Hyderabad Quest - 14th April 2011 to 17th April 2011

NB - The time mentioned here is in 24 hours format

Day 1 - 14 - 04 - 2011 - Well, it started on the 1st Day of சித்திரை (CHITHRAI), i.e. 14th April 2011, Thursday or popularly known as புத்தாண்டு (Puthandu) i.e. the Tamil New Year. This is the day, when we (Me, my sister and my aunty) had decided to start the commencement of our excursion from Nagpur to Hyderabad. Train number 12724, Andhra Pradesh Express - departure 09:50 from Nagpur and arriving Hyderabad(Nampally) at 19:50, but we were asked to get down at Secunderabad Junction at 19:15 on the same day, 14th April 2011. We left home around 09:00 am at reached the Nagpur Railway Station at around 09:15 am. We were escorted by our dad who readily volunteered to embark us to the train. We had our nanny (Rajam Pati) and mom say bye bye to us from the home. Rajam Pati had come to see us briefly in the month of April approximately from 03rd April 2011 to 22nd April 2011. We were crossing the overhead bridge as the schedule for the train was at platform 2. But as we were crossing the bridge, we saw a train entering platform number 2. As we started descending down the stairs of the over bridge to enter platform number 2, voilà!!!!, we were a bit amused as well as bemused to see train number 12724 arriving there, half an hour before the schedule. But, we were pacified by our father, that the train will not start before the specified time. Contented with his saying, we conciliated ourselves and started loading our luggages' and sat inside the train. Our coach number was S5 and the berth number of me, my sister and my aunty was 25 (LB), 26 (MB) and 28 (LB) respectively. We made ourselves comfortable and father left us after the train started moving. Meanwhile, we had some snacks and lot of chit chats.

Some of the stations which I remember are - Chandrapur, Balharshah Junction, Sirpur Kagaznagar, Belampalli, Mancherial, Ramagundam and Kazipet Junction. We had a lot of fun travelling, though the weather was very severe. It was scorching hot. In this kind of weather we had the fortune to enjoy the hot air in the sleeper class. To add it up, I don't remember it exactly but somewhere near Sirpur Kagaznagar we had the divine Providence of getting accompanied by a glabrous person. He had a negligible amount of hair over his head, and still he was combing it quite often. Me my sister and my aunty laughed so much holding our stomach, that, there came a time when I was afraid that the person would stand up and hit me. But the person was a thorough gentleman and he didn't even react to our laughter and I guess, he was presumably knowing, what we were laughing for. I got down once in the Kazipet Junction to get some doodh pedha and buttermilk as the dairy which was selling it appeared to be awesome "Vijaya Dairy". We all had some portion of it and had reserved some for the future and to distribute it in the house where we were about to reside. It was Shiva Uncle's place in Secunderabad. He had also asked us to give a call approximately at a distance of one hour before we reached Secunderabad. I gave him a call, and finally the train reached the Secunderabad station on time. He had come to receive us along with his son (our paternal cousin) - Venkatesh who was very innocent 7 - 8 year old kid. So, uncle had come in his scooter and while going back Venkatesh had accompanied us in the auto to their place near "Skandagiri Temple", Padmarao Nagar. We paid the auto driver around 60 to 70 ` approximately. We had spoken for around 60 ` but he charged us more for bringing the child with us and not negotiated about him before. We didn't want to have an argument there and we paid him 70 `. The home was very near to "Skandagiri Temple". So, me and my sister decided to go there. I had been there around 18 years back in 1993. I was just curious to know, the changes that have taken place in that temple subsequently. There was no empirical change I could spot, leaving apart the fact that "Skandagiri" at that point of time was sparsely populated and now people had gone leaps and bounds to get their house constructed. Located at Padma Rao Nagar, also called "Skanda Giri Temple", about 2 km from Secuderabad Railway Station. The word "Skanda+Giri" means The Hill of Lord Skanda, another name of Lord Subramanya. Lord Subramanya is primary deity is accompanied by Sri Valli and Sri Devasena. The other important sannadhis are Lord Sundara Ganapathi, Ekambareshwarar (Lord Shiva) accompanied by Goddess Kamakshi, Sri Varadharaja Perumal with Goddess Sridevi and Sri Bhudevi and Goddess Jaya Durga. While returning from the temple, to our amusement we were charged ` 5/- per pair of chappals. In south India, I learnt later on that, it is a common tradition to charge for safeguarding chappals whereas in Maharashtra, in most of the parts, it is free. We went home, had our food, chit chatted for a while and slept off as we were very tired because of the whole day exertion and we had to go to a number of places the subsequent day.

