Comments on: Why Oberois is so special

By: Mike Fay

Mike Fay — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:01:30 +0000

Thanks for the reference. The Oberoi’s transferred me from Mumbai Oberoi Sheraton to New Delhi and my Band kind of took off from there. Sudha, my wife at the time, was a great performer and we had a lovely time. After we played the College Circuit, our very faces became street-recognisable. I opened The Maurya Sheraton after that and made really good money. The Oberoi’s bribed me back to the Cafe Chinois later, but it was never the same.
so I quit the Band scene and moved to the USA where I am very happily married and having fun looking back.

By: Pankaj Vohra

Pankaj Vohra — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:57:15 +0000

Maybe you are right. But I have this impression that Maan Nagar and Shaan Nagar were replaced by Kaka Nagar and Bapa Nagar. Rgds.

By: Anil

Anil — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:17:12 +0000

That reminds me of another controversy that Delhi faced during the building spree of the government flats for it’s employees by the CPWD. The colonies were named Shaan Nagar, Maan Nagar, and Vinay Nagar.There was a great furore over the creation of class system between the highly and lowly placed Babus in the service especially between the IAS and then non IAS cadre. It unconsciously added certain superiority complex with the allotment of the house in a particular colony. Lohiaji lambasted one and all concerned in the parliament. It was at the personal intervention of Panditji that it was subsequently named Bharti Nagar, Rabindra Nagar and Sarojini Nagar !

By: Pankaj Vohra

Pankaj Vohra — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:49:01 +0000

For me Anil, Curzon Road can never be Kasturba Gandhi Marg and Irwin Road can never be Baba Kharak Singh Marg. Similarly, it will always be Irwin hospital and not LNJP and Willingdon hospital and not Ram Manohar Lohia. The land marks which you see as a child remain etched in one’s mind in the same way. Bombay for instance can never be Mumbai and Madras can never be Chennai or Calcutta can never be Kolkatta. For us Simla is not Shimla. That brings us to another point as to why should we rename existing streets and names. If we have to give new names give them to new places instead of renaming old ones. Hardinge bridge has over the years got to be known as Tilak bridge but Minto Bridge still carries its original name. Willingdon Crescent will take a long time to be associated with Mother Teresa and I think it was a mistake to try and rename Kingsway Camp as Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar. It is no disrespect to the new persons but changing old names causes avoidable confusion. For instance many youngsters even in joujrnalism believe that Rafi Marg is named after Mohammad Rafi and not Rafi Ahmed Kidwai. Brgds.

By: Anil

Anil — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:34:08 +0000

The Queensway, Kingsway, Irwin Road, Hardinge Bridge, Baird Road, are some of the famous names that have been lost to the present day generation. Who can forget Sahib Singh, Gainda Mulls, Bandbox, Madras Hotel,Standards (the Juke Box fame). One of the landmark lost is the Central Government Information Centre library, in the H block (outer ring of Connaught Circus). It used to carry all the periodicals published in India and quite a number of foreign weeklies including the ‘Time’ and ‘Life’ Magazines free of cost. A very nostalgic piece by you.

By: Pankaj Vohra

Pankaj Vohra — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:12:31 +0000

Anil who can forget the Ramble, the first open air drive in restaurant in Delhi. It was owned at one time by the Kalras who also owned the United Coffee House and the Rajdoot hotel. Later Ruksana Sultan got the license to run it for a certain Mr Pahwa during the emergency. A Jain Paan shop was outside and there was also Gillu Florist there. I do miss it many times. You are right the Indian Coffee House next to the erstwhile Theatre Communication Building in CP was a hot spot. Palika Bazar stands there now. The nnapurna was there on Queenway as Janpath was called and not to forget the Bankuras next the Cottage Industries Emporium. CP has changed so much. Amongst CP landmarks that have diappered arethe Nanking restaurant near the Marina Arcade, the Lagunas, the Tea House at Regal Buildg and ofcourse Sahib Singh and sons. There are a l more. Best regards.

By: Anil

Anil — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:16:24 +0000

Pankaj ji do you remember another beautiful landmark in CP, “The Rambles” right in front of Regal Cinema ? It was a very popular site in 70s. I think it had a very special charm and uniqueness. It has been permanently lost in time and period. Nobody has ever tried to start anything like that in CP. Annapurna on Janpath behind the shops where the original MMTC functioned from barracks was an excellent joint and was very easy on pockets. One land mark in CP I can never forget is Indian Coffee House. Pallika Bazar stands there now.
The Oberois wanted to buy the Golf course. True or false I do not know. They certainly wanted to usurp the Blind school which is just next to it. It some how didnot happen. Oberoi Maidens is much grander than the one at the junction of Wellesely Road, Mathura Road junction. All said and done it is the first private five star property and the finest hotel in Delhi NCR.

By: Brijesh Kalappa

Brijesh Kalappa — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:55:11 +0000

Dear Mr. Vohra,

I’ve never had occasion to stay in any of the Oberoi hotels, though I’ve stayed in ITC and Taj hotels aplenty, but one can easily sense that they are run so professionally and maintain the highest standards of hospitality.

Many north Indians are not aware that the best combination of idli is not with sambar but with spicy hot chicken curry. Further, they are not aware of an outstanding dosa called the egg dosa. Egg- dosa is available only on the menu of the Oberoi’s coffee shop and nowhere else. The Windsor Manor, Bengaluru will oblige you with an egg-dosa on special order although it does not find a place on the menu.

J.B. Dadachanji, a legend of law spent most of his waking hours at the Belvedere, where I too have spent many hours in his company.

I’m keen on reading your opinion on the future of the Congress and the BJP after the results today..

By: sundeep pahwa

sundeep pahwa — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:02:05 +0000

pankajji an interesting article on oberoi in delhi
many people of our age can recall many nostalgic
yaadien attached to it. amongst various film
personalities i remember yash chopra shooting
TRISHUL in delhi and a major part in oberoi,
arond nishat lake the song har taraf husn hai
was picturised with amitabh shashi kapoor
sanjeev kumar hema malini rakhee in it
the entire unit wes parked at the hotel
sundeep pahwa

By: TSinha

TSinha — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:26:13 +0000

Thanks for this wonderful piece. Full of nostalgia for all old Delhiites.