A bakery that inspired cricketers closes down after 84 years

By K.R. Nayar

For most of us, there would always be something that remains a nostalgic memory from our childhood days. In Trivandrum, where I spent all my early years of life, there was a small bakery called Santha Bakery, nestled in the heart of the city. It will always remain a cherished memory because every item sold here was delicious. For me, this bakery also played a motivational role in my journey as a cricket player and writer. The news of its closure after 84 years is now a painful reminder of its legacy.

 

Some of the former cricketers assemble bidding goodbye to their favourite bakery   

Santha Bakery was more than just a place where I enjoyed cakes and puffs; it was a shop I revered. The three sons of P.M. Krishnan, the owner of the bakery, were brilliant cricketers—fearsome pacers, to be precise. P.M.K. Mohandas, P.M.K. Raghunath, and P.M.K. Premnath were renowned names those days. Mohandas was even mentioned by India’s legendary player E.A.S. Prasanna in his book One More Over as one of India’s fastest bowlers.

 

Santha Bakery's last Christmas

It was natural for me to glance into this bakery, that opened in 1940 — seven years before India’s independence—located at Pulimoodu Junction (between the Secretariat and General Post Office) whenever I passed by. I often hoped to catch a glimpse of one of the three pacers, who would often be there at the entrance.

 

PMK Mohandas
Photo courtesy former Kerala allrounder JK Mahendra 

Once, while playing against P.M.K. Raghunath, I missed his lightning-fast delivery, and the ball struck my abdomen guard. Upon returning to the pavilion after getting out, I discovered the guard had cracked due to the impact of his pace. Later I realised that I wasn’t the first to experience this. Had I been a journalist then, I might have coined a term for his deliveries, akin to Waqar Younis’s “toe crushers.”

 

PMK Raghunath
Photo courtesy former Kerala allrounder S Santosh 

In those days, there were no speed radars to measure a bowler’s pace. On one occasion, I witnessed a bouncer from Reghunathan fly over the top of the practice nets at Central Stadium. Many wondered if the secret behind their strength lay in the bakery’s tasty puffs.

 

P.M.K. Premnath, also known as Ronchu, was my college team captain. I was the youngest team member, and playing under him was a thrilling experience. Perhaps my admiration for the fearsome pace of the brothers amplified their larger-than-life stature in my eyes.

 

Arts College captained by PMK Premnath after winning the A division league. Seated first from left is Premnath and to the right of the cup is yours sincerely 

The role this family has played in Kerala cricket is immense. The father, P.M. Krishnan, was instrumental in founding the Travancore-Cochin Cricket Association, which sowed the seeds for popularizing cricket in Kerala. Following the formation of the Kerala state in 1956, the association was renamed the Kerala Cricket Association. The brothers also took pride in their uncle, P.M. Raghavan, who had captained the Travancore-Cochin team in the inaugural Ranji Trophy match. Raghavan’s son, A.P.M. Gopalakrishnan, also played for Kerala.

 

Santha Bakery owner PM Krishnan,  played a  big role in popularising cricket in Kerala 

Santha bakery’s prime location made it a convenient spot for fans to purchase match tickets when Ranji Trophy and international matches were held in the city. During my tenure as the joint secretary of the Trivandrum District Cricket Association and as part of organizing committees for international matches, I remember delivering ticket bundles there to be sold.

 

S K Nair the former BCCI secretary with Premnath at the bakery 

Before the bakery’s closure, Premnath posted a heartfelt voice message in our WhatsApp group for fellow cricketers. He recounted the celebrities who had visited the bakery, including the legendary communist leader A.K. Gopalan, former chief ministers E.M.S. Namboodiripad and E.K. Nayanar, athletes like P.T. Usha and Shiny Wilson, and actors such as Satyan, Sivaji Ganesan, and Gemini Ganesan (father of Bollywood actress Rekha). The main purpose of his message was to invite cricketers to take a photo in front of the bakery before it closed down.

 

P.M.K. Mohandas passed away in 2004, and P.M.K. Raghunath in 2016. Since then, Premnath had been running the bakery on his own. The decision to close down this legendary outlet was driven by Premnath’s health issues and the younger generation’s lack of interest in continuing the business. “I didn’t want to hand it over to a franchise since the bakery was always run by us, and most of the items were made by us,” he remarked. The sadness in his voice was evident as he concluded his message sharing his sorrow with fellow cricketers.

 

Santha Bakery may not have scored a century, but at 84 years, it has lived through a thousand full moons. Bakery items bring joy to every taste bud, but Santha Bakery, along with the beautiful aroma it generated from its goodies, also dished out many delicious memories for cricketers.