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Amidst the consistent discouraging utterances of AICC senior leaders on Telangana, Congress ministers from the region are planning to meet the high command and brief it about the political situationin the region.Barring labour minister Danam Nagender and marketing minister M Mukhesh Goud, all the Telangana ministers are expected to go to Delhi and stay put there till they get an appointment with party president Sonia Gandhi. Panchayat raj minister K Jana Reddy has already left for the national capital, while a few more ministers are expected to join him on Friday. The T-ministers will present a memorandum to the party president. On Monday, the Telangana ministers met the Prime Minister when the latter was in Hyderabad in connection with CoP-11. As the occasion did not provide them an ample time to discuss the issue, they told the PM that they wanted to meet him personally to discuss the issue. Telangana zealots are demanding the resignation of the region's ministers in protest against the delay by the Centre in taking a decision on the separate state issue. They hope the resignations would spur the Congress to act as per the aspirations of the people.
TJAC had openly said that it would target the T-ministers and force them to resign from the cabinet. The T- ministers want the party high command to clear the air on the Telangana ahead of the next phase of agitation being taken up by TJAC.
Meanwhile in New Delhi, Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said no decision had been taken either on Telangana or convening an all party meeting to discuss the issue. Emerging from Rashtrapati Bhavan, where he had a 30-minute long meeting with president Pranab Mukhejee, Shinde did not spell out as to how long it would take to conduct next all party meeting on Telangana.
In another development, former PCC president D Srinvas met Sonia Gandhi on Thursday to discuss the political situation in the state, especially the Telanana issue. Srinivas, however, avoided the media after meeting Sonia.
The
re-launch of the Telangana movement announced by the Telangana
Political Joint Action committee (TJAC) has exposed the widening rift
between the action committee and TRS with the latter claiming that they were not consulted on the issue. However, TJAC chairman M Kodandaram on Monday denied any such rift and said they would conduct a meeting with TRS leaders soon on the issue. However, TJAC's unilateral decision to the re-launch the agitation seems to have not gone well with TRS supremo K Chandrashekar Rao. "TJAC did not invite the TRS for the meeting when the plans for the agitation were finalised. However, we appreciate their efforts to revive the separate Telangana agitation. The TRS politburo will take a decision on mode of its participation in the movement soon," said Etela Rajendra, TRS floor leader in the legislative assembly.
The latest political developments, which are apparently drawing the YSR Congress closer to the Congress because of which the announcement on Telangana might be put off, has made the TRS jittery and is actively considering reviving the agitation. "Reports of our differences with the TRS are baseless. We will invite all the political parties supporting the Telangana cause and the TRS will not be an exception. Since we are into preparatory works, we did not speak to the political leaders. We will do so subsequently," said M Kodandaram, chairman of TJAC.
The TJAC is planning to conduct a 'Chalo Hyderabad' protest on the lines of Tahrir Square agitation in Egypt on September 30. Kodandaram said the TJAC was trying to re-group its rank and file for the forthcoming agitation. A steering committee has been appointed to mobilize the support accordingly, meetings would be held in Hyderabad and Nalgonda on August 2 and 3 respectively.
Kodandaram said the preparatory works would continue till August 15 and the agitation would tentatively start on the independence day with activities like padayatra at district level that would culminate in Chalo Hyderabad on September 30.
Andhra Pradesh (AP) is the fifth largest State in the Indian Union having an area of 275,909 sq. kms and a population of about 75-80 million. AP is bound in the North by Orissa and Madhya Pradesh States, in the East by bay of Bengal with a 960 km long coast line, in the South by Tamilnadu State, and in the West by Karnataka and Maharashtra. AP forms a major link between the north and the south of India. Andhra Pradesh consists of three distinct regions, namely, Andhra, Rayalaseema and Talangana. Andhra and Rayalaseema were part of Madras province of the British empire. For approximately 400 years, Telangana was part of Hyderabad State, an independent kingdom ruled by Muslim Qutub Shahi and Nizam dynasties. Thanks to the sacrifice of Sriramulu Potti, Andhra and Rayalaseema were separated from Madras State in 1953. Andhra state (Andhra and Rayalaseema) was the first state that was formed purely on linguistic nationality, like many European states. Later Andhra merged with Telangana in 1956, based on their linguistic and national affinity, to form the present state of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad as the capital city. However, this has resulted in two major agitations: Jai Telangana in 1969 and Jai Andhra 1972, both for separate states.
The Krishna and the Godavari are the major river systems in AP. The Godavari is the largest and the broadest river of South India.
States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal etc. have produced and published comprehensive histories and cultures of their respective people. Several minor and major European nationalities have done the same. For some strange reason, comprehensive histories of Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana peoples and their cultures have remained a dream, long cherished but unfulfilled.
Srikakulam 2,321,130 5837 Srikakulam
Vijayanagaram 2,110,943 6,539 Vijayanagaram
Visakhapatnam 3,285,092 11,161 Visakhapatnam
East Godavari 4,541,220 10,807 Kakinada
West Godavari 3,517,568 7,742 Eluru
Krishna 3,698,833 8,727 Machilipatnam
Guntur 4,106,999 11,391 Guntur
Prakasam 2,759,166 17,626 Ongolu
Nellore 2,392,260 13,076 Nellore
Andhra 28,733,211 92,906
RAYALASEEMA
Rayalaseema constitutes: Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapuram, Chittooru. District Population Area (sq. km) Capital
Kurnool 2,973,024 17,658 Kurnool
Anatapuram 3,183,814 19,130 Anatapuram
Kadapa 2,267,769 15,359 Kadapa
Chittore 3,261,120 15,152 Chittore
Rayalaseema 11,685,727 67,299
TELANGANA
Telangana forms the core of the Satavahana Dynasty (221BC-218 AD) and in the recent history, it formed the core of the Golconda State and Hyderabad State, ruled by alien Muslim rules, Qutub Shahi Dynasty (1520-1687) and Nizam Dynasty (1724-1948), until she joined the democratic republic of Indian Union in 1948 ending hundreds of years of autocratic rule. Despite fifty-years of democratic rule, the Telangana region remains one of the most backward rgions in the entire Indian Union and remains the most backward province in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Telangana constitutes 10 districts: Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Medak, Warangal, Khammam, Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Nalgonda, and Mahaboobnagar districts. District Population Area (sq.km) Capital
Adilabad 2,082,479 16,105 Adilabad
Karimnagar 3,037,486 11,823 Karimnagar
Warangal 2,818,832 12,844 Warangal
Khammam 2,215,809 16,029 Khammam
Nalgonda 2,852,092 14,240 Nalgonda
Mahaboobnagar 3,077,050 18,432 Mahaboobnagar
Medak 2,269,800 9,699 Sangareddy
Nizamabad 2,037662 7956 Nizamabad
Hyderabad 3,145,940 217 Hyderabad
Rangareddy 2,551,966 7,493 Hyderabad
Telangana 23,873,307 98811
The Krishna and the Godavari are the major river systems in AP. The Godavari is the largest and the broadest river of South India.
States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal etc. have produced and published comprehensive histories and cultures of their respective people. Several minor and major European nationalities have done the same. For some strange reason, comprehensive histories of Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana peoples and their cultures have remained a dream, long cherished but unfulfilled.
Andhra ,Rayalaseema , Telangana
ANDHRA
Andhra is also known as Coasta, meaning coastal region. Andhra constitutes: Srikakualam, Vijayanagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasham, and Nellore districts. Andhra is the most advanced region in Andhra Pradesh, both economically and educationally. District Population Area (sq. km) Capital Srikakulam 2,321,130 5837 Srikakulam
Vijayanagaram 2,110,943 6,539 Vijayanagaram
Visakhapatnam 3,285,092 11,161 Visakhapatnam
East Godavari 4,541,220 10,807 Kakinada
West Godavari 3,517,568 7,742 Eluru
Krishna 3,698,833 8,727 Machilipatnam
Guntur 4,106,999 11,391 Guntur
Prakasam 2,759,166 17,626 Ongolu
Nellore 2,392,260 13,076 Nellore
Andhra 28,733,211 92,906
RAYALASEEMA
Rayalaseema constitutes: Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapuram, Chittooru. District Population Area (sq. km) Capital
Kurnool 2,973,024 17,658 Kurnool
Anatapuram 3,183,814 19,130 Anatapuram
Kadapa 2,267,769 15,359 Kadapa
Chittore 3,261,120 15,152 Chittore
Rayalaseema 11,685,727 67,299
TELANGANA
Telangana forms the core of the Satavahana Dynasty (221BC-218 AD) and in the recent history, it formed the core of the Golconda State and Hyderabad State, ruled by alien Muslim rules, Qutub Shahi Dynasty (1520-1687) and Nizam Dynasty (1724-1948), until she joined the democratic republic of Indian Union in 1948 ending hundreds of years of autocratic rule. Despite fifty-years of democratic rule, the Telangana region remains one of the most backward rgions in the entire Indian Union and remains the most backward province in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Telangana constitutes 10 districts: Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Medak, Warangal, Khammam, Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Nalgonda, and Mahaboobnagar districts. District Population Area (sq.km) Capital
Adilabad 2,082,479 16,105 Adilabad
Karimnagar 3,037,486 11,823 Karimnagar
Warangal 2,818,832 12,844 Warangal
Khammam 2,215,809 16,029 Khammam
Nalgonda 2,852,092 14,240 Nalgonda
Mahaboobnagar 3,077,050 18,432 Mahaboobnagar
Medak 2,269,800 9,699 Sangareddy
Nizamabad 2,037662 7956 Nizamabad
Hyderabad 3,145,940 217 Hyderabad
Rangareddy 2,551,966 7,493 Hyderabad
Telangana 23,873,307 98811
12th Padmashali Mela @ Naren Garden, Miyapur
on Sunday, Date 25-12-2011
HYDERABAD: Fifty four years can be a long time, even a lifetime. But in the history of cities and civilizations, 54 years is possibly just a phase. A phase that has been long enough for Hyderabad to emerge as the centre of gravity drawing people from across Andhra Pradesh, but too short a period for these cultures to integrate with each other.
People from Andhra and Telangana regions may have coexisted for over five decades, but there has seemingly been no room for fusion of the two distinct cultures.
Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1956 and ever since there has been an influx of people to Hyderabad, the bone of contention currently in the ongoing agitation for a separate Telangana state. The city may have retained its 'city of Nizams' title, but it has a rather heterogenous character.
People from Seemandhra rub shoulders with those from Telangana, many of whom are the original inhabitants of Hyderabad, but the two cultures have remained distinctly different.
It is only obvious that at the heart of the Telangana agitation are the cultural differences between people of the two regions. The coexistence of the last many years does not reflect in the way the city lives. The Telugu dialect spoken by people of each region remains distinct and so do the festivals- Bathukamma is strictly a Telangana festival and Sankranti that of Andhra. Save a few, there have been no marriages that bond the two regions.
"People in Hyderabad (from other regions) have strong linkages with their native places so they go back to their villages for festivals and this is possibly a strong reason why the identities are so distinct," says social scientist C Ramachandraiah, who hails from Kadapa and has lived in Hyderabad for the last 15 years.
There are many, however, who maintain that they have merged with the city's social and cultural fabric, made it their own over the years and thus hate the word "settlers" used to describe them. Andhra man N Ramachandra Rao, a senior executive with an IT firm says, "There are more things common than uncommon among the people of the two regions. People from both sides are patient and respect each other." He goes on to cite examples of the marriages in his own family to people from Telangana region. That these were not arranged marriages doesn't matter, he says pointing out how the families from the two regions have indeed bonded culturally and even in the way they live. "They love bagara rice as much as the food from Andhra cuisine," Rao says.
But ask people from Telangana region and they find Ramachandra Rao's explanation not entirely agreeable. They say that people of the two regions never really mixed with each other, with those hailing from Andhra staying away from all that was local. "They behaved like migrants to Hyderabad and not its residents. They came with a colonial attitude and did not make any attempt to integrate with locals whatsoever," says 'T' supporter Madhusudan Reddy, former professor of political science at Osmania University. "They turned Bathukamma into an aboriginal festival and used cinema to impose their colonial superiority while caricaturing the man from Telangana region as a buffoon," Reddy says, pointing out how there can be no cultural integration when the underlying sentiments are laced with arrogance.
What has further widened the divide is the dominance of the Telugu dialect as spoken in the Andhra region. In the corridors of power it is the dialect of Krishna district that passes off as the official language, the Telangana dialect reduced to a country cousin identity. Apart from language, there has also been considerable influence of Andhra culture and cuisine on Hyderabad, something which has not gone down well with the people who call themselves the original Hyderabadis.
Andhra food is most easily found in the streets of the city while there are no joints serving Telangana food. "But you can't blame people from Andhra if those from Telangana failed to showcase their cuisine," says realtor Ashwin Rao, who hails from Telangana region but finds the lack of cultural integration a flawed line. On the contrary, he says that Andhra food available in the twin cities and enjoying the same popularity as Hyderabadi biryani are good examples of integration. While the cuisines may have retained their original character, there is ample room for both, he says.
