Mastani.......

To most people who are familiar with Maratha History , Mastani was the danseuse and concubine of Bajirao Peshwa I......on whom he must have spent a lot of his wealth ...to keep her happy and to show his love for her....he is supposed to have built a separate palace for her somewhere near Kothrud in Pune........

Most Punekar's including myself have been introduced to 'Mastani' sometime in our life, albeit of a different kind. A 'Mastani' on whom men and women ,young and old alike would be ready to spend the same amount of money......a 'Mastani' we all love deeply.....the pleasure one derives when one feels the touch of 'Mastani' to the lips just cannot be described....ok ok...before your imagination starts running wild...I’ll break the suspense.....the 'Mastani' I am talking about here is a milkshake with lots of ice cream and usually having the flavor of some fruit...the most popular flavor being mango....and believe me when I say this...its not possible to get a good 'Mastani' anywhere and everywhere.....the first time I had a 'Mastani' was in 1996 and since then I have tried having one at many places...but first impressions are lasting ones........the only place to get one would be Sujata Mastani House.......If you think I am prejudiced, then so would be scores of Punekar’s........to taste is to believe ....that’s my philosophy.....

If you know your way about the old parts of Pune then on a Saturday Night drive past Bhave Boys High School and then past Peru Gate Police Chowky and a little further down the street and you wont miss it to your right.......the crowd outside the place will be an indication that you have come to the right place......and do have an extra mango flavored one on my behalf....maybe two....gluttony...there I just committed one of the seven sins.....