The great Indian thali

Indian thalis showcase diverse cuisine, culture, and shared culinary appreciation, write Anurag Mallick & Priya Ganapathy

The Indian thali is the ubiquitous wholesome meal served in the humblest wayside eateries, to the most elevated dining experience in palace hotels, resorts and fine-dine restaurants. Thali refers to the way a mixed selection of dishes is served together on one platter. Its roots lie in the shada rasa or six tastes of Ayurveda — a perfectly balanced meal with madhura (sweet), amla (sour), lavana (salty), katu (pungent), tikta (bitter) and kashaya (astringent) flavours. It’s hard to say when the first thali was created in India, but enough references in scriptures and literary works suggest its antiquity. The word thali is derived from Sanskrit sthalika or platter.

In Hampi, the erstwhile Vijayanagar Empire, the royal area features the Bhojanasala or dining hall near the Octagonal Pavilion. It served as a community dining area, indicated by food plates carved in two rows on rock slabs. Tiny bowls were etched at the corners of the stone plate to serve side dishes, much like the compartmentalised thalis of today!

In Kashmir, for instance, the elaborate Muslim wazwan feasts and Kashmiri Pandit cuisine (which excludes onion and garlic) stand out. Cloves at Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa in Gulmarg serves classic Kashmiri dishes on a traditional trami — an ornamental silver platter. Highlights include rogan josh (mutton curry), rista (meatballs in red gravy), and tabak maaz (ribs cooked in milk and fried in ghee), all served atop a generous portion of rice. Legend has it that the Kashmiri wazwan inspired King Jaistambh of Chamba to create a meat-free version, leading to the birth of dham, the Himachali feast.

Dham is a vegetarian festive meal cooked without onion and garlic by botis, a particular caste of Brahmins who are hereditary chefs. It is meticulously prepared in large brass vessels called batohis and charotis. Guests sit on the floor and are served on pattals (leaf plates). One can expect a meal comprising madra (rajma or chickpeas in yoghurt), khatta (black chana gravy with amchur), aloo palda (potatoes in yoghurt gravy), and sweet dishes like mitha bhaat (sweet rice). From Chamba to Mandi to Kangra, the Himachali Dham varies slightly in each region.

Amritsar is a prime destination for enjoying a Punjabi thali, which typically features dishes like maa ki dal, palak paneer, and seasonal sarson da saag. At Sandhanwalia Haveli, an ITC Welcomhotel, diners can indulge in a rich selection of regional Punjabi dishes, including karari machhi and murgh sarso tikka, along with traditional accompaniments like lassi and moong dal ka karrah (halwa) as part of their sthalika or regional spread.

The Gujarati or Kathiawari thali is perhaps the most renowned across India, with popular chains like Rajdhani and Khandani Rajdhani offering unlimited spreads. In Ahmedabad, rustic dining venues such as Vishalla provide a charming experience, while the rooftop Agashiye restaurant at The House of MG elevates the simple thali into a luxurious dining affair. Here, dishes range from Gujarati kadhi and savoury and sweet dals to valor muthia nu shaak (flat beans and fenugreek dumplings), pudina bataka (mint potato) and kachha kela karela kaju, and desserts like koprapak, mugdal shiroto and rajwadi bundi, showcasing the daily variations of this rich culinary tradition. 

On Maharashtra’s Malvan coast, seafood dominates the Malvani thali, often accompanied by sol kadhi. For vegetarian South Indian thalis, A Rama Nayak’s Udupi Shri Krishna Boarding in Matunga is a popular choice. Meanwhile, Shree Thaker Bhojanalay in Mumbai is famed for its Gujarati thali, serving unlimited meals in a welcoming setting since 1945. Pay no heed to the dingy access and modest setting for the warm hospitality and friendly staff floors you with their unending procession of farsan, dhokla, bhajis, bottle gourd, ivy gourd, kadhi, buttermilk, rotlis, rotlas, and sweets.

At fort for nearly 200 years, Pancham Puriwala has been whipping out UP-style thalis — a set of five puris, aloo bhaji, kaddu ki sabzi (pumpkin curry) and raita.

In Jaipur, Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar (LMB), a traditional halwai since 1727, introduces visitors to Rajasthani cuisine with its royal thali, featuring classics like dal-baati-churma and gatte ki sabzi. A bit further inland, Narendra Bhawan in Bikaner presents a unique ‘Plat de Bikaner,’ combining Rajasthani and Anglophilic influences. The Bikaneri spread has farsan, namkeen, achaar, chutneys, malai chicken kebab, maas ki tikki, laal maas, kale chane ki kadhi, missi roti, bajre ki roti, pulao, and in a quirky twist, ending with apple pie, cheese and coffee. 

The Oswal Jains, who migrated to Bengal in the 1700s, have created a unique culinary expression in Murshidabad known as Sheherwali cuisine, blending Rajasthani, Bengali, and Nawabi influences while adhering to Jain dietary restrictions. The dishes use Bengali ingredients like barbati (string beans), potol (wax gourd), kacha kola (raw banana), kathal (jackfruit) and Bengali spices, black mustard seeds and mustard oil.

In Jharkhand, The Open Field showcases local tribal cuisine through a thali featuring ingredients like kutumba (Thai brinjal) and haduwa (bamboo shoot). The extensive Jharkhandi thali includes staples like dhuska (thick rice puri), maduwa (ragi) roti, dal pitha (steamed rice lentil dumpling), chilka roti (rice batter dosa), katnausi (chicken offals with chana), green dal, aloo ghughni (potato pea curry), bodhi sabji (string beans), fried kutumba (Thai brinjal) and sweet potato chokha (mash).

South of the Vindhyas, the ‘South Indian thali’ is a catch-all phrase for a plated meal served on a banana leaf. Bengaluru alone has delightful regional variations — from an Udupi-style thali at MTR or New Krishna Bhavan serving chapati/poori, kurma, rice, sambar, rasam, veg palya, fruit salad, yoghurt, papad, pickle and payasam, to a more elaborate feast at the iconic Karavalli in Taj Vivanta, or Andhra-style meals at Nagarjuna or Bheema’s featuring thotakura pappu and gongura chutney. Tamil Nadu-style meals range from pure vegetarian to meat-heavy Chettinad meals at Anjappar Chettinad.

Numerous regional pop-ups and food festivals at prominent hotels provide excellent platforms to celebrate India’s culinary diversity, showcasing the unique stories behind each thali.

Whether enjoyed in a bustling market or an upscale restaurant, the thali remains a symbol of Indian hospitality and a testament to the country’s rich cultural heritage.

(The authors are travel/food writers and culinary consultants “loosely based” in Bengaluru. They run a travel/media outfit customising solutions for the hospitality industry, have authored guides and coffee table books, set up an award-winning restaurant and feature as ‘Dude aur Deewani’ in a food-based digital infotainment show. Follow their adventures on Instagram: @red_scarab or their Facebook page Red Scarab.)