Ramchandraiah further notes that the identities of people from the two regions could be distinct but given that the language spoken by both is the same, albeit in different dialects, the difference is not so stark. "It does not feel too different when you interact with a person from Telangana as it would if it was say a Punjabi or Bengali, where the language is totally different," he says.
What has prevented any "real integration", say Telangana Hyderabadis is the "white man's burden" that the city's residents hailing from Andhra region seem to carry. "The fruits of Arthur Cotton's green revolution have been enjoyed more by the people of the plains (Andhra region) than people in the Deccan and so the land there (in Andhra region) is fertile. So a person from the plains is different from the one from the hilly, rugged Deccan terrain. So they (those from Andhra) have assumed a sense of superiority," says T Vivek, convenor, Telangana History Society.
He further states that Marathis and Gujaratis too spoke to people from Telangana but there was never any problem like the way there was when a person from Andhra would speak to someone from Deccan land. Citing cultural integration with other sections, Vivek says the Dakhani word, 'kaiku', carries the influence of Marathi, Urdu and even Persian.
What kept the people of the two regions socially and culturally alienated was also economics. "People from Andhra had both control and access to government funds. They enjoyed dominance in a critical combination of politics, bureaucracy and industries," says writer and T supporter Bharath Bhushan, who has authored a book on Telangana.
Those like hotelier P Venugopal from Kukatpally wonder what the fuss is all about. He recollects enjoying best of both the regions since his childhood and not really finding any difference. He doesn't agree with the argument of financial dominance, citing examples of people from Telangana doing very well. Also, Ashwin Rao notes that people from Andhra have been more industrious and thus successful in contrast to the laidback nature of people from Telangana, which is again rooted in the history of the two parts of the state - one that was directly under the British and enjoyed a systematic revenue system, making land owners more hardworking to generate more revenue from their land, and another under the Nizams where only part of the revenue earned from the land went to the 'raja' and the rest to the Nizams. Given the poor returns, the amount of labour invested was also less. And, hence, the broad dissimilarity between the attitudes of the two sets of people, which of course has enough exceptions.
But then economics has also brought people from the two regions closer in some cases. Take for instance, U Venkateshwara Rao from Guntur and Prakash Reddy from Hyderabad. The duo have been close friends for over two decades now and even started a business venture. Two years ago they constructed a residential building Jay Sridevi Homes in Madhapur. Predictably, there are no regional differences between the two, though they are unable to come up with instances of any integration.
Integration or not, people of the two regions are at one level more similar than dissimilar but at another as different as chalk and cheese. The Telangana household serves tea and the Andhra household serves coffee, the morning ritual remaining unaffected by the neighbour of many years from another region. T Vivek says, "Hyderabad's history is 400 years old and Dakhani culture has evolved over this period. This is too short a period for any integration to happen." Or is it?
A Roll of Honour of the Telangana Martyrs of 1969, Who laid down their lives for seperate Telangana state in 1969.
The eldest son of Mr.Pasham Vengal Reddy of cherlapally, Mahaboob Nagar District, died in the same incident, in which Mr.Prakash Kumar involved incident of Jamai Osmania Railway Station on 28th March, 1969 He completed his P U C in Gadwal, Mahboob Nagar District and he was the student of B.E 4th year. He was eloquent speaker and good sportsmen. He left behind three younger brothers, two sisters and aged parents, to be mean his death. He was burnt in Jamai Osamania Railway Station and died in Gandhi Hospital, Secunderabad revealing the henious crimes of the police in his dying declaration. His last words were “Jai Telangana”. Mr.Sarva Reddy died but lives for ever, in the memory of the people of Telangana in general and his native village which was named after as” Sarva Reddy Nagar”. He was the spark for the revolution that engulfed in Gadwal areaOn return, his friends had to force open his room. “He was found hanging. We immediately shifted him to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead,” said Amarender, his roommate.
As the news spread, emotionally charged students began to assemble in large numbers at his hostel, Arts College and the hospital. The police rushed para-military units sealing the Tarnaka and NCC gate entry points.
The students prevented shifting of the body to the morgue for post-mortem. “First, announce that the body would be allowed to be taken to Gun Park at Assembly and then to the campus. Otherwise, there is no question of moving the body from here,” they argued.
The police resorted to mild lathi-charge when some students tried to take the body onto the main road. Some students staged a sit-in placing the body on the ground.
The impasse continued till 8.30 p.m. when State Human Rights Commission, responding to a petition from students, ordered that the nine-member OU committee constituted by it earlier take a decision.
Six panel members, led by the Commission's member Ismail, then decided to allow the funeral procession from the hospital to Gun Park at Assembly. The body was taken to Gun Park later.
Sai Kumar a student of College of Technology in Osmania University ‘ended his life' on Tuesday rekindling pro-Telangana passions on the campus. Tension gripped the Gandhi hospital where autopsy was to be conducted, when police caned the students.
Twenty-year-old Meegada Sai Kumar, in a suicide note purportedly written by him, stated that he was sacrificing his life for Telangana. “Without reposing the trust in politicians, we should achieve Telangana. Take out my funeral procession to the Assembly,” the note said.
A second-year student of Chemical Engineering branch, Kumar is from Kapugal village in Kodad mandal of Nalgonda. He told his roommate in the morning that he would not attend classes since he was going home for the Ugadi festival.
On return, his friends had to force open his room. “He was found hanging. We immediately shifted him to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead,” said Amarender, his roommate.
As the news spread, emotionally charged students began to assemble in large numbers at his hostel, Arts College and the hospital. The police rushed para-military units sealing the Tarnaka and NCC gate entry points.
The students prevented shifting of the body to the morgue for post-mortem. “First, announce that the body would be allowed to be taken to Gun Park at Assembly and then to the campus. Otherwise, there is no question of moving the body from here,” they argued.
The police resorted to mild lathi-charge when some students tried to take the body onto the main road. Some students staged a sit-in placing the body on the ground.
The impasse continued till 8.30 p.m. when State Human Rights Commission, responding to a petition from students, ordered that the nine-member OU committee constituted by it earlier take a decision.
Six panel members, led by the Commission's member Ismail, then decided to allow the funeral procession from the hospital to Gun Park at Assembly. The body was taken to Gun Park later.
Twenty-year-old Meegada Sai Kumar, in a suicide note purportedly written by him, stated that he was sacrificing his life for Telangana. “Without reposing the trust in politicians, we should achieve Telangana. Take out my funeral procession to the Assembly,” the note said.
A second-year student of Chemical Engineering branch, Kumar is from Kapugal village in Kodad mandal of Nalgonda. He told his roommate in the morning that he would not attend classes since he was going home for the Ugadi festival.
On return, his friends had to force open his room. “He was found hanging. We immediately shifted him to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead,” said Amarender, his roommate.
As the news spread, emotionally charged students began to assemble in large numbers at his hostel, Arts College and the hospital. The police rushed para-military units sealing the Tarnaka and NCC gate entry points.
The students prevented shifting of the body to the morgue for post-mortem. “First, announce that the body would be allowed to be taken to Gun Park at Assembly and then to the campus. Otherwise, there is no question of moving the body from here,” they argued.
The police resorted to mild lathi-charge when some students tried to take the body onto the main road. Some students staged a sit-in placing the body on the ground.
The impasse continued till 8.30 p.m. when State Human Rights Commission, responding to a petition from students, ordered that the nine-member OU committee constituted by it earlier take a decision.
Six panel members, led by the Commission's member Ismail, then decided to allow the funeral procession from the hospital to Gun Park at Assembly. The body was taken to Gun Park later.
తెలంగాణ రాష్ట్రం రాదేమోనన్న మనస్తాపంతో పురుగుల మందు తాగి యువకుడు మృతి చెందిన ఘటన వరంగల్ జిల్లా తాడ్వాయి మండలం బీరెల్లి గ్రామంలో జరిగింది. వివరాల్లోకి వెళ్తే... ఇర్సవడ్ల సుధీర్ (18) అనే యువకుడు శుక్రవారం సాయంత్రం పత్తిచేనులోకి వెళ్ళాడు. చేనులో వున్న పురుగుల మందుతాగి అపస్మారకస్థితిలోకి వెళ్ళాడు.
చుట్టుపక్కల రైతులు గ్రహించి 108 వాహ నానికి సమాచారం అందించడంతో హుటాహుటిన సుధీర్ను ఆస్పత్రికి తరలించారు. కాగా, మార్గమధ్యలోనే సుధీర్ మృతి చెందాడు. మృతుడి చొక్కా జేబులో తెలంగాణ ప్రత్యేక రాష్ట్రంకోసం తన ప్రాణాలను ఆర్పిస్తున్నట్లు సుసైడ్ నోట్లో రాసి ఉంది. తాడ్వాయి పోలీసులు కేసు నమోదు చేసి దర్యాప్తు చేస్తున్నారు. మృతదేహాన్ని పోస్టుమార్టం నిమిత్తం ఏటూరునాగారం సామాజిక వైద్యశాలకు పోలీసులు తరలించారు. కాగా, సు«ధీర్ కుటుంబానికి ప్రభుత్వం రూ.5లక్షల ఎక్స్గ్రేషియా ఇవ్వాలని ములుగు నియోజకవర్గ జేఏసీ కన్వీనర్ చాప బాబుదొర డిమాండ్ చేశారు.
Here is an enchanting piece of tale which reveals the quaint history behind the street names of our ancient city. This meticulously researched article exposes the extraordinary as well as anecdotal legends behind these names which we so dearly associate with…
The author is a freelance journalist, publisher of books and managing partner of Solus Media. This article is a part of the `Best of 9 years’ series, and is reproduced from the original which appeared as a four part series in the July to October 1998 issues of Primetime Prism. All facts and figures are as on the original date of publication) .
The author is a freelance journalist, publisher of books and managing partner of Solus Media. This article is a part of the `Best of 9 years’ series, and is reproduced from the original which appeared as a four part series in the July to October 1998 issues of Primetime Prism. All facts and figures are as on the original date of publication) .
The street names of Hyderabad. In other words names of the legends behind these place names, not only make a fascinating reading, but also reflect the 400 years old glory of its culture, history and heritage. Each of these street names reveal an interesting account not known to many. These streets talk about their ancestors and their contribution to the betterment of the city and the society. And these places remind us of our great departed souls, memorable events and incidents.
The street names of Hyderabad and Secunderabad have a history and an architectural individuality of their own, which lend them the fragrance of romance. The history, here, like elsewhere, is etched on its walls and monuments, the deluge of heritage, which India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru described as the `Microcosm of Indian culture‘.
Another peculiarity of these names, unlike the names of places in any other city, is the addition of suffixes such as gudas, bads, baghs, kuntas, metlas, nagars and pallys.
The street names of Hyderabad and Secunderabad have a history and an architectural individuality of their own, which lend them the fragrance of romance. The history, here, like elsewhere, is etched on its walls and monuments, the deluge of heritage, which India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru described as the `Microcosm of Indian culture‘.
Another peculiarity of these names, unlike the names of places in any other city, is the addition of suffixes such as gudas, bads, baghs, kuntas, metlas, nagars and pallys.
The city which has an incredible and diverse culture draws many names form the legends as well as the unsung heroes of yesteryears. One scratch at these street names and out comes about 400 years history of this great shahar. Starting from 1497 AD till date, this place of Qutb Shahis, Asaf Jahis, Moghuls, and the Nizams has had its share of glory and gory. The names listed here have been painstakingly compiled from many sources, pieces of historical information, memory of bujurgs and from the modest effort of this author.
Hyderabad, the present name of our city was once called as Bhagnagar which stands for `city of gardens‘. There appears to have been a number of gardens in and around the city of Hyderabad, such as Bashir Bagh, Amin Bagh, Bir Ban Bagh, Hardikar Bagh, Bagh Lingampally and Jam Bagh etc. Hence it was called as Bhagnagar. But, according to `Mahanama’, compiled by Ghulam Hussian Khan Jauhar around 1810 AD, the city of Bhagnagar was named after the lady Bhagirati, who was the queen of Ibrahim Qutb Shah, who married her during his exile at Vijayanagar. Bhagirathi, as narrated in Mahanama, had purchased seven villages and laid the foundation of the city of Bhagnagar. Hence, the city was named after Bhagirathi, the mother of Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, who decreed that his capital city should be `a replica of heaven on earth‘.
Some of the Telugu contemporary works have different story to offer. Poet Sarangu Rammayya named the city as Bhagyanagaramu or Bhagyanagara of Bhagirathi Pattanam (city of good fortune)… There is one more theory that suggests that Sultan Quli Qutb Shah, the son of Ibrahim Qutb Shah and the founder of the city, named it after his beloved Bhagmati. However, one thing remains certain, whether he named it after his lover or mother, local inhabitants popularly used to call it Bhagnagar.. And continued to call it so till the end of 17th century.
Later, probably it changed to Hyderabad, after the name of Hazarat Ali, a well known Shia Imam.. Yet another name in circulation around that time was Farkhunda Buniyad, which meant `the city of good fortune‘, the literal Persian translation of the earlier Bhagnagar. And the same was also found inscribed on the Asaf Jahi coins. While local people called it Bhagnagar, Khafi Khan a writer in 1687 informed that the city was re-named as Hyderabad only after the death of Bhagmati. Persians called it Aiderabad and Muslim nobility named it Hyderabad.
