4 home-made dosas for 10 rupees: Meet the Kamalathal of Visakhapatnam

You must have surely heard or read about M Kamalathal-the 82-year-old woman in Coimbatore who sells idlis at just one rupee each to wow us all. In an age where a visit to a swanky dining house would leave your pockets crying for help, an elderly woman in Visakhapatnam, in a way similar to Kamalathal, leaves you spellbound with her delectable food and its staggering rate card. Tucked away in the many bylanes of Seethammapeta, a humble household sells home-made idlis and attlu (dosas) for breakfast. Hugely popular among the local neighbourhood, these tiffins by 60-year-old Satyavati have a large fan base in the area.

A plate of four attlu is served with lip-smackingly spicy coconut chutney. Sold at just Rs 10 per plate, these dosas are as filling as a pocket-friendly breakfast can get in Visakhapatnam. The woman also sells hot steamed idlis at just Rs 2 each-a price that hasn’t changed for the past many years.

Satyavati’s routine starts early in the day when she prepares the batter and chutney, by taking help from her daughter-in-law. She sells idlis and dosa till late morning. Interestingly, her tiffins have been fetching an increasing number of takers from other areas in the Vizag too.

“We have been having aunty’s (Satyavati) idlis and attlu for about five years now. It’s amazing how the taste-just like her affectation-hasn’t changed over all these years,” shares one of the younger customers who flock the place on most days of the week. Call her the Kamalathal of Visakhapatnam or the city’s very own Satyavati, she is nothing less than a boon for many regular customers.

Where: Near Durga Ganapati Temple, Seethammapeta, Visakhapatnam

Contact: +91 99485 17288