City Museum depicting Hyderabad`s history inaugurated

The City Museum, an extension of the Nizam's Museum at Purani Haveli, was thrown open to the public on Monday offering a riveting slice of history to its visitors... More at the official Website http://www.hehnmh.com/city-museum - Hear Muffakham Jah, at this inauguration.

On the same shelf:

Unveiling the past, YMalaiya @ Yahoo Groups

Neolithic to nizam, Hyderabad, it turns out, has a 4,000-year history. A new museum aims to acquaint people with the rich heritage of the city
Itishree Samal / Hyderabad Mar 25, 2012

Hau (yes), nakko (no) and kaiku (why), are words still widely used by Hyderabadis. The words may sound like Bambaiyya Hindi but they are in fact Deccani Urdu. Not many locals will know the story of their own tongue. Deccani Urdu is a mix of Persian, Turkish Arabic, Khari Boli, Sanskrit and Punjabi, later influenced by Marathi. You would know this if you visited Hyderabad’s new City Museum.

It is an initiative of the Nizam’s Jubilee Pavilion Trust, a non-profit formed in 1957. “The Trust came up with the idea of a City Museum for tourists to acquaint themselves with the history and cultural heritage of the city,” says chairman (Prince) Muffakham Jah.

Documented history says a city first arose here when Golconda fort was built by the Kakatiya kings (11th-14th centuries CE). Modern Hyderabad began as a garden suburb outside Golconda, built by a Qutb Shahi sultan in 1591. A century later the Mughals took over, and after them the Asaf Jahs ruled Hyderabad until Independence. Under the Asaf Jahs the city grew rich trading diamonds, pearls and handicrafts.

But Hyderabad is much older than this history suggests. In 2004, ancient objects were dug up in the IT suburb of Gachibowli. “Few Hyderabadis may know that 4,000 years ago the entire area of the city was inhabited,” says Jah. Jah is the grandson of the last Nizam. “The Museum is all about the city, its people, their creations, achievements and lifestyle.”

An arresting slice of history, Times of India

A Hyderabad you didn't know about, Times of India‎

"Unveiling the past". Times of India.

Hyderabad gets city museum: Hyderabad of yore - when musk (mishq) was sold for Rs 44 a litre (ser)Syed Akbar Journalist

VIDEO (2:42) Hyderabad City Museum Inaugurated By Prince Muffakham Jah (TV5) LIS Trends

HEH the Nizam’s Jubilee Pavilion Trust Inaugurates the City Museum, Concept Public Relations India Limited

Hyderabad - where diamonds were embedded in people's hearts, Charminar Connection

Journey into Hyderabad’s hoary past, P S Jayaram Khaleej Times

 The "Tarboush" Caused Egypt-Turkey Flap huffingtonpost.com --A comment by Mohammed Ayub Ali Khan: "This writer missed the fact that Tarboush is also worn in far away locations like Hyderabad where it is called the 'Roomi Topi." It's popularity is waning in the city but is still holding out. (It is not easily available as it used to be about 15 years ago.)It can also be seen in the hyderabadi diaspora communities----most prominently in New York, Chicago, and Toronto."-- See also similar thought in Turks in India by M. A. Qaiyum.

BASICALLY HYDERABADI @ The ICONART Gallery by Syed Rayees Ahmed

Essence of Hyderabad
November 9th, 2009 Deccan Chronicle

"Basically Hyderabadi at first glance, is a trip down memory lane for most of us who have lived in the city. The scenes and profiles are bound to evoke images of experiences that one has had in Hyderabad."

"Quintessentially Hyderabadi, the paintings depict the leisurely pace of the old city, of women clad in burkhas strolling in an unhurried manner through bazaars, a group of bearded men clustered together and a charcoal sketch of an old fakir with a flowing beard."

"The artist, Syed Rayees Ahmed, has resorted to the cubis style, the provenance of renowned artist Pablo Picasso, for his paintings. Crisp geometric lines with bright colours bring out the colourful attire of the Hyderabadis beautifully. In sharp contrast to the gaiety in their attire, their expressions remain somber and unassuming, born of a simple and unquestioning faith in their way of life. This is a style that has been inspired by famous artist, Laxma Goud, whose artwork has similar flashes of colourful raiment in marked contrast with charcoal-grey poker-faced expressions."