Secunderabad, part of twin city, was formerly known as Lashkar to many old generation people in the city. Lashkar meaning ‘cantonment’ was renamed as Secunderabad after Sikander Jah Bahadur Nizam III in 1806. Secunderabad was also called the Residency Bazaar at the end of the 19th century. It was also developed to house British soldiers. In the early decade of the 19th century, the East India Company had declared Secunderabad as an important military base and a trading centre. Secunderabad is the abode for Secunderabad Railway Station, Head Quarters for South Central Railways, Parade Grounds and many churches. Kings Way, now known as Rashtrapathi Road (laid out in 1936 to relieve congestion), James Street (only existing thoroughfare before 1936 AD), now called the Mahatma Gandhi Road are part of this great locality.
Charminar, synonymous of Hyderabad, is the edifice of the four minarets. The awesome rectangular structure built upon four grand arches by Muhammed Quli Qutb Shah in1590-91 is the legendary masterpiece in the city. Because of this historical monument Char (means four) minar (means minaret) the area around it gets its name from this great landmark. Originally it was called Mankal. Mohammed Shah Bahmani of Gulbarga named the fort Mohamadnagar. Golconda, one of the most impressive fortresses in ruins in India, is probably 2000 years old. It was a picturesque city with big gardens, broad thoroughfares and shops. That was the reason why the famous historian Farishta observed Golconda as an International marketplace where merchants converged from Turkestan, Arabia and Persia. Two of the world renowned diamonds the Koh-i-noor (weighed 787 carats, now 106 carats, it was valued at one million sterling at that time, is now found its place in the Imperial Regalia of British) and the so called Nizam’s Diamond, both trace their origin to this place.
Sitting smack in the centre of the city is Abids also called Abid Road. It is one of the busiest business localities in the city and undisputedly the heart of the twin cities today. Bustling with activity, it is quite simply the major shopping mall in the twin cities. St George’s Church, the 130 years old church and one of the oldest in the twin cities was built in a land donated by the Nizam in appreciation of the services of European community settled in the city in 1860’s during the tenure of the Resident, Sir George Yule. Built upon the patronage of the families of domiciled Europeans in the city, it accommodates 500 people.
With major establishments becoming important landmarks like Haji Kurban Husain @ Sons, Chermas, Big Shot, the famous Taj Mahal Hotel, Deccan Pen Stores, General Post of the Nightingale of India, Sarojini Naidu, it accommodates a part of the Hyderabad Central University. Owned by Sarojini Naidu’s husband Dr. Muthyala Govind Rajulu Naidu, who after completing his higher studies in London took a commission in the Nizam’s Army as Major. The adjoining building which presently houses the Mysore Cafe was his clinic. Even the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, during one of his visits to the city, stayed here. The building was later donated by Sarojini Naidu’s heirs, for the establishment of the Central University, it is the hub of business activity as well as a place to visit. Around the early 19th century, a modern shopping centre was developed in this place. The origin of this street name is quite interesting.
Abid was the name of the owner of the first shop, Albert Abid, Valet and Steward, a Jewish merchant in the area. He was also a in charge to Nizam IV. Hence the place is so called. According to another version, Abids derives its name from the first departmental store of Hyderabad, owned by Abid Evans. Such was the popularity of this shop that the whole place comprising business centres got this name. However, the old, particularly hailing from the Old City, still refer to it as Abid Shop and Abid Ki Shop. Before getting christened as Abid Road, the place was known as Mustafa Bazaar. Mahboob Ali Pasha, the sixth Nizam, on a visit to Calcutta met Abid Evans, an American Jewish businessman. Impressed by him, he had brought Mr. Abid to Hyderabad in a royal train. Abid set up a departmental store off the main intersection in a building which is presently known as Palace Talkies. Soon, the departmental store, offering all and sundry merchandise caught the imagination of the Hyderabadis and was turned into a major shopping centre, Not only the Abid Store, but the whole place was dotted with shops. Later, the main market was shifted from the vicinity of Charminar to Abids.
F D Khan’s, which is one of the clothes stores at Abids, had weathered the test of time to remain in the reckoning. Popular for its uniform dress material, F D Khan’s is synonymous with quality. The shop was also the official supplier for the staff of the palace during the days of the Nizam. During the World War-II, when rationing on clothing material was imposed, F D Khan’s was appointed as official agents.
On Sundays and other holidays, book lovers drop in here from all parts of the city to get a good pick at bargain prices. In front of the closed shutters of shops lay heaps of books, periodicals, magazines and novels which attract people of all ages. Hence it is also called as Abids Book Bazaar. A treasure for the connoisseur of books!
Near Abids is Gunfoundry or Tope ka sancha which was built by a French General – Monsieur Raymond. The entire lane opposite to Mahboobia Girls School is known as Gunfoundry. It was one of the several cannon and cannonball factories set up in 1786. So the locality is called Gundfoundry. The locality houses headquarters of famous State Bank of Hyderabad, inaugurated on April 5, 1942 by Nawab Sir Aqeel Jung Bahadur, the then Member of Commerce and Industries, Nizam’s Executive Council, it was known as Hyderabad State Bank, which later changed to State Bank of Hyderabad, which brought name and fame to the city.
A couple of kilometers away from Gunfoundry is Saifabad, the abode of the State Government Secretariat, the Legislative Assembly (A blend of Indo-Sarcenic architecture, this completed its construction in 1913 to mark the 40th birthday of Nizam Mahboob Ali Khan in 1905. One of the most amazing features about this monument is that it had costed only Rs. 19 lakh. The Public Gardens where it is housed, one of the largest city gardens in India, was thrown open to public in 1864 AD. The site for the Public Gardens was acquired by the Nizam’s Government in 1864 from Raja Balakrishna on the advice of Salar Jung I. Nizam VII used to be bestowed with Nazarana (tributes in cash and kind) on his birthday. Iron Bungalow, the oldest building in the Public Gardens, is adjacent to a very beautiful mosque, where the late Nizam used to offer his Jumme ka Namaz (Friday prayers). Before the opening of the Nehru Zoological Park, the Zoo was located inside the Public Gardens and it was here that the first Industrial Exhibition was held in 1939 and which even today is an important annual feature. The adjacent hill is called as Naubat Pahad. It takes its name from Naubat (drum), beaten vigorously to announce the royal Farmans (orders) during the Qutb Shahi and Mughal days.
Overlooking Gunfoundry, this is an epitome of a culture that is progressive yet steeped in religion. The pahad is also known as Drum Beat Rock. Adjoining the Hussain Sagar Lake, the office of our elected representatives – the Secretariat formed the residence of Nizam VII. Once a palace, it was built by Zafar-ud-Doula Saif Jung, the Peshkar or Deputy of the Nizam VII. Hence the place came to be known after him.
Intruding into Saifabad is Basheerbagh, the commercial nerve centre, the locality famous for Nizam College (110 years old, one of the most coveted and prestigious colleges of the twin cities, was established in 1887. Dr. Aghorenath Chattopadhyay, father of Sarojini Naidu was its founder Principal. The present building, a summer palace of Nawab Mulk Fakrul Bahadur, was a gift from him to the college). Feteh Maidan, a saucer shaped play ground, the field of victory, is also referred to as Lal Bhadur Stadium in present times. This is where Aurangazeb pitched his first camp on his victorious campaign against Golconda. In fact he is the one who coined the name Fateh meaning victory, after his triumph over Qutub Shah. From 1853 onwards Hyderabad’s rulers reviewed military parades or played polo here. Now it is the venue of cricket matches and political rallies. (It has a seating capacity of 30,00 people), lady Hyder Club – the testimony to the pivotal roleplayed by women in Hyderabadi society then.
Gandhi Medical College, Mor Medical Hall (The pharmacy store where the rarest of the rare medicines are always available. If a particular medicine is not available in this store, means it won’t be available in any other shop in the city) and rooftop of the city – Babukhan Estate (this 17 storied glass colossal is known for its neat maintenance and houses 699 offices plus the modest office of the author, Solus Media!). Basheerbagh acquired the name after Sir Asman Jah Bashir-Uddoula Bahadur, a Paigah noble, a proud owner of a garden located there.
The present site where Nizam College is located was earlier called Asad Bagh which meant Lions Garden.. It was also known as Moti Bagh, the garden of Jasmine, and even today the main college building wears its pristine look with the crest of Unicorn.
Within close proximity to Basheerbagh is Hyderaguda, which houses MLAs (Old MLA quarters), Apollo Diagnostic Centre, CDR Hospital and a horde of schools. The name Hyderguda originated after Hyder Ali, the Taluqdar collector who owned the land, formerly owned by Waheeda Unnisa Begum, wife of Nizam V.
A little ahead of Hyderguda is Himayatnagar which was baptized after Prince of Berar and the eldest son of Nizam VI – Nawab Himayat Ali Khan. This street is famous for Hyderabad Stock Exchange, Telugu Academy, Dr. P. Shiva Reddy’s Eye Hospital (the famous Ophthalmologic surgeon, who has Guinness Book of Record and Limca Book of Record to his credit).
Couple of kilometers from Himayatnagar is Bagh Lingampally, known for LIG, MIG, HIG quarters and Ambedkar College, Sundaraiah Park, Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram and library. The old people in the locality inform that the area used to be full of fruit garden belonging to the Nawab, that is why the prefix `Bagh’. The place was a small village called Lingampally which had a tank where queens used to have their bath. population exploded, city grew vertically and horizontally. The greenery vanished over a period of time and concrete structures replaced them. The migrants started occupying every inch of available place. The people lived on the bank (kunta) of a big tank or lake. So the place was called as Nallakunta.
Like Lingampally village there was one more village called Chikkadpally. The present Musheerabad, known as Central Jail, was formerly a part of Chikkadpally village, presently nerve centre of shopping and cultural activity (Tyagaraja Gana Sabha is situated in this locality). Musheerabad was a part of the jagir presented by Nizam II to Nawab Arastu Jah Mushir-Ul-Mulk, who constructed a palace and a garden in 1785 and named them after himself. Azamabad, the oldest industrial area in the city (whereas the other industrial clusters such as Balanagar, Sanathnagar, Kukatpally are quite recent) is located near to this place.
A locality that came up around the Residency (Kothi) is Chaderghat, one of the principal suburbs of the city. The locality was so-called after an anicut across the river which formed a `Chaddar’ or a `sheet of water’. Chaderghat bridge or Oliphant bridge was built by Col. Oliphant during the reign of Nizam Nasir-ud-Daulah. It was mainly a European/Eurasian colony dominated by European style of architecture, including the Christian churches and missionary schools.
Close to the southern bank of the Musi, off the highway to Vijayawada is the 100 years old Malakpet Race Course. It has been regarded as one of the finest race courses in the country. Named after Malik Yakoot, loyal servant of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shahi, the first races were held here way back in the winter of 1879. The Nizam VI and his nobles were frequent visitors to this place. With a swimming pool for racing horses, a training school for jockeys, it is the most modern race course in India.
Further down is Saidabad named after Syed Mir Mommin, the Prime Minister of Golconda in 1591. A few kilometers away from it is Saroornagar – the land that was granted to Suroor Afza Bai, the wife of Hyderabad Prime Minister – Nawab Arastu Jah Bahadur. He built a palace, a tank and called it Suroornagar, which means a `city of happiness’. The intitial `Suroor’ over generations became Saroor, thus you have Saroornagar.
Barkas is yet another rich colony situated south of Hyderabad of Arabic speaking businessmen. With fruit vendors, gulf money and mosques, this area full of thick forest in the beginning of 17th century is today flushed with dinars, dirhams. Most of the residents in the locality have pucca RCC buildings, electronic household gadgets and other phirang appliances. During 1724-1948, it became a focal point for the Nizam’s
The area around the Ashoor Khana became famous as Hussain Alam. Raza Ali Khan, the Dewan of Hyderabad in 1670 was given the title Nekh-Nam-Khan. After his death, a village named Nekh-Nam-Khampally has now become famous as Nampally.
Moazzam Jahi Market, one of the largest markets of retail trade in fresh fruits and vegetables till recently, was named after Nawab Jah Bahadur, the son of Mir Osman Ali Kham Nizam VII and the President of the City Improvement Board. The market building which completed its construction in 1935 was inaugurated by Mir Osman Ali Khan Nizam VII. The other big wholesale market for vegetables is Mir Alam Mundi, which was christened after Nawab Mir Alam, Prime Minister of Sikander Jah Bahadur Nizam III.
The city of Hyderabad has a number of bazaars and mohallas. The biggest mohalla Dabeerpura is called after Abdul Sannad Dabirio-UI-Mlk, a scholar and noble man. Begum Bazaar famous for wholesale grain and other business was the piece of land gifted to public to conduct trade by Humala Begum, wife of Nizam Ali Khan Bahadur. So it is called Begum Bazaar. Every Thursday there used to be a special market called `Jumme Raat Ki Bazaar‘, a tradition that is continued even today.
