Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
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Thiruvananthapuram
More space, better amenities
V. BALASUBRAMANIAN
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Vital area has been reclaimed to make the Music Academy premises spacious.
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Photo: V. Ganesan
Brisk business: Rasikas throng the canteen after a concert.
Earlier space crunch was an important factor that came in the way of providing rasikas better amenities at The Music Academy. But that’s an old story now.
First, retrieving space under illegal occupation helped it to create an exclusive gate for smooth exit of vehicles without congestion both within and out of the premises.
However the transformers had to be relocated. Architect P.T.Krishnan drew up plans for usage of vital space by making certain alterations in the left hand side of the auditorium, which housed a genset room, a transformer yard, an old store room and a servants’ toilet. An open well was first closed. The switchroom and the huge transformers that rendered the place unusable were shifted to rear wall side.
A new 125 kva genset was commissioned in one corner and the old genset room was demolished. The result was a wide area that helped construction of a shed to house a canteen with kitchen facilities near the switch room.
Car park
The space where the old canteen was functioning now accommodates about 25 cars and the 2 wheeler parking has been shifted to the area near the entrance. The old store room has now been converted into a food counter. The canteen catered by Kondithope Padmanbhan since last year is doing brisk business serving quality food at this new, spacious area where about a hundred people can have food simultaneously.
Padmanabhan, who is well known in the marriage catering field, forayed into this service in 2006. This year he offers North Indian sweets such as Kasi Halwa, Bombay Khaja, Surya kala, Chandra Kala apart from traditional South Indian Tiruvaiyaru Asoka, Rava Kesari, Chiroti and a variety of Payasams. Mouth tingling varieties of dosai and Adai are complimented by Methi Chappathi and Surat Karie of the North. Padmanabhan’s assistant Mani, is always amidst the crowd constantly interacting with them for a feedback for improvement. He says, “We use pure ghee and branded A-class oils for all our preparations. This ensures the quality of the foodstuff offered.”
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
