Over 55 years old, Airlines Hotel in Bengaluru has survived the test of time. The city's hospitality attraction unveiled a new mural to pay respect to the frequent visitors earlier in December. In an exclusive chat mural artist Rohit Bhasi talked about his inspiration behind the piece and what makes Airlines Hotel significant even after five decades.
"The whole idea of it is to depict the staff and the people who have kept coming there frequently for the past 50 years. When I think of Airlines Hotel, I think of the trees that have become the bedrock of this place. The trees are central to the mural. If you look carefully, I made some creatures come out of the tree to give the idea that the trees have been there for generations and now, they have become an integral part of the people and also the place."
Apart from the artist, we also interacted with two waiters, Mr K K Raghuram and Mr K Shekhar Shetty, who have been working with the hotel for more than 35 years. They have served the likes of renowned Kannada artist Vishnuvardhan and even jotted orders of legends like Puneeth Rajkumar.
Mr K K Raghuram, who began his career as a waiter back when coffee was priced at 40 paise, shared, "I started my career in 1980. Previously, there were 38 waiters and 23 supervisors; presently, there are 20 waiters and 14 supervisors throughout all departments. Plain dosa was 60 paise, masala dosa was 80 paise, and full meals came for Rs 6."
He further added, "I got to engage with some of the greatest names. Politicians like Deve Gowda, Gundu Rao, and Veerappa Moily used to come there for breakfast after their walk from Cubbon Park."
As for Mr Shetty, he recalled the time when he served the wrong order to Vishnuvardhan and how Kannada cinema's Sahasa Simha ate it without creating any fuss. He also reminisced the day when Puneet Rajkumar walked into the kitchen and engaged in casual banter with the staff.
"I like this place because I have friends here and people appreciate my work. I had the opportunity to serve dishes to celebrities and I never anticipated seeing all of these individuals in person. People who used to visit Airlines once as bachelors are now coming in with their children and grandchildren," Shetty said.
Located in Ashok Nagar, Airlines Hotel is more than just a restaurant. It is a hub for cultural and artistic expression. The hotel staff is planning to add more murals to embellish the walls to support local art.
Edited by: Muskan Khullar (muskankhullar@newindianexpress.com)