A lot of markets mushroomed around Begum Bazaar like Moazzam Jahi, Siddi Amber, etc. Area near the British residency was called as `Residency Bazaar‘ but after 1933, the land was restored to Nizam VII, who named it as Sultan Bazaar. Nizam V donated some land to the grain merchants to store and sell their grains. This area came to be known as Afzalgunj.
Siddiamber Bazaar is called after Siddis -the Afro-Arabs who sold amber or perfumes. They also served as cooks and palanquin bearers. Noor Khan Bazaar was called so after Noor Khan, the ablest administrator in the country who on the request of the Nizam II came to Hyderabad from Lucknow. There was a knight, who was honoured by a land grant by Nizam I, for his role in suppressing a revolt. The place came to be called after him, Ghansitmian Bazaar. Esamia Bazaar is named after a British loyalist Inidan Esamaiah, who stayed near the area. Over a period of time Esamaiah Bazaar had gradually become Esamia Bazaar, Hotel Haridwar situated in this locality is synonymous to the name of its place.
Troop Bazaar was a market place for a British regiment after 1857 attack. It is a corrupted form of Troop Bazaar. Chappal Bazaar, near Kothi, is a word derived from Telugu chapal or fish. The fish caught from river musi was sold here. There is one bazaar in Hyderabad, which no visitor can ever miss. That is Lad Bazaar. Historians have various versions about it. One version records that the doors in this bazaar were painted in a shade of red. Another says that it is a corrupted version of `Lary’ from Abdur Razzack Lary, the General, who valiantly defended Golconda on the eve of Moghul invasion. Hence it is so called as Lad Bazaar. The bazaar is famous for its bangles and bridal ware.
Somajiguda with the spacious Raj Bhavan is named after a pandit called Sonaji, employed in the Revenue Department, who resided in this area. Slowly, Sonaji became Somaji. Khairatabad, the thickly populated area is named after Princess Kahiratunnisa, daughter of Sultan Ibrahim Qutub Shah. The area which is on south western shore of Hussian Sagar was chosen as a location to construct the residence of the Princess who was not keeping good health. The ruler in the fond hope that the greenery and climate of the lake shore would restore the normal health of the Princess and asked his son-in-law, Hazrat Hussian Shah Wali, an eminent engineer to construct a residential palace, a mosque and a tank which is now called after him as Hussain Sagar (or the Tank Bund) as it is commonly called was built on a tributary of the Musi during the reign of Ibrahim Qutb Shah in 1562.
After the Nizam captured Golconda in 1724 from the Moghuls he camped near the fort in a village, which was renamed Asifnagar. Abdul Hassan Tana Sha on one of his visits to his Prime Minister’s house, was attracted to a landscape and its proximity to Mir Jumla.
Pathergutti is so named because the entire area was made of granite stone. Lallaguda, also known as `Little England’ (like a street – Little India in Singapore, where there is concentration of Indian settlers) with majority Catholics living there was fortified village development by Thaniat Unnisa Begum alias Bibi Sahaba, favourite queen of Nizam II. He constructed a palace and a garden near Moula Ali, under the supervision of Lalla, one of the best architects of Hyderabad. Originally called Tahniat Nagar or Bibinagar, it came to be called Lallaguda after her death.
Then there are places named after communities like Banjara Hills, Baider Wadi, Bhaldar Wadi, Brahmin Wadi, Kumhar Wadi, Mehtar Wadi and Chakna Wadi (is derived from a dish prepared from the intestines of sheep). Gowliguda is named after the gowlis or milkmen. AC guardsor African Cavalry guards, mainly comprised of Abyssinians, Somalis and European Officers and were a gift to Nizam VI from Raja of Wanaparthy. They formed the Nizam’s guards on State occasions. They established a camp around 1910, to the West of Lakdi-Ka-Puland the area got christened as AC Guards.
Banjara Hills was once the rugged home of a gypsy tribe from distant Rajasthan who left home to follow the fortunes of warring armies, performing daring deeds that they sing about even today around campfires. One sees them occasionally in Hyderabad, the women gorgeously attired in bright flashy skirts, silver glints at throat, ear and nose, and heavy ivory bracelets click on golden brown hands. Thus the place surrounded by fascinating rock formations called as Banjara Hills.
Lakdi-ka-pul - there is no authentic information on how the area derived its name. However, according to a popular legend, a bridge with wooden poles (lakdi) was built across an old pond and so it was named Lakdi-ka-pul. Despite the construction of a concrete bridge and the lake vanishing, the name still continues to be in use. Lakdi-ka-pul comprises towering structures and a cluster of hotels and presents a picture of chaos and confusion. It is major centre for commercial and cultural activities.
Masab Tank, is a distorted version of Maa-Sahaba Tank. Maa-Sahaba was a title endowed on Hayat Bakshi Begum, wife futub hahi VI. The `Talab’ or tank was built by Khanum Agha, Qutub Shah V’s mother, but it become famous after his wife as `Talab-e-Maa- Sahaba’. The upgraded `Maa Sahaba Talab’ got anglicized to Masab Tank.
The royal families also lent their names to various streets.. Begumpet owes its name to Bashir-Ul-Unnisa Begum, daughter of Nizam II, who married a Paigah noble and received the land as part of dowry. Kulsumpura near Karvan was so called after Kulsum Begum, the daughter of Muhammad Qutub Shah.
Purana Pul or Old Bridge is the most famous of the four bridges of Hyderabad. It was built in 1578 by Sultan Ibrahim Qutub Shah, the king of Golconda. Tavernier, the celebrated French Jeweller, traveller and historian, wrote of this `bridge of love’ when he visited Hyderabad in 1676: “At Bhagyanagar you cross the river over a bridge no less beautiful than the Pont Neuf at Paris”.
Tarnaka, is derived from ‘Tar’ which means `wire’ and `Naka’ meaning `guard room’. It was thus called because the Nizam barbed the area and put up a guard room to protect his fruit gardens in the area. Though the tar and naka have disappeared, the boundary still exists in the form of Osmania University Campus. Tarnaka once a fruit garden has now turned into the cradle of intellectuals pursuits with a number of research institutions like CCMB, NIN etc.
Some of the Telugu contemporary works have different story to offer. Poet Sarangu Rammayya named the city as Bhagyanagaramu or Bhagyanagara of Bhagirathi Pattanam (city of good fortune)… There is one more theory that suggests that Sultan Quli Qutb Shah, the son of Ibrahim Qutb Shah and the founder of the city, named it after his beloved Bhagmati. However, one thing remains certain, whether he named it after his lover or mother, local inhabitants popularly used to call it Bhagnagar.. And continued to call it so till the end of 17th century.
Later, probably it changed to Hyderabad, after the name of Hazarat Ali, a well known Shia Imam.. Yet another name in circulation around that time was Farkhunda Buniyad, which meant `the city of good fortune‘, the literal Persian translation of the earlier Bhagnagar. And the same was also found inscribed on the Asaf Jahi coins. While local people called it Bhagnagar, Khafi Khan a writer in 1687 informed that the city was re-named as Hyderabad only after the death of Bhagmati. Persians called it Aiderabad and Muslim nobility named it Hyderabad.
Secunderabad, part of twin city, was formerly known as Lashkar to many old generation people in the city. Lashkar meaning ‘cantonment’ was renamed as Secunderabad after Sikander Jah Bahadur Nizam III in 1806. Secunderabad was also called the Residency Bazaar at the end of the 19th century. It was also developed to house British soldiers. In the early decade of the 19th century, the East India Company had declared Secunderabad as an important military base and a trading centre. Secunderabad is the abode for Secunderabad Railway Station, Head Quarters for South Central Railways, Parade Grounds and many churches. Kings Way, now known as Rashtrapathi Road (laid out in 1936 to relieve congestion), James Street (only existing thoroughfare before 1936 AD), now called the Mahatma Gandhi Road are part of this great locality.
Charminar, synonymous of Hyderabad, is the edifice of the four minarets. The awesome rectangular structure built upon four grand arches by Muhammed Quli Qutb Shah in1590-91 is the legendary masterpiece in the city. Because of this historical monument Char (means four) minar (means minaret) the area around it gets its name from this great landmark. Originally it was called Mankal. Mohammed Shah Bahmani of Gulbarga named the fort Mohamadnagar. Golconda, one of the most impressive fortresses in ruins in India, is probably 2000 years old. It was a picturesque city with big gardens, broad thoroughfares and shops. That was the reason why the famous historian Farishta observed Golconda as an International marketplace where merchants converged from Turkestan, Arabia and Persia. Two of the world renowned diamonds the Koh-i-noor (weighed 787 carats, now 106 carats, it was valued at one million sterling at that time, is now found its place in the Imperial Regalia of British) and the so called Nizam’s Diamond, both trace their origin to this place.
Sitting smack in the centre of the city is Abids also called Abid Road. It is one of the busiest business localities in the city and undisputedly the heart of the twin cities today. Bustling with activity, it is quite simply the major shopping mall in the twin cities. St George’s Church, the 130 years old church and one of the oldest in the twin cities was built in a land donated by the Nizam in appreciation of the services of European community settled in the city in 1860’s during the tenure of the Resident, Sir George Yule. Built upon the patronage of the families of domiciled Europeans in the city, it accommodates 500 people.
With major establishments becoming important landmarks like Haji Kurban Husain @ Sons, Chermas, Big Shot, the famous Taj Mahal Hotel, Deccan Pen Stores, General Post of the Nightingale of India, Sarojini Naidu, it accommodates a part of the Hyderabad Central University. Owned by Sarojini Naidu’s husband Dr. Muthyala Govind Rajulu Naidu, who after completing his higher studies in London took a commission in the Nizam’s Army as Major. The adjoining building which presently houses the Mysore Cafe was his clinic. Even the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, during one of his visits to the city, stayed here. The building was later donated by Sarojini Naidu’s heirs, for the establishment of the Central University, it is the hub of business activity as well as a place to visit. Around the early 19th century, a modern shopping centre was developed in this place. The origin of this street name is quite interesting.
Abid was the name of the owner of the first shop, Albert Abid, Valet and Steward, a Jewish merchant in the area. He was also a in charge to Nizam IV. Hence the place is so called. According to another version, Abids derives its name from the first departmental store of Hyderabad, owned by Abid Evans. Such was the popularity of this shop that the whole place comprising business centres got this name. However, the old, particularly hailing from the Old City, still refer to it as Abid Shop and Abid Ki Shop. Before getting christened as Abid Road, the place was known as Mustafa Bazaar. Mahboob Ali Pasha, the sixth Nizam, on a visit to Calcutta met Abid Evans, an American Jewish businessman. Impressed by him, he had brought Mr. Abid to Hyderabad in a royal train. Abid set up a departmental store off the main intersection in a building which is presently known as Palace Talkies. Soon, the departmental store, offering all and sundry merchandise caught the imagination of the Hyderabadis and was turned into a major shopping centre, Not only the Abid Store, but the whole place was dotted with shops. Later, the main market was shifted from the vicinity of Charminar to Abids.
F D Khan’s, which is one of the clothes stores at Abids, had weathered the test of time to remain in the reckoning. Popular for its uniform dress material, F D Khan’s is synonymous with quality. The shop was also the official supplier for the staff of the palace during the days of the Nizam. During the World War-II, when rationing on clothing material was imposed, F D Khan’s was appointed as official agents.
On Sundays and other holidays, book lovers drop in here from all parts of the city to get a good pick at bargain prices. In front of the closed shutters of shops lay heaps of books, periodicals, magazines and novels which attract people of all ages. Hence it is also called as Abids Book Bazaar. A treasure for the connoisseur of books!
Near Abids is Gunfoundry or Tope ka sancha which was built by a French General – Monsieur Raymond. The entire lane opposite to Mahboobia Girls School is known as Gunfoundry. It was one of the several cannon and cannonball factories set up in 1786. So the locality is called Gundfoundry. The locality houses headquarters of famous State Bank of Hyderabad, inaugurated on April 5, 1942 by Nawab Sir Aqeel Jung Bahadur, the then Member of Commerce and Industries, Nizam’s Executive Council, it was known as Hyderabad State Bank, which later changed to State Bank of Hyderabad, which brought name and fame to the city.
A couple of kilometers away from Gunfoundry is Saifabad, the abode of the State Government Secretariat, the Legislative Assembly (A blend of Indo-Sarcenic architecture, this completed its construction in 1913 to mark the 40th birthday of Nizam Mahboob Ali Khan in 1905. One of the most amazing features about this monument is that it had costed only Rs. 19 lakh. The Public Gardens where it is housed, one of the largest city gardens in India, was thrown open to public in 1864 AD. The site for the Public Gardens was acquired by the Nizam’s Government in 1864 from Raja Balakrishna on the advice of Salar Jung I. Nizam VII used to be bestowed with Nazarana (tributes in cash and kind) on his birthday. Iron Bungalow, the oldest building in the Public Gardens, is adjacent to a very beautiful mosque, where the late Nizam used to offer his Jumme ka Namaz (Friday prayers). Before the opening of the Nehru Zoological Park, the Zoo was located inside the Public Gardens and it was here that the first Industrial Exhibition was held in 1939 and which even today is an important annual feature. The adjacent hill is called as Naubat Pahad. It takes its name from Naubat (drum), beaten vigorously to announce the royal Farmans (orders) during the Qutb Shahi and Mughal days.
