Indo-French Architecture students at the tomb of the French general in Nizam’s army, Michel Joachim Marie Raymond, in Hyderabad on Monday.— PHOTO: Mohammed Yousuf
A group of architecture students, professors from Bordeaux, France along with students from Hyderabad are collaborating for a week to come up with ideas to develop the two metro rail stations.
The obelisk of Monsieur Raymond at Moosarambagh, the reputed French general in the Nizam’s military, which still evokes awe among the visitors, is set to receive a fresh lease of life from a French connection.
The Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) authorities are now leveraging French artistic and architectural flair to develop Raymond’s tomb into a heritage precinct and also the upcoming Moosarambagh and New Market metro stations.
A group of architecture students, professors from Bordeaux, France along with students from Hyderabad are collaborating for a week to come up with ideas to develop the two metro rails stations as heritage tourism points. The French architectural talent will also provide inputs and conceptualise development of the Raymond’s tomb, around the metro stations.
“The common theme that I have found between Hyderabad and Bordeaux is the passion that people have for their respective cities. They ask us the same tough questions on how to develop the city and at the same time keep its historical flavour alive. It is a stimulating and challenging work and hopefully we should be able to come up with something tangible in a week,” says architect and professor, Ecole D’Architecture De Bordeaux, J. Kent Fitzsimons.
Close to 13 students from France and 47 from architecture colleges in Hyderabad are taking part in this project, being supported by the Architecture and Design Foundation (India), Alliance Francaise and HMR. Based on the innovative ideas coming out of the collaboration, Telangana State Government and HMR will develop these two stations and Raymond’s tomb into a heritage precinct.
“This is a good way to integrate heritage and conservation values of Hyderabad with metro rail routes. This will go a long way in spreading awareness and re-energising public spaces, especially in places that have historical value,” says senior architect P. Venu Gopal, who will be the guide for the students.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by M. Sai Gopal / Hyderabad – September 08th, 2015
Parsis forced to make do with solar-powered machines.
Unlike in other religions where a deceased person’s body is cremated or buried, when a Parsi dies, his or her body is left in the ‘Tower of Silence’ for vultures. Though there are two such ‘towers’ in Hyderabad, it has been more than 20 years since a vulture swooped down on a dead body, as the scavenging birds have almost become extinct in the city and its surrounding areas.
Due to the disappearance of vultures, members of the Parsi community have installed solar concentrators as an alternative. The machines desiccate the bodies, though perhaps not as quickly as the scavenging birds. “The panels rotate in accordance with the Sun,” said Jahangir Bisney, a chartered accountant and trustee of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman of Secunderabad and Hyderabad.
The solar panels, which run on small motors, work in accordance with Zoroastrian teachings, which consider dead bodies impure. Burning a corpse is also not allowed, as it would contaminate fire, which Parsis worship. “In Hyderabad, except during the monsoon season, there is good heat. It is basically like a sky burial,” mentioned Mr. Bisney, whose Trust manages the ‘Tower of Silence’ at Zamistanpur.
However, over the last few years, some Parsis have also been cremating their dead family members, instead of keeping their bodies at the ‘Tower of Silence’. “Some cremate bodies in the Hindu burial grounds, or opt for the new electrical or bio-gas crematoriums,” mentioned Ahmad (name changed). He, however, added that not following the ‘tradition’ is not seen kindly by some members.
“We offer prayers called ‘Arangah’, meaning rest in peace, for the deceased for four continuous days. When a person is cremated or buried in a city where there is a Tower of Silence, prayers are not offered for him, as it is considered taboo,” explained Mr. Bisney.
The Tower of Silence is situated in a complex called ‘Doongerwadi’, which is derived from the word Doonger, meaning mountain. “In Iran, centuries ago, the structure was built at an elevated place, and not near any habitation,” said Mr. Bisney
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National / by Yunus Y. Lasania / September 07th, 2015
Mallapur villagers repairing the road leading to their village in Indervelli mandal on Tuesday. (right) Utnoor ITDA Project Officer R.V. Karnan helping the villagers in repairing the road.-Photos: S. Harpal Singh
80 tribals join hands to repair the connecting road in just a couple of hours
Instead of waiting for things to happen, the Adivasi villagers of Mallapur in Indervelli mandal got down to making things happen. They made the difficult looking task of repairing road look so easy as 80 of them got down to obliterating dangerous potholes on the connecting road in just a couple of hours.
