We (Prasanna, Me, Srikanth, and Sanjay) all planned to wake up at 5:30AM on Sunday morning.  All of us had set alarms on clock radios, cell phones, and I also asked Radhika to do the same.  It is not for catching an early morning flight, or to write some important exam,  etc.  It is a much bigger event. It is for going to “Laxman Dosa”, which is considered as Holy Grail for Dosa lovers.  My brother who frequents this place, exaggerates quite humorously, but with lots of conviction “Air Force one lands here secretly to pick up Dosa for US President”. Several others claim, huge line of Mercs, BMWs, lining up for Dosa, while “Who’s who of town” relishes Dosa behind the tinted windows

Yeah. Yeah.  We do not belong to that category. We are just simple Dosa lovers.  Dosa occupies special place in my heart where food menu is stored.  Rest of the menu will be revealed in the coming months.   Prasanna called me at 5:45AM with panic in the voice, I have assured him “I am already up”.   Sanjay was not reachable.  We sent SMS, WHATSAPP alert, and Phone Call.  Finally Prasanna who lives next door, banged his door hard. He woke up after 20 minutes

We planned in advance where to meet at a commonplace “Lakdi ka pul”, oldest (once) wooden bridge in the twin city of Hyderabad/Secunderabad.   Laxman Dosa is located at ‘hole in a wall” location in the begum bazaar area (a mile ahead of Charminar).    This is the place where my Mom grew up in her childhood, and I frequented the place to visit my Grand Mother during my childhood summer holidays.  We used to take Bus number 5 (Double Decker) to travel from Paradise to Siddiamber bazar bus stop.  I remember used to have this feeling, as If I had travelled to some far away place.

Laxman Dosa is now on Google Maps, which I considered as most one of the most useful innovations in the recent times.  There is no need of asking for directions, as everyone in Hyderabad has one answer for any request for direction “Seedha chale jao” (keep going straight). They will not tell how long.  Which means, you have to ask for directions once every 100 meters, until you reach the destination.  These days, I see a different trend. I see most folks saying, “I am new in this area”.  I guess all the local folks went to far off places, and folks from far off places are here in Hyderabad now

I started at 7:15AM and reached Lakdi Ka Pul area by 7:45AM. It’s been a while driving on Tank Bund road.  See the video for some glimpses.  I was getting restless, as Prasanna is yet to start.  Prasanna, like in a typically Hyderabadi style said, “Don’t worry, I will be there in 15 minutes”.   He was 45 minutes away. I knew he would not make it.   We kept exchanging messages, on whatsapp.   Sanjay sent a note, “Prasanna is driving like crazy” to meet his SLA.  I was not sure, if they make it on time or ALIVE.  So, I decided to have an Idli as an appetizer at nearby streetary (new name that I came up now, eatery on the street).   As I finished, they made it safely and we all travelled together and reached the home of Laxman Dosa

There are two types of Dosa on Laxman Dosa menu.  First one can be called as “Most calorized Dosa on the earth”, and second one can be easily named as “most calorized Dosa in the universe, excluding earth”.    We played safe by choosing the first option. I have forewarned everyone, not to eat anything previous evening, and leave room for Dosa with unlimited calories.  Not sure, if anyone really cared,

One picture is better than 1000 words, and one video glimpse is same as exponential number of words.   So, I will stop now, and let you see the video that I shot on iPhone 4 (which now runs out of battery every 30 minutes)

If you are curious about how most calorized Dosa in the universe is made, here it is:

Pour the batter on hot Dosa pan, slap it with few slices of Amul / American cheese,  drop mounds of liquid upma (which is cooked with saturated fat & oil), add chopped onions, tomato,  spray it with loads of spices,  add unlimited ml of highly saturated oil,  spread the entire mix on the Dosa,  let the Dosa simmer in the oil, now spray it with grated cheese,  let it simmer some more.   Serve it HOT, with spicy green chutney.   If you are still greedy, top your cooked Dosa with loads of ghee.    If you can’t believe it, see it yourself in the video

We all ate the version, where there is no cheese added.  We are not insane.

Most Hyderabadis long for a good chai after any meal.  As a teen, I mostly used to go for mid night tea  before going to bed.  We found an Iran Chai place strategically located opposite Laxman Dosa.  We gulped Rs.10 Irani Chai, as if it is divine nectar and headed home, as if Mount Everest has been conquered.

Please do not forget to, keep Hyderabadi folks in your daily prayers, for their good health.

Other Trivia:

• Cost of Idli : INR 25, Cost of Dosa: INR 40
• Laxman and his team do not keep track of how many Idli and Dosa you have consumed
• They go by honor code and take what you say.  Last time, they asked me total it and give them the money
• Laxman is known to be a philonthropist too.  His phone book has numbers of who’s and who’s of Hyderabad
• He was working in a cloth shop before setting this up