Skip to main content

The lord god made them all

I have realized as I showered today that I have come close to god without even knowing it.  The lord does work in mysterious ways the believers will have you believe.  It is not that the soap lather took on the shape of Shiva's head or Ganesh's trunk rather the fact that I have been religously dining at establishments titled in the lord's name.

So it is a uniquely Hinduwadi theme (those that prescribe to the Hindu religion) to find eating establishments all across India to bear the moniker of a local deity - from Jai Bhawani tea stall to Ramkrishna dhaba to Shankar restaurant to Balaji cafe.  A good blend of almighty and local latte if there is one.

While Balaji knew of the powers of caffiene is a subject of another inspriring blog, the notion of engaging with customers with what they crave in their daily regimen while also servicing their basic nutritional need is a marketing strategy all its own.

So that theme carries to the far corners of the world where these folks from India have set up their branches.   I have been a regular visitor to Sri Venkatesh Bhavan - a purveyor of fine Udupi cuisine, in my neck of the freeways (there are no woods anywhere so I think it is time we udpated our lame slangs).

Tirupat'h'i (the 'h' - sounds like haich - is a uniquely udupi idea as well I think) Bheema's is another such.  Then there are others that provide pyoor vegetarian fare from the western states under the Shree Sai or Jalaram branding.

I wonder whether the other faiths need to emulate this to drive business - I mean Red Lobster is running dry and Olive Garden has no fruits.  What would happen if they switched to Asisi's taverna or Jeez's Steakhouse?

In my travels across the planet I have yet to find some interesting amalgams like these.  Right by I-5 somewhere in the California desert, as you come up after a parched 200 mile drive you pull into the Vatican Diner for a cold one!  That will get the spirits up no?
Labels:

Comments

  1. RajendraMay 17, 2014 at 7:29 PM

    A spirited call for religion to intrude into branding.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Of Jims and Johns

Here is another essay on the subject of first names. As in birth names. Or names provided to an offspring at birth. While the developed world tends to shy away from the exotic like Refrigerator or Coca Cola for their new production there is a plethora of Jims and Johns and Bobs or Robs. Speaking of which I do not think there is a categoric decision point at the time of birth if a child will be hereafter called as Bob. I mean have not yet met a toddler called Bob or Rob for that matter. At some point though the parental instinct to mouth out multiple syllables runs out and they switch from calling the crawler Robert to simply Robbie to Rob. Now speaking of - it is strange that the name sounds like something you would not want Rob to do - i.e. Rob anyone. Then why call someone that? After all Rob Peter to Pay Paul is not exactly a maxim to live a young life? Is it? Perhaps Peter or Paul might want to have a say in it? Then there is this matter of going to the John. Why degrad...
2 comments
Read more

But What If We're Wrong?

I attempted to read this book by author Chuck Klosterman backward to forward but it started hurting my brain so I decided to stop and do it like any other publication in the English language.  Start from page 1 and move to the right. Witty, caustic and thought provoking this is a book you want to read if you believe that the status quo might, just might be wrong. At times bordering on being contrarian about most things around us it tries to zero in on the notion of what makes anything believable and certain in our minds.  The fact that there is a fact itself is ironic.  Something analogous to the idea that you can never predict the future because there is no future. Many books and movies have tried to play on this concept - best that I recollect (I think I am) was 'The Truman Show'.  This book by Klosterman attempts to provoke the reader to at least contemplate that what they think they know may be wrong. He uses examples like concept of gravity, and how it ...
2 comments
Read more

Presumptive Society

Today's world is hyper connected.  I am not so sure what it means but you hear it a lot.  It is probably hyper but not sure how connected it is.  Sugar (fermented or not) is available in many ways than before and so getting hyper is easy.  It is probably more a threat than cocaine since it is sold legally. And what is this connected stuff?  Most people I encounter seem disconnected from reality.  So going back to this assumption that we are connected there are subtle and no so subtle instances of how brands and companies and middle men try to portray someone - A linkedin profile for somebody working for X years at a place advertises to the connected network that so and so is CELEBRATING X years @ Such and Such Inc. Do we know if (s)he is celebrating or cringing?  Perhaps a better way to portray will be - So and So LASTED X years @ such & such inc. Then it exhorts the readership to go ahead and congratulate them for this lasting effe...
2 comments
Read more