About 80 tribal individuals, one each from a family, joined the effort to repair the road. The decision to repair the road, on their own, was taken by the village development committee.
The Project Officer, Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Utnoor, R.V. Karnan who has adopted Tejapur gram panchayat of which Mallapur is a constituent village, was all praise for the effort. He even contributed his mite by digging gravel and spreading it on the road during his visit to the village as part of Grama Jyothi programme on Tuesday.
Visiting agricultural fields in Mallapur, the Project Officer assured the tribal farmers of purchasing the indigenous variety of maize and minor millets which they have cultivated during the season. “This was part of the action plan devised to make Mallapur a seed bank for indigenous variety crops,” he said.
The ITDA has already purchased about 200 kg of millet seeds from the village. “These have been distributed among Adivasi farmers in Wankidi mandal under the Centrally sponsored Vanabandhu Kalyan Yojana,” Mr. Karnan pointed out.
“We will pay you more than the market price,” the Project Officer said while inquiring about the market rate of regular hybrid variety of millets and other food grains. He said payments will be made through the special committee on agriculture formed in the village under the Grama Jyothi programme.
Earlier, Mr. Karnan exhorted the villagers to go in for planting more number of custard apple trees under the Telanganaku Haritha Haram programme. He said the fruits fetched good price in the open market to bring in healthy income for the farmers.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by S. Harpal Singh / Mallapur (Adilabad Dist) – August 19th, 2015
Hyderabad’s ‘real heroes’ were honoured by 92.7 Big FM
It is not easy to initiate a change. But, the best way to bring a change is by paving a new path. While most of us complain at the way society turns a blind eye to the problems and situations, there are a few who do not complain, instead take things in their hands and set an example. To felicitate their efforts and set them as role models to society, 92.7 Big FM invited these heroes as part of their ‘Big Real Hero Awards’ campaign.
As we celebrate the 69th year of independence the change makers of our society become the real heroes to fight for various forms of independence in our independent society. These heroes are silent and are making a difference without talking about it.
As part of their campaign, Big FM in their breakfast show asked people to share the names of heroes they have seen working for society. After an overwhelming response some of them were even featured in their breakfast show ‘Salaam Telangana’ hosted by RJ Shekar and Swapna.
In an event on Friday, the channel felicitated the six heroes namely—Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sharif, Rajeshwra Rao, Bhagya Lakshmi, Yadigiri and M. Vijay Ram Kumar. The awardees come from different walks of life and serve society in different ways and means. They, in their own right have been working for a change. Bal Gangadhar, a retired railways employee has used his pension to fill more than 1100 potholes in the city. He took the initiative when he witnessed several incidents caused by the bad state of roads. In Bal Gangadhar’s absence his brother Bhimesh Shankar was present. He established shramadaan.org
Sharif is the founder of Friends2support.org. F2S is a group founded by five friends to help people meet the emergency blood requirement for free. F2S claims to be India’s largest blood donor database. The organisation has won several national and international awards. Rajeshwar Rao is the founder of Satya Harishchandra foundation. They cremate unclaimed and unidentified dead bodies. Bhagya Lakshmi from ‘Manchi Pustakam’ is a small initiative taken to publish, encourage and promote Telugu books. Yadigiri is a chef and he donates food from his restaurant—Ulavacharu to orphans everyday and M. Vijay Ram Kumar of Emerald sweets has been working for a green society. The awards were given away by Somesh Kumar, Commissioner GHMC and actor Manchu Lakshmi.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Prabalika M. Borah / Hyderabad – August 14th, 2015
Mohammed Kursheed Hussain nose-typing in Hyderabad on Monday.- Photo: By Arrangement
How fast do you think you can type?’ Before most would have gone half-way with the sentence, 24-year-old Mohammed Kursheed Hussain of Hyderabad would have finished typing, with his nose.