... In short, the collection makes for an interesting viewing. Basically Hyderabadi — Chronicles of Old City is on view at the Iconart Gallery till November 20.

continue reading the full story

On the same shelf:

• Syed Rayess Ahmed
  

• footloose: the essence of hyderabad

Hyderabadi Humour and Hyderabadi Slang - Revisited

Information courtesy: KnowAP

Hyderabadi Humour Still Alive & Kicking
Written by Biligiri Ranga, Thursday, 15 January 2009 (abrdiged version @ Charminar Connection)

Contents: SOME HYDERABADI PUNCH, DAILY, FOOD, NEW GENERATION (MALES), NEW GENERATION (FEMALES), FINDING A MATCH (LADKE WAALE), FINDING A MATCH (LADKI WAALE), FINALLY SHAADI KE DIN, HYDERABADIS IN GULF, Brace up for more rib-ticklers from the Hyderabadi, FINAL TAKE!

“Ah! Hyderabad” exclaimed a smart IT professional Shekhar. “To me it conjures up images of Charminar, Golconda Fort, and then of course, its famous Biryani, Haleem and last, but not the least, its famous humour. Hyderabadis are for as long as I can remember, famous for their unique style of humour and can come up with rib ticklers that will make you rock back with laughter for days put together.” That unique humour is still intact, still flourishing and still alive and kicking despite the influx of IT BPOs, Tollywood, Hitec City and of course, the chaotic traffic.

Like everybody else across the world, in today’s times of meltdown and terrorism, the people of Hyderabad have their own set of troubles. But all of these have not deterred their sense of humour and their ability to come up with wisecracks. As Dhurv Shankar, who works for Google India, puts it, “With the stupendous growth of our city, there are a lot of non-Hyderabadis in the city, today and core Hyderabadis such as myself are now faced with the task of converting them. Hyderabadi humour has a way of growing on you and I've seen many people adopting it and loving it. It’s still very much there, but it’s just more active on weekends.” Raman Kumar, a long-time Hyderabadi resident and a marketing professional working for a reputed MNC echoes Dhurv Shankar’s views, “The times we live in are a whole lot different, life has become too fast-paced and more importantly people are caught up in the vortex of their lives bogged down by high cost of living and other fracas. That old style of humour may have got rusted with the passage of time, yet now and then it comes alive particularly during festivals and celebrations.”

When it comes to laughing at themselves and cutting jokes, Hyderabadis have always been a class apart and come second to none. In their inbuilt merriment armory, they have a big heart that throbs with cutting-edge deprecation, the unique lingo to boot and yes, tongues that come laced with the gift of the gab. As city-born filmmaker Kuntaa Nikkil, with stints in Hollywood films in Los Angeles and a celluloid venture called ‘The Angrez’ that has loads of Hyderabadi humour, to his credit, says, “Hyderabadi humour is distinct and earthy. The quintessential accent makes it all the more lovable. For an outsider, it can be a side-splitting experience.” continue reading

On the same shelf:

YaHind.Com - Articles - Shugoofa's Abid Moiz Number

View forum - طنزو مژاح

MUJTABA HUSSAIN AT SIASAT | Siasat

URDU’S PROGRESSIVE fiIT: sULAIMAN KHATIB, sARVAR “dANDA” AND tHE sUBALTERN sATIRISTS fiHO sPOKE UP, SYED AKBAR HYDER, The Annual of Urdu Studies

Hyderabad goes global with Haleem-e-Khas

FE THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS SUNDAY STORY

BV Mahalakshmi: Sep 28, 2008

Be it an off-season or mid-season, the traditional haleem from Hyderabad is going places. Gati, the express distribution and supply-chain management company, will soon be shipping about 600 kg of haleem worth Rs 6 lakhs to middle-east for a confirmed order. continue reading

In The Bazaars of Hyderabad, Revisited

Madhumita Gopalan's visualizations of the Lad Bazar and Charminar area during Ramadan (click here for other pictures):

