Emerald Mithai Shop

Green is not only the color of emerald, but also that of Mother Earth, insists the mild-mannered Vijaya Ram. This talented painter-cum-businessman recently established Emerald Sweets, a store that offers, along with mouth-watering savouries, a message to protect and care for the environment.

An array of paintbrushes and beautifully framed paintings ushers visitors into Emerald. If you need a bigger hint to guess that this is no ordinary sweet shop, the wicker baskets hanging outside are just what you are looking for. Packaging boxes made of recycled paper containing educational messages and diagrams are piled high in a corner. And the proprietors of Emerald encourage their customers, including those going to the nearby temples, to carry sweets in biodegradable containers rather than in plastic. Though their pleas often fall on deaf ears, the owners are firm in their resolve not to allow any plastic into their store.

Emerald usually buzzes with activity in the evenings. Business, we are told, has improved since the new Tank Bund flyover has opened. The prices are about the same as those at G Pulla Reddy. The sweets are prepared in as little (refined) oil as possible, which make them relatively low on cholesterol. The service is fast, excellent, and always with a smile.