The city's most famous Bakery does not take the cake.They just make them along with an assortment of biscuits, breads and rolls. It's the customers who whisk them away and can't wait to come back for more.

Stories about Pune's most famous Bakery are legendary. People are known to set morning alarms to be there when the gates open at 7.30 am every  morning. Visitors are said to have missed flights as they were busy checking out biscuits when they ought to have been checking in. Customers actually settle for cake when there is no bread. Are these stories for real? Do shrewsbury  biscuits actually disappear by 7.47 am? By the way, what's 'shrewsbury'? To get our fundas about Kayani's and to experience Darwin's theory of survival unfold before our eyes, we paid them a visit and just about managed to squeeze our way in through a sea of humanity.

The bakery is on East street and is housed in an impressive Italian structure. Established in April 1955 by Kayani brothers, viz, Khodayar, Hormuzdiyar and Rustom, the establishment is today jointly run by 6 partners, comprising their sons and a grandson.There are 35 employees and 10 part-timers who manage the crowd and to keep their sanity intact. When Kersy, who has been here since it's inception, is asked if he is happy, "of course yes" is his emphatic reply.

Rustom, Khodayar's grandson who is managing the cash counter, smiles approvingly, "We look after our employees well. They have absolutely no reason to complain." He seems to be in a good mood, obviously kicked with Kersy's reply. Absolutely amazed by the continuous stream of customers, we turn and ask Rustom what was so special about the place, especially since the city is crammed with Bakeries. "Our 'shrewsbury' biscuits, he proclaims unabashedly. We are the only ones in the city who make it with Amul butter and it has a shelf life of at least one month. Besides, we do not retail it anywhere -- not outside the city nor within."

Who thought of the name 'shrewsbury'? Has it got anything to do with an English county by the same name.You know the British Raj fixation and all that? "No, absolutely not," grins Rustom. "Actually my Grandfather and his brothers hail from Iran and spoke a Persian dialect called 'Dari.' There is a word in 'Dari' which sounds very similar to 'Shrewsbury'and means "that which melts in the mouth". Around the same time, there was a biscuit available locally which was called 'shrewsbury' and my forefathers thought it was  a good idea to name their product 'shrewsbury' as well." We watch the employees go about their job, completely unruffled by the teeming crowds, placing the cakes and bread in Pink cardboard boxes. Bread seems to be still available.

Dazed by the proceedings, we  turn around and ask Rustom  who was doling out change ( to 8 guys this time ) what the day's turn over was like? "Around 50 to 60 K and a little more on Saturdays," was the matter-of-fact reply. And yet  the place and the people remain completely unaffected. No false ceiling, no air-conditioners. We peer at the goodies dwindling in record time from the wooden glass-covered shelves. We check out the customersand cannot help notice their diversity. Kayani's are undoubtedly great bakers but  what lit up our faces was to discover that it also happens to be the city's greatest social leveller. 
If you wish to try out some heavenly biscuits priced at a reasonable Rs 100/- per kg., sprint to:

Kayani’s Bakery,East Street,Pune 411 001 Phone:6360517.
Timings:7.30am-1 pm;3.30pm-8pm. Sundays closed