Tender coconut is one of the favourite, pure and nutritious beverages widely used across the country. The nutrients-vitamins, carbohydrates and mineral contents make tender coconut a wholesome drink which outbeats the most expensive delicious beverages available worldwide. This is one type of beverage which brings all classes of people to the roadside outlets to beat the summer heat. The medicinal value within, makes it the most sought after beverage for all age groups throughout the year.
An engineering graduate and alumni of St. Aloysius College, Seetharam Kamat owns one such tender coconut outlets in Dongarakeri area of Mangalore. Keeping pace with innovation of modern era, Seetharam Kamat has turned his small outlet into a full fledged juice/ice cream parlour and has achieved all this without compromising on the natural available nutrients of tender coconut.
People normally drink the water within tender coconut and leave out the nutritious white flesh. Seetharam Kamat uses the available tender white flesh to churn an ice cream and fruit filled product, what he terms as “Bonda Icecream.”
He uses the white flesh (inner layer) and blends it with different flavours of ice creams to suit the taste buds of customers. Banana, pineapple and grapes are added to the tender coconut “bowl” along with the ice cream. The flavours include chocolate, vanilla, litchi, strawberry, raspberry, honey and many more.
Once a lecturer at St. Aloysius College and then a production manager in industrial units, Seethram Kamat popularly known as “Bonda Maam” modernised his tender coconut sales outlet into a Bonda Ice cream parlour 4 years ago. Located near Sri Ventaramana temple of Dongarakeri area in the city, people flock to his outlet to relish the ever tasty Bonda Ice cream .
When a plain tender coconut costs around Rs 25-35 in the market , nutritious rich and tasty Bonda ice cream made by Bonda Maam costs less than a dollar.
Above all, affable and energetic Bonda Maam is a role model for the modern youth who love to associate with nature and remain employed at the same time!