Mr. Hussain attempted to break a Guinness world record for fastest nose-typing here on Monday. In 43.85 seconds, he typed the 103-character long ‘Guinness world records have challenged me to type this sentence using my nose in the fastest time’. He had to best 46.30 seconds, the standing record that was set in December 2014. An official word from Guinness is awaited to confirm his Monday’s feat.
Incidentally, Mr. Hussain had set a nose-typing Guinness record in February last year when he typed the challenge sentence in 47.44 seconds.
“I was told by Guinness in January this year that the record I had set was broken. Since then I trained to break the record,” said Mr. Hussain, who is a masters student at a university in Indiana, US.
Hussain’s tryst with typing began when he turned seven. It was however not until he turned 18, did he realise the uniqueness of his skill.
“I thought nothing of my typing ability until I had gone to college. That is when my friends made me realise that I had skill that others did not have. But I never thought that I would be a Guinness record holder,” he said. In 2012, Hussain hand typed the English alphabet with spaces in record 3.43 seconds, debuting in the annals of the Guinness World Records.
“I had to beat 3.52 seconds. It seemed impossible then,” he said. That record stands unbroken for three years now. Ask how he types with his nose when keys are blurred at nose’s width away from the keyboard,
Mr. Hussain offers a plausible explanation. “I think I just have a big nose,” he chuckles.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Rohit P.S./ Hyderabad – August 18th, 2015
Pakala village is looking to achieve cent per cent construction of Individual Sanitary Lavatories
Collector Yogitha Rana appointed mountaineer Malavath Poorna, who scaled Mount Everest, as brand ambassador for the Individual Sanitary Lavatories scheme in her native village – Pakala of Sirikonda mandal.
Declaring this at the Grama Sabha conducted as part of the implementation of Grama Jyothi programme at the village on Monday, she said residents should consider roads, schools, government offices and property as their own.
The Collector adopted the village for the execution of the Grama Jyothi programme.
She made it clear that if people wanted the government to do everything, a positive change would never come about in villages.
It is everyone’s responsibility to keep villages clean and green. Appealing to the villagers not to send their children to work and instead send them to schools, she said education would bring about a great change.
Explaining the intention of the Grama Jyothi, the Collector said that seven committees on sanitation-safe drinking water supply, healthcare-nutrition, education, social security-poverty alleviation, harnessing natural resources, agriculture and basic infrastructure development would be constituted to supervise the implementation of works.
She said that 40,000 saplings should be planted in the village and cent per cent ISLs be built within 30 days.
The village Sarpanch, Lakshmi, presided over the meeting.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Telangana / by Special Correspondent / Nizamabad – August 18th, 2015
Stringed music instrument restored after 50 years. A team from the Forum and the university, guided by G. Manoja from Palamur University, travelled all the way to the Appapur hamlet in Nallamala forests.
It was quite a homecoming for ‘Kinnera’ (aka ‘Kinneri’), a stringed music instrument, when it arrived into the Chenchu tribal heartland amid the forests of Mahabubnagar district of Telangana, after decades of wandering.
A Chenchu tribesman playing ‘Kinnera’ presented by the Telangana Rachayithala Vedika and the University of Hyderabad. / by Special Arrangement
The rare instrument with three resonators, which was popular in the tribe long ago, but disappeared later, was restored to them recently, thanks to the joint efforts by the ‘Telangana Rachayithala Vedika’ (Telangana Writers’ Forum) and the University of Hyderabad.
A team from the Forum and the university, guided by G. Manoja from Palamur University, travelled all the way to the Appapur hamlet in Nallamala forests on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People on August 9, to present their exquisite find to the tribe. To their surprise, they were greeted by smiles of recognition, as the instrument was still part of their lore if not lives.
“Though they lost the instrument 50 years ago, a few tribesmen still remember it. In fact, three old-timers could even play it,” says academic and writer Jayadhir Tirumal Rao, who headed the team.
