When one remembers St.Stephen's College, Sukhia-Rohtas Dhaba is one of the few things that instantly comes to mind. A little tin dhaba, selling samosas (hot sam), nimbu paani and gulab jamun (g-jams) is a phenomenon, as the dhaba is considered part of Stephanian lore and heritage. The Dhaba has its origins in the early 1930's when late Sukh Ram, popularly called Sukhia, set himself up as a pan wal
lah opposite the Maitland Hostel near Kashmere Gate. He initially sold pan at the rate of two banarasi pans for a paise. He later began selling pedas and burfis. In 1941, he too moved to the present campus along with his friend Manzoor Ahmed, affectionately called Bade Mian. They both set up shop near the present site of the Hindu College gate but soon shifted to a verandah where the Cafe Extension now exists. After the demise of sukhia (4th May 1986), the dhaba was managed by his son late Rohtas ,who with his sincerity, hard work and simplicity carried the legacy forward which was started by his father. The dhaba which not only served nimbu paani, samosas and gulab jamun ,but in reality served as the informal social hub of the college and all visitors to the college and has remained the nerve centre of the college for generations. Sukhia-Rohtas Dhaba has been an integral part of an institution's heritage and has a special place in the memories of all the Stephanians across the globe. Over the decades dhaba had become an institution within an institution.
