Year after year my family I make a trip away from the sweltering heat, crazy traffic and basic madness that is Delhi, not to some pretty and quiet little hill station, but down south to dear little Hyderabad to spend some time with my loving paternal grandparents who stay there. Seeing that we almost always plan our trips around the monsoon time, the weather here is usually as cool and pleasant as any hill station, if not as clean and definitely acts a another factor that propels us out of the house and into the city to discover more of this magical city.
Ah, Hyderabad. The city where I was born, home to the Golconda* Fort, Charminar and many other wonders... and the city where hairstyles and hero-like antics are more important than anything else, and yes I mean ANYthing.
Of course, one can't help but wonder how the last bit I put in there can be equated with the first bit and if you happen to be a denizen of this very city, you may even have a hearty helping of outrage mixed in, after all how dare I equate the wonders of these monuments to something as menial as a man's obsession with his hair, I who hardly spend more than a few weeks in the city per annum, a 'Delhiite', a 'Narrth Indian'. Everyone will agree that these two subjects are hardly related; unless you're talking about some of the weirder hairstyles of the 'cool' crowd which, in some cases, do look very similar to the spikes and other ornamentations we put above our house gates to discourage climbers, but the thing is I was not attempting to list out the attractions available in the city, instead what I was doing is listing out those things that define the character of the city, it's flavour as one might say. The monuments add a old worldly, majestic aura, while the rest... well let's just say it's easy to recognise a Hyderabadi anywhere he goes.
See, this city, this wonderful, magical city, among many other things, also boasts of a wonderfully large number of 'heroes'. These wonderful, amazing people who need not wear a helmet while riding a bike, who need not stop at a red light and needn't bother even trying to drive on the left-side of the road. These people are no lesser than their filmy counterparts, ever ready to beat up thirty people with their little finger like in that latest blockbuster action film, and while they may not have many opportunities to do so, they satisfy themselves by proving their heroism on the city roads (while very meticulously taking care of their hairstyles). To them traffic cops are but lesser creatures, puny, powerless human beings who need not be heeded and seeing that road rules are created and enforced by the same lesser breed of humans they need not be given much importance either.
It has long been established that a Hyderabadi driver, particularly one driving a two wheeler need not follow any rules and instructions, are not responsible for their own safety, as ensuring their continued survival is the fundamental duty of their fellow drivers and most of all, they need not wear a helmet or use seat belts, for their skulls are so thick that let alone blunt or sharp objects, even common sense cannot batter through or penetrate to what little brain matter exists beneath. In fact, a Hyderabadi driver has the complete right to glare murderously at anyone who dares follow the proper traffic rules if he feels inclined to do so, particularly when the person following these rules ends up conflicting with him. 'How dare you drive on the correct side of the road?!', 'How dare you stop at the red light?!' are but a few questions that these lords of the road convey with nothing other than their facial expressions and intricate usage of their horns to all those who belong to the lesser category of mortals who are meek enough to obey what the Traffic Cops, and the Driving School chaps had to say.
Thus driving in Hyderabad is definitely a very uniquely enriching experience. But for those who live elsewhere and have never been to Hyderabad, there's no need to fret. This being the age of air travel, sooner or later even you may get a taste of this wondrous experience. Just watch out for the guy going down the wrong way glaring at you in anger and you'll know that you've had your first taste of one of Hyderabad's many flavours.
*not sure if I spelt it correctly
Ah, Hyderabad. The city where I was born, home to the Golconda* Fort, Charminar and many other wonders... and the city where hairstyles and hero-like antics are more important than anything else, and yes I mean ANYthing.
Of course, one can't help but wonder how the last bit I put in there can be equated with the first bit and if you happen to be a denizen of this very city, you may even have a hearty helping of outrage mixed in, after all how dare I equate the wonders of these monuments to something as menial as a man's obsession with his hair, I who hardly spend more than a few weeks in the city per annum, a 'Delhiite', a 'Narrth Indian'. Everyone will agree that these two subjects are hardly related; unless you're talking about some of the weirder hairstyles of the 'cool' crowd which, in some cases, do look very similar to the spikes and other ornamentations we put above our house gates to discourage climbers, but the thing is I was not attempting to list out the attractions available in the city, instead what I was doing is listing out those things that define the character of the city, it's flavour as one might say. The monuments add a old worldly, majestic aura, while the rest... well let's just say it's easy to recognise a Hyderabadi anywhere he goes.
See, this city, this wonderful, magical city, among many other things, also boasts of a wonderfully large number of 'heroes'. These wonderful, amazing people who need not wear a helmet while riding a bike, who need not stop at a red light and needn't bother even trying to drive on the left-side of the road. These people are no lesser than their filmy counterparts, ever ready to beat up thirty people with their little finger like in that latest blockbuster action film, and while they may not have many opportunities to do so, they satisfy themselves by proving their heroism on the city roads (while very meticulously taking care of their hairstyles). To them traffic cops are but lesser creatures, puny, powerless human beings who need not be heeded and seeing that road rules are created and enforced by the same lesser breed of humans they need not be given much importance either.
It has long been established that a Hyderabadi driver, particularly one driving a two wheeler need not follow any rules and instructions, are not responsible for their own safety, as ensuring their continued survival is the fundamental duty of their fellow drivers and most of all, they need not wear a helmet or use seat belts, for their skulls are so thick that let alone blunt or sharp objects, even common sense cannot batter through or penetrate to what little brain matter exists beneath. In fact, a Hyderabadi driver has the complete right to glare murderously at anyone who dares follow the proper traffic rules if he feels inclined to do so, particularly when the person following these rules ends up conflicting with him. 'How dare you drive on the correct side of the road?!', 'How dare you stop at the red light?!' are but a few questions that these lords of the road convey with nothing other than their facial expressions and intricate usage of their horns to all those who belong to the lesser category of mortals who are meek enough to obey what the Traffic Cops, and the Driving School chaps had to say.
Thus driving in Hyderabad is definitely a very uniquely enriching experience. But for those who live elsewhere and have never been to Hyderabad, there's no need to fret. This being the age of air travel, sooner or later even you may get a taste of this wondrous experience. Just watch out for the guy going down the wrong way glaring at you in anger and you'll know that you've had your first taste of one of Hyderabad's many flavours.
*not sure if I spelt it correctly
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