This post starts with pictures, and I labeled them so you should be able to situate them into the story as you go. Somehow the story formatting is turning into a snaky affair--consider it a seek-and-find adventure! The first part (here reads fine, but the sentence continues in between photos halfway down...bizarre). I have confidence you can follow it...or you can begin after the photos when it's more sensible.
(writing started at about 2:00, after the first part of the day was done): I took awesome notes today during our tour. But it appears I left them upstairs when I went to wash my hands and feet. So dirty, so dismaying, but then maybe it's a sign I need to lighten up on the little things.
I sat down here at the lunch table, a pretty exquisitely laid table with thick cloths, woven placemats, sparkling stemware and a dozen chafing dishes about 10 feet away hinting at their tempting contents. I turned to Sue
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| Ayurvedic store...I bought henna for fingernails |
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a few of the Ayurvedic offerings
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morning bike accident...rider ok
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| central market in old city slowly coming to life |
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Charminar: 20m x 20m, 56m high (thank you,
Wikipedia. We did not go up the 156 steps to upper level) |
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| Charminar's impressive 4 minarets |
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Autorickshaw looks like it was decorated
by Liv and Ruby (on the inside too!) |
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Flower sales for the Dargah (Sufi shrine). These flowers
are only used for offerings at dargahs. |
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Fingernail henna!
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One of my favorite signs today.
There are lots of ads here for Genius College too. |
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Gurdit Singh of the US consulate describes the
role of the Guru Granth Sahib in Sikh practice |
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| gate/entry to street on which gurudwara is |
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| Close up of Sikh holy book: Guru Granth Sahib |
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| Chicken for the day's batch of haleem |
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| cooking space for haleem (L side of photo) |
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| stoking the fire for day's batch of haleem |
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| One of 100s of haleem signs in Hyderabad during Ramzan |
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| We're all coming out of Hanuman temple after pooja |
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| First round of rituals outside Hanuman temple |
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Courtyards like this are accessible from
street only through series of passageways into
private residences. From the street, you'd never
know what lovely spaces there were around. |
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| Buddha in the lake..quite lovely! |
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| Sweets for sale at Charminar market |
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| Mecca Masjid (Mosque): 75 ft. high inside |
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| Mecca Masjid, one of oldest & largest mosques in India |
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| Gene can go in the mosque (women can't) |
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| Male saint buried on left, female saint on right |
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| Doorway was about 12-14" wide |
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one of 33 statues rimming Necklace Dr.
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| Purveyor of paan leaves sets up shop |
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| Swan cream puffs at lunch: thought of you, L&R! |
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PoserThali lunch, still delicious!!
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This sign made me realize I'd been spelling
Telugu wrong the whole time. Oops |
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| Dessert table at today's lunch (this is for Liv&Ruby!) |
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| Lots of women in Hyderabad wear burkhas. |
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A favorite sign from today
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Rugs for public to use (it's Ramzan, after all!)
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turned to Sue after we'd each had a breath and said, wait, what did we do today? We're just in from our adventures, it's not even 2:00, and my brain is already half melted. So for now, thematic overview: high points: seeing central market in old Hyderabad slowly waking up, the sandalwood incense at the Hanuman Temple, and the variety of walking sticks in the museum. Sue liked the bird's head with the bright blue eye best. Yes, I remember that one too.
OK, verging on being That Girl with the laptop open at the dining table. Everyone sitting across from me keeps pointing out a cream puff on a table behind me. Apparently it's shaped like a swan. That's a reminder to take photos, and lots of them.
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well, lunch was delicious and inspired me in specific ways: more mustard seed, more turmeric...I need to up my game in my cooking.
So a few words about Hyderabad from our guide today, Mr. Harsh (no kidding)
It's the biggest city in south-central India and the dominant sibling of the "tri-cities" (as named by Bill Clinton) of Hyderabad, Secunderabad, and Cyberabad. Can you guess which of these is the I.T. hub?