"...I'll leave you with this poem by Sarojini Naidu called "In The Bazaars of Hyderabad", that beautifully describes the Charminar experience :)
What do you sell, O ye merchants ?
Richly your wares are displayed.
Turbans of crimson and silver,
Tunics of purple brocade,
Mirror with panels of amber,
Daggers with handles of jade.
What do you weigh, O ye vendors?
Saffron and lentil and rice.
What do you grind, O ye maidens?
Sandalwood, henna, and spice.
What do you call , O ye pedlars?
Chessman and ivory dice.
What do you make, O ye goldsmiths?
Wristlets and ankles and ring,
Bells for the feet of blue pigeons
Frail as a dragonfly's wing,
Girdles of gold for dancers,
Scabbards of gold for the king.
What do you cry, O ye fruitmen?
Citron, pomegranate, and plum.
What do you play, O ye magicians?
Spells for aeons to come.
What do you weave, O ye flowergirls
With tassels of azure and red?
Crowns for the brow of a bridegroom,
Chaplets to garland his bed,
Sheets of white blossoms new-garnered
To perfume the sleep of the dead."
--Sarojini Naidu

Another Blogger, Gautam Valluri's comment on the above poem:
"In The Bazaars of Hyderabad is a classic poem by Sarojini Naidu which I first read in school. Coincidentally, Sarojini Naidu was also a student of my school- St.George’s Grammar School, Hyderabad."

Pictures from Mirrors in Hyderabad -- Mirrors Salon and SPA

Pictures from Mirrors in Hyderabad by Posted by Sukku: "I hope you enjoy these photo's taken at Mirrors as I certainly did. I liked the small pool or pond if you like to call it with a water lily. Do let me know what you think." ***

See also directory of Beauty Salons @ Hyderabad and Secunderabad Blog [PS: All the information has been sourced from the Internet unless specified otherwise.]

***More by Sukku on Hyderabadi culture:

• Pictures from Hyderabad
• Pictures from wet and gloomy Hyderabad
• Bad weather and traffic jams
• Off to Hyderabad

Mera Bharat Mahan - Food Map & Tour Map of India

Taste, flavor, Site, Sight & Essence of India:








Map info courtesy: Yasir Sait and rakshith

The World in Pictures -- Colors of Hyderabad

Experience the world without having to leave your desk. View daily gallery of striking images from our the globe.
INDIA - A child plays among sarees out for drying at a cotton saree factory in the outskirts of the southern Indian city of Hyderabad. Back to: The World in Pictures - Photo gallery of images from around the world - MSN UK News - news & weather

H for Hyderabad: Alphabetical Index of Hyderabad in Pictures

Art-wise:

C for CHAR - MINAR

H for Hyderabad @

A for Arts College;
B for Birla Mandir;
G for Golconda;

Q for Qutub Shahi Tombs;
F for Falaknuma;
M for Mecca Masjid,
and more @ 7wondersofhyderabad.com

NB. For more alphabetical visuals and details, enter your info in the comment section and submit your email, too. The Blogmaster will respond in one business day. 

On the same shelf:

A for Aghapura
B for Baba Nagar
C for Champapet or Chaderghat
D for Dhulpet or Dabeerpura

how many hydi localities names can you figure out with alphabets A to Z by Gorekhan Hyderabad Kiii Jaaaannn

" Yeich Hai Dekho Old City ...... Apan Ka Purana Shaher , Yaroooo .....

A for Aghapura
B for Baba Nagar
C for Champapet or Chaderghat
D for Dhulpet or Dabeerpura

Fun Aur Masti is another sequel of Hyderabadi Angrez

Fun Aur Masti Trailor

See more trailors: FM 1 and FM 2

NB. Download the complete movie, FM = Fun aur Masti (2008)- Original-VCD Rip

Note @ U R In stuffdrive:
Language: Hyderabadi
Rating: 3.25/5
Cast: RK, Payal Sarkar, Monica Nouva, Satya and Others
Costumes: Ashok
Story-Dialogue: RK
Co-Director: Nanda Gopal
Editing: Nandamuri Hari
Producer: RK, Sorai Swamy
Director: Sekhar Surya
Released On: 16th Nov 2007

It's again a treat from Hyderabad Nawabs' team. The fun dose is good but not on par with their earlier films.

