BANGALORE: Come Friday, Ballesh Biradar of Bagalkot and C Chandrasekhar of Gowribidanur will be extending their support to people and guide them to feel their food in the dark. We come across people lending a hand for visually challenged people on numerous occasions to cross the road. At Dark Hotel, situated on Jeevan bima Nagar Main Road, Biradar and Chandrasekhar will now serve customers who wish to devour their food in the dark. Perhaps, the Dark Hotel will be the first of its kind in the country to have a separate section for people to experience dining in ‘dark’. “This concept exists in a few foreign countries. I am introducing it not for monetary benefits but to create awareness among the public about visually challenged people,’’ said Sri Karunya, one of the partners of Dark Hotel and joint secretary of National Association for Blind, Karnataka.When Karunya proposed this concept, his business partner M R Ravindranath Tagore did not object to it in spite of the risk involved. ‘’It will not be a problem for us to introduce this concept here. I had agreed to it even though it seemed risky,’’ said Tagore. At Dark Hotel, 40 among 120 seats are reserved for people who wish to eat in the dark. ‘’Before entering the dark section, the customers will be educated on the dos and dont’s for a few minutes. Availing this facility is optional. For those who wish to have this experience can avail this facility and those who don’t can have their meals at the regular section,’’ says Karunya. The visually-challenged employees were given training for one week on mobility at the hotel. V Jayakumar, mobility trainer, National Association of Blind, Karnataka, had trained Biradar and Chandrasekhar. ‘’Both of them are able to serve food to the customers. We are planning to give a one-day training in ‘sighted guide technic’ for the hotel staff. We are also planning to train two more visually-challenged people to work as suppliers at this hotel,’’ said Jayakumar.For working at the Dark Hotel, Chandrasekhar and Biradar will fetch `4,000 each per month, excluding ESI and PF. They will also get a share of the service charges on par with normal staff. ‘’I will send my first salary to my parents,’’ says Biradar with a smile. Getting a job at Dark Hotel proved to be a boon for Chandrasekhar as he was in a dilemma when a component manufacturing unit where he was working closed down. ‘’I am grateful to the management of Dark Hotel. The salary I receive will be of great help to my family. My wife is at home since she has to look after our baby. Our’s was a love cum arranged marriage,’’ says a blushing Chandrasekhar. The Hotel Dark will serve Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai food. ‘’Middle-class families can afford to have lunch and dinner at this hotel,’’ says Karunya.
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