Hyderabadis bid goodbye to Marredpally’s iconic cafe

Anwesha.Paul@timesgroup.com
It was an end of an era as one of Secunderabad’s most iconic landmarks, Café Ramser opened to its patrons for one last chai on Sunday. For 57 years, the Irani cafe has been a source of joy for scores of Hyderabadis, who’d dunk their Osmania biscuits in Irani chai while chatting away for hours, or pack haleem for the family on the way home from work. For students, it was their favourite ‘adda’ where they hungout for hours after bunking college, savouring chicken 65 and chicken pakodas over endless cuppas. Before the cafe officially shut its doors, an emotional group of Hyderabadis dropped in to recount fond memories of all the times they spent at the cafe. Hyderabad Times listened in with a heavy heart as city folk narrated their Ramser stories while the chai patti boiled away in the handa and the milk simmered on in the samovar for one last time.

I have been crying ever since I heard that we are shutting down. This café was a huge part of our lives. I really did not want to come here and say goodbye to this place. I don’t know what is going to happen now that it is shutting down. I just have to accept it.
— Naheed, Ali Reza’s mother
I have been running this place for most of my life. It’s very difficult to say goodbye to an establishment in which I have put so much time and effort. I have a restaurant in Mumbai too but Ramser is close to my heart. I practically grew up and got old here. It is Allah’s will that the place must close down today. I don’t know what the future holds for us — Abbas Ali, owner
Thanks for the memories, Ramser
Spent hours here everyday, drinking chai and chatting with friends
I come here everyday. As a retired person, most of my days are spent here drinking chai, reading the newspaper, meeting friends. I know everyone by name here. The waiters do not keep a track of the number of cups of chai I am having because they know I will pay the right amount while leaving. I have even brought a party of 30 friends here and no one has ever complained about not having enough space. The senior citizens’ club, that I am the president of, has met up here on many occasions. The Haleem from Ramser is a must for anyone who comes to my place during Ramazan. The fact that Ramser is shutting down leaves me with a sense of emptinesss. It is truly the end of an era.
— K Sudhir, a regular at the cafe
Didn’t drink chai but I came here to hang out with my college friends
Even though I do not drink chai I have been coming to Ramser all my life. This was the hangout joint for my friends while in college. They were all avid chai-drinkers and if I did not come here, I would miss all the fun. Even now, I use this place as a landmark to give directions to anyone who comes home. After seeing Ali Reza’s post on Facebook, I got lots of messages form my friends who live outside Hyderabad now. They asked me to visit the café one last time and send pictures to them.
— Arti, a resident of East Marredpally
Ramser is as old as me
This café is as old as me and I have been coming here all my life. One of the most popular joints of Marredpally is shutting down today. It is very sad.
— Radhika, East Marredpally resident and a regular at Ramser
Christmas for me meant Chicken 65 from Ramser
Café Ramser is a time capsule for my family. It was such a big part of our Christmas celebrations as I was growing up. I remember every Christmas Eve, my late father would get us the yummy Chicken 65 from there and we would enjoy it with a glass of wine. As it shuts down, it takes with it some of those memories but it will always hold a special place in my heart.
— Rithika Fernandes, biologist