Story:
Johnny is the street smart guy who sells fake-medicines and quacks on streets. His friend Hussain is a painter who is a bit innocent and carries away by a good looking girl. David is a police officer who is hen-pecked at home. Johnny loves David?s sister. On the other hand Lallu Bhai is a street dada who assumes him to be a bhai on par with mafia dons. With this set of characters a story is narrated. It?s all screenplay based fun and masti on screen and there is no big story to write here.

Will Hyderabad ever get past square one?

That's the big question. officialdom, being officaldom will tell you that Hyderabad is the most happening city (without defining 'happening'), that it's ready to take on Singapore and Shanghai--after a peg ot two, an official might even tell you that it's already giving Shanghai a run for its money! A businessman told us an anecdote about a meeting with some officials in which some NRIs, interested in investing in a new project here, had also participated. One NRI asked this official how the traffic mess would ever get resolved, because no plan seems to be in place. He glibly replied that the ring road would soon take care of all the traffic problems and for effect, added that 'self-sufficient' satellite townships were going to come up all around soon. Now isn't that a perfectly 'Alice in Wonderland' situation!

This is much like a play that was staged at a city hotel recently where Shah Jahan calls for tenders to build the Taj, assigns the work to his Chief Engineer, who passes it on contractors with hefty cuts of the pie distributed all over the place. The Taj doesn't get built and Shah Jahan dies after an endless wait. We, Hyderabadis, are a bunch of Shah Jahans who will never see our Taj Mahals (in our case, good roads, accountable governance and a responsive administration), cynical as it may sound. As the great Meer Taqui 'Meer' said nearly 200 years ago:
jab se jahaN hai tab se Kharaabi yahi hai 'meer'
tum dekh kar zamaane ko Hairaan kya rahe
(This world has always been a rotten place ai 'meer'
why are you astonished to see it so?)

see also:

Travails for the Taj
Marathi play ‘Tender taj mahalache’ was a depiction of corruption in society

Rangadhara theatre stream presented their 94th play in Hyderabad , with a Marathi play titled Tender Taj mahalache, an adaptation of the original Hindi play Tajmahal Ka Tender, written by Ajay Shukla. The show wa s held recently at the Maharashtra mandal auditorium, Ramkote, Hyderabad.

The play in Marathi was translated by Bhaskar Kulkarni, who also co directed the play along with Prof. Bhaskar Shewalker.

'Prince' from Hyderabad claims Taj

Emerging lifestyles

The one thing that's changing rapidly in Hyderabad, is the lifestyle of the average middleclass citizen. In tune with the changing skyline and towers that mark this change. The malls are a huge attraction and there are quite a few of them. The pubs are a big draw as are a host of new restaurants, and some resorts. The one refrain that's heard all the time is about the 'wretched traffic'. Not much can be done say some Hyderabadiz. There's nothing that can't be regulated say others. The rains are not making it any easier for us here. What are the silver linings then? We need some Hyderabadiz to respond to this query. Is it that it still has the most laidback lifestyle in the country? Or that it gives you the sort of cuisine that few regions offer? We need some Hyderabadiz to give us their take on this.......

Georgia Tech in Hyderabad

It's just a matter of time before all the big guns of higher education with a global reputation hit India. And one hopes that will happen sooner rather than later. Hyderabad notched up a first of sorts, in that Georgia Tech will have a major presence here. If you ask me, as a college teacher I would say that this is just what the doctor ordered for higher education in India. It is time we woke from our complacent, smug state, learned to compete with 'good' colleges and universities, stopped shouting from rooftops that we're 'as good as the best', let in some competition to shake us out of this delusional state and hold a mirror up to us. We're already way behind where we should have been, in terms of quality collegiate education and if we let the marxists prescribe what is good for us in this realm, education will take on Groucho Marx-ist overtones, with due apologies to the great comedy star.....In this instance, the A.P. Government deserves a generous pat on the back.

see also:

Georgia Institute Inks MoU To Set Up Campuses At Hyderabad And Vizag By Pradeep Sadanapalli | June 6, 2007

