukari, olan, thoran, pickles, upperi, mulaku kondattam, rice, sambar, and pappadam. The payasam varies each day, with paal payasam, pradhaman and ari payasam among the options. The hotel’s soybean curry is another favourite and often sells out quickly. In the evenings, the menu includes chapati, vegetable biryani, uthappam, poori and masala dosa, along with tea and snacks.

Food cooked the old way
Bombay Hotel continues to follow traditional cooking methods. Rice is still cooked in large chembu, or cauldrons, over wood fires. Koottukari and payasam are prepared in traditional bronze vessels. Many of these utensils have been preserved for generations and remain in use in the kitchen. Several employees have also spent decades at the hotel. Thamban, who joined in 1977, has worked there for nearly 50 years. “I have never worked anywhere else. My only wish is to serve good food and receive good feedback from customers,” he says.

Generations of regulars

The connection between Bombay Hotel and its customers goes back decades. Abdullah Master has been coming to the hotel since 1977, often with his family. “They have been able to maintain the quality of the food. The management is also very good,” he says.

That consistency has helped the hotel retain customers across generations. The establishment remained under Kunhirama Poduval’s management until 1961. When health issues made it difficult to continue, Balakrishna’s father, V P Appu Poduval, took over with a friend. Today, Balakrishna Poduval runs the establishment along with his brothers and children.

Piece of Payyanur’s history

The hotel now operates every day from 6.30 am to 8.30 pm, near the Government Boys High School in Payyanur town. What began as a sathram for Seva Dal workers attending a historic Congress Conference has survived for nearly a century as a place where generations of Payyanur residents have come to eat. Its story, therefore, is about more than food.

The establishment began during the freedom movement and stayed open because people needed somewhere to eat. Over time, it became part of everyday life in Payyanur.