Golconda Fort to the Immortals

It was a Sunday to remember in Hyderabad.  

Having got up late in the beautiful campus, took a quick bath and got out.  One thing in Hyderabad that strikes you (particularly if you are from Chennai) is that autos charge reasonably. And the share auto system really helps new comers like me. Having hopped on one such, I reached Gachibowli flyover where Naadas picked me up. Immediately, we hit a Café. Now, in Hyd, Cafes are equivalent to the Chennai tea shops. People occupy seats with just a Chai for a long time and laze around talking and doing more talking. And you get those yummy butter biscuits to munch! We refreshed ourselves (you will find me coming back to food and refreshment today a lot of times!) We planned to go over to Golconda Fort and spend half an hour there. As we drove through Tolichowk, I noticed that there were a lot of shops with the name ‘Tawakkal’.  In Bangalore, have seen the same with ‘LSV’ named shops. 

When we reached the Fort, we were in for a surprise. It was a huge and magnificent one arising majestically on a hill. It looked glorious and something which we cannot cover in half an hour! No way! Found hordes of students from a school lining up. And in the front, four students were carrying a big anda (vessel) with Biriyani in it! In for a treat, I guess. Half the crowd will not climb up the hill for sure. My stomach started grumbling as I had not taken my breakfast yet.  Naadas and me took a quick tour for some time and then decided to come back to the Fort again on a weekday morning leisurely. 

Naadas dropped me at Bhaskara Ponduri’s home in Toli Chowk. Bhaskara had invited me for lunch and I should say that me skipping breakfast was a good thought in hindsight. Had Egg Biriyani with Chicken Curry and Fish curry. My…my…mouth watering! And rounded off with dessert. Thanks to his wife! Well…I forgot to introduce his cute kids – Nandhini and Avinash. All of us caught up on the climax of the Telugu movie Arya – 2 (nice one!). Well, bid them goodbye and Bhaskara came to drop me. As is the custom in Hyd (me learning fast), we hit a Café ..tea…biscuits…he he…. 

We then hit Inorbit mall in Hi-Tech City. Mall is quite big and built on top of a small hill (actually Hyd has a lot of rocky terrain. Me just getting it incorrect as hills, I guess…Well, coming from a coastal plains city like Chennai where even St.Thomas Mount is looked upon as a hill, this is no surprise, I guess). Our dear chairman Jagan had recommended a certain ‘Dialogue in the Darkness’ in this mall. I initially thought it was a pub. Oh dear…how wrong was I! It was not to dull my senses but rather to awaken something else so totally different that I could well have been blind. Yeah…you got it right. We were led through different situations (for almost an hour) as though you were blind (complete with a blind man stick and assisted by a blind person through the maze). The place is totally dark that shutting and opening your eyes gives the same result. And the gentleman who guided us (Jagadeesh) was such a nice one. Imagine being in the dark and looking out for that one voice which guides you. Atheist, any one? Ha ha….An eye opener really! Left an impression on me. 

Bhaskar dropped me back in campus around 7 pm. Just enough time to take a quick bath and get ready to a ….wedding! Well, the little time I spent in Hyderabad does not warrant attending a wedding. But…then ‘ovovuru friendum theva machan’ (har ek friend zaroori hota hai) (every other friend is important). My dear friend and thambi Kishore Temburu’s college friend happened to be a Choudhury and by God…having his wedding on that day (Bless his soul!). Now, I have got to tell a truth . Am a proud ‘osi soru’ (free food) lover. Countless instances in Chennai where I have gone to friend’s friend’s friend’s wedding who happens to be a Muslim/Christian (for the delicious Biriyani!) or one who offers a free drink. Putting that theory to practice again (with just a negligible persuasion from thambi), went to a lavish wedding with some great vegetarian food buffet thrown in. Munch…munch…! By then, it was 9 pm. 

Naadas called. Both of us rounded off with a movie (Immortals) at Talkie Town, Miapur. You won’t believe me. It was a 70mm air conditioned theatre with good sound systems in place and good seats. The ticket price was just INR 55 for Balcony! Well…the theater reminded me of Devi in Chennai (not the girl..the theater). About the movie…not worth talking except for a couple of CGIs. We drove through the freezing cold to catch another Chai before I hit the beds by midnight!