The instrument uses bamboo for the neck, dried and hollowed gourds for resonators, human hair or animal nerves for strings, and pangolin scales for frets which are fixed using honey-wax. According to Mr. Rao, visiting faculty at the Centre for Dalit and Adivasi Studies at the UoH, Chenchus lost the instrument half a century ago when the gourd used for resonator became extinct in this region.
It was inherited by the ‘Dakkali’ nomadic community of the district which was a ‘Madiga’ sub-caste and lived a troubadour for existence. They, however, reduced the number of frets to seven, purportedly in honour of Chenchus.
Obtaining ‘Kinnera’ from Dakkali community was an arduous task for Mr. Rao who stumbled upon the instrument while researching about Panduga Sayanna, a Telangana fighter.
“Dakkali singers sang his praise using ‘Kinnera,’ which egged me on to explore its history. To obtain it, I had to follow the community’s trail for almost three years. Initially they were afraid, but later came round and parted with this rare gift,” Mr. Rao said. And it was from the hands of Dakkali Pochaiah that the tribe received this souvenir.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hinduj / Home> National> Telangana / by Shanthi V. / August 15th, 2015
“This is not a book about the British colonialism, but a narrative of those who lived here and worked for India. It is about their contribution to our country”
This was how an academic and CEO of the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, V. Raghunathan and an IT professional, who gave up her job yielding to her passion of writing, Veena Prasad, described ‘Beyond the Call of Duty’, a 224-page book published by HarperCollins Publishers India that was released here on Friday.
It speaks of a dozen people who came to India, lived here and did their bit to a nation that was colonised.
Director-Research at the LV Prasad Eye Research Institute, D. Balasubramanian spoke about the characters in the book – W.H. Sleeman who chased thugs in his spare time, fighting the ‘Thugee system’ and Ronald Ross who hunted the Anopheles mosquito and demystified malaria. The book chronicles the work of others, including Mount Stuart Elphinstone, the educationist Governor of Bombay who is considered the founding father of modern Indian education, Arthur Thomas Cotton the man who ‘dammed’ India, William Jones’s tribute to Indology and who laid the foundation of the Asiatic Society and the occasional botanist Dr. Archibald Campbell on ‘Bringing tea to Darjeeling’.
There were chapters on the multi-faceted genius James Prinsep and his ‘Extending Indian History’, R.M. Stephenson and John Chapman – the men who shrunk India by getting it on track, Alexander Cunningham and brothers who proved the point with a family enterprise of excellence and the Indian Briton Mark Tully, a journalist par excellence. The authors took questions as to what had made them choose the subjects they did. Among the more interesting, the curious among the audience was Amani Gudipati, a student of Class VII of Oakridge International School. She walked up to Ms. Veena Prasad and thanked her profusely for the education of the evening.
When asked, little Amani said, “We were taught in school that the Britishers ruled India. Now I have become more open-minded and learning a different facet, being told about Britishers who lived here and actually worked for the progress of the country!”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Suresh Krishnamoorthy / Hyderabad – August 23rd, 2015
B. Venkataramana Chary, who sculpted the statue of Telangana Thalli, being felicitated by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao at Golconda Fort on Saturday.– Photo: By Arrangment
The cultural richness of Telangana was on display at the official Independence Day celebrations on the lawns of Rani Mahal inside Golconda fort.
Troupes from various parts of Telangana, colourfully dressed in different attire, stood atop the remains and attracted the gathering. They were also seen performing before and after Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s speech.
Mr. Rao gave away mementos to a select few who were honoured on the occasion. They included B. Venkataramana Chary, who sculpted the statue of Telangana Thalli for installation at the office of Telangana Rashtra Samithi, but gained wide currency subsequently, so much so that it has come to be recognised by all Telangana-based organisations.
Mr. Chary told media persons that he drew inspiration from Mr. Rao’s words questioning the existence of Telugu Thalli in Telangana. He was motivated to design the embodiment of a traditional woman belonging to Telangana.