- Mr. Harsh explained that the environment here is especially "clean and green", due in large part to a massive tree planting effort 15-20 years ago. Before that it was a dry, brown place. He didn't go into irrigation strategies, but the results make the city certainly more welcoming than it would be as a dusty treeless plain. In fact, Hyderabad hosted a 28-day global conference on environmental affairs a few years ago (the Cop 11?) For this Hyderabad has the best conference center in India, even better than those in Delhi.
- He calls this city a "miniature India" with multiple languages and religions.
- Andhra Pradesh is the 5th largest state in India. It is likely to split (along linguistic lines?), as are Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, at least that's what Mr. Harsh said.
- We saw the Standing Buddha in the middle of a lake, the tallest modern granite Buddha in India. The lake predates the founding of the city. In the 1560s, the 3rd king of Golconda built this for agriculture. Sadly, reading over my notes, I have no recollection of what "this" was.
- The road around the lake is called Necklace Road. At 10km long, it's popular with evening strollers and can accommodate lots of people. The opposite side of the road is rimmed with green spaces and 33 statues of important Hyderabadis. I was surprised to learn this since a good number of them looked like versions of the Buddha to me. Maybe the sculptors didn't have a diverse skill set? Actually, Mr. Harsh told us that the founder of Mahayana Buddhism (whose name I didn't get) was from Hyderabad.
- Even today, the old city apparently doesn't "wake up" until 10:30 or 11:00. We got to see the first stirrings as the street vendors unwrapped their sunglasses, bangles and clothing. They stay open until 8:30 or 9:00 without a break, and anyway, Mr. Harsh says the morning is for "your personal maintenance". Hyderabad is known for its bangles, and we have several um, focused shoppers in our group who are hungry for deals on those.
- We got another theory on the origin of Hyderabad's name, in marked contrast to what we learned yesterday at HMI. In this version, Hyder refers to the king's love, his brave one. And -abad means population in Arabic, garden in Urdu, and luck in...Hindi? He was talking so fast, I think I have these right. My factchecking is remiss because I have so little internet access here. If you see mistakes, let me know!
- Some rulers were Muslim before the Moghuls came. Mr. Harsh reminded us that many Muslims came in the 9-11th centuries via sea routes. We tend to focus on those who arrived overland, perhaps overemphasizing their role in the development of central and southern India (though it's important to remember these were princely states at this time, not a united nation).
You enter the old city by crossing the river Mosi (sp?) which Mr. Harsh said is now more like a "dirty canal". In Sept. 1908 the river flooded and killed 3000+ people.
Most tourists who come to Hyderabad visit the Charminar, a 1593 landmark built by the 4th king of Golconda (the 4th of 7 of the Golconda kings, whose dynasty ended in 1687). Char means 4 in Hindi and minar refers to the minarets which top each corner of the structure. It's a replica of the tomb of Ali in Karballah in Iraq. The religious scholars among you will recognize that this tribute to Ali marks the Charminar, and by extension the Golcondas, as Shi'a Muslims. Sitting in the middle of the old city at first glance it looks like a combination fortress and victory tower, and it's interesting to learn that the king built is to signal their victory over the plague (love the medical versus military victory). Our guide explained that the city was built on a "double grid pattern." A few hundred meters away, there are four massive stone arches at the cardinal directions, which all withstood the onslaught of the Sunni conquerors. Five to seven story buildings were grouped around teh western gate. The ministerial staff and officers lived near the eastern gate, and the poor were grouped near the northern and southern gates. Much of the city was destroyed and top sections of the Charminar's minarets still show scorch marks (or it could be advanced mildew, who knows?) from the later invaders. It is constructed in an Indo-Saracenic style (India + Saracens of Persia), on the ornate side with lotus accents atop each of the four base columns (they mark the corners of the lower level, they don't support a structure). There are the traditionally Islamic architectural features of geometric patterns, curved carvings, arches and domes. It's a lovely buiding, imposing and almost delicate at the same time. In the 16th century the central market formed in the square just off the Charminar, and whereas the area is now clogged with motorbikes and autorickshaws, fruit, vegetable and sundry other vendors still peddle their wares there.
