Monthly Archives: May 2012

Research on an epoch maker

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Sri Sri Sahitya Samalochana, Edited by Dr. Diwakarla Rajeswari, Ambika Ananth.

Like other Indian languages, Telugu too has been imbibing, from time to time, various trends and ideologies emanating from across the world, particularly in relation to European countries.

Dissemination of English language during the British rule facilitated easy access in this. A section of young poets looked for new modes to give vent to their poetic spirit in the altered context.

In the post-war period Impressionism, Dadaism, Imagism, Cubism, Symbolism, Futurism, Realism, Surrealism and the like fascinated them. Developments in Russia and the International Labour Movement expounding the cause of working class operated as a source of major inspiration for them . Further, Marxist philosophy attracted them . They started writing poetry with a new outlook called Progressivism, relegating Romanticism to the background.

Srirangam Srinivasa Rao, popularly known as Sri Sri, was the pioneer in this direction and was acclaimed as an epoch maker. Sri Sri- Sahitya Samalochana is a compilation of 20 research papers presented by noted scholars, at the National Seminar conducted under the joint auspices of Telugu Vignana Samithi, Bangalore and Central Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi in December 2009, to mark Sri Sri’s birth centenary.

Four more articles are included in a booklet as an appendage. As the title indicates, the writers deliberate on the works of Sri Sri with much diligence and comprehension. Addepalli Ramamohana Rao gives an enlightening analysis of Sri Sri’s Magnum Opus ‘Mahaprasthanam, with particular reference to the element of reality perceived from different angles. S.V. Satyanarayana aptly calls the work a progressive epic, which, he says, is a poetic interpretation of Marxism.

In his article on ‘Prabhava’, Kasala Nagabhushanam traces in detail Sri Sri’s transformation into a progressive poet, with ample quotations. Dwa.Na.Sastry, while assessing Sri Sri’s ‘Siprali’ dwells on the humorous ingredient of the poems and attributes of his parodies.

Unique features of Sri Sri’s radio plays are well presented by C.Mrinalini. Ambika Ananth in her appraisal of ‘Three Cheers for Man’ cites, inter alia, Sri Sri’s English translation of some of his own poems and makes a prudent suggestion that a translation workshop may be organised for translating his works. Kopparthi Venkataramana Murty observes that ‘Anantham’ though penned as a sort of novel, embedding autobiography, reflects the ‘soul’ of history of his period. Diwakarla Rajeswari states that Sri Sri’s essays are in a way innovative writings exploiting prose to the optimum extent. Sri Sri’s original and translated stories demonstrate his command over the genre, contends Ampasayya Naveen. ‘Khadga Srushti’ is replete with thematic diversity keeping the common man at the centre stage.

Yet another aspect of Sri Sri’s writing — his film lyrics — are surveyed by Rasaraju, who avers that every piece carries his stamp. G. S. Mohan writing on Sri Sri’s prefaces and reviews reveals that they are quite spirited, thoughtful and analytical.

In her paper on Sri Sri’s letters, K. Asajyothi proves how they are embellished with discussions on literature. Channapragada Jayalakshmi feels that Sri Sri’s ‘Pra-Ja’ (Questions and Answers) amply bears out his inscrutable nature. Markudapuram Srinivasa shares his experiences during the course of his Kannada translation of ‘Maha Prasthanam’. The other articles are equally educative. Inclusion of selectpoems of Sri Sri to the book is a welcome addition.

By all counts, this is a work of immense interest to innumerable admirers of Sri Sri. The publishers should have paid greater attention to its format, as it highly deserves a proper structure of a well bound treatise, rather than an adhoc souvenir that it seems now. A chronogical list of Sri Sri’s work would also be a useful annexureif and when the book goes into a reprint.

Sri Sri Sahitya Samalochana

Edited by Dr. Diwakarla Rajeswari, Ambika Ananth.

For copies: Visalandhra Book House

Price: Rs.200.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> Arts> Books / by Govindaraju RamaKrishna Rao / May 31st, 2012

Delightful and romantic

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

PUTTING DANCE INTO GITANJALI   Kuchipudi dancers performing Rabindranath’s Gitanjali through Kuchipudi.  Photo: K Ramesh Babu/ The Hindu

The ‘Telugu Vennela’ poetry fest showcased romantic poetry at its best.