The picture did not impress Mr. Rao as it lacked devotional appeal in the sense of Bharat Maata. Hence, he redesigned the model with a crown on the head and Batukamma in the left hand and maize corn in the right hand.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – August 16th, 2015
V. Shobhha Prasad, MD of Walden, in Hyderabad on Monday. Photo: G. Ramakrishna
A look back into one of the city’s favourite book shops as it celebrates its Silver Jubilee.
After just relishing Henry David Thoreau’s ‘Walden’ as part of Literature syllabus in college, a book store with that name was suffice to lure me inside, 25 years ago. A ‘supermarket kind of feel’ where you touch, feel and browse a book as you walk along the aisles before you pick up your favourite was a unique experience. That stretch of road connecting Begumpet and Punjagutta was thinly populated and almost had nil traffic then. There was no reason for people to meander into that road… yes, maybe for a cheese tart at Bakers Inn down the road, just that. But that made little difference to us as we started our long association with this newly found hangout place.
Twenty five years down the line, with a second branch at Banjara Hills, Walden is still a favourite and a quick one-stop shop for son’s stationery needs or to pick up the latest bestseller.
Choosing a last-minute gift item to grabbing a tub of moisturiser on your way to the bill counter was all part of the Walden shopping.
John Siddham, a Hyderabadi who now lives in Melbourne, makes it a part of his itinerary every time he visits Hyderabad. He confesses that it usually takes three to four visits each trip to satisfy his appetite.
“It is an enticing place; one easily loses sense of time conveniently wandering through the aisles of books ranging from diverse topics.
The fact that they cater for all ages has worked for us as family,” he says and adds, “The usual regret is at the airport check-in when we end up with excess baggage of books. But, hey, books in our bookshelf has been a talking point with most of our visitors.”
One of the exciting events that youngsters remember at Walden are the pre-dawn launch of Harry Potter books. Much as it gave a whole new fillip to the reading habits of a new generation, the experience gave much to remember for a long time.
Recollecting the experience of coming all the way from Miyapur at 5 a.m. with her sister, Swetha Sidotam says, “I think it was in 2005 and I had come to collect the 5th part of the Harry Potter series. It was kind of self reward for me for getting into JNTU for architecture. We reached the store around 6 a.m. and were welcomed by the smiling staff. Since I had pre-booked my copy I was handed over my book in an attractive carry bag. It was an exciting memory.”
Having successfully delivered memories and good times to so many customers, Walden, despite a shrunken parking space, remains a booklovers’ paradise.
‘Walden will not be shut’
Frequent visits to a spacious book store in Chennai and his fondness for reading inspired Electrical Engineer professional V. Ram Prasad to start a book store in Hyderabad. A natural at designing, he personally monitored the entire décor of all his stores.
His wife Shobha Prasad who shares his passion for books, says, “We wanted to develop this concept where customers can select what they want while walking around the book shelves. Unlike in other shops where one has to ask for a specific book, here we gave options. A book lover can see what’s available and take his pick.”
Recollecting the journey of 25 years, Shobha says, “People were of the opinion that Hyderabad was not ready for such kind of an exclusive book store and added to that this area was so secluded. There were many apprehensions. But we went ahead and launched it and by God’s grace it clicked instantly with the customers.” And the name Walden? Whose choice was that? “My husband’s. He was a voracious reader and he particularly like this book by Henry David Throeau and decided to name after its title. Also, we wanted a name that people could pronounce,” she smiles.
The obvious challenge for Walden now is facing competition from online market. Agrees Shobha and emphasises the need to be choosy and careful about the selection of books.
“Apart from books we have expanded the space that has good mix of products as well. Stationery, gift articles and a few beauty products have always been an integral part of our store. Rare household articles that are latest addition also keep our customers happy,” smiles Shobha.
With popular book shops shutting down one by one, will Walden go the same way? “Walden will not be shut… never,” assures Shobha and informs about the third branch being opened in Gachibowli this month.
That’s some good news indeed, for book lovers!
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by S.B. Vijaya Mary / Hyderabad – August 03rd, 2015