Day 2 - 15 - 04 - 2011 - The next day started, as we got up at 06:30 am, I went to the terrace of their house with uncle for having the glimpse of the city. From the terrace, I had a panoramic view of Gandhi Hospital, Osmania University and a few other places. I really felt nice after seeing all of them from the top of the house. Later on, even my sister and my aunty joined us to share a glimpse which was followed by a brief pranayama session in a mat which stopped in between as we had spotted "red faced monkeys" adjacently. Then we came down from the top of the house, and had some snacks and tea and had a bath with cold water. After having bath, we had chalked out the plan for the day. During that moment of time, I had an intention to also get myself prepared for the public examinations like Indian Engineering Services and Bank POs and Hyderabad was the hub for that. So, we had planned to visit ACE Academy and RACE Academy in Hyderabad. One was situated in 204, Rahman Plaza, Opp Methodist School, Fernendez Hospital Lane, Near Taj Mahal Hotel, ABIDS, HYDERABAD- 500001 and the other was situated in RACE - Rishi Academy of Competetive Exams, 2nd Floor, Rahamath Complex, Beside Russels Spoken English,

Ameerpet 'X' Roads, Hyderabad. Both were the extreme ends in Hyderabad and I personally didn't like them that much. In between uncle had offered me "Yalani" as it is called in tamil, for coconut water, near RACE academy. He had taken half day for the sake of taking me to two extreme ends of Hyderabad. Indeed, very generous of him. We went in a scooter to tour the city and every time we got down, the scooter's seat got heated up due to extreme heat. I thanked lord that I was here in Nagpur working in one of the premium colleges, Priyadarshini College of Engineering. While returning home, he showed me Begumpet Airport while driving over bridge. Begumpet Airport (International Civil Aviation Organization airport code: VOHY) at Hyderabad, also known as Hyderabad Airport, used to be the only international airport in Andhra Pradesh, but however, it is now defunct with the opening of the Hyderabad International Airport on the 23rd March 2008. It is a civil enclave located in Begumpet. The airport is host to the Andhra Pradesh Aviation Academy, Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy (RGAA) and the Begumpet Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force as well. We also booked our tickets to tour Secunderabad-Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Ltd(APTDC). Amongst several of its offices, the office where we booked the ticket was the place close to our house which was - APTDC, Yatri nivas S.P Road, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. I paid ` 270*3 = ` 810 for the tickets of three of us. This fare was for adults and the childrens' fare was ` 220/- per head. Initially, the bus was not available for the next day, i.e. 16th April 2011, but seeing the increase in the number of passengers or for whatever reason it was, the APTDC acceded in providing us with the bus service. After purchasing the tickets, me and my uncle went home around 13:00 hours from where we chalked the program for rest of the day. Both of us had our lunch and he proceeded to his office whereas I joined the group of my sis, aunty waiting for me to go out somewhere else. So, the group with whom I was about to go out for the next round comprised of my sis, aunty, bubana aunty and nandini aunty. But before going out, we had been to nandini aunty's place nearby (around 3 - 3.5 km from shiva uncle's place). We went there had some snacks and enjoyed the natural ambiance near their place. I also met Giri Uncle after around 4 years. There were whole lot of good trees like coconut and many others (I don't remember them as of now). We also had some discussion with regards to good and bad shops in Delhi from where, the clothes, books can/ cannot be purchased etc... etc... As Nandini aunty had lived in New Delhi for quite sometime. During this time, it so happened that it started raining cats and dogs and we had to speculate our plans of going out. But rains seemed to slow down and we began to confirm our plans to go out. Giri uncle also had offered to give me the keys of his car for touring, but I rejected the same as I was not sure on driving it in the city I don't know and take the risk. But it was very nice of him, of offering his vehicle. So, finally we stepped out of their house and started descending down the stairs when my sis slipped off and fell very very badly. Fortunately, it went off with a scar and no other injuries were seen.