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali has been translated into Telugu by many poets. The one by Rallabandi Kavitha Prasad is romantic poetry at its best — with a visual flow that got reflected in a dance (Kuchipudi) presentation. Following the Kuchipudi tradition to a certain extent, choreographer/nattuvanaar and guru Usha Gayatri Maddali, made use of group sutradhars for narration and a solo dancer to communicate the philosophy of Tagore’s verses. The Telugu version of the verses was lucid, lyrical and lofty all at once. Vempati Srivalli Sarma’s vocals enriched the bhava of these verses with the stresses rightly laid out. The artistic handling of a profound philosophy was indeed laudable as it stuck to the original in word and deed. The quest of the atma for its origin, that is the Paramatma or Brahman forms the crux of these verses. The poetic romanticism lies in personifying the atma or inner self as a woman and that too a dancer who is in search of her spotlessly pure beloved.

The group of six, an auspicious number in Hindu philosophy, dressed in symbolic white costume (not the traditional Kuchipudi one) with a hairdo to match, commenced the show with a salutation to our national flag through dance with minimal footwork. As such, the flow of the song was more through mime and gestures (natyabhinaya) than dance. But to the credit of the choreographer, she tried her best to ensure some elemental footwork at least in the form of jatis, to underline the structure of Kuchipudi.

The verses of in Telugu were undertaken in solo (by Abhirami) who was able to portray pangs of lost love, reminiscences of good times with her beloved and then the pursuit of her inner self for everlasting happiness with him. The linesNenoka chiru venuvunai… are all about nature and the joy it bestows on a yearning soul. The physical has to be interpreted in terms of the metaphysical which is manifested as rain, sunshine, blossoms, lively rivulets, unending ocean, etc. The digitalised screening of the moon and later the sun, gave the desired effect. Abhirami’s moves and expressions for paadamani koraga… were aesthetic. The crisp jati to swaram gave the apt impetus though it could have extended a little longer for an impact. The soliloquy (through recitation and not song) wherein she hears the un-manifested divinity questioning her search when He is within herself (in atma), was a piece of rich, meaningful poetry.

The muktaimpu was however rather flippant. The bonds that have shackled the dancer (the self) have to be torn asunder if the union with the Parabrahman is desired-this is the crux of Gitanjali as we saw it on stage. This freedom from the world leads to ultimate reality and that is the truth. The dancer was able to convey this to the audience with clarity despite some unwarranted preening around in the name of Kuchipudi which of late, seems to be the order of the day. The conclusion was a well-drawn thanksgiving to the universe after an understanding of the ultimate reality. The voice-overs (Baladitya and Usha Gayatri) for the vaachikabhinayam were an added attraction.

Venkatesh on the flute made his presence felt while Anil Kolanka on the violin, Sridharacharya on the mridangam, Srikanth on the tabla and Raju on the keyboard made for a creditable orchestra. The ballet was part of the three-day ‘Telugu Vennela’ poetry fest organised under the aegis of Kinnera Arts at Ravindra Bharathi.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> Arts> Dance / by Ranee Kumar / May 31st, 2012

Stem Cells Restore Sight in India

Amazing Feats, Science & Technology

Dr. Sangwan examines the eyes of another returning patient, Praveen Reddy. After losing sight in a chemical accident at his workplace, Reddy was successfully treated with the stem cells. But years later, he developed a few complications. (Photo: Rhitu Chatterjee)

Ashok Chakravarti remembers the moment he went blind.

It was on February 18, 2002. He was at work, at a chemical plant, when a pipe carrying sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) started to leak.

“I was fixing the leak when the chemical splashed into my eyes,” he says. The accident damaged the outermost layer of his eyes, the cornea.

Chakravarti is among thousands of Indians who lose their sight in chemical accidents each year.

Today, some of those people can see again, thanks to scientists at the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, in Hyderabad.

The institute is treating patients with stem cells – not the controversial embryonic stem cells, but adult stem cells.

Inside the lab where the cells are grown, Savitri Maddileti shows me two petri dishes. Each dish contains a tiny piece of eye tissue from a patient.

“One is [from a] 15-year-old female, and the other is [from a] five-year-old male,” she says.

Both children had accidents with household chemicals and became blind in one eye.

What scientists here aim to do is fix the damaged eye with stem cells taken from the good eye. (In patients who have suffered damage to both eyes, the stem cells are taken from the eye of a close relative.)

Maddileti and her team don’t isolate the stem cells from the eye tissue, but under the right conditions, those cells start growing on their own.

