Home Away from Home
I spent 22 years of my life at home- school, junior college and college. As long as you are home, everything is bright and shining. Except, of course, the times when your kaam waali baai turns off the fan when you are sleeping, or the 8 PM curfews, or when you fight with parents. But then, home is home, and nothing beats the feeling of living in your home and your city. Yet there comes a time when you have to leave your city- for studies or job or whatever other reason. Going to a city that’s completely an alien place can be scary but exciting as well. Today, I complete an exact year of moving out of Bhubaneswar and to Hyderabad. Of course, the good thing was that I got to stay with my sister. But, hey! It was nevertheless it was still a new place for me to tread my feet on. And my 365 days so far have been completely beautiful in Hyderabad. So much, that I can proudly and happily call Hyderabad my second home. Not a random place, but HOME ❤.
Read along and you will know why living in Hyderabad is one of the best things ever!
1) The Food is Awesomeee: Ever since I moved to Hyderabad, I have had a long list of friends who have become eternally jealous of me because I get to taste the amazinggg food of Hyderabad. There’s Hyderabadi Biryani, the love of everyone’s life. There’s kebab, a huge variety at that. There is the awesome Telugu cuisine, which, although spicy, is nevertheless worth everything. And then, there’s the oh-so-beloved Irani Chai and Osmania Biscuits from Nimrah Café and Bakery. Also, a trip o Karachi Bakery will drive you crazy, with so many great things to choose from. Oh, and how can I forget Haleem and Lukhmi? You get me, right? Hyderabad is every food lover’s heaven, irrespective of whether you are a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian. You just never get tired of the food here, ever!
2) The Ever Royal Culture: Everyone knows that Hyderabad is the City of Nizams. And this royal aura can be found everywhere- be it in the architecture in the major areas of the city or the streets or the bazaars. Yes, the city has modernized, but the parts of the city that truly represent the beauty and authenticity of Hyderabad still have the regal aura present.
3) The City Brims with Cultural Diversity: While many people think that Hyderabad is a Muslim-dominated city, however, the place is filled with cultures and traditions from all over the country. The people in Hyderabad not just love their own culture, but also respect other cultures as well. Also, the festive seasons in Hyderabad are worth experiencing. Be it Charminar during Ramzan, or the entire Hyderabad during Ganesh Chaturthi, or the women decked up for Bathukamma, not only are festivals celebrated here with utmost pomp and ceremony, but the enthusiasm that each person portrays is simply heart-touching.
4) The Beautiful Places of Attraction: Like I already said, while Hyderabad has become pretty modernized, parts of its royal roots can still be found at large in various places. That can humbly be proved by the beautiful architecture that the monuments of Hyderabad have. The arches of Golconda, the minarets of Charminar, the Khilwat Clock Tower of Chowmahalla Palace, the ginormous yet beautiful domes of Qutb Shahi Tombs, the peacefully towering Birla Temple, the mesmerizing Hussain Sagar Lake with its Buddha Statue, or the many other breathtaking places- each of them has a story to tell, and a marvel to offer you. Talking about me, I could frequent all of these places and still not get bored of them.
5) Hyderabad is the Ultimate Shopper’s Stop: Well, people who know me well enough, know my utmost hatred for shopping. But that said, when I was helping out my sister with her wedding shopping, I realized that Hyderabad is every shopper’s paradise. You can literally find everything here! And not just that, you can find the cheapest of things, as well as the most high-end stuff. For example, if you are getting married in India, you should definitely do your wedding shopping from Hyderabad- with bangles from Laad Bazaar and dresses from the numerous shops in Kukatpally. For book lovers, your go-to places are ABIDS and Koti. If you want some aesthetic and hand-made stuff, Shilparamam is the place. Street shopping in Hyderabad is one helluva experience and shoppers of any category will definitely love it!
6) The People of Hyderabad are Sweet: One major reason why Hyderabad feels like home is because it reminds me a lot about Bhubaneswar, especially the people. The nature of most people in Hyderabad is just heart-warming. They are kind and helpful and non-interfering. They will assist you, irrespective of whether they know you or not. Trust me, you won’t ever feel like a fish out of the sea.
7) The Language Will Touch Your Heart: No, I am not talking about Telugu. In my entire year here, unfortunately, I haven’t picked up a single word of Telugu. But what I am talking about is Hyderabadi Hindi. Yes, the beloved Hyderabadi Hindi. It is different from all versions of Hindi in the country. And while it does seem funny, it is indeed sweet. Also, if you live in Hyderabad and you haven’t watched The Angrez yet, you don’t deserve to experience the magnificence of this city. As Ismail Bhai would say, “Phukhat ke chaiyan, phukat ke cigarettan, phukat ke samosa khake ... angrezon ke baare mein socho bole toh tum logan kya karre re ... kya samjhe re tum logan mereku?”
So, yes, many of my friends have been asking me to shift to Bangalore or Pune or anywhere else on the planet, because “cool life, ya know?” I have zero idea why most youngsters don’t prefer Hyderabad, but this city is home. Home away from home. And, while I still don’t have (m)any friends here, this place is everything to me after Bhubaneswar. So, while you people give this post of mine a read, I’mma go watch The Angrez for the gazillionth time.
Until next time. 😊