What is Jamshedpur? Is it just a city which produces steel for the rest of the world? When you look closely, you will know that Jamshedpur has a myriad culture, one that has beautifully embraced people from all over the country. A land of the expats where people have found their place and lived their dreams. One such person is Ramesh Prasad who fled a domestic squabble when he took the first train from Jasidih from Jamshedpur. It was in the year 1966. He started a kulfi stall and his kulfi became a big hit outside Natraj Cinema. The journey was not easy; he was heckled by goons, but he remained determined. And slowly the man became a crusader of human rights. And when he heard about the possibility of a court canteen, he impressed the district judge with kulfis and singharas. And the journey of Ramesh Kulfi began in the year 1972. Now the shop serves different flavours of kulfi and you simply cannot stop at one.

Apart from his passion for kulfi, his meat-chawal shack is a fond reminder of his roots at Devghar. The lip-smacking items include mutton, chawal, dahi, meetha. The best thing about the food is that it is sourced from the local markets and everything is used in his mutton dishes. You will die for the Hyderabadi mutton and khichdi, but what leaves you with a craving for more is the thick mutton gravy which is lavishly cooked in ghee, homemade masalas and onions. Did you know that this dish can actually withstand long train journeys and no water is added for cooking. Even devotees travelling to Vaishno Devi love to have this mutton on their way to Katra.

During the time of Emergency, Ramesh would sell his singhadas at 30 paise instead of 15 paise, but never closed his shop once. Even though time has changed, people still love his singharas and his famous Sunday lunch which includes a spread. The mutton is normally served with boiled or usna rice, a type of long-grained Dehradun. The Sunday delicacy or the khidchi is served with fries, ghee, pickles and aloo chokha.

Photo credits: Banner Left – archanaskitchen.com; Banner Center – coop.co.uk; Banner Right − Ashiana

What is Jamshedpur? Is it just a city which produces steel for the rest of the world? When you look closely, you will know that Jamshedpur has a myriad culture, one that has beautifully embraced people from all over the country. A land of the expats where people have found their place and lived their dreams. One such person is Ramesh Prasad who