Theetta Rappai Biography 
Theetta Rappai was a competitive food eater from Thrissur, Kerala. Quite popular for eating enormous quantities of food, his name had been included in the Limca Book of World Records. His food habits are quite unbelievable for a normal man. He used to eat 75 idlis every day for breakfast! His usual diet includes 75 idlis for breakfast, buckets of rice and curries for lunch, and 60 chapattis for dinner. He came to limelight for the first time when he cleared off all the prepared food in a hotel at Thrissur on an all-you-can-eat buffet ticket and told he was still hungry. Though he was a nightmare for all hoteliers of Thrissur who planned buffets, he was regarded quite lucky for restaurant owners, if food was first served to him during inauguration. He was regularly called for inaugurations for hotels at Thrissur and displays his photos with hotel logo too.
He was born in 1942 in Thrissur town. He shot to fame after he polished off three bucketfuls of rice, one bucket of fish curry, and 10 kg cooked meat in an all-you-can-eat buffet arranged at a restaurant of Thrissur. Even after finishing the whole food at the hotel, he said, ‘I am Hungry’. Later the restuarent owner had to call police to send him off. At the peak of his ‘eating’ career, he once created a record of 750 idlis or 25kh halwa or 25 litres of milk payasam (kheer) all in a go. He had the ability to eat three bucketful of rice, 1 bucket fish curry and 10 kilo meat in a single serve. He loved to eat vegetarian diet than non-veg diet. He was unmarried.
One may wonder, was he so rich to feed himself? He worked as an errand boy for the rich and famous who repaid him through food. Every day morning he starts from his home with his favourite leather bag and travels to elite areas of Thrissur town such as Mission Quarters. He approaches rich people only, like doctors, businessmen, landlords etc. His job was to collect money from their homes and remit at banks or other finance institutions. In return, each home would serve him 10-15 idlis or dosas. That’s how he arranges his breakfast. At correct 11.30 am he reaches the famous vegetarian restaurant of Thrissur town – Bharath Hotel. During early days, the hotel owner used to serve the first meal for Rappai before serving other customers. In 10 minutes he cleans of a bucketful of rice. He completes the lunch with half bucket Rasam.
One may wonder how he was able to finish this huge quantity of food. He suffered from a hypothalamus dysfunction and brain cannot sense when to stop the meal. He has participated in many eating competitions and people fondly called him ‘Theeta Rappai’ which literally means Eating Rappai. He was a good cook and used to give reviews on the food he eats at restaurants. He entered the Limca Book of records and it was his wish to enter Guinness Book of World Records too. But following serious stomach problems and diabetics, his doctors instructed him to control his diet. He was dieting for the last one year before he died in December 2006. Now almost one decade has passed since Rappai passed away and Thrissur people haven’t forgotten him yet.
Published: N/A
Updated: April 24, 2016