Govt for Georgia Tech campus in city 17 Nov, 2006 l 0203 hrs ISTlGanesh S. Lakshman/TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Georgia Tech : Why Hyderabad? Source: The New Indian Express @

Georgia Tech to set up its intl campus in Andhra, BS Reporter / Hyderabad June 5, 2007

Pressure cooker schools and colleges

HYDERABAD: "If you got 90 per cent or more in class X and haven't yet decided what to do with your life after school, count yourself lucky. Most other high scorers have had their decision made for them — not necessarily by their parents."
Cram schools hunt & trap students, 2 Jun, 2007 l 0220 hrs ISTlMRIDULA CHUNDURI, TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Come examination time and results, it's cramming all the way for millions of students. Board exams are a nightmare in our system with percentages determining everything and 1 mark slipping a student down by 10,000 ranks, especially in the Board of Intermediate and Eamcet examinations. One can well imagine the amount of stress an average student is subjected to, in such a scenario. High School and intermediate education (plus two or grades XI AND XII) badly need reforms. The emphasis, for the past several years, has been mainly on cramming and more cramming, regardless of any understanding of concepts.

From the time that the Intermediate results have been out, the newspapers have been flooded with full-page advertisements with each junior college flaunting its own list of 'toppers'. Most of these 'colleges' are pressure cookers where students are made to grind away, by cramming for hours on stretch. These colleges thrive on a system that glorifies and has institutionalized memory-based modes of learning that leave no space for individuality or creativity. Also, they're geared to 'bring the best' out of the 'creme de la creme' of students. Kids who are either average performers in terms of their grades (as reflected in their marks) or are backbenchers, as some inevitably are, can take a hike under the existing system. The colleges in question are essentially money-spinners with an ever-expanding network and enjoy such clout that it is widely believed that they determine just about everything from syllabus structuring to the pattern of exam papers and the continuance of the EAMCET exam....When will things ever change in India that is Bharat, or nearer home for Hyderabadiz and Andhra Pradeshis.....

See also:

'Pressure cooker' schools warning

Far and away......

Locating Home: India's Hyderabadis Abroad, by Karen Isaksen Leonard

Review from Saty's desktop:
Karen Isaksen Leonard's 'Locating Home' is a brilliant, comparative study of the Hyderabadi diaspora across the world-- Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, Canada, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.

Quite evidently, Karen has spent a lot of time over painstaking research, fieldwork and conducting interviews. 'Locating Home' looks at Hyderabadi culture and institutions, transplanted in alien shores. She demonstrates how memories of old Hyderabad, in terms of cultural values and institutions still find a place in the lives of these expats, or get transmuted and even discarded, depending on several factors, which include generation, gender, social strata, and other associations with what used to be the state of Hyderabad. Interestingly, Karen's previous publications include a book on the Kayasth community. 'Locating Home' is a must read for Hyderabadis--be they a part of the diaspora or 'locals'.

Review @ Amazon:
“This is research on a grand scale. Karen Leonard questions prevailing notions of diaspora, transnationalism, and globalization not by adding yet another layer to the cake of theory on these topics, but by providing a rich, incredibly diverse engagement with Hyderabadis around the world. As a multisite ethnographer, Leonard practices what most anthropologists are content merely to preach.”—Andrew Shryock, University of Michigan

The changing metropolis

That Hyderabad is not what it used to be, is something not worth repeating any more. Besides, isn't that true of every other city? But the pace at which change has overtaken the twin cities, is something no one, least of all our MCH and other civic bodies, had anticipated. A large, consumerist middle-class, and huge swathes of migrants seem to have sprouted from nowhere--thanks mainly to the IT sector. In turn, a related chain of service businesses burgeoned and boomed, making the city look like a happening city--you simply need to visit one of the many high-end malls or local pubs to see what I mean. But, scratch the surface and what do you find? A city that is fast losing the green cover it had, obsolete sewerage systems, municipal authorities who couldn't care less about roads, streets, parks or parking spaces, and who would merrily look the other way if you happen to be a builder or a contractor, regardless of what you are doing. Be it traffic management, civic problems, mass transport--things that are of basic importance in everyday life, Hyderabad is far from a happening place. Somebody needs to remind our city's denizens and authorities that ' a few MNCs do not a metropolis make', no matter what the real estate prices may say.

