SUNDAY MUSINGS:
Finally it's curtains for Baljee's / Fascination, the landmark restaurants situated on the Mall ,Shimla. Deservingly there was ample newspaper coverage regarding this as to why and how this came about and the public reaction thereupon. For decades the Restaurant had catered to a cross section of Shimlaites as well as visiting tourists. The Himachal Tribune , a weekly supplement of The Tribune yesterday carried a beautiful write-up by Shamsher Chandel. One cannot but agree with him on whatever he wrote. There maybe and are many eating joints, but apart from the food stuff , it is the ambience that counts. The courteous, smiling staff that provided excellent service should remain etched in memory. Some of them would greet when they met at some place other than the restaurant , when off duty. No one felt out of place or embarrassed or self conscious,such was the ambience. Novices and uninitiated like me in handing cutlery could easily take their time to learn. Again , I feel sorry for the staff who have suffered the loss of job and employment.The owners may get over as they have other ventures to take care of and pursue.
In my own time I have seen many changes taking place . Some shop keepers switching over to other business ,some others renting out the premises to Banks and some Brand showrooms etc. The Indian Book Depot, the Model Book Shop, Jankidas & Co , Devicos are a thing of the past. A premier text book & Stationery shop in the Lower Bazar going by the name of Vidya Bhawan, decades back switched over to Cloth business.
But then change is the law of life and the only constant ,as they say !
Finally it's curtains for Baljee's / Fascination, the landmark restaurants situated on the Mall ,Shimla. Deservingly there was ample newspaper coverage regarding this as to why and how this came about and the public reaction thereupon. For decades the Restaurant had catered to a cross section of Shimlaites as well as visiting tourists. The Himachal Tribune , a weekly supplement of The Tribune yesterday carried a beautiful write-up by Shamsher Chandel. One cannot but agree with him on whatever he wrote. There maybe and are many eating joints, but apart from the food stuff , it is the ambience that counts. The courteous, smiling staff that provided excellent service should remain etched in memory. Some of them would greet when they met at some place other than the restaurant , when off duty. No one felt out of place or embarrassed or self conscious,such was the ambience. Novices and uninitiated like me in handing cutlery could easily take their time to learn. Again , I feel sorry for the staff who have suffered the loss of job and employment.The owners may get over as they have other ventures to take care of and pursue.
In my own time I have seen many changes taking place . Some shop keepers switching over to other business ,some others renting out the premises to Banks and some Brand showrooms etc. The Indian Book Depot, the Model Book Shop, Jankidas & Co , Devicos are a thing of the past. A premier text book & Stationery shop in the Lower Bazar going by the name of Vidya Bhawan, decades back switched over to Cloth business.
But then change is the law of life and the only constant ,as they say !
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