BENGALURU, 9 MARCH

Rameshwaram Cafe at Brookfield near Whitefield bustled back to life on Saturday morning, eight days after a low-intensity blast at the eatery left 10 injured.

On Saturday morning, co-founder and CEO of The Rameshwaram Cafe, Raghavendra Rao along with his staff sang the National Anthem before welcoming the customers who had to pass through the metal detectors installed at the entrance of the eatery.

Customers were seen lining up inside the cafe to place their orders. By 8am, the eatery was back to its normal business serving breakfast to its customers as usual.

As customers settled into their favourite booths, the familiar hum of conversation filled the cafe once more. Laughter mingled with the clinking of cups, a comforting reminder of the normalcy that had been temporarily disrupted.

A sense of relief and joy filled the air as customers, some familiar faces, others new, patiently waited their turn. Shreya, an IT employee and a regular customer, told Salar News "It's fantastic to have this place back. Rameshwaram Cafe is more than just a place to get a cup of coffee, it's a hub for our community. It feels like things are getting back to normal.”

The security has been upped at the café. "We have doubled the security here and one security personal will be doing rounds now and then to ensure everything is alright. After the blast, it's everyone's responsibility to remain vigilant and keep an eye out for danger,” said a security official, who did not wish to be named.

Rao said, “We have strengthened our security team and are also trying to set up a separate panel involving ex-service personnel who could train our security guards at all our branches.”

The staff was in full swing to welcome its customers and serve them with the delicious food. "We're so happy to be back serving our customers. There's a special energy here today. It feels like a victory,” said Ramesh S, a waiter.

For many customers, the initial shock of the incident had subsided, replaced by a sense of solidarity with the cafe and its staff. “There were definitely more security checks than usual," said customer Akash Sharma, a software employee from Carelon Global Solutions, waiting patiently for his dosa. "But it's understandable. It makes me feel a little safer, to be honest.”