One recalls the tree planting campaign taken up by the MCH (in Mr. Narendra Luther's time) during the Emergency years in the mid-seventies, when it was widely being perceived that the city's rising temperatures could be ascribed to the widespread of denudation of trees. Those saplings had grown into sturdy trees only to be chopped down mercilessly by the same civic body, over the last few years. Who says we evolve with time?

Hyderabad iz hot!

The heat is getting to the Hyderabadiz and they're running for cover. As temperatures rise, most roads that have been dug up stay that way--with workers becoming scarce during the day. The traffic snarls are at their worst and when all of the city decides to congregate on the necklace road or NTR Gardens in the evenings, you've had it. This also happens to be the wedding season and not infrequently the 'muhurtam' is somewhere close to the hottest point of the day--you can well imagine what a time the guests have!
With the SSC results out, parents are busy hunting for a seat in the 'right' place for the plus two kids, if you will.
For Hyderabadiz, May has always been the cruellest month and not April, (with due apologies to T.S.Eliot).

See also:

Rules for survivin hyd summer's
posted by Deepthi Tanikella at 11:24 AM on May 09, 2007
The heat is on...

See also:

Heat and Traffic

Hyderabadi roads

Hyderabad Live - Welcome to Another Streaming Hyderabadi Media

..Hyderabad Goes Online: Courtesy Sify
..Sify launches broadband portal for Hyderabad
..Sify launches website for Hyd
..More news and views @ Google

Sify.com has launched one more city broadband portal - http://www.hyderabadlive.in/. Hyderabad is the third city portal of Sify, which already has Mumbailive.in and bangalorelive.in. The content is mainly related to Telugu movies, music, the city’s hottest clubs, gossip, and so on in video. The company plans to launch more city portals. Next could be Delhi. [source]

Also bookmark our own Media Hyderabad Blog:

The other face of Hyderabad....

Strong winds wreak havoc; two killed The Hindu, Apr 15, 2007

Shopping, food are good in Hyderabad :
Vishaka Singh, IndiaGlitz.com, April 22, 2007

All it takes is a cloudburst or a determined shower, so to say, to throw city life completely out of gear. If the wind-god decides to puff and blow, Hyderabad has had it. Hoardings go flying, trees get uprooted, power lines snap, and life, in short, gets totally dislocated. If two tall trees sway this way and that, our electricity folks feel they've had enough.We who belong to this third world city that nurses delusions of leapfrogging into an elite club of metropolises know how to sift the grain of reality from the chaff of hype and illusion...
It's a bit difficult to swallow the bitter pill that a city that lays claims to competing with Shanghai or Singapore, has infrastructure so flimsy and frayed at the seams, that a downpour can paralyze it and a deluge all but destroy it. But that's the plain ole truth--Hyderabad is an overgrown village and if you need further evidence--after all the polluted lakes, overcrowded localities, ill-equipped hospitals, pathetic schools, choked drains, land grabbing cases and insane traffic--you need help!
On this rather sober note we look at our beloved city this week--preferring NOT to look at its hoariness, heritage, history, aristocracy, culture and legacy, for the moment. Remember Faiz--"Aur bhi dukh haiN zamaane meiN mohabbat ke siwa..."

Hyderabad's culture scene

Speaking of the city's culture scene, the Times of India, Hyderabad's Festival drew big stars and impressive crowds. Vani Ganapathi's Bharatanatyam performance, Ghulam Ali's Ghazal evening and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan's Sarod recital, were events I couldn't attend, but Hyderabad made it to. I did manage to go to the plays, 'Dance Like a Man' (Mahesh Dattani's play, directed by Lillette Dubey) and 'The Vagina Monologues', which was directed by Mahbanoo Modi Kotwal and featured her and Dolly Thakore, Sonali and Jayati Bhatia. The culture scene's warming up as is the city, with rising temperatures.

PS. Image courtesy: Musical evening in the lap of royalty @ Der Sturm in meinem Kopf and Sarod Recital By Ustad Amjad Ali Khan & Sons @ fullhyderabad.com

see also: The Times Hyderabad Festival Concert Review by Emma @ Desicritics.org