Let me tell you a small story about how these old Bangalore photographs ended up on the walls of Koshy’s.
This goes back to somewhere between 2008 and 2010. I happened to meet Prem Koshy, who is associated with Koshy’s. Prem never liked being called the owner—he preferred the word caretaker or custodian, which, if you know Koshy’s, makes complete sense.
I was introduced to him by Mr. John and his partner, and we were just talking—the kind of easy, unplanned conversation that seems to happen naturally at Koshy’s. At some point, the topic of old Bangalore came up, and I showed him a few photographs from my personal collection—images I had collected and restored over time.
He looked at the photographs for a moment, then looked around the café. He pointed at the walls and said,
“Master, that’s where they belong.”
I later realised he called most people master, but at that moment, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
What surprised me even more was what came next. I assumed the photographs would be displayed informally, maybe as a gesture or a favour. Prem immediately insisted otherwise. He was very clear that he would not take the photographs free of charge and that I would have to raise an invoice—something I honestly did not expect.
That insistence said a lot about him. It wasn’t just about the photographs; it was about respect—for work, for people, and for the space itself.
Today, these restored old Bangalore photographs hang on the walls of Koshy’s Parade Café on St. Mark’s Road, quietly sharing the café with generations of conversations, ideas, and memories.
Looking back, it feels less like the photographs found a home at Koshy’s—and more like they were always meant to be there.
Atul Prabhu
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