Season no reason to savour juice

Mouth-watering

For every business, there is a season that brings customers in hordes setting the cash register ringing. But, there are also exceptions, dispelling the myth, courtesy undying love of the people.

Ajita Confectioneries at Sterling theatre complex on J P Nagar main road here is one such example. From fruit juices of types to fruit salad, gadbad to milkshake, the shop has aplenty to quench one's thirst for a tasty drink, at affordable rate.

It has cemented and is continuing to cement the bond between most of its customers, young and old alike, with the every passing day. And, the hands that made it possible was- P Pavitran, hailing from Talachery in the 'god's own country' neighbouring Kerala state.

Humble start
"I started as a baker at a different place on the same road 23 years ago. Among the customers, majority were also asking for juice to beat the heat at times. One day I decided to include fruit juice on the menu and pat started with grape juice with the little knowledge I had", Pavitran recollects his nascent days in the realm, for City Herald. Gradually the menu got bigger with a lot more varieties of fruit juices like- mango, apple, sapota, pineapple and orange, besides date, ‘gadbad’ and fruit salad. Apart from juice, fruit salad sells like hot cake here. Slices of almost all the fruits available at the shop topped with a mound of ice cream 'crowned' with a cherry (red in colour) make for the fruit salad. If you are an allergic to ice-cream, you will get fruits extra, filling the bowl.

Fans
Pavitran proudly says- apart from the locals, he has fans for the juice in youngsters, mostly drawn from paying guest accommodations in the vicinity and also colleges.
The shop has turned out to be a perfect 'adda' for the students of NIE, who hit a glass or two without any fail, sometimes, all the seven days in a week.

The area most known for its commerce with numerous small scale industries, marriage halls, hotels, shops of types and also theatres brings customers in good numbers to the shop. Cine lovers prefer to sip juice, ahead of the show. With his son Nithin P K joining him a few years ago, Pavitran meets the rush with much ease.

Though the shop measures 15x6 ft, made further small with boxes of fruits, still, space is not a constraint here.

Diligent two
Father and son duo are diligent in their work. The customers have no qualms either with the 'self-service' or with the limited space to sit and savour the drink.

The shop's popularity has transcended boundary with a group of students of NIE, the regulars earlier, posting a photo of the shop on Orkut. Alumni of the institute who visited them broke the news much to Pavitran's delight.

Having found 'home away from home' in Karnataka, 40 years ago, no doubt Pavitran has become a pukka Mysorean with his chaste Kannada.