Hyderabad Trails had organised a Ramzan night walk recently and those who attended the event came back with a completely new picture of the Old City.
The walk started at 10 PM from the age-old Nayab Hotel. After treating their stomachs to a meal of rich, Hyderabadi food consisting of kebabs, kheema, haleem and chai, the excited bunch set out to soak in more of the Ramzan atmosphere.
They were surprised when Gopal Krishna, the organiser, decided to walk them through some of the kitchens of popular restaurants instead of treading the same old beaten path. They got to see traditional vessels in which the magic happens, like degs and handis.
“I could smell the beautiful scent of Attar every 20 feet, either from a store or from a person while we were heritage-hopping,” recollects Brinda Mysore, a college student from the US, who is here to visit her family. Gopal educated the enthusiasts about the monuments, and retold fascinating facts that even many Hyderabadis may not be aware of. “He told us about little nuances of the place that we would otherwise not notice, like the granite buildings with Islamic, Jain as well as Hindu styles of architecture in just one structure,” says Brinda.
Shivakanth Agrahar is another participant, who enjoyed the walk as well as the food, despite being a pure vegetarian. “I don’t eat non-vegetarian food, but it was interesting to see others eat and learn more about the cuisine,” says Shivakanth, a photographer based from Mumbai. For him, the walk was all about capturing the essence of Ramzan through the lens and trying to imbibe history into each one of his photographs. A regular at events conducted by Hyderabad Trails, he says it is a great way to explore the city and make new friends in the process.
The walk finally came to an end at around 2 AM, but the market around them had no plans to retire for the day. The buzzing crowd still thronged the streets and shopkeepers continued to usher them inside with tempting offers.
