Sights on a Morning Walk - Abids

 Sunnie and I met early at 530 am and headed off to Abids. We parked near my old IDBI office and walked towards Nizam College passing a model government school on the way - with a large ground.

Aliya High School for Boys (1892)

Once an elite college - Madrassa-e-Aliya 

 Then past Nizam College and then peeped into Aliya school/college which had a huge history but which I never deigned to look into all these years. Apparently it was run by Anglo Indians and  was one of the top schools in the early years - famous alumni include the 7th Nizam, Prince Mukarram Jah, cricketer Asif Iqbal, novelist Raja Rao among others! Right next to it, nestling between Aliya and Mahbubia School is a small gully that had a board -Department of Culture or something to that effect.

Mahbubia Girls School and College

I showed Sunny the path we (Ram and I) used to take as kids to go to school. Then past the wedding cars lined up and Blue Sea restaurant which was once the famous Bombay Restaurant where we ate many tandoor roti-mutton ordered by our adventurous Abdul Rub in his inimitable fashion every Sunday league match. 

State Bank of Hyderabad established by the 7th Nizam at Hyderabad State Bank in 1941

 

St Joseph's Cathedral (1820) Roman Catholic church

All Saints High School (1855) in the back ground

Past SBI which was then SBH and had a canteen where we would eat breakfast (Chakkar and I) for ridiculously low prices like 25 paise or something. I always felt like an impostor there because we were not employees but Chakkar seemed to know the ropes.

Rosary Convent  High School (1904) Roman Catholic

Then we turned into the gully that led to All Saints and I showed him the place where the famous Green Stores  once stood, selling stationary and stuff to school kids. Was there a pretty girl behind the counter? I don't know but we romanticised everything. Then we turned into the school side and found that the access to the school had been cut off thanks to some new platform raised on that open ground where all cars would drop off kids (including us). 

St George's Church (1844) Christ Church originally

ISKCON, Abids

We walked up the steps to the church which I found out was  called St Joseph's cathedral, imposing as ever. I showed Sunnie the little tunnel which was still open but with a steel door to secure its proper use. We snuck past the door to All Saints which was bolted from the other side. Now the entrance to All Saints is completely separate - the church and the school seem to have fortten to forgive and forget.

Jamatkhana,  Chirag Ali Lane

MCI Centenary Methodist Church, Chapel Road (1950s), Protestant

From there (I always wanted to know what and where this Gun Foundry is but that I will save for the next time) we walked down and checked out George Grammar School's church which was an impressive one. Again from the outside because the gates were locked. Past Taj which made Sunnie reconsider his breakfast plan but again reconsidered it - GPO, through Chirag Ali lane where the impressive Jamatkhana stands, a peek at the Methodist Church on Chapel Road where Timothy got married decades ago and back to the car.

Breakfast at the Udipi in SR Nagar and off we were. Was a nice long walk.