Overlooking Gunfoundry, this is an epitome of a culture that is progressive yet steeped in religion. The pahad is also known as Drum Beat Rock. Adjoining the Hussain Sagar Lake, the office of our elected representatives – the Secretariat formed the residence of Nizam VII. Once a palace, it was built by Zafar-ud-Doula Saif Jung, the Peshkar or Deputy of the Nizam VII. Hence the place came to be known after him.
Intruding into Saifabad is Basheerbagh, the commercial nerve centre, the locality famous for Nizam College (110 years old, one of the most coveted and prestigious colleges of the twin cities, was established in 1887. Dr. Aghorenath Chattopadhyay, father of Sarojini Naidu was its founder Principal. The present building, a summer palace of Nawab Mulk Fakrul Bahadur, was a gift from him to the college). Feteh Maidan, a saucer shaped play ground, the field of victory, is also referred to as Lal Bhadur Stadium in present times. This is where Aurangazeb pitched his first camp on his victorious campaign against Golconda. In fact he is the one who coined the name Fateh meaning victory, after his triumph over Qutub Shah. From 1853 onwards Hyderabad’s rulers reviewed military parades or played polo here. Now it is the venue of cricket matches and political rallies. (It has a seating capacity of 30,00 people), lady Hyder Club – the testimony to the pivotal roleplayed by women in Hyderabadi society then.
Gandhi Medical College, Mor Medical Hall (The pharmacy store where the rarest of the rare medicines are always available. If a particular medicine is not available in this store, means it won’t be available in any other shop in the city) and rooftop of the city – Babukhan Estate (this 17 storied glass colossal is known for its neat maintenance and houses 699 offices plus the modest office of the author, Solus Media!). Basheerbagh acquired the name after Sir Asman Jah Bashir-Uddoula Bahadur, a Paigah noble, a proud owner of a garden located there.
The present site where Nizam College is located was earlier called Asad Bagh which meant Lions Garden.. It was also known as Moti Bagh, the garden of Jasmine, and even today the main college building wears its pristine look with the crest of Unicorn.
Within close proximity to Basheerbagh is Hyderaguda, which houses MLAs (Old MLA quarters), Apollo Diagnostic Centre, CDR Hospital and a horde of schools. The name Hyderguda originated after Hyder Ali, the Taluqdar collector who owned the land, formerly owned by Waheeda Unnisa Begum, wife of Nizam V.
A little ahead of Hyderguda is Himayatnagar which was baptized after Prince of Berar and the eldest son of Nizam VI – Nawab Himayat Ali Khan. This street is famous for Hyderabad Stock Exchange, Telugu Academy, Dr. P. Shiva Reddy’s Eye Hospital (the famous Ophthalmologic surgeon, who has Guinness Book of Record and Limca Book of Record to his credit).
Couple of kilometers from Himayatnagar is Bagh Lingampally, known for LIG, MIG, HIG quarters and Ambedkar College, Sundaraiah Park, Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram and library. The old people in the locality inform that the area used to be full of fruit garden belonging to the Nawab, that is why the prefix `Bagh’. The place was a small village called Lingampally which had a tank where queens used to have their bath. population exploded, city grew vertically and horizontally. The greenery vanished over a period of time and concrete structures replaced them. The migrants started occupying every inch of available place. The people lived on the bank (kunta) of a big tank or lake. So the place was called as Nallakunta.
Like Lingampally village there was one more village called Chikkadpally. The present Musheerabad, known as Central Jail, was formerly a part of Chikkadpally village, presently nerve centre of shopping and cultural activity (Tyagaraja Gana Sabha is situated in this locality). Musheerabad was a part of the jagir presented by Nizam II to Nawab Arastu Jah Mushir-Ul-Mulk, who constructed a palace and a garden in 1785 and named them after himself. Azamabad, the oldest industrial area in the city (whereas the other industrial clusters such as Balanagar, Sanathnagar, Kukatpally are quite recent) is located near to this place.
A locality that came up around the Residency (Kothi) is Chaderghat, one of the principal suburbs of the city. The locality was so-called after an anicut across the river which formed a `Chaddar’ or a `sheet of water’. Chaderghat bridge or Oliphant bridge was built by Col. Oliphant during the reign of Nizam Nasir-ud-Daulah. It was mainly a European/Eurasian colony dominated by European style of architecture, including the Christian churches and missionary schools.
Close to the southern bank of the Musi, off the highway to Vijayawada is the 100 years old Malakpet Race Course. It has been regarded as one of the finest race courses in the country. Named after Malik Yakoot, loyal servant of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shahi, the first races were held here way back in the winter of 1879. The Nizam VI and his nobles were frequent visitors to this place. With a swimming pool for racing horses, a training school for jockeys, it is the most modern race course in India.
Further down is Saidabad named after Syed Mir Mommin, the Prime Minister of Golconda in 1591. A few kilometers away from it is Saroornagar – the land that was granted to Suroor Afza Bai, the wife of Hyderabad Prime Minister – Nawab Arastu Jah Bahadur. He built a palace, a tank and called it Suroornagar, which means a `city of happiness’. The intitial `Suroor’ over generations became Saroor, thus you have Saroornagar.
Barkas is yet another rich colony situated south of Hyderabad of Arabic speaking businessmen. With fruit vendors, gulf money and mosques, this area full of thick forest in the beginning of 17th century is today flushed with dinars, dirhams. Most of the residents in the locality have pucca RCC buildings, electronic household gadgets and other phirang appliances. During 1724-1948, it became a focal point for the Nizam’s
The area around the Ashoor Khana became famous as Hussain Alam. Raza Ali Khan, the Dewan of Hyderabad in 1670 was given the title Nekh-Nam-Khan. After his death, a village named Nekh-Nam-Khampally has now become famous as Nampally.
Moazzam Jahi Market, one of the largest markets of retail trade in fresh fruits and vegetables till recently, was named after Nawab Jah Bahadur, the son of Mir Osman Ali Kham Nizam VII and the President of the City Improvement Board. The market building which completed its construction in 1935 was inaugurated by Mir Osman Ali Khan Nizam VII. The other big wholesale market for vegetables is Mir Alam Mundi, which was christened after Nawab Mir Alam, Prime Minister of Sikander Jah Bahadur Nizam III.
The city of Hyderabad has a number of bazaars and mohallas. The biggest mohalla Dabeerpura is called after Abdul Sannad Dabirio-UI-Mlk, a scholar and noble man. Begum Bazaar famous for wholesale grain and other business was the piece of land gifted to public to conduct trade by Humala Begum, wife of Nizam Ali Khan Bahadur. So it is called Begum Bazaar. Every Thursday there used to be a special market called `Jumme Raat Ki Bazaar‘, a tradition that is continued even today.
A lot of markets mushroomed around Begum Bazaar like Moazzam Jahi, Siddi Amber, etc. Area near the British residency was called as `Residency Bazaar‘ but after 1933, the land was restored to Nizam VII, who named it as Sultan Bazaar. Nizam V donated some land to the grain merchants to store and sell their grains. This area came to be known as Afzalgunj.
Siddiamber Bazaar is called after Siddis -the Afro-Arabs who sold amber or perfumes. They also served as cooks and palanquin bearers. Noor Khan Bazaar was called so after Noor Khan, the ablest administrator in the country who on the request of the Nizam II came to Hyderabad from Lucknow. There was a knight, who was honoured by a land grant by Nizam I, for his role in suppressing a revolt. The place came to be called after him, Ghansitmian Bazaar. Esamia Bazaar is named after a British loyalist Inidan Esamaiah, who stayed near the area. Over a period of time Esamaiah Bazaar had gradually become Esamia Bazaar, Hotel Haridwar situated in this locality is synonymous to the name of its place.
Troop Bazaar was a market place for a British regiment after 1857 attack. It is a corrupted form of Troop Bazaar. Chappal Bazaar, near Kothi, is a word derived from Telugu chapal or fish. The fish caught from river musi was sold here. There is one bazaar in Hyderabad, which no visitor can ever miss. That is Lad Bazaar. Historians have various versions about it. One version records that the doors in this bazaar were painted in a shade of red. Another says that it is a corrupted version of `Lary’ from Abdur Razzack Lary, the General, who valiantly defended Golconda on the eve of Moghul invasion. Hence it is so called as Lad Bazaar. The bazaar is famous for its bangles and bridal ware.
Somajiguda with the spacious Raj Bhavan is named after a pandit called Sonaji, employed in the Revenue Department, who resided in this area. Slowly, Sonaji became Somaji. Khairatabad, the thickly populated area is named after Princess Kahiratunnisa, daughter of Sultan Ibrahim Qutub Shah. The area which is on south western shore of Hussian Sagar was chosen as a location to construct the residence of the Princess who was not keeping good health. The ruler in the fond hope that the greenery and climate of the lake shore would restore the normal health of the Princess and asked his son-in-law, Hazrat Hussian Shah Wali, an eminent engineer to construct a residential palace, a mosque and a tank which is now called after him as Hussain Sagar (or the Tank Bund) as it is commonly called was built on a tributary of the Musi during the reign of Ibrahim Qutb Shah in 1562.
After the Nizam captured Golconda in 1724 from the Moghuls he camped near the fort in a village, which was renamed Asifnagar. Abdul Hassan Tana Sha on one of his visits to his Prime Minister’s house, was attracted to a landscape and its proximity to Mir Jumla.
Pathergutti is so named because the entire area was made of granite stone. Lallaguda, also known as `Little England’ (like a street – Little India in Singapore, where there is concentration of Indian settlers) with majority Catholics living there was fortified village development by Thaniat Unnisa Begum alias Bibi Sahaba, favourite queen of Nizam II. He constructed a palace and a garden near Moula Ali, under the supervision of Lalla, one of the best architects of Hyderabad. Originally called Tahniat Nagar or Bibinagar, it came to be called Lallaguda after her death.
Then there are places named after communities like Banjara Hills, Baider Wadi, Bhaldar Wadi, Brahmin Wadi, Kumhar Wadi, Mehtar Wadi and Chakna Wadi (is derived from a dish prepared from the intestines of sheep). Gowliguda is named after the gowlis or milkmen. AC guardsor African Cavalry guards, mainly comprised of Abyssinians, Somalis and European Officers and were a gift to Nizam VI from Raja of Wanaparthy. They formed the Nizam’s guards on State occasions. They established a camp around 1910, to the West of Lakdi-Ka-Puland the area got christened as AC Guards.
Banjara Hills was once the rugged home of a gypsy tribe from distant Rajasthan who left home to follow the fortunes of warring armies, performing daring deeds that they sing about even today around campfires. One sees them occasionally in Hyderabad, the women gorgeously attired in bright flashy skirts, silver glints at throat, ear and nose, and heavy ivory bracelets click on golden brown hands. Thus the place surrounded by fascinating rock formations called as Banjara Hills.
Lakdi-ka-pul - there is no authentic information on how the area derived its name. However, according to a popular legend, a bridge with wooden poles (lakdi) was built across an old pond and so it was named Lakdi-ka-pul. Despite the construction of a concrete bridge and the lake vanishing, the name still continues to be in use. Lakdi-ka-pul comprises towering structures and a cluster of hotels and presents a picture of chaos and confusion. It is major centre for commercial and cultural activities.
Masab Tank, is a distorted version of Maa-Sahaba Tank. Maa-Sahaba was a title endowed on Hayat Bakshi Begum, wife futub hahi VI. The `Talab’ or tank was built by Khanum Agha, Qutub Shah V’s mother, but it become famous after his wife as `Talab-e-Maa- Sahaba’. The upgraded `Maa Sahaba Talab’ got anglicized to Masab Tank.
The royal families also lent their names to various streets.. Begumpet owes its name to Bashir-Ul-Unnisa Begum, daughter of Nizam II, who married a Paigah noble and received the land as part of dowry. Kulsumpura near Karvan was so called after Kulsum Begum, the daughter of Muhammad Qutub Shah.
Purana Pul or Old Bridge is the most famous of the four bridges of Hyderabad. It was built in 1578 by Sultan Ibrahim Qutub Shah, the king of Golconda. Tavernier, the celebrated French Jeweller, traveller and historian, wrote of this `bridge of love’ when he visited Hyderabad in 1676: “At Bhagyanagar you cross the river over a bridge no less beautiful than the Pont Neuf at Paris”.
Tarnaka, is derived from ‘Tar’ which means `wire’ and `Naka’ meaning `guard room’. It was thus called because the Nizam barbed the area and put up a guard room to protect his fruit gardens in the area. Though the tar and naka have disappeared, the boundary still exists in the form of Osmania University Campus. Tarnaka once a fruit garden has now turned into the cradle of intellectuals pursuits with a number of research institutions like CCMB, NIN etc.
