Kozhikode’s Gudhaam Café: A unique blend of art, history, and cuisine

Discover Gudhaam, Kozhikode's art café and museum of happiness, blending antiques, art, and delightful cuisine in a historic setting.

On Gujarathi Street in Kozhikode, a quaint café serves stories with coffee and old ghazals. A musty scent of antiques mingles with the aroma of freshly made pasta.

Gudhaam, the art café, is Badayakandy Basheer’s dream project. The 72-year-old built the space and filled it with things he collected over the last 42 years. He has collectibles from over 38 countries, which find their place in Gudhaam. The café is situated in a 162-year-old building, which Basheer’s wife Rabia, bought years ago from Gujarati settlers in Kozhikode. It was once a warehouse to store rice, which explains the name of the café. Gudhaam, meaning godown in Hindi.

The seeker of the lost treasure

Basheer left for Dubai in 1976, in his early twenties to work as an assistant accountant with the city police senior department. He worked there for 18 years. Later, in 1996, he left his job to work for his family’s luxury furniture manufacturing business, ‘Al Marwan,’ in West Asia. This shift gave him the chance to travel to diverse lands and explore different cultures, which inspired him to bring home every piece that touched him.

Badyakandy Basheer with wife, Rabia | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Decades later, when he retired to Kozhikode, he found himself building this space to engage with society. His wife, Rabia, has always been an integral force in his life, contributing significantly to his success. Gudhaam was a museum for the last 10 years. A year and a half ago, Anshad Guruvayoor, a fashion photographer, chef and traveller, partnered with Basheer to convert the space into an art café.