“Can you see these bright cells coming out?” she says, showing me an image through a microscope.

The cells look shiny, and they are starting to form a thin transparent layer. This is the new corneal tissue that will be transplanted into the patient’s damaged eye.

Pathologist Geeta Vemuganti, who heads the team that grows these stem cells, says the process is much like gardening.

“It’s akin to putting seeds, or a little sapling along with a little bit of soil, or the roots,” she says – the stem cells being the seeds or saplings, and the rest of the eye tissue being the soil or roots.

Vemuganti’s team is not the first to repair damaged corneas with stem cells. This technique was developed by a group of Italian scientists.

But Vemuganti modified that technique, making it simpler and faster.

“Instead of three to four weeks, we made it 10 days,” she says.

This also made the process less expensive, which is important in a hospital that treats all patients, including those who can’t afford to pay.

Vemuganti and her colleagues have treated hundreds of patients from all over India.

One of them is Ashok Chakravarti, the man who lost his sight back in 2002 while fixing a pipe at work. Three months and a few surgeries later, he was able to see again.

“It was like being given a second life,” he says.

But after several years of normal vision, Chakravarti started having eye problems again. So he has returned to the institute to see Virender Sangwan, the surgeon who spearheaded the stem cell initiative.

Sangwan examines Chakravarti’s eyes.

“Your body has rejected the right cornea,” Sangwan tells Chakravarti.

That’s because Chakravarti wasn’t just given the stem cell transplant; he also received corneal tissue from a dead donor, because his injury was especially severe.

Sangwan says the stem cell transplant worked just fine, but the corneal graft is starting to fail.

“That’s a normal graft rejection, like any other transplant rejection,” says Sangwan. “So we are going to replace that cornea and see if that will work.”

Many of his patients return with post-surgical complications. Treating them is an ongoing process.

But Sangwan says any success is important because when poor people in India go blind, they lose more than their sight.

“Once you don’t have the eyesight, then the society doesn’t respect you,” he says. “Socially [you’re] not productive, so everybody starts neglecting [you].”

By restoring sight, Sangwan says he is restoring his patients’ self esteem and, as he puts it, their “faith in life.”

source: http://www.theworld.org / Home> Health / by Rhitu Chatterjee / May 30th, 2012

 

Royal Dutch Shell, RPower to set up LNG terminal in AP

Business & Economy

New Delhi:

Royal Dutch Shell and Reliance Power Thursday announced plans to set up a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal off the coast of Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh by 2014.

The port announced by the two companies in separate but identical press statement is the same as the one for which state-owned gas utility GAIL India had roped in French utility GDF Suez and signed pact with Andhra Pradesh government for a 3.5 million tons floating LNG receipt facility.

“After the success of Shell’s Hazira terminal in Gujarat, Shell is keen to set up an LNG receiving terminal in Andhra Pradesh,” Royal Dutch Shell’s Global Head of LNG De la Rey Venter said in the first official announcement of Reliance Power (RPL) and Shell joining hands for the floating terminal.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with RPL and Kakinada Sea Ports Ltd (KSPL) to implement the LNG terminal in AP and look forward to successfully progressing this project with our partners,” he said.

While Shell operates a 3.6 million tons a year capacity LNG terminal at Hazira in Gujarat, the project off the Andhra coast “is expected to start with a capacity of up to 5 million tons per annum and is designed for easy expandability to 10 million tons to meet the surging demand for gas in the region.”

Shell and billionaire Anil Ambani-run RPL will hold the majority of the equity in the terminal company, the statements said but did not give details of the equity structure. Kakinada Seaports operates the Kakinada deepwater port.

“This project uniquely benefits from Shell?s presence in several existing and planned LNG supply projects around the world which will help ensure diversity and security of supply,” it said.

Kakinada is also the landfall point of billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries’ flagging KG-D6 gas fields in the Bay of Bengal, and a near 1,400-km line carries the fuel from there carries the fuel to consumption centres in the west.

The continuing fall in KG-D6 output has triggered a rush for setting up of LNG import facilities to meet the growing energy demands in the country.

While GAIL is doing a detailed feasibility report for the floating import facility, Petronet LNG Ltd – the nation’s largest importer of gas in its liquid form (LNG) in ships, too is building a 5 million tons facility at Gangavaram in Andhra Pradesh by 2016.

