Hyderabad by Walk - Public Gardens

We have all passed by the Public Gardens from the outside - some of us have been on the inside. Decided to check it off the list (though I had been there last year with Vasu). So come morning and I went off with Sunnie early in the morning. I have some vague memory of people sitting in the lawns with their picnic baskets and stuff but its just too long ago. Anyway, we went in from the main entrance, parked to the left where there are some very old vehicles parked and also some school buses and other public transport which have been left by their owners.  

The main entrance - from the inside

I researched on the faithful Wikipedia as usual and got some facts (hopefully right). Was called the Bagh-e-Aam (Public Garden) or Bagham and was developed in 1846 over a 54 acre area with a 7 acre pond. It is one of the oldest parks in Hyderabad. 

The lawns - one of museums at the other end

The Horticulture department has taken up office here which is apt. Since it was early in the morning we found a lot of early morning regulars walking in with their Jai Jinendra or Jai Shri Ram and stuff. People were setting up their juice stalls and such and the morning activity had begun.To the left we passed the Telangana State Museum which has been on my list for a while and something which I will soon accomplish, the lake a little ahead which is almost dry now with its gazebo and island. To the right was a huge lawn with another beautiful gazebo where people were exercising and warming up. We wandered around until we hit the gate the opened to the Nampally Road, past the Lalitha Kala Thoranam, the nursery and then wandered back alongside the railway track.You enter and walk to the left and pass a lawn with a gazebo, to the left is a lake which was dry but which has some boating activity etc otherwise. Further down we see more lawns to the left, the Asif tennis club which has been around since we were kids. 

The Legislative Council Building?

We hit the path that leads to another majestic gate that leads in and out of Public Gardens on the Nampally Road side. To our left was the Jubilee Hall which is considered an architectural masterpiece but I guess one has no access to it. My one memory of the Jubilee Hall was being felicitated by the then Chief Minister Shri NT Rama Rao when the Hyderabad team won the Ranji Trophy (1987). Of course I had no idea of the importance of that building nor the occasion so we just went ahead and took our mementos and cheques for  Rs. 1101 and came back. Apparently it was used as the State Legislative Council premises until they built another building for that in the Public Gardens itself.

From what I gathered Jubilee Hall was constructed as a royal palace in 1913 for the seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan and is considered an architectural masterpiece - it is well hidden behind all sorts of foliage that you cannot get a glimpse of it. Designed by Zain Yar Jung whose name is associated with many architectural marvels of Hyderabad in an Indo Persian style, the Jubilee Hall was so named when it was used to commemorate the silver jubilee celebrations of the 7th Nizam in 1937. They put up a grand spectacle with about 10,000 troops on show and many guests. The Nizam sat on a specially made gold plated chair (which is preserved in the Nizam's museum) and received gifts and mementos from various state departments and state guests.

This is the gate that leads to Nampally Road

A little further up to the right comes the famous Jawahar Bal Bhavan which was a source of great entertainment to us as kids because we were allowed to tune in at an ungodly hour of 3 or 4 in the afternoon on Sundays and listen in. It was great fun. This Bal Bhavan also had many summer activities which children would participate in. I never did and was always in envy of those who did. A huge square lawn in front of the Bal Bhavan where to one side was a Health Museum and another Museum to the other sie. We walked along the periphery of the lawn, walked past some people who were chilling and just taking in the morning sun - another thing I envy is those who can just sit by themselves.

There are many walkers, all shapes and sizes, with no entry fee which is beautiful (not like the KBR Park which has become elitist with a high entry ticket). Apparently there was a large fountain of 1937 vintage which was demolished for celebrating the Telangana Foundation Day in 2019.

The gazebo

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The Telangana State Museum

As we neared the gate we could see a lovely mosque to the left, a canteen for the State Legislative Assembly personnel perhaps.

Its a brilliant place to go for a leisurely morning walk simply because you see all kinds of people - many friends groups meet up, laughter clubs, father-son duos, serious exercisers. Something about it keeps you in touch with life around us as it is.