Thus Hyderabad, with its twin city Secunderabad, presents a fine picture of Muslim and Hindu cultural coexistence and the convergence of the past and the present, as well as the coming together of north and south India in its population, monuments, modern buildings, bazaars and way of life.
Source: Primetime Prism- The Complete Magazine, December 2006
Imagine if for convenience, during the time of US Independence they had decided to have only 6 states in the new Union by merging the erstwhile 13 independent nations into groups. Imagine Massachusetts was combined with Connecticut to form a new state. If, after 50 years of trying to make the new combined state work, they realize that it is not working out. They want to separate again. Would Boston that was part of Massachusetts go to Connecticut for any reason? Or would it remain with Massachusetts?
Any observer would easily conclude that Boston would go with Massachusetts. However that's not how Andhra-Rayalaseema is arguing right now. When Andhra Pradesh was formed, Telangana brought Hyderabad into the state and now when it wants to move out because the marriage of convenience has not worked out they are being deprived of Hyderabad.
Imagine Churchill saying to Indians, you can have India but not New Delhi, because we have invested too much in it. Or imagine Pakistanis claiming New Delhi with an 'almost' perfectly reasonable argument that they are inheritors of the legacy and tradition of Mughal Empire - that they invested in heavily and built the city of New Delhi and also contributed to taxes that British used to build Lutyens' New Delhi.
Hypothetically let's imagine a situation where in Karnataka is now divided into north and south Karnatakas for whatever reason. Any observer with iota of intelligence would conclude that Bangalore would go to South Karnataka. His logic would be simple - historically and geographically Bangalore was always an integral part of South Karnataka. Now, imagine the residents of Bangalore, comprising huge chunk of Telugus, Malayalis, Tamils and even North Karnataka people who claim that they are actually in majority, protesting against this. They say, they don't want the IT and biotech to slowdown in the city, and that they are completely averse to be part of the petty politics that is dividing this state. They decide not to get involved. Instead, they say, they want to opt out of this divisive politics and convert their city into a Union Territory depriving both regions of the city.
Imagine Gujaratis claiming Bombay city for themselves at the time of separation in 1960 claiming they have invested heavily into Bombay for centuries. Or imagine the immigrants of Mumbai converting the city into Union Territory depriving the Marathis of the city claiming it is a cosmopolitan city and financial capital of India. Imagine the immigrants depriving the Bengalis of Kolkata.
That's what is happening in Telangana now.
The Telangana region, with Hyderabad deeply embedded inside it geographically, being part of its culture and historical heritage, being its capital city, joined Andhra Pradesh reluctantly and now it wants to opt out after the 50 year marriage failed. It's not like Telangana sprung a surprise of separation. Starting from the formation of the state itself it has made many protests through various forums, including protests of 1950s, agitation of 1969, elections of 1971 and through election manifestos in 1990s.
The current situation in Andhra-Rayalaseema
These protests that are being carried out in Andhra for 'Samaikya Andhra' sound hollow. When we want to move out of the marriage there is no fun if you keep holding us back. We have been giving you enough feelers for the last sixty years for you to understand we are not happy with the marriage. Time and again you have come up with terms of reconciliation which have failed only because those terms were never implemented - they just remained hollow promises. We want to move out of this relationship but you are not able to understand and appreciate our position.
Why are you imposing yourself onto us when we want to live our lives separately? Can't you be mature enough to let us go?
The relationship is already sour. Delaying this inevitable separation is only going to make it bitter and if prolonged it is going to make it venomous for all of us. As mature individuals we should decide part ways and stay friends.
There are many immigrants in this country in various cities. Tamils and Gujaratis have made Mumbai their home. Telugus, Malayalees, Tamils have made Bangalore their home. But just because these cities have allowed other people to settle down in their cities should not start making these cities converted into Union Territories or being separated from their regions.
Such experiments have not worked out in history. Geographical continuity is as important as cultural and historical continuity. Berlin was lying in the midst of East Germany and yet some portion remained with West Germany. Billions of Dollars have been spent to keep the city that way and thousands lost their lives - in the end it was sheer waste and just a matter of pride and ego.
Rosaiah said that they would see if there is majority in the Assembly for Telangana. How long will the majority impose itself onto the minorities? Currently , there are 171 MLAs of Andhra and Rayalaseema easily outnumbering 123 MLAs of Telangana. Therefore it is clear there will be no majority. Is this how India is going to protect its minorities? By allowing the majority to vote against minority?
Imagine what must have happened in the past:
Who wants to build canal from Nagarjunasagar dam to Telangana? Say Yes, Say No. Good the majority doesn't want it.
Now, we have to establish 500 schools? Who says there should 450 in Andhra? Say Yes. Good the majority wants it.
Though this is an exaggeration to drive a point, it was not hard to imagine how this could have unfolded in the last fifty years. In 1950s and 1960s, Congress Party was dominant in Andhra and Rayalaseema because they were under British, while Communist Party was dominant in Telangana. Even if the voting in Assembly was along the party lines which is what happens in India, Telangana would lose out. In 1970s, corrupt MLAs, MPs and CMs of Telangana were brought in to sing the tune of national agenda to keep the state together. These leaders betrayed their own people again and again citing they didn't have enough power to wield. When the transparency was minimal, when the MLAs could be bought for a sum, when a region is already backward, Telangana MLAs were bought were a price and asked to sing the tune of united state.
Telangana lost out because it had to carry the burden of keeping the marriage working and pretending everything was alright while suffering and enduring discrimination all the while. Telangana lost out because the Indira Gandhi's Congress was not ready to create more states. Telangana lost out because they had to unnecessarily live with the tag of united Telugu when they were only concerned with their self-rule, self-expression and self-development.
We don't want continue with charade any longer. We don't want to be cowed down by the majority of Andhra-Rayalaseema. We just want to be on our own so that our politicians, however vile they are, are at least accountable to us. So that they spend the money they get in our region, even if they eat half of it, at least we get the other half. Self-rule, self-development and self-expression are more important to us than the unity under a tag called Telugu. This tag does not even make sense when many Telangana people actually feel that their language is treated inferiorly by their Andhra brothers.
People of Telangana were a reluctant party to this marriage from the beginning - now we want it to end. We want to go our separate way with our state. If Hyderabad happens to be part of our region, please live with it.
Has it always been about capital city?
Why do you have so much love for people of Telangana that you want stay united with us? Do you have love for us or just the love for our city of Hyderabad? Long ago, you vied the city of Chennai and try to get it from Tamils and you have failed. Now you want city of Hyderabad.
It's high time people of Andhra built their own capital city and I am quite sure they will build a city far bigger and better than Hyderabad - there is no doubt that people of Andhra are more educated, industrious and enterprising. They have a rich cultural heritage, a far better agriculture economy, much better land reforms, and far more business men. I actually believe this.
I am quite aware of inadequacies of Telangana people. We have to do a lot to overcome our weaknesses. But we want to do that on our own. Hope you understand that.
Politically a separate state of Telengana is needed. It is needed to attain peace and prosperity. Some people are of the false opinion that the development of the state will stop if we have a separate state, development and prosperity is no way linked to this. In the article '108 Facts about Telangana - need and justification' we can see the facts what we are lossing. Below are the few points ' Why we need separate state'
- The corruption levels in and around Hyderabad has increased 100% or even more in the past 7 years, due to the migration. There are Telengana and Andhra groups in every department of the government. The Andhra's moved ahead because of the cooperation among them and the feeling of oneness among them. This is clearly lacking with in us. The support for a separate state, this does not mean that asking the Andhra people to go away or leave their business behind. There is nothing stopping them to live in Hyderabad.
- We must also note the fact that all the agreements done at the time of merger of two regions in 1958 were deliberately ignored and Telangana (except hyderabad ) was pushed into poverty.
- The present agitation is not done alone by KCR or any political party; this is the inner feeling of any Telengana fellow living in Hyderabad. This is massive agitation done voluntarily by students, lawyers, doctors and all the sections of people. Its high time that Telangana be declared as saperate state
- Linguistic state means that all the people possessing same language should be in one region, but it does not mean that they all should be in a same state, and this is not possible. Separation is the democratic desire. Being united forcefully is imperialism. Today, all over the country wave/demand for small states has cropped up. This legitimate fight for creation of TELENGANA with Hyderabad as its capital, within the legal confines of Indian Constitution, has had a voice since the time of Indian Independence.
- The 400 years of existence as a separate entity ( Hyderabad State ) under the rule of Nizam, before independence, automatically grants us the right to demand a separate state.
- 10 out of these 15 chief ministers till date have come from the non-Telengana regions of Andhra Pradesh either from Rayalseema and Coastal Andhra Pradesh. The last chief minister from the Telangana region was in power as far back as 1990's. While the dominance of chief ministers from the non-Telangana regions has always been there and this is the reason why except for capital city of Hyderabad none of the other Telegnaga regions have improved. This clearly shows that the Telegana movement is not hollow.
- Nagarjuna Sagar dam lies in Telangana region. While the original plan included two canals, one to arid and dry Telangana, and the other to the fertile and inundated Andhra region, only one canal was constructed towards Andhra region, while Telangana continued to remain arid, dry and impoverished. All the recommendations that forced the government to construct the new canal were struck down by the majority and partisan Andhra leaders. The coal mines and power plant of Singareni lie in Telangana region, but the backward districts of Telangana get no power. There are thousands of villages and towns in Telangana where they get two hours of power during entire summer, while people of Andhra experience small inconveniences.
- With examples like this discrimination is seen in irrigation, in industry, in roads, in canals, in dams, in energy, in education and in employment.
- There was consistent and methodical discrimination against people of Telangana for all these years. Newer generation of Andhra and Rayalaseema who had no role in this discrimination find it hard to understand why Telangana people protest for a new state. They have absolutely no idea what has happened in the past and see the present situation in isolation and conclude that Telangana people are brainwashed by their wily and cunning politicians.
# Why a separate Telangana? Aren't you happy being part of Andhra Pradesh?
History: In 1947, India got Independence . In 1948, Indian Army ousted Nizam of Hyderabad to include Hyderabad and its regions into India . In 1953, Andhra was formed (from Madras State ) as a state under Reorganization of States based on linguistic lines. In 1956, Telangana was merged with Andhra though there was a demand for a separate state of Telangana. In 1956, there were protests in Hyderabad for Telangana which was quelled by police killing some of the protestors. Ther reasons for separate Telangana are plenty. The outline of some of them here:
- Telangana is less developed compared to Andhra.
- Rivers like Krishna and Godavari flow through Telangana, but the water from the dams are sent to Andhra.
- Because of less literacy and backwardness of Telangana people, most of the new jobs, postings in government and education are given to people from Andhra.
- Except for common language, the people of Andhra and Telangana have different dialects, histories, cultural systems, different food habits
In 1969, there was a major revolt in Telangana region by students, professors, government employees, politicians and many others demanding a separate state. The movement was quashed- many were jailed. Some of the politicians got reassurances and politicians from central leaders to some of their demands and everything was hushed up. Over the last thirty years, none of those reassurances and promises was kept. Some of those assurances were turned down by the court as well. The region is still reeling under strong Andhra influence in all phases of social, educational, economic and cultural life. There is a renewed struggle for a separate state now. TRS is a political party which is exploiting this sentiment.
# Aren't Naxalites fighting for Telangana using guns?
No. Naxalites have a different agenda. They fight for achieving equal social and economic status through redistribution of wealth and land, and offering justice and opportunity to the backward classes. Their fight is seen wherever there is poverty and inequality in wealth- like Orissa, Chattisgarh, Karnataka, etc (most of these regions happen to be under Nizam before Independence ) and is not confined to Telangana alone.
# How will a new state benefit people of Telangana?
- Right now the coal is mined and electricity is produced in Telangana but most of it is supplied to Andhra region, while districts of Medak and Adilabad have four hours of electricity during the day during summer. In the new state, these districts will be fed with electricity.
- The rivers of Krishna and Godavari flow through Telangana, and the dams are in Telangana, but the canals carrying the water go to Andhra. In the new state, there would be new canals bringing water to the arid regions of Telangana bringing in prosperity to the farmers and local population.
- Most of the jobs, in government and education, are filled up by people from Andhra. In the new state, these jobs will go the local population.
# Did the other new states benefit?
Yes. Uttaranchal has introduced many sops for new industries because of which many industries are being set up in that state. Chattisgarh has opened up its university to many people from India and is now for the first time introducing electricity to the interior regions. Jharkand which supplied Bihar with most of the raw materials now has its own industry and income.
# What is the rationale for new states?
When one state has two economically and culturally different regions, one being prosperous and the other backward, if corrective measures are not taken to uplift that backward region, there is a great danger that only the prosperous region gets all the attention, funding, new industries, canals, and opportunities, while the people of backward region keep losing out, even in their own region. When such a condition prevails far too long, strong corrective measures are to be taken, and if that does not work, a new state is one of the best solutions.
FAQ
Why are we hearing separate Telangana slogan again?