In intervening period to the construction of the Rs 4,000 crore Gangavaram terminal, Petronet plans to hire a floating LNG terminal to begin imports of fuel immediately.

State refiner Indian Oil Corp (IOC) too is doing a front-end engineering and design (FEED) study for a terminal at Ennore in Tamil Nadu.

source: http://www.zeenews.india.com / Home / PTI / Thursday, May 31st, 2012

PTI

‘It had always been my dream to be a fighter pilot’

Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology

Pune:

For academy cadet captain G Dayakar Reddy, it had always been a dream to be a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force. And he gave everything it took to realize the dream.

Reddy, who bagged the President’s gold medal for standing first in the overall order of merit of the 122nd course at the National Defence Academy (NDA), is now set to join the Air Force Officers Academy at Hyderabad from July 7.

Son of a pharmacist from Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh, Reddy had no one in the family to look to for inspiration in his pursuit of a career in the armed forces. His first association with a regimented life came when he joined the Sainik School at Korukunda in Vizianagaram.

“I always wanted to be a fighter pilot and I am looking forward to my training at the finishing academy,” said Reddy. He belongs to the ‘Oscar’ squadron, which has bagged the champion squadron banner at the NDA for the third successive year.

Battalion cadet captain Sashbind Singh Pal, who stood second in the overall order of merit to bag the President’s silver medal, comes from a family with a military background. “My father, Subhedar S M Singh, is posted at the Ordnance Depot at Talegaon near Pune,” he said.

Pal, who hails from Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh, did his schooling at the Military School in Belgaon, Karnataka prior to joining the NDA. He belongs to the ‘Echo’ squadron of the academy.

“I was not so good in studies but I was good at sports,” he said. “Right from childhood I wanted to have a career in the armed forces. “I want to join the infantry.”

Battalion cadet adjutant J S Aswal also belongs to a family with a military background. “My father, Rajinder Singh Aswal, is a subedar in the army. He inspired me and wanted me to become an officer in the armed forces,” said Aswal.

“It’s an altogether different feeling to be part of the NDA and I am eagerly looking forward to my training at the officers academy,” said Aswal, who hails from Garwhal in Uttarakhand region. “I got to learn a lot of things during my life at the NDA,” he added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Pune / TNN / May 31st, 2012

 

Britain opens deputy High Commission office in Hyderabad

Business & Economy

Hyderabad, May 31 (PTI)

Britain today opened its deputy High Commission office here. Simon Fraser, permanent under-secretary and head of the British Diplomatic Services while opening the office, said they are going to open another office in Chandigarh, bringing the total British Deputy High Commissions in India to seven. “British diplomacy is engaged in a significant shift towards the power of Asia, with India as a centerpiece.

A new office in Hyderabad was top priority. Partnership with Andhra Pradesh offers immense opportunity to expand trade and investment between the UK and this important part of India,” Fraser told reporters here. James Bevan, British High Commissioner to India, said they are eyeing to double the bilateral trade which was pegged at USD 13 billion in 2010, by 2015 and cooperate in a host of other areas including research and innovation. Bevan said Britain is mulling open Deputy High Commissions in some other cities also and discussions with Indian Government are underway in this regard. Besides the British High Commission in New Delhi, there are UK missions in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore. It also has two trade offices in Pune and Ahmadabad. Besides Punjab and Haryana, the proposed Chandigarh office will also be responsible for Britain’s relationship with Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Rajasthan. Both the diplomats called on Andhra Pradesh Governor and Chief Minister. PTI GDK GK GK

source: http://www.ibnlive.in.com / Wires> Latest News / PTI / May 31st, 2012

Mirza welcomes boom in Asian women’s tennis

Sports

by Roberto Coloma

Asian poster girl Sania Mirza says the women’s game is in its best state ever in the region, with Chinese stars like Li Na leading the charge and a new generation waiting in the wings.

“I think we’re probably at the healthiest best in Asian women’s tennis,” Mirza told AFP in an interview on the sidelines of the French Open.

“Tennis is growing in Asia,” she said.

Asia’s former number one was speaking after a three-set loss with her American doubles partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands to the Russian-Romanian pair of Nina Bratchikova and Edina Gallovits-Hall in the first round at Roland Garros. The shock defeat came after Mirza and Mattek-Sands won the doubles trophy at last week’s Brussels Open.

Sania, who was at a career-best world number 10 in the doubles ranking before Tuesday but has slipped to number 185 in singles from a peak of 27 in 2007, is now unsure of being able to play in the London Olympics.

