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22 APR

Mubarak Jalal

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Before coming to hyderabad I did an extensive research on the city, the places, its history and made a short list of things that I didn’t want to missdoing in Hyderabad. The internet is, of course, full of information. However, most of this online articles became useless once I hit the road. It wasonly the friendly people of this beautiful city, the auto rickshaw driver or the chai wallah uncle who helped and made my trip memorable.

I’m not saying that all the information available on net about Hyderabad are redundant. That would be a senseless statement. I’m of the opinion thatwhatever you know before putting your feet on the actual land may become useless. Except the Google route maps and bus numbers, I found veryless useful information on the Internet, at least the kind of things I’m interested in.

It was my interest in the history of Hyderabad that drew me towards this city. I had recently read ‘White Mughals’ by William Dalrympleand ‘Hyderabad: A City of Hope’ by Malvika Singh, and found it more and more interesting to research about the city. It was as if the auraof the past had wielded a canvas of bright pictures in front of me, and I was lost, my feet slipping off, into its details.

A Walk Around CHARMINAR, A Day in Hyderabad, An Experience…

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Hence, when I reached Hyderabad with my well laid out One-Day Plan, the whole journey was a challenge and at the same time an overwhelmingexperience.

BEGINNING THE DAYBEGINNING THE DAY

The day began with an early morning breakfast from SANMAN Vegetarian Hotel, Tarnaka. This hotel at the Tarnaka junction, in the Secunderabad-Uppal road, is one of the busiest eating places nearby where I was put up. Tiffins, Rice varieties, Veg Biryani and a range of usual hot beverages werein the menu. They served the food with a calm face and graciousness, that I instantly started feeling happy about the beginning of my day. I sat onthe first floor overlooking the junction, traffic growing larger and busier as the morning progressed. A Masala Dosa, served as a neatly folded thick,triangular folder, along with coconut chutney and sambar had satisfied my stomach. After paying a bill of just Rs.55/- for such a lovely breakfast, Iwalked to the nearby bus stop and boarded 3C bus towards Charminar.

The traffic at peak hours in Hyderabad, like any other city, is irritating. Everyone is busy to get somewhere. No one cares about others on the road.Hyderabad has a well connected public transport system. However, I found that only the middle class and lower middle class uses this option fortransport. The rest are inside their comfortable fourwheelers that crowded every other signal making the line of vehicles longer and longer.

AT CHARMINARAT CHARMINAR

I got down at the stop, looked around and didn’t see a single structure that even remotely resembled Charminar. Honestly speaking, I was confused. Idoubted whether I got down at the wrong stop. But, the bus I came in took a U-turn and went back the way we came.

A fellow passenger gave me directions: walk south straight on the Pathargatti road (the one we were standing on), pass by Charminar Police Stationand then you will reach the Charminar roundabout.

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I took a turn around the corner in the direction told and saw the elegant Charminar, standing as the phallus of the city, packed between dilapidated oldbuildings on either side that wearily showed their age. The structure grew larger, as I walked closer. The whole road was busy, crowded and noisy atten in the morning. Street vendors of all sorts had secured their positions and laid out the commodities in display. Bushy, white bearded old men inPyjama-Kurta passed me in their brisk walking. Little girls covered in Purdah, giggled and ran away when I pointed my camera at them.

Charminar- Four minarets. The number four has many more significance in the structure than just the minarets. Historian and retired deputy directorof the Department of Archeology and Museum, M.A. Qaiyum, has studied about this curious geometric reasoning that went behind the design ofCharminar, in his book ‘Charminar in Replica of Paradise’.

Each minaret is divided into four parts. There are four galleries built at different levels inside each minaret. The number of small arches decoratingeach side of the main arch is also four. Also, the ruler who built Charminar was fourth fourth Qutb Shahi king, Mohd. Quli Qutb Shah.

The insides of Charminar presents the some of the most amazing architectural styles. Curved domes, beautifully designed, curvy pillars and thestucco works – effigies of parrot, peacock, pigeons etcetera…

The view from the top of Charminar is magnificent. You can see the hurrying city not so far below, Mecca Masjid a little ahead in the road with itshuge front yard, about 250 m to the north Char Kaman, and Gulzar Houz (the fountain existing in the place of Char-Su-Ka-Houz that threw water infour cardinal directions symbolising the Quranic heaven with four canals of pure water, pure milk, pure honey and pure wine) in the middle of the road.

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As time flows, history becomes just another recorded for-the-sake fact. Enthusiasts decline in standard and inspiration. Monuments gets questionedon their authenticity or even at times completely forgotten and abandoned. Charminar too had to go through this terrible fate. A small temple of highlydoubted origin, at the foot of charminar, in recent years dragged it to court.

Consumed by the splendor of these historic structures, I spend more than two hours in walking around and closely inspecting each one of them. Inbetween, I went inside Mecca Masjid, it was the time for Zuhr Namaz. Believers stood in line facing Qibla and performed the prayer and I joined them,called by my faith by birth or by the sheer beauty of the act.

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By the time I came out of Mecca, I was exhausted by the sun, heat and my own feverish, over-curious walks. So, I decided to head out to have lunch.

