The Hyderabad that we see today is the product of multiple changes, evolutions and a complete metamorphosis. The streets weren’t always buzzing with traffic and the city wasn’t still awake at midnight. Hyderabadis share some memories of the city that once was. Shah Alam Khan, an erstwhile Nawab, says, “The best things of Hyderabad in the good old days were social manners and the cuisine. I remember the time when the Salar Jung family used to provide lunch for 50 people every day. Whenever they had guests over, they were not allowed to leave without having a meal. If someone was leaving their house at 12 pm, they would ask, ‘Have I done anything wrong? Why aren’t you having food at our place?’” he recalls.
He emphasises on the stark change that is apparent now. “The city has completely changed now. The dressing style, the food... everything,” he continues, “We used to dress up in sherwanis and topis back then. We didn’t even know what idlis and dosas were... now we see them everywhere. For us, it used to be kheema, kulcha, and many other traditional food. I remember when we used to enjoy a full meal of nari kulchas and curry in just two annas.”
Theatre artist Vinay Varma and film enthusiast Aprajita Sinha agree with Shah Alam Khan about the old charm of the city being lost. Says Vinay Varma, “Like every other city, Hyderabad has changed a little for the better and a little for worse. The skyline of the city is now dotted with apartments and there is hardly any greenery left. But regardless of that, I’ve seen everyone fall in love with our beautiful city and have seen families wanting to settle down here once they get a job.”
Aprajita adds, “What attracted me to Hyderabad in the 1980s was its unique culture, but the character that the city could boast of is slowly getting lost. Influential people back then are no longer calling the shots now. The power structure has changed. One thing has remained consistent though — the warmth of the people. Because of their amiable nature, people who come to Hyderabad don’t feel like leaving the place at all.”
