Define Hyderabad by city’s localities

A rich repertoire of Hyderabadi naamaan by J. S. Ifthekhar, The Hindu: Hyderabad,February 13, 2013

Extract: Koka ki Tatti, Panchi Buraq, Kali Khabar, Behrupiya Galli, Jalalkutcha. Hold it, they are not tongue-twisters meant to test your pronunciation, they are just names of some of the city’s localities. Sure difficult to articulate, but not difficult to locate.

It is an endless list of funny, often outlandish names by which some of the areas in the old city are known. Interestingly, many of those who live here are not fully aware of how and why their ‘mohallas’ are known by such odd names.

 

Now, you need not struggle to find out. Just go through the book “Hyderabad – Mohalle, Gali aur Kooche” and the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle fall into place effortlessly.

Unique work

Noted academic Anandraj Verma’s book, scheduled to be released shortly, is a collector’s issue. It is the only such book in Hindi and this makes it unique.

It not only tells the story behind the area names but also dwells at length on the historical structures, religious places, social customs and important families of each locality...

And do you know about Rajarayan Shamraj Bahadur and the clock tower at Shah Ali Banda which shows the time in different numerals -- English, Roman, Urdu and Hindi -- on its four sides. Mr. Verma mentions many such little known things about Hyderabad.

The city’s famous bangle street, Laad Bazar, is ‘Hyderabad ka suhag bazar’ for Mr. Verma. He sums up its history with Firaq Gorakpuri’s verses:

Bindi, jhumar, jhumka aur bazoo ke joshan

Missi, gaja, kajal aur paoon ke chan

Itni cheezen dekh kar lalchaye gori ka man

Gori ko bazaar dikha kar pachtaye sajan

continue reading: A rich repertoire of Hyderabadi naamaan

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Define Hyderabad by its Monuments

'JOSH' in Hyderabad

Ex AP Jaiswal Sabha President writes Hyderabadi Itihas Ke Jharoke Mein.

‘Soldier of Urdu' authors book on city in Hindi

Names of city localities hark back to a forgotten era - Times Of India

Often there is more than one history on offer for certain places. To wit, the origin of Abids is traced by Narendra Luther in his blog to "Albert Abid... a Jew and a valet of Mir Mehboob Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad (b:1866, d: 911). In course of time, he became quite rich and so he set up a shop where Palace Talkies ( presently Big Bazaar) and Bank of Baroda are located. He called it Abid & Company." It was from this shop that the whole locality derived its name, Luther writes. Alternatively, there is another version of an American Jewish gentleman called Abid Evans, after whose shop the area got its name.

It's Pahelwans who call the shots in Old City

source: The Times of India: / Siasat

HYDERABAD: Amjed Ullah Khan, the Azampura division corporator is unusually net-savvy, his emails on all things big and small dropping into the inboxes of many denizens, or Hyderabadis who he thinks matter. So the latest email from the corporator shows an immaculately dressed Akbaruddin Owaisi at a wedding function in 2006, sharing the stage with Mohammad Pahelwan, the alleged mastermind behind the attack on Owaisi last week

In the picture, Pahelwan, dressed in the trademark lungi and a full-sleeve shirt has a half smile and so does Owaisi. What is significant in the picture is not the changed equation of the two parties but the social and political importance that Pahelwan enjoyed then.

... Old-timers recall that it was in the 70s when local pahelwans were first promoted politically, when Arab `pahelwans' Syeed Bin Ali (known as Syeed Pahelwan) and Syeed Baam were used to provide protection to partymen by a senior Congress leader. In the days to come, other `pahelwans' such as Chand Pahelwan also came into picture for settling land disputes. And by the 80s, they had moved from their `kachcha' houses to a `pucca' residence.

Their importance grew with almost all parties patronising them or using their services. If earlier they collected `mamools' from locals, now they allegedly give the same to the police so that they turn a blind eye to their deeds.

Locals say, politicians in the Old City owe their growth, both financially and politically, to the pahelwans. Clearly, political leaders have played a crucial role in making `pahelwans' bigger, stronger. And their spirited political backing continues even now.

On the same shelf:

Akbaruddin shot at in clash with rivals over land dispute - Times of India

Jashn-e-Charminar festival Deccan Chronicle

Illegal guns rule the roost in city, Times of India

'Pedestrian' touch for Charminar, Times of India - Sudipta Sengupta
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If it’s bad, it’s Hydera‘bad’ Deccan Chronicle

Roads in Banjara Hills are oddly numbered, not named

Banjara Hills
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India

10 Nov 2008, Sonia Krishna Kurup , TNN, Times of India
HYDERABAD: What is there in a name ? If Shakespeare could ask this brilliant question so must have those who named the roads of Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills. For if they did not find anything in the names they had definitely found something in the numbers.

... As Road No 1 heads left and Road No 2 right, one is left wondering why are these roads named like numbered-convicts or could there be more?

... Reacting to the claims of the history lecturer that Banjara Hills had no event or personality to remember, V K Bawa, city historian and the first vicechairman of Huda says, "Nonsense . Banjara Hills was founded by Mehdi Nawaz Jung," thus proving that there was indeed a personality the roads could have been named after.

...However, city historian and former chief secretary of state, Narendra Luther says that roads in Banjara Hills could have been numbered sometime in 1933 during the Nizam's time. He too thinks that there could be no possible record to decode this number puzzle.

In the booklet on 'House Numbering ,' the list of main roads shows the roads in Banjara Hills as Avenue No 1, Avenue No 2 and so on till Avenue No 8. How these names came about would be yet another mystery. much more

See also: A History behind Street Names of Hyderabad & Secunderabad