We decided to go to Sultan Market for window shopping and purchased a couple of clutch purses worth ` 60/- each which was quite a good bargain. We generally had a look through many other shops including perls, which we didn't like. During the window shopping, we had corn chaat, corn bhel etc. just for ` 15/- and we had 4 cups of the same. In Nagpur, the same one cup costs ` 60/- each on an average everywhere. Also, we had Kulfi from one of the very famous outlets "Gokul" in Hyderabad. After having Kulfi, we started proceeding home. On our way home, we got down to buy some pickles near Nandini Aunty's place. Some of the pickles which were purchased by us include - dabakkai, ghonghura, avakai etc. After this, when we started walking home (Nandini Aunty's place), we came across Giri Uncle who had come walking from his place to get Hyderabadi Biryani for all of us. He said that the man selling that typically earned ` 20 - 30 lakhs each month. So, we went home and Giri Uncle had come with Hyderabadi Biryani for all of us along with some Pakoda. Meanwhile, we were joined by Shiva Uncle and Venkatesh who came from "Skandagiri".We all had delicious food after which I played chess with Hari and Venkatesh and had some good fun. Later on, we started proceeding towards our house (Shiva Uncle's Place), when Giri uncle offered us to drop by his car. I had remembered sitting on his car - DL 3C 2505, lastly on 10th January 2007 in New Delhi on my way to New Delhi International Airport, after which I was sitting today i.e. 15th April 2011 in Hyderabad. So, again sitting in the same car, but in a different place after a gap of 1557 days including the end date i.e 4 years, 3 months, 6 days including the end date. It can be further broken down into 134,524,800 seconds, 2242080 minutes, 37368 hours, 222 weeks (rounded down) :) . So, finally, we reached Shiva Uncle's place and there also we were chitchatting till approximately 00:00 hrs, were it reached a point, I was constantly dozing off. We concluded our day there when Giri Uncle and Nandini Aunty went back to their place and all of us went off to sleep.