THE TASTE FROM NIZAMI KITCHENTHE TASTE FROM NIZAMI KITCHEN

I had read a lot about Hyderabadi Biryani and Haleem, the most favoured dishes in the city. Couple of reviews I read online, boasted Shadab Hotel inold city to be the perfect place to savour the authentic taste from Nizami kitchen.

Retracing my path backwards through Pathergatti, confirming directions time and again, I was in front of the Shadab, a hotel colored in blue withcurves of glass panes jutting outwards. This place had a serene, royal ambience with yellow light creeping to the corners from lit bulbs, overshadowing the crowded tables. The interiors had an influence of the Nizam style.

Going through the menu, I found dishes I have never heard of. Some of the names were curious viz. Apollo Chicken, Murgh Musallam, Mutton BurBura. However, I settled for just the main course Biryani, which was something I had in mind all the while.

Hyderabadi Biryani is a royal treat. Layers of rice mixed with spiced masala, and finely cooked meat is served in a curved bottom vessel called Handi.Mirchi-Ka-Salan and raita came along as side dishes.

A spoon of that tasty cuisine in my mouth brought back memory of things I’ve read about the history of Biryani. The numerous varieties of Biryani,lavishly available all over India, has interested foodies to search the secret behind this rich dish. It is said that the Timur, The lame – Turko-Mongolconqueror- brought Biryani from Kazakhstan to Northern India through Afghanistan. This history is highly arguable. Another legend involves MumtazMahal, who prepared this dish as a ‘complete meal’ for the army.

I will never forget the taste of Hyderabadi Biryani, it had a uniqueness that distinguished it from all other varieties available elsewhere. Maybe it is thespecific spices they use, or may be the masala has a secret ingredient unknown to others, and of course, the meat cooked into that level of softtenderness itself is an evidence that the skill that went behind making Biryani is not an ordinary one.

I took a ten minute rest, sipping a glass of lassi, after the heavy lunch. The next in plan was to check out the streets of Charminar.

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BAZAARS NEAR CHARMINARBAZAARS NEAR CHARMINAR

A walk through the streets of old city near Charminar might seem difficult. The roads are entangled and interconnected at various points. One caneasily get lost. However, if you ask anyone around, they will guide you exactly to where you want to be.

The Laad Bazaar, located on one of the four main roads that branch out from Charminar is the biggest market for Bangles. The market has been inoperation from the time of Qutub Shahi rulers. Apart from bangles, the place is also famous for pearls, jewellery, silverware, brocade, velvet and goldembroidered fabrics etc…

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Moving on ahead, I found a number of antique articles and furniture kept for sale. Bowls, rings, table-tops, bracelets, small knifes and scimitars allhaphazardly displayed on top of a number of tables arranged in row. These might be antiques that were passed down generations, or given away insecond hand sale by the previous owners.

I came out of the streets and took a stroll in the old city fruit market, which I saw from the top of Charminar. Custard Apple, Pomegranates andGrapes were some of the majorly sold fruits there. The market was buzzing with the crowd and I had to edge my way forward to get to the other end.

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Till now, I thought, I have seen the life of the people, the markets and their food. But, how did their rulers live? I knew about the immense wealthNizams had in their perusal. But, how was their grandeur?

To know this and learn more about the history of Hyderabad, I got on to 73 bus to see Chowmahalla Palace.

THE GRAND NIZAM PALACE.THE GRAND NIZAM PALACE.

The monuments of the Nizam rule still gives away its old grandeur of majestic proportions. Chowmahalla Palace is four distinct palaces in onearchitecture. The original 45 acre palace has now come down to just 12 acres. Designed in the model of Shah’s palace in Tehran, Chowmahalla tookalmost a hundred years to complete construction.

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There is a lot to see and enjoy inside and around Chowmahalla, one can experience it only if he has been there. The Khilwat Clock in the Clock Tower,Council Hall with rare collection of manuscripts and treasured books and the Durbar Hall with gigantic pillars where Nizam sat on the royal seat aresome of the interesting portions inside this huge palace.

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I took a leisurely stroll through the palace corridors, inspecting every design on the walls, looking up at the grand structure of the roofs, gazing at theintricate patterns in chandeliers, and lost the idea of time.

It was already evening when I was out of the palace. Within sometime the sun was no more and the city darkened.

CITY IN THE EVENINGCITY IN THE EVENING

The city was crowded once more like in the morning. The inhabitants out of their work places, busying to get back home.

The whole day’s trip was exhausting. I had to walk around too much to get to places within the short time I had. Though it is quite comfortable tohave a single day trip in Hyderabad, one has to be here for more than just a day. Because there is much more to see in Hyderabad. The GreatGolconda Fort alone will take a day’s time to inspect. I couldn’t go to the Salarjung Museum, the largest single man’s collections of manuscripts andother artifacts. Similarly, neither could I go to Hussain Sagar Lake or Falaknuma Palace.

The city has consumed my thoughts so much that by the time I got out of the bus back at Tarnaka, I was already making plans for my next trip.

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