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Independence Day 2025: Three unique memories from the early days of freedom
Updated On: 15 August, 2025 09:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Shriram Iyengar
From people to objects to stories, the memory of India’s first decade of Independence lingers around the city in the most unexpected forms. On our 79th Independence Day, we unravel three such nostalgic memories that quietly carry the tinge of a new-born India
The last Viceroy of India, Lord Louis Mountbatten speaks at the Taj Mahal Palace two days after India’s Independence
Top-brass kaapi memories
MS Subbalaxmi singing the Suprabhatam and the wafting smell of freshly brewed filter kaapi. Anyone who has walked into Café Madras in Matunga for brekkie, knows that feeling. Since they opened doors in 1940, the restaurant has been sworn by their faithful brass filters that diligently brew 60 cups every batch.
The ancient brass filters on the loft of Café Madras
“We still brew only in brass filters. It is a tradition,” shares Devavrat Kamath, the third-generation owner of the Mumbai favourite. “In the pre-Independence era, brass was cheaper as a metal, and was also very malleable. This made it a favourite choice for utensils,” he explains.
Devavrat, Jagdish and Jaiprakash Kamath. Pics Courtesy/Devavrat Kamath
Though newer and younger brass filters have taken over the kitchen, the old warhorses continue to watch over proceedings, Kamath tells us. A wooden structure that covers the main shutter still houses utensils that recall the era. “We haven’t given them away. It is hard to find the same size filters these days. We source ours from a village near Udupi. Brass retains heat for a longer period, making them perfect for coffee,” he shares.
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