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| Sun in my eyes? Hooray! No more rain! |
Then a short walk to the Mecca Masjid, the second largest mosque in India (after the one in Delhi). Several Muslim saints are buried there as well as most of the Golconda nizans, or kings (only the first and last are buried elsewhere). Sand from Mecca lies in some part of the structure, which can hold 3000 worshippers on the inside, 10,000 in the square immediately outside the mosque (within its walls), and 90,000 show up on the streets outside to pray at the last Friday of Ramzan.
The pillars inside jut high into the sky, and it's amazing to learn they're all single stones quarried here in India. I think I heard Mr. Harsh say it took 1400 bulls to pull the stones here. Similarly, there are no joints in the massive arches that lead into the mosque's interior. They are made of three pieces, all of the same original piece of stone. Women are not allowed inside the mosque (bummer!) but I could see that despite its size, it was decorated simply, so its grandeur is of a different kind than the more opulent mosques of the Ottomans.
While waiting for the bus, I bought fingernail henna and took pictures of the haleem vendors stoking the wood fires in giant stone ovens out on the sidewalk. They get their ovens started, then begin the long (6-8 hours) process of making the day's haleem. I watched a guy who specializes in chicken haleem, a blend of wheat flour, finely ground chicken meat, ghee and mild spices. This dish is a Hyderabad specialty, made mostly during Ramzan. They also make mutton haleem, which incidentally is goat meat. It doesn't apply to sheep until you get up north toward Kashmir. Good to know. And today driving home we saw a fish haleem vendor. There was spontaneous gagging at the sight. I forgot to take a picture of the big bowls of haleem at the madrasa the other night (rats!) It's a Dickensian dish, gloppy and grey with a texture that turns off anyone with food texture issues. I learned that the lime garnish is actually quite a nice touch, and so far haleem and I have an amicable (though infrequent) speaking relationship. The same cannot be said for most of my group.
Traffic in Hyderabad is almost mythic. The volume of Hero Hondas (small motorcycles) on the road is mind-blowing. We saw a nasty bicycle accident today where I wondered if a person had actually been killed. He didn't die (or bleed much, from looking at the road) but he was badly hurt. Ouch.
Next we went to the Salar Jung museum, the most important of Hyderabad's museums says Mr. Harsh. To make a long story short, Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung was the 3rd in a line of nizars and a prime minister (of the princely state or of newly-independent India...I'm not sure). He left the city a 40,000 piece collection of art and...well, collectibles. He attended the Diamond Jubilee for Queen Victoria (do I have that right? He died in 1949 at age 60) with a flotilla of ships, stopping en route in Rome and picking up Berzoni's "Veiled Rebecca", which is a stunning piece. One of the most acclaimed pieces is a glockenspiel-type English clock that moves as it chimes the hour. I was expecting something really elaborate, and well, what it lacked in pomp it made up in precision. My favorite exhibits were the almost 200 walking sticks, the Qur'anic art (there were "shirts" made of pages of canvas stitched together where the Qur'an was written so small it looked like a print pattern, just stunning) and the modern Indian art. But there were also rooms of impressive Moghul miniature paintings, Western and South Asian sculpture (marble vs. ivory), ceremonial "jewelry" for horses and elephants...it went on and on. We only saw 30 or 40% and I would absolutely recommend that people visit this place.