The demand for a separate state of Telangana isn't new. Telanganites have very clearly expressed their opposition a decade before Andhra Pradesh was formed. They reasoned that in a united Andhra Pradesh they will not get justice. Even after five decades, this demand is continuing. The reason for this is the experience of past 48 years that justice will not be done to Telangana and belief that it will continue to be denied to Telanganites in united AP. (Please see pages112 -117 for historical facts).
Isn't Telangana slogan the creation of unemployed politicians?
Telangana demand is a peoples' movement born out of their problems. Are all the people robbed unabatedly, continuously for the 48-years and raising their voice again , unemployed political leaders? Who are the unemployed political Leaders? Are they the farmers that have been suffering for lack of drinking water, irrigations water, and cuts in electric supply? Are they the workers who lost their livelihood due to lack of new industries, and closure of existing industries? Are they the unemployed youth whose job opportunities are hijacked by outsiders? Are they the innumerable people who have been labeled and suppressed as terrorists because they raised their voice for Telangana? When people are subject to robbery and injustice and take to the streets, it is natural for leaders to enter the fray. Just because out of power politicians support Telangana statehood, does it stop being peoples' movement? In any movement, politicians in and out of power join in. Some even deceive and attempt to side line the movement, but they can't stop the movement. Movements continue until justice is served to the people. The educated that are the pillars of this movement aren't unemployed. They aren't even after employment for themselves.
Why didn't the Chief Ministers that came from Telangana area work to develop Telangana?
It is true that PV Narasimha Rao, Marri Chenna Reddy (twice), T. Anjiah from Telangana were Chief Ministers of AP. Altogether they were in power for 6-years in four terms. It is also true they haven't made any noticeable development of Telangana. Jalagam Vengal Rao was a settler. He never assimilated himself in Telangana. He is credited with the disservice to Telangana by extending Nagarjun Sagar left canal. Then what about, Rayala Seema? There were stalwarts from Rayala seems that were in power for twenty years. (N. Sanjeeva Reddy-2terms, Damodaram Sanjeeviah, K. Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy-2 terms, CB Naidu-2 terms). Why is Rayalaseema backward? Fact is they slaved for the Coastal Andhra wealth and the privileged few of these wealthy that control the politics of the state. Fazal Ali commission recognized the consequences of mixing a developed area with a backward area and recommended that Telangana be kept as a separate state. If this country's politicians had the wherewithal to listen to the wise men, we wouldn't be in this situation!
Isn't it detrimental to Indian national unity if small states are continuously created?
Out of the 35 states currently in India (28 states and 7 central possessions), 70% are smaller than Telangana. Telangana's population is 30 million plus. There are 25 states that are smaller than Telangana. If these twenty-five don't cause national unity issues, why would creation of a larger state be any dangerous? (See P119-120 for details)
What would you do if the backward districts in Telangana want a separate state of their own after formation of Telangana state?
Backwardness of Telangana is a major reason for the Telangana state demand but not the sole reason. All ten Telangana districts have same historical background, geographic closeness, cultural commonality, language unity, and mutual understanding among the people. These factors are all foundation for unity of thought. Never did the people of Telangana districts express a desire or sentiment to be separate from the rest of the districts directly or indirectly. There isn't an opportunity for such either. In our country there are some other backward districts in various states. Are they all demanding a separate statehood? It is meaning less and baseless argument.
Why do people with one language need two states?
If one language, one state is the norm, why do we have 9-Hindhi speaking states? Next to Hindi, Telugu is the most spoken language in India. What is wrong with having two states that speak Telugu? Some people claim that Telangana Telugu isn't the proper Telugu. Some others say it isn't even Telugu. Why should these people that make fun of Telangana language and ridicule its culture should be objecting if Telangana is separate state?
Isn't a separate state, a nation dividing, people separating, demand?
If the desire of a people of a region to have their own state is a divisive act, then all states formation is a divisive act. In fact language based state formation itself is a divisive act. Same reasons that Potti Sriramulu the architect for separation of Andhra from Madras state, presented are the reasons Telanganites want their own state. The same argument used by the Andhras in the past is used by Telanganites now. If it was not an objectionable demand then how could it be objectionable now?
How long should states division continue?
Staes re-organization is a continuing activity in India. Even before Fazal Ali commission this process has started, Example: Formation of Andhra, split from Madras. It has been continuing ever since, Ex: Eastern states division, Maharastra,Gujrath, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jarkhand, Uttaranchal, Chattisghad. Why should there be any objections for Telangana formation when there were no such objections for these states formation?
There are other backward areas in the state. Why should only Telangana people have a separate state of their own?
Just as Telangana, Rayalaseema and north Andhra have been discriminated. True. But, additionally Telangana has been systemically robbed. Diversion of this regions natural resources, water, under ground resources and their income to other areas, the robbing of jobs from the region's people, Colonization aren't directed at other areas. Additionally the Telanganites have been subject to ridicule with respect to the language and the politicians have been looked down upon to the extent they lost their own self image. To preserve their self respect and to protect their region's natural resources, people of Telangana want their own state.
The demand for a separate state of Telangana isn't new. Telanganites have very clearly expressed their opposition a decade before Andhra Pradesh was formed. They reasoned that in a united Andhra Pradesh they will not get justice. Even after five decades, this demand is continuing. The reason for this is the experience of past 48 years that justice will not be done to Telangana and belief that it will continue to be denied to Telanganites in united AP. (Please see pages112 -117 for historical facts).
Isn't Telangana slogan the creation of unemployed politicians?
Telangana demand is a peoples' movement born out of their problems. Are all the people robbed unabatedly, continuously for the 48-years and raising their voice again , unemployed political leaders? Who are the unemployed political Leaders? Are they the farmers that have been suffering for lack of drinking water, irrigations water, and cuts in electric supply? Are they the workers who lost their livelihood due to lack of new industries, and closure of existing industries? Are they the unemployed youth whose job opportunities are hijacked by outsiders? Are they the innumerable people who have been labeled and suppressed as terrorists because they raised their voice for Telangana? When people are subject to robbery and injustice and take to the streets, it is natural for leaders to enter the fray. Just because out of power politicians support Telangana statehood, does it stop being peoples' movement? In any movement, politicians in and out of power join in. Some even deceive and attempt to side line the movement, but they can't stop the movement. Movements continue until justice is served to the people. The educated that are the pillars of this movement aren't unemployed. They aren't even after employment for themselves.
Why didn't the Chief Ministers that came from Telangana area work to develop Telangana?
It is true that PV Narasimha Rao, Marri Chenna Reddy (twice), T. Anjiah from Telangana were Chief Ministers of AP. Altogether they were in power for 6-years in four terms. It is also true they haven't made any noticeable development of Telangana. Jalagam Vengal Rao was a settler. He never assimilated himself in Telangana. He is credited with the disservice to Telangana by extending Nagarjun Sagar left canal. Then what about, Rayala Seema? There were stalwarts from Rayala seems that were in power for twenty years. (N. Sanjeeva Reddy-2terms, Damodaram Sanjeeviah, K. Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy-2 terms, CB Naidu-2 terms). Why is Rayalaseema backward? Fact is they slaved for the Coastal Andhra wealth and the privileged few of these wealthy that control the politics of the state. Fazal Ali commission recognized the consequences of mixing a developed area with a backward area and recommended that Telangana be kept as a separate state. If this country's politicians had the wherewithal to listen to the wise men, we wouldn't be in this situation!
Isn't it detrimental to Indian national unity if small states are continuously created?
Out of the 35 states currently in India (28 states and 7 central possessions), 70% are smaller than Telangana. Telangana's population is 30 million plus. There are 25 states that are smaller than Telangana. If these twenty-five don't cause national unity issues, why would creation of a larger state be any dangerous? (See P119-120 for details)
What would you do if the backward districts in Telangana want a separate state of their own after formation of Telangana state?
Backwardness of Telangana is a major reason for the Telangana state demand but not the sole reason. All ten Telangana districts have same historical background, geographic closeness, cultural commonality, language unity, and mutual understanding among the people. These factors are all foundation for unity of thought. Never did the people of Telangana districts express a desire or sentiment to be separate from the rest of the districts directly or indirectly. There isn't an opportunity for such either. In our country there are some other backward districts in various states. Are they all demanding a separate statehood? It is meaning less and baseless argument.
Why do people with one language need two states?
If one language, one state is the norm, why do we have 9-Hindhi speaking states? Next to Hindi, Telugu is the most spoken language in India. What is wrong with having two states that speak Telugu? Some people claim that Telangana Telugu isn't the proper Telugu. Some others say it isn't even Telugu. Why should these people that make fun of Telangana language and ridicule its culture should be objecting if Telangana is separate state?
Isn't a separate state, a nation dividing, people separating, demand?
If the desire of a people of a region to have their own state is a divisive act, then all states formation is a divisive act. In fact language based state formation itself is a divisive act. Same reasons that Potti Sriramulu the architect for separation of Andhra from Madras state, presented are the reasons Telanganites want their own state. The same argument used by the Andhras in the past is used by Telanganites now. If it was not an objectionable demand then how could it be objectionable now?
How long should states division continue?
Staes re-organization is a continuing activity in India. Even before Fazal Ali commission this process has started, Example: Formation of Andhra, split from Madras. It has been continuing ever since, Ex: Eastern states division, Maharastra,Gujrath, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jarkhand, Uttaranchal, Chattisghad. Why should there be any objections for Telangana formation when there were no such objections for these states formation?
There are other backward areas in the state. Why should only Telangana people have a separate state of their own?
Just as Telangana, Rayalaseema and north Andhra have been discriminated. True. But, additionally Telangana has been systemically robbed. Diversion of this regions natural resources, water, under ground resources and their income to other areas, the robbing of jobs from the region's people, Colonization aren't directed at other areas. Additionally the Telanganites have been subject to ridicule with respect to the language and the politicians have been looked down upon to the extent they lost their own self image. To preserve their self respect and to protect their region's natural resources, people of Telangana want their own state.
Instead of asking for a separate state, why can't you fight for development within the frame work of united AP?
The promises of Telangana development have been made for the past 48 years in united AP. Before and after the formation of AP, Which promises were kept? Which agreements were respected? Which projects were implemented? Which principles were they bound to? From the first day of AP formation, till to-day, agreements are being broken. What were the united AP wishers do? Did they even express any concerns? How long should the Telangana people bear this and put up with this injustice?
Isn't separate Telangana state an anti-Andhra people's movement?
Emphatically, no. Telangana people don't bear any animosity against the coastal Andhra or Rayalaseema people or the ordinary migrants from those areas to Telangana. Telangana people's anger is with: The rulers that are raping Telangana resources. With their supporters in Andhra and also from Telangana. Those that came to Telangana and think they are the rulers of Telangana. Those that control the state Government with their financial strength and rob Telangana. Those that ridicule, Telangana language, culture and their mannerisms. All those that become a part of Telangana and share in the happiness and sorrow of Telangana with the locals are welcomed and, respected and loved.
What is there to be gained by the SC, ST and weaker sections in separate Telangana?
What did these groups gain in united AP in 48 years? Apart from Sanjeeviah being CM for few months, when did any of these classes have any power? What is the status of these peoples leadership? What is the attitude of current Congress, BJP, both the communist parties, TDP? Not only the weaker sections, even the forward classes of Telangana, do they have any opportunity to exert any real power? For these classes to gain power they have to become active. For the past few years these people are rising, becoming active. No matter how active they become, in the united AP, not only these but other classes of people will also not progress. At least the forward class in Telangana have come to realization that it is unavoidable in the society for all people to a rightful share in the political power. Because of this there is opportunity in Separate Telangana for true democracy represented by all people, to prevail.
Andhras have built Hyderabad. Is it fair to ask them to leave it now?
Hyderabad was a beautiful city built by Nizam on the sweat of Telangana villagers. One of the reasons Andhras eyed Telangana was Hyderabad- a ready made beautiful Capitol city. It was fifth largest city before AP was formed and it still is fifth largest city. If Andhras contributed to Hyderabad, it was not out of love for Telangana but was for the convenience of the rich Andhras that have made Hyderabad their home. Hydearabd is still growing but not from Andhras coming to settle but from the middle classes and forward classes of Telangana moving to the city for security and for services and livelihood, as the village economy in Telangana is all but destroyed by neglect of the ruling class, and failure of monsoons. Besides, nobody is asking anybody to leave any place. India is a free country and anybody can go and stay and pursue their livelihood anywhere in India. Hyderabad is a cosmopolitan city and people from many languages and all states of India call it their home. Also, this isn't a separation of people like Pakistan and India. It is merely a separation of political and administrative machinery so people of Telangana can control their own destiny. The settlers are welcome to stay, contribute and share in the success of Telangana
The promises of Telangana development have been made for the past 48 years in united AP. Before and after the formation of AP, Which promises were kept? Which agreements were respected? Which projects were implemented? Which principles were they bound to? From the first day of AP formation, till to-day, agreements are being broken. What were the united AP wishers do? Did they even express any concerns? How long should the Telangana people bear this and put up with this injustice?
Isn't separate Telangana state an anti-Andhra people's movement?