She’s only 25 but injuries have hobbled her career, which reached a climax when she won the mixed doubles with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi at the Australian Open in 2009.

With more than $2.2 million in career prize money and a celebrated wedding in 2010 to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, Mirza has to decide soon on her tennis priorities in order to preserve her health.

“That’s a call I’ll take, either playing just singles or just doubles.”

Mirza said that after three surgeries — on her wrist and both knees — her body doesn’t feel 25 at all.

“It feels much older,” she admitted.

“Doubles obviously is a lot less (taxing) physically on your body, it takes less. But having said that, I sometimes do feel that I have it in me to be back again in singles.”

“It’s not the tennis. I’ve never doubted about the tennis. It’s more about the body.”

While more young women across Asia are taking up tennis, inspired by Mirza and Chinese stars like French Open Li, the men’s singles game hasn’t caught up.

Mirza agreed that the massive popularity of football and cricket in Asia could be factors, but also noted that Asian men have to contend with far more powerful players in Europe, Russia and the United States.

“Cricket is obviously like a religion in our country … maybe that has something to do with it.”

“For tennis, you need a court, you need racquets, you need balls,” she said. “For cricket, you need a bat and a ball and 22 people can play. In football, you need a ball and you can have so many people playing.”

She’s keen to have another Indian girl take over from her, but that will not come anytime soon as no other woman in India is ranked above 500.

“It’s been pretty unfortunate because I’ve been flying the flag alone for the last eight years and so I hope someone comes out. Eventually they will, I’m sure.”

This article was distributed through the NewsCred Smartwire.Original article © Agence France Presse 2012

source: http://www.india.nydailynews.com / Home> News> Desi / by Roberto Coloma / Wednesday, May 30th, 2012

Radio studio visit has kids on song

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education

Hyderabad:

Sophisticated equipment, cool microphones and headphones, soundproof cabins and the trademark eye-catching ‘On air’ signs left the young participants of the Radio Mirchi studio visit fascinated. The event, a part of TOI’s Hyderabad for Kids campaign, was held on Tuesday at the Radio Mirchi office in Begumpet. It gave 75 kids the rare opportunity to step inside a radio station office and witness its inner workings.

From five-year-olds to 18-year-olds, the participants were so eager to see the studio and meet the radio jockeys and professionals that many of them turned up before time at the venue. After the names of all the participants were registered, they were divided into four batches and taken into the studios one batch at a time. Once inside, the kids couldn’t help but stare wide-eyed in amazement at all the studio equipment and the heavy soundproof doors as their guide B Bharathi, a radio jockey (RJ), explained them about what exactly happens there. They were first taken into the live studio from where all the live shows were aired. The participants’ excitement levels soared when they realised that they were actually walking into the studio while a show was being aired. RJ Dheeraja, who was in the middle of her show, welcomed the kids into the studio when a song was being played.

They were shown the screen on which the detailed log of songs, advertisements and jock talk, i.e. when the RJ speaks, was displayed, the switches that control the volume, the phone used to take listeners’ calls and the signature headphones worn by the RJ. Kids were even allowed to stay in the studio while the RJ went live on air and took a couple of calls from listeners. Many captured the RJ speaking into the microphone live on their phone cameras, vowing to show it to their friends back home.

The group was then shown the back-up studio wherein all the recorded shows and segments were recorded and edited. They even took turns saying a couple of lines into the mike, including the popular tagline of the station. Just when they thought they had seen it all, the participants interacted with R Kiran Kumar, a sound engineer and the man behind the popular comic character named ‘Breaking news Baburao’ and Yashwanth Nag, music composer of the Telugu film Neeku Naaku Dash Dash.

Talking about his experience at the event, eight-year-old Vedant A said, “I was so excited when I came to know that I will get to visit a radio station. The entire experience was mind blowing. I will boast about this to all my friends and tell my teacher too about it.” The RJs also said they had a great time with the enthusiastic children. B Bharathi said, “It’s nice as the young kids were so enthusiastic to know about the functioning of a radio station. Many of them had very microphone-friendly voices and a distinct style. I cleared their misconceptions about a radio station having only RJs and told them about the various career opportunities here. Such events give them a good exposure to these fields; it is a great initiative.”

