At Hussainsagar alone, there are more than a hundred pani puri vendors. Each seller easily dishes out over a thousand puris daily, serving not just food but a ritual of spice, crunch and conversation.
Hyderabad: For Hyderabadis, pani puri isn’t just a snack—it’s an emotion wrapped in a crisp shell, bursting with flavour and memories. Whether it’s monsoon evenings by Hussainsagar or roadside pushcarts, the love for these tangy delights runs deep and wide across the city.
At Hussainsagar alone, there are more than a hundred pani puri vendors. Each seller easily dishes out over a thousand puris daily, serving not just food but a ritual of spice, crunch and conversation. From shopfronts to hand-drawn carts, from cane baskets to wedding banquets, pani puri is everywhere—cheap, accessible and loved by people.
Meghana Joshi, a resident of Barkatpura, says, “A girl's love, a delightful pani puri is all that is needed to set the mood right. For some, it’s a date, for others, it’s a comfort food. The spice, the watery tang—it’s like life itself. Unpredictable, intense, unforgettable.”
Despite concerns about street food hygiene, pani puri’s popularity never dips. “Any street food can be risky if hygiene is compromised,” says M. Gayathri, a senior dietician at Apollo Hospitals. “But nutritionally, pani puri has potential. Chickpeas are rich in protein and fibre, carrots are antioxidants, onions support heart health, and the mint-tamarind water aids digestion and boosts immunity.”
Even weddings have embraced pani puri as a crowd-puller. At a recent reception of Nikhil and Deepthi at Raja Rajeshwari Gardens, a chaat stall became the star attraction before dinner. Teenagers and children gathered in droves for a quick fix of their favourite treat.
Saranya Gannavarapu, a self-proclaimed pani puri addict, fondly recalls, “My dad, my sister and I used to have eating competitions. Whoever ate the most won. Those are some of my best childhood memories.”
Hyderabad is home to several iconic chaat stalls. From Gokul Chaat in Koti to Shivling Chaat at Sindhi Colony, Shyam Singh’s at Begumbazar to Mayur at Hanuman Tekdi, each spot has a loyal following. “Pani puri is the king of all chaats,” says Prem Chand of Gokul Chaat. “People try other items, but they always end up with pani puri. We’re strict about hygiene. Even the water we use is mineral.”
One of the city’s oldest pani puri vendors is Bhavani Chaat Bhandar, a humble pushcart on Old MLA Quarters Road. “I’ve been here for 38 years,” says Davatatee Hanumanth Rao. “Before me, it was Amruth Rao Pate’s stall. We never shut, not even for a day.”
He grins as he shares an observation: “College girls love the sweet pani. They are my best customers. I sell over 1,000 puris a day. Today, it’s `20 for six. When I started, it was one rupee for the same!”
In a rapidly digital world, pani puri remains beautifully analogue—shared in person, devoured on the spot and remembered for a lifetime. As long as there are taste buds craving spice and hearts longing for nostalgia, this humble street snack will continue to rule.
