₹4,200 for Biryani baggage? Mumbai man's 'dedication' to Hyderabadi biryani wins Internet

A Mumbai man’s love for biryani has gone viral after he revealed that he paid ₹4,200 in excess baggage fees to carry biryani worth ₹5,000 back from Hyderabad.

Velton Saldanha shared the story on Instagram, documenting his 12-day culinary trip to the city and the biryanis he could not resist taking home. His carousel post featured plates of biryani from different restaurants, packed containers of food, and even a receipt for the extra baggage fee at the airport.

“Biryani Max Pro. 12 days in Hyderabad. Countless plates later… some meals were too good to leave behind. Because the best biryani isn’t just food. It follows you home,” he wrote in the caption.

One slide explained the cost of his foodie choice: “ ₹5,000 on biryani. ₹4,200 to carry it home. Hyderabad… I have a problem,” while another showed an airline receipt confirming the ₹4,200 excess baggage charge.

Another image displayed multiple food containers tightly packed in his luggage, with the text: “After 12 days in Hyderabad, I did what any sensible person would do… I packed biryani in my luggage.”

Saldanha also highlighted the biryanis he enjoyed the most, including Nalli Gosht Biryani from Krishna’s Kitchen, Sufiyani Biryani and Jangari Biryani from Voila F9 Gourmet, and Safed Biryani from Savya.

Here's how social media users reacted:

The post quickly drew reactions from fellow food lovers. “This is the kind of dedication biryani in Hyderabad deserves,” one user commented.

“Still a small price to pay for biryani,” added another, while one fan wrote, “Love this post!!!! Truly a hardcore biryani lover!!!”

Another wrote: “So, did you spend ₹9,000 in total for a biryani?”

Several users shared their own experiences of travelling with food. “At the Hyderabad airport, biryani can be carried in hand. Indigo was very sweet and said biryani doesn’t qualify as hand luggage,” one noted.

Another described a similar tradition in their family: “U did the right thing. Whenever my son travels his check-in baggage has to be that place favourite food. Biryani from Chennai, biryani from Hyderabad… pathar ka gosht… of course khubani ka meetha… ha ha. He paid excess baggage when he bought ceylon egg parotha n biryani from Chennai. Both of u r similar… foodie,” the user wrote.

The story has struck a chord online, celebrating the lengths some will go for their favourite meal.

‘Some of the best biryani I’ve ever had in my life’

Meanwhile, a UK artist who visited Mysore during his tour of India caught the internet’s attention after he was offered biryani on the roadside by a stranger.

“I was told to prepare myself for India, but nobody prepared me for this,” Lepani wrote in his Instagram post.

Lepani and his companions were walking down a busy street in Mysore when a fragrant aroma drew their attention. Across the road, a man stood behind a “giant cooking pot,” smiling warmly and waving enthusiastically as he ladled spoonfuls of biryani for passersby.

“I was hesitant at first, but we made our way over anyway,” he said. When he asked the vendor how much a plate would cost, the man replied, “Don’t worry, just eat,” before serving him what Lepani described as the biggest plate of biryani. Another man added chicken curry on top as Lepani ate alongside locals by the roadside.

He called it “some of the best (and filling) biryani I’ve ever had in my life.”