Day 3 - 16 - 04 - 2011 - On the third day, me, my sis and my aunty started at around 06:15 from Shiva Uncles place to Yatri Niwas, where we were asked to report at 07:00. The bus started around 07:30 from Yatri Niwas. The manager of the Yatri Niwas used to remember my name amongst all, god knows how. I wanted to grab a PAN near yatri niwas, where that man called me by my name and prohibited me to get down, as the bus was about to start. There was also a café, nearing the yatri niwas, which presented itself beautifully; but the food did not appear good at all. The bus started and our first stop was in a restaurant near Hussain Sagar Lake. Hussain Sagar is a lake in Hyderabad, India, built by Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali in 1562, during the rule of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah. It was a lake of 24 square kilometres built on a tributary of the River Musi to meet the water and irrigation needs of the city. There is a large monolithic statue of the Gautam Buddha in the middle of the lake which was erected in 1992. At the end of the Hussain Sagar one can find the Masjid and Dargah of Sayedani Maa Tomb. We had a good amount of breakfast there, after which, we proceeded for the Birla Mandir. Birla Mandir on the Naubath Pahad is a Hindu temple of Lord Venkateshwara, built entirely of white marble located in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. What happened there was, there was a hell lot of line, to put chappals in the stand. So, we didn't go for the option of keeping our chappals there. What we did was, me and my sis went to the temple in the first batch while my aunty was looking after our slippers and it so happened that it was required to climb a lot of stairs. So, it took a considerable time for us to come back. It was very nice on my sister to have volunteered to cortege my aunty again till the top of the temple and come back, so that, it would be very easy for my aunty to come back again. She did a very wise thing by doing this, otherwise we would have really missed the bus. So, because of her efforts of bringing my aunty back in time, we hardly missed our bus. We also had discordance with the bus driver and he requested us to be on time. Next we went to Salarjung Museum. Here, we were not allowed to carry camera with us. So, we had to deposit the camera near the entrance itself. The Salar Jung Museum is an art museum located at Darushifa, on the southern bank of the Musi river in the city of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the three National Museums of India.It has a collection of sculptures, paintings, carvings, textiles, manuscripts, ceramics, metallic artefacts, carpets, clocks, and furniture from Japan, China, Burma, Nepal, India, Persia, Egypt, Europe, and North America. The museum's collection was sourced from the property of the Salar Jung family. A bewildering variety and array of clocks greets the visitor in the clock room. There are ancient Sandiaers in the form of obelisks to huge and modern clocks of the twentieth century. Others in the range vary from miniature clocks which need a magnifying glass to imbibe their beauty and complexity to stately grandfather clocks from as far away as France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Britain. A visual delight is the musical clock Salar Jung bought from Cook and Kelvy of England. Every hour, a timekeeper emerges from the upper deck of the clock to strike a gong as many times as it is the hours of the day. The Indian Parliament has declared the museum an Institution of National Importance. The museum is open from 10:00 to 17:00 (except on Fridays). Our next spot was Nizam's Jubilee Pavilion located near Purani Haveli in Oldcity. The pavilion is open from 10:00 to 17:00 (except on Fridays). One of the most important places of tourist delight in Hyderabad is Nizam's Jubilee Pavilion Museum. Here also camera was not allowed. It is situated near Purani Haveli, a place acquired by Nizam II around 1750. The museum has a vast collection of objects including gifts and mementos presented to the last Nizam on the occasion of the silver jubilee celebrations in 1936. A 1930 Rolls Royce, Packard and a Mark V Jaguar are among the vintage cars displayed. There are also models made in silver of all the prominent buildings of the city and citations in Urdu about H.E.H. Mir Osman Ali Khan, gold burnished wooden throne used for the silver jubilee celebrations, gold tiffin box inlaid with diamonds, gold model of Jubilee Pavilion, silver coffee cups studded with diamonds. Silver filigree elephant with mahout are some of the notable items on display. Then we preceded to Chowmahalla Palace. Chowmahalla Palace or Chowmahallat (4 Palaces), was a palace belonging to the Nizams of Hyderabad state. It was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and was the official residence of the Nizam. In Persian, Chahar means four and in Arabic Mahalat (plural of Mahal) means places, hence the name Chowmahallat/four places, or four palaces. All ceremonial functions including the accession of the Nizams and receptions for the Governor-General were held at this palace. The prestigious UNESCO Asia Pacific Merit award for cultural heritage conservation was presented to Chowmahalla Palace on March 15, 2010. UNESCO representative Takahiko Makino formally handed over the plaque and certificate to Princess Esra, former wife and GPA holder of Prince Mukarram Jah Bahadur. Next we had a drive around Charminar and Mecca Masjid after which our next spot was zoo. Nehru Zoological Park (also known as Hyderabad Zoo) is a 380 acres (150 ha) zoo located near Mir Alam Tank in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is one of the three most visited destinations in Hyderabad.Zoo hours vary by season, and the zoo is closed on Mondays. Nehru Zoological Park was a very worth visiting place, which had a miniature train, for touring around the zoo. By the time we reached the zoo, my sister was not well due to a very hectic schedule. So, we decided to rest there and we let the bus go off and we opted not to see - Golconda, Qutubshahi Tombs and the Lumbini park. There in the zoo we had lots of fun. We had a chance to see many of the animals which are rare to see elsewhere, like the white tiger. Moreover, it was an open zoo. We also had lots of Dairy products like - kulfi, milk and buttermilk in the "Vijaya Dairy", located in the zoo. So, after we freshened up we took an APSRTC towards station. We got down a little ahead of Pizza Hut and took an auto to reach the hub as we were unaware of its location. Myself and my sis were very desirous of having something in the Pizza Hut Hub as we don't find it over here. So, all of us including aunty, had pizza and garlic bread in the Pizza Hut. The taste was pretty good. After that, we had to again pay 60 to 70 ` approximately to the auto driver to reach home. While reaching home by auto, we were exasperated with the traffic jam. There is a lot of traffic jam in this city, seriously. After our reaching home, we had a good chit chat with everybody and even Giri Uncle and Nandini Aunty had come to Shiva Uncle's place and the chat session lasted for around 00:00 hrs and we concluded our day.

Day 4 - 17 - 04 - 2011 - This was the day of our departure from Secunderabad. We started from our house at 06:00 hrs approximately, again with Venkatesh and Shiva Uncle. But this time, we were at the entrance of the station near the house. Shiva Uncle got himself platform tickets along with Venkatesh. There were a couple of announcements going on in Telugu, when the name of our train was also announced. Our coach number was S8 and the berth number of me, my sister and my aunty was 51 (UB), 50 (MB) and 53 (MB) respectively. Train number 12723, Andhra Pradesh Express - departure 06:25 hrs from Hyderabad i.e. at around 07:00 hrs from Secunderabad and arrival at Nagpur at 15:45 hrs. It started on the right time and Shiva Uncle was there till the train departed. The weather was very severe on return as well and it was very hot. Again, I got down once in the Kazipet Junction to get some doodh pedha and buttermilk from "Vijaya Dairy". We also took some back home. We finally reached home at the right time, a very hectic trip tough (because of heat), but a very wonderful experience.