Twin Cities: On the move

I love bikes and was keen to get one when we moved to Hyderabad. However, what little I saw of the traffic in the initial days ensures that I am still, 3 odd years down the line, without one. Saiha, my previous base – where people were happy to see other vehicles on the road, and I woke up to clouds coming in through the windows, could also have a role to play in the decision. All this, however, has not come in way of moving around the twin cities.

Range of these meanderings makes me glad today. Long walks at the Osmania University Campus with its rocks, trees and that beauty of the ‘unmanaged and untempered’ or along the Hussain Sagar with occasional sprays from the fountain and seemingly unending stream of people clicking images with their phones. Occasional walks along the lanes of Old City and Banjara Hills with many a surprise before and after the bends; these goal-less walks brought forth vivid characters these spaces espouse. Local food pilgrimages – irani chai and sweet rusk at Nimrah adjoining Charminar and ice-creams at Bilal located at Mozamjahi market. Then there were, once a month, trips with BSAP to nearby and not so nearby places from Narsapur to Bhongir. Last of course, trips to places that at times make one sit and at other walk hesitantly in distilled peace, the cemetery adjacent to the Parade Grounds and the, difficult to locate, PaigahTombs.

Law of averages too has registered its presence in form of unscrupulous auto rickshaw drivers (of course a minority but best kept away from), traffic (including those driving when smsing and talking on phones) and the high decibel - road occupying events across the year.

What has left me floored and in no small measure is experiences with people while on the roads.

Feeding pigeons on a lovely morning at Mecca Masjid - I am pretty sure I saw Rajasthani aunties come in to feed pigeon as i enjoyed my steps up and down the - endearing for feet - wet floor.

Thrice, while crossing the road with mumi people have stopped cars, put on indicators and signaled us to move across; the car next following suit. Manner in which this stopping and signaling took place was warm and had that smell of humanity which the nose yearns for. Mumi – touchwood - rushes gladly on the road, and elsewhere, without my help. But, the roads in the twin cities are way wider than those she was accustomed to at Vadodara and yes – she or the rest of us are surely not accustomed to this response.

Across the road from the Malkha store, with mumi, I waited for that appropriate space to move across. A group of 4 loudly chatting boys stood nearby – also wanting to move in the very direction. As we began crossing I stupidly miscalculated a bus coming and still recall how 2 of them quickly came on either side of mumi and ensured that she crossed safely – with that signaling and negotiating that is so much a part of our roads.

Once it was the 3 of us – road number 1, Banjara Hills. We asked for directions to reach a point that lay across the road. One of the people standing alongside initially pointed and then suddenly joined us cross the road and reach the point before turning towards his destination. I was too surprised to thank him for his gesture. A week later, around the same time (evening) on the same road, I saw him and thought will make amends. As I got near I realized he was differently abled. The humbled and overwhelmed me could not utter a word.

Today I am glad I did not get a bike; glad I saw these shades of the twin cities!

The image is by Roshni during one of our trips.