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Hyderabad> Collections / TNN, May 30th, 2012

Final abode of Mohd. Quli Qutb Shah and six others

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence

Mera shahr logon so mamoor kar

Rakhya joon tu darya main man ya samee

(Fill this my city with people as thou hast filled the ocean with fish O Lord)

Few know or remember this impassioned prayer made by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah when he founded Hyderabad. Today his final abode along with the cluster of six other Qutb Shahi tombs is a popular tourist spot.

The royal necropolis spread over 130 acres is also home to 150 other graceful structures.

However, the single dome mausoleums, mosques, heritage fountains modelled on the Indo-Islamic style of architecture are crying for attention.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / May 31st, 2012

Raymond’s tomb languishes in neglect

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence

The obelisk, built in memory of French general in Nizam’s army, Monsieur Raymond (1755-1798) and the pavilion atop a hillock east of Hyderabad, now in utter neglect, is being restored by State Archaeology Department. Photo: G.Ramakrishna / The Hindu

Authorities,wake up

The city has added yet another feather to its cap by being chosen to host the prestigious 11 Conference of Parties to the United Nations convention on biological diversity. Authorities are upbeat and justifiably so for the city being chosen over other metros to hold the mega event. Of course, it speaks volumes about the logistics and infrastructure availability in Hyderabad to conduct the event.

Delegates from 194 countries, including some Prime Ministers, are expected to participate in the convention. A good opportunity to showcase the heritage of Hyderabad. But the monuments being shortlisted for the visit of delegates woefully lack amenities and upkeep. Will the authorities take corrective steps between now and October when the international convention is scheduled?

He was the ‘Musa Rahim-Ram’ to people

Michael Joachim Marie Raymond popularly known as Monsieur Raymond was a French general in the Nizam’s military. Son of a merchant, he travelled to Pondicherry in 1775 to set up a merchant shop but instead landed himself the exciting career of a soldier.

In 1796 he was appointed the Controller of Ordnance. Monsieur Raymond set up many cannon ball factories. Top ka Sancha in Urdu for Gunfoundry is the well known foundry in Hyderabad.

In high esteem

Monsieur Raymond was held in high esteem by the Nizam and he also endeared himself to the locals.

To Muslims he was Musa Rahim and to the Hindus – Musa Ram.

Nowadays, testing one’s athletic skills is the only way to have a glimpse of Monsieur Raymond’s tomb at Asmangadh. Visit any time of the day, this monument jointly maintained by the Tourism and Archaeology Departments would be found inside the locked gates. Visitors often jump over the iron gates or the spiked compound wall to get a better view of the obelisk erected in memory of the most loved French General in Nizam’s military during 18 Century.

Never mind that General Michel Joachim Marie Raymond lent his Indianised name Moosaram to the locality. Never mind that the ammunition factory he set up has become a landmark with the name Gun Foundry. He remains an orphan posthumously, with not even his immediate neighbours aware of the importance of the site. No information about the General is provided for visitors who, if not already aware of its history, will leave clueless about the significance of the place.

The only plaque here with any inscription is the one informing about inauguration of the renovation works in 2009, followed by a list of dignitaries on the occasion. The obelisk has four plaques on all four sides, with nothing inscribed on them. Tree stumps surround the pavilion nearby, indicating the unchecked ravaging of greenery.

The compound wall displays a big hole leading to the adjacent slum Bhoolakshmi Colony from where slum dwellers find their way into the complex for a variety of purposes including defecation, consumption of liquor, and playing cricket. Incidentally the watchman from the same colony who is supposed to guard the structure is always absent along with the key.

Glass pieces and construction debris are strewn all around the other two tombstones, one erected in memory of the General’s pets, another for one of his family members. Encroaching into the premises are two temples of varying sizes.

“A month ago, a group of people arrived, chopped off the huge trees inside the compound wall, and carried them away in a truck. When we complained about the large pits they left behind, they returned with construction debris and dumped it in them,” informed a neighbour.

No signage is kept on the main road to indicate the presence of the tomb, though an obscure display is present at the end of the lane leading into the premises.

The very steep approach road is full of pot holes and stones, making it difficult even to walk up.

Nevertheless, the place has visitors, some times foreigners. Unable to find the watchman, they often jump over the gates to have a better view of the tomb, neighbours say. Perhaps the delegates to the ‘Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity’ too must prepare their limb joints for the forced exercise!

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News > National> Cities> Hyderabad / by Swathi V / May 30th, 2012