The final pre-lunch stop was at Hanuman's temple, an operational (as opposed to merely historic) Hindu temple. I talked to a couple of older gentlemen in the courtyard who helped me decode the rituals people were performing. People would wash their hands, gather water--or they might've brought oil--then perhaps pray to the icon on the elevated portico (wrong word? elevated structure in the courtyard, with an elaborate wooden roof but no walls). Then they'd walk around a certain tree several times chanting a mantra. At a designated time, we all went into the main temple for the real pooja or prayer, first to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth (not just money, but spiritual wealth) and moments later to Hanuman. He's the god with the monkey face, who represents strength (among other things). He's extremely popular across India. So we stood in this large, low-ceilinged space punctuated by red columns every 6' or so, shoulder to shoulder with worshippers, clapping in time while others clanged big brass bells overhead and sang/chanted for a few moments. It was incredibly loud, yet I found it easy to go into myself, to be in the moment and not just an observer. Having said that, I noticed hundreds, maybe thousands of fresh flowers adorning the walls, the "altar" (what to call it?), and the whole space smelled smoky and sweet with an incense that was neither cloying nor sharp. I ate the small sweet proffered by the priest after the first prayers, then accepted the flames (passed around on a circular tray) to gather smoke up from the tip of the burning wax mound, then bring it to my face and head in a symbolic gesture. I offered my donation, and two steps later was met by the man circulating with a ewer of coconut milk that he poured into my (right!) hand for me to drink. Wow. A super cool experience. Now I have to look up more of what it means. If you're interested, check Youtube for examples of prayers at Hanuman's temples. There must be several online.
Oh, and following the Hindu temple visit, we had to cross the street barefoot because we'd left our shoes on the bus. I think this means I'll live an extra 3 or 4 years because of all the toxins my body encountered today (and I'm still kicking!)
Lunch was "semi-thali" coordinated by the hotel. Basically to comply with our group coordinator's request for a South Indian thali meal, the hotel folks just put the regular buffet only thali-style plates, broad thin metal circles with 4-5 small metal bowls each holding a few spoonfuls of a particular curried dish. Not a real thali (no chutneys, for one!); fortunately for us the "regular" buffet was delicious. There was a coconut milk, curry leaf and lime cauliflower dish that almost made us weep, it was so good. Other favorites included a red curry prawn dish, a fried green veg/peanut dish, and...well, I'll put it in the pictures.
Mr. Gurdit SIngh and Salil Kader from the US consulate in Hyderabad led the afternoon session to a dargha (Sufi shrine) and a gurudwara (Sikh temple). They brought along Dr. Merchant, a very charming and witty former professor as English at UHyderabad, also a poet and a specialist in the work of Anais Nin (his grad studies). He was a character, a Sufi with a long white wavy beard and jeans. He also shed some light on the gay scene in Hyderabad, particularly the community's growing use of prophylactics (condoms here) and NGOs' recent successes in dealing with HIV/AIDS. Andhra Pradesh apparently has one of the worst infection rates in India. As in so many places, economic destitution is part of the reason, with a major trucking route running right through this area and scores of prostitutes and truckers unwittingly passing the virus through the larger community. Dr. Merchant also mentioned his disappointment with Barak Obama's record of (in)action during his second term. In part he blames the intransigent US Congress, but he's mystified why an Obama decision to reinstate the Taliban in Afghanistan makes good sense. Not having followed American political news closely for these past several weeks, I had nothing to offer to the discussion. But Dr. Merchant was ready to talk on a number of subjects, and we appreciated his insights and his levity all afternoon.
Dargha: saint's tomb, "the ecumenical part of Islam". The 2 brothers who facilitated the Moghul conquering of the Golconda are buried there. We ladies were able to pray at the lone shrine to a female Sufi saint, but we could not enter the main shrine.
Sufis have long held particular sway with Moghul, Ottoman and other political leaders. Nestorians in Iran are very much like the Sufis, inviting "intermeeting" of ideas, not just money in the trade. Some Sufis engage in sama, spiritual ecstasy that vary according to regionally indigenous practices.
We had a delightful meeting with two local Sikhs who are active in the interfaith community, and we had perhaps our most productive Q/A session so far, largely due to the expertise of Gurdit and his friends. I am grateful for the practical guide to the Guru Granth Sahib they gave us, and I'll not only put in on my bookshelf at home, but I'll pick it up from time to time, the way I do with Thich Nhat Hahn's (sp!) writing. It's a really good find.
Tomorrow is Sunday, our day off--ha! So we have time for exercise, then the hotel chef is demo-ing how to make dosas. After that we'll head in hired cars to Golconda Fort. Then...well, my plan is to avoid shopping. Otherwise, I'm open.
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