Pav-er wipes

Vada pav tea towel

Urban legend has it that a vendor called Ashok Vaidya, who ran a food kiosk outside Dadar station back in the 1960s, was the first to slap a golden-ish, orb-shaped batata vada between a pillowy-soft, half-sliced pav, slathering it with some chutney and throwing in a couple of fried green chillies.

The rest, as they say, is culinary history. From roadside thelas to sit-down restaurants, the ubiquitous snack has made its way into the hearts of Mumbaikars and the rest of the world, so much so that there's even a day dedicated to honour it. And Delhi-based indie home décor platform Rihaa has paid a tribute to this quintessential Mumbai street food snack by designing vada pav-themed tea towels.

People eating vada pav in the city

Started by Dr Bahaar Meera Jain and Kevin Wilson, Rihaa is a nine-month-old brand focused on bringing handicrafts by local artisans to the fore. Designed on a canvas of white, cotton waffle towels, the colourful hand-block-printed vada pavs pop out - perfect to brighten up home-bound chai time. "We were thinking what we could do for the monsoon, and vada pav just clicked with us, since both of us had fond memories of eating it during the rain in Pune," shares Wilson.

Log on to: rihaa.com
Cost: Rs 499