Emphatically, no. Telangana people don't bear any animosity against the coastal Andhra or Rayalaseema people or the ordinary migrants from those areas to Telangana. Telangana people's anger is with: The rulers that are raping Telangana resources. With their supporters in Andhra and also from Telangana. Those that came to Telangana and think they are the rulers of Telangana. Those that control the state Government with their financial strength and rob Telangana. Those that ridicule, Telangana language, culture and their mannerisms. All those that become a part of Telangana and share in the happiness and sorrow of Telangana with the locals are welcomed and, respected and loved.
What is there to be gained by the SC, ST and weaker sections in separate Telangana?
What did these groups gain in united AP in 48 years? Apart from Sanjeeviah being CM for few months, when did any of these classes have any power? What is the status of these peoples leadership? What is the attitude of current Congress, BJP, both the communist parties, TDP? Not only the weaker sections, even the forward classes of Telangana, do they have any opportunity to exert any real power? For these classes to gain power they have to become active. For the past few years these people are rising, becoming active. No matter how active they become, in the united AP, not only these but other classes of people will also not progress. At least the forward class in Telangana have come to realization that it is unavoidable in the society for all people to a rightful share in the political power. Because of this there is opportunity in Separate Telangana for true democracy represented by all people, to prevail.
Andhras have built Hyderabad. Is it fair to ask them to leave it now?
Hyderabad was a beautiful city built by Nizam on the sweat of Telangana villagers. One of the reasons Andhras eyed Telangana was Hyderabad- a ready made beautiful Capitol city. It was fifth largest city before AP was formed and it still is fifth largest city. If Andhras contributed to Hyderabad, it was not out of love for Telangana but was for the convenience of the rich Andhras that have made Hyderabad their home. Hydearabd is still growing but not from Andhras coming to settle but from the middle classes and forward classes of Telangana moving to the city for security and for services and livelihood, as the village economy in Telangana is all but destroyed by neglect of the ruling class, and failure of monsoons. Besides, nobody is asking anybody to leave any place. India is a free country and anybody can go and stay and pursue their livelihood anywhere in India. Hyderabad is a cosmopolitan city and people from many languages and all states of India call it their home. Also, this isn't a separation of people like Pakistan and India. It is merely a separation of political and administrative machinery so people of Telangana can control their own destiny. The settlers are welcome to stay, contribute and share in the success of Telangana
- Catchment area of Krishna Basin
Rayalaseema - 18% Andhra - 13% Telangana - 69%
Allocation of Krishna water as per tribunal recommendation= Rayalaseema - 16% Andhra - 49% Telangana - 35% Actual utilization Rayalaseema - 13% Andhra - 87% Telangana - lessthan 1% - Godavari river catchment area
Andhra - 21% (310 TMC) Telangana - 79% (1170 TMC) Utilization of Godavari waters
Andhra - 23% (320 TMC i.e. 110% of allotted) Telangana - 9.6 % (143 TMC)
- 405 TMC is being diverted to Andhra via Polavaram project - Total loss of water share of Telangana merging with Andhra is 1125 TMC. With estimation of 1 TMC to serve 10,000 acres, total cultivation land Telangana lost is 11, 25,000 acres.
- There are 10 districts in Telangana, 9 in Andhra, 4 in Rayalaseema. Out of these 7 districts in Telangana, 3 in Andhra and 1 in Rayalaseema are considered severely backward districts which means 70% of districts in Telangana are backward while in Andhra - 35% and in Rayalaseema - 25% .
- 65% of Industries in Telangana are owned by Andhra. One Telangana person (close relative of Sri Jaipal Reddy) tried to start industry in west Godavari, he was harassed and tormented so much that he gave it up half way through.
- All Telangana region CM's combined tenure is hardly 6 years.
- From past 50 years AP got nearly 40 major projects in which 37 went to Seemandhra region
- Telangana side: - SLBC (30 TMC) not taken up - SLBC beyond Musi river (20 TMC) not taken up - RDS extension (10 TMC) not taken up - LIS to high level areas in Mahabubnagar not taken up - Bheema LIS 20 TMC under construction for many years Seemandhra side: - Telugu Ganga project (29 TMC) completed - SRBC (19 TMC) completed - KC canal extension completed (10 TMC) - Upland areas Brahmamgari matham reservoir (10 TMC) completed - SRBC beyond Gorakallu (20TMC) under construction - Puchintala evaporation losses (5 TMC) under construction - Veligonda not recommended project (40 TMC) almost completed - Handrineeva sujala sarvanthi not recommended (38 TMC) almost completed - Galerunagari sujala sravanthi not recommended (38 TMC) is under construction
- Pothireddypadu regulator was originally created for drinking water to Chennai with 5 TMC. Gradually 5 projects were 'piggy backed' & augmented to canal. In the name of Chennai drinking water, Rayalaseema leaders wanted to take away the entire waters of Srisailam reservoir.
- Veligonda project is being constructed on war footing basis. This will drain 60 TMC of water from Srisailam. This project is not allotted (water share by tribunal) and do not have clearance till now.
- Handrineeva Srujana Sravanthi, not allotted not cleared project is going on war footing now. It will run through chittoor via Anantapur.
- SLBC - Srisailam Left Bank Canal, despite of all recommendations, Clearances and permissions never started. This would have provided 30 TMC for 3 Lakh acres in Nalgonda district.
- Manuguru thermal power station proposed by Central govt due to proximity of coal mines was lobbied to be shifted to Vijayawada, transporting coal from telangana (singareni). This led to shortage of power due to pump set usage by Telangana farmers.
- Ramagundam super thermal power station (2500 MW) transferred to NTPC, crippling power ownership of state by which we get only 27% of power produced and rest is pooled in national grid.
- Dummugudem Hydal power station never even started construction - this remained a promise on paper.
- Icchampalli power (975 MW) project never started.
- Power regulatory mechanisms - 220 KV, 132 KV, 32 KV substations and lines never realized in Telangana region.
- If Mumbai is not a free-zone, Delhi is not a freezone, Kolkatta is not a freezone, Chennai is not a freezone, Pune is not a freezone . why should Hyderabad be a freezone ? Andhra enthusiasts hailing Hyd being a freezone, were demanding entire Telangana should be freezone.
- Telangana covers 41.7% area, Seemandhra 58.3% area. Telangana has 40.5% population, Seemandhra 59.5%. Telangana revenue is 53% to the state exchequer.
- 1953 Andhra Pradesh the area irrigated under TANKS in the Telangana 11 lakh acres. Now it is hardly 6.5 lakh acres.
- Andhra 9 districts - funds spent on education - Rs 1308.56 Crores Rayalaseema 4 dist - funds spent on education - Rs 382.87 Crores Telangana 10 districts - funds spent on education - Rs 163.39 Crores
- Literacy - Andhra (9 districts) 42%, Rayalaseema (4 districts) 38%, Telangana (10 districts) 30%
- Andhra 9 districts - schools 26,800 Rayalaseema 4 dist - schools 13,000 Telangana 10 dist - 17,954
- Hospitals Andhra (9 dist) 666, Rayalaseema (4 dist) 303, Telangana (10 dist) 270
- Total Govt employees - Seemandhra (13 districts) 9 lakhs, Telangana (10 dist) 3 lakhs
- IAS/IPS/IFS officers (civil services) - Andhra (9 dist) 225, Rayalaseema (4 dist) 50, Telangana (10 dist) 60
- Industries (small/medium/large) - Andhra (9 dist) 6,100, Rayalaseema (4 dist) 773, Telangana (10 dist) 1250
- Power Utilization Andhra (9 dist) 54% - Rayalaseema (4 dist) 23% - Telangana (10 dist) 23%
- Nagarjuna sagar project - Andhra submerged land = 0, cultilavation land 20 lakh acres. Telangana submerged land = 100%, cultivation land 4.5 lakh acres
- Polavaram project is submerging 250 small villages in Telangana, displacing 5 lakh tribal's are going to provide lakhs of acres cultivation land to Andhra
- Grant-in-aid Private Degree colleges Andhra (9 dist) - 96, Rayalaseema (4 dist) - 32, Telangana (10 dist) - 30
- There are more than 130 posts of heads of departments. Out of them only 7 or 8 are held by the officers belonging to the Telangana region.
- Sales Tax collection (2001- 2002) - Andhra 21%, Rayalaseema 5%, Telangana 74%
- Excise Collections (2001-2002) - Andhra 24%, Rayalaseema 10%, Telangana 66%
- APPSC - Andhra Pradesh public service commission board members so far, 8 from Andhra, 6 from Rayalaseema, 2 from Telangana.
- Telanganites constitutes 23% in all industries in Telangana area, 0% in Andhra, Rayalaseema area
- All housing board colonies in capital city - 93% people are from Seemandhra.
- Govt Libraries - Andhra (9 districts) 630, Rayalaseema (4 dist) 243, Telangana (10 dist) 450.
- In 70's - Jublee hills lands were purchased at Rs 105 per acre. Total acres 1400. All Telanganites living in that area were thrown out, jublee hills housing society did not have a single Telanganite.
- Panchayat Raj divisions - Andhra (9 dist) 883, Rayalaseema (4 dist) 342, Telangana (10 dist) 295.
- Most backward district in AP is Mahabubnagar, was granted 4% white ration cards. Most developed dist in AP is West Godavari dist was given 7% white ration cards.
- 100% power of Vizag thermal (simhadri) is being used for Andhra only, but 27% power of Ramagundam is being used for A.P.
- 82% of farmers are depending on private loans in Telangana
- If development was the justification for keeping an alien ruler in place, India should have never been free from British rule !
- There was no single drop of water in Palanadu 350yrs ago, it was like a desert. Now, entire Telangana canal irrigation land is less than Guntur dist alone.
- Rs 60 crores of surplus budget was the pride of Telangana in 1948. When Andhra state was formed - it had only 1 Crore in hand given by Madras govt, and Shri Raj Gopalachari said 'Get lost from here'.
- Dr.B.R.Ambedkar suggested Hyderabad second capitol of India. He said Hyderabad is better than Delhi.
- Government buys sugar cane from farmers (per quintal) in Andhra - Rs 1200, Telangana -Rs 890 Andhra lands are canal cultivated - Telangana depend on bore wells.
- Andhrites converted Telangana -WAKF lands in to revenue lands in the era of real-estate boom, Lanco is main culprit in this, remember Muslim brothers shouted 'go back' at Lagadapati ?
- 150 forts are about to ruin in the Telangana which were built by various dynasties. They are symbols of great cultural heritage.
- Hyd Central University is filled with Andhraits - every Central University in India has 60% reserved for local region. Except HCU.
- Pranahita project, there is no staff, no sufficient funding, don't even have proper office, but Andhra ruler says project will be completed 4yrs
- There are never any difficulties in construction of irrigation projects in Andhra. But why irregularities, corruption, delays in Telangana projects?
- Mahabubnagar 35lakhs population, migration 14 lakhs, 350km of Krishna stretch, there is no drinking water or irrigation water.
- How many JNTU colleges should be there in 10 dist of Telangana, if 2 are in 4 districts of Rayalaseema ?
- AP dairy buys milk from farmers from Andhra Rs 24.30, Telangana Rs 22.30
- 450 tribal villages, millions of tons of limestone, rich minerals, lot of natural biodiversity.are going to submerge if Polavaram project is built
- Telangana is bigger than 24 states. Total official countries in the world are 194. Telangana will be bigger than 160 countries.
- Seemandhra revenue 38.5% - Expenditure 49%, Telangana revenue 61.5% - Expenditure 51%
- Jallianwala bagh, General Dyer, 1919 yr - 379 shot dead. Telangana, Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, 1969 - 370 students shot dead.
- WHO declared Nalgonda dist affected with fluorisis so much that it is moving towards No Man Zone.
- While merging with Andhra leaders agreed to continue Mulki rules in Telangana. As per this 100% employees in Telangana should be from Telangana only.
- Nizam formulated mulki rules in 1919, a person to get job in they must be Telangana from 15yrs,but now Andhra rulers reduced the period to 4yrs.
- Seemandhrites got 28000 jobs in Telangana by getting bogus mulki certificates between 1956-1968. Between 1975 to 1985 again 58000 by violating presidential order.
- In 1969 students/employees agitated against 28000 jobs by Andhra. Andhra rulers killed 370
- In 1972, Andhra rulers managed to cancel supreme court judgment by parliament, then 6 point formula was introduced for jobs. As per this formula Telangana split into zone 5, zone 6.
- As per presidential order Telangana people should get reservation 80% dist posts,70% zonal posts, 60% Gazetted posts. Remaining 20%,30%,40% shall be open to other regions - what's happening now ?
- In 1985, 610 GO for transfer of 58000 employs from Telangana, but this GO is never implemented. That too 610 GO is restricted to 102 departments only, out of 250 govt departments.
- In 2001, Chandra Babu Naidu (CM) appointed Girglani Commission which submitted report in 2004, that 2 lakh Seemandhra employs are working in Telangana.
- Only 23% Singareni coal is used in Telangana. Remaining 77% is being drained out to other places.
- Per Capita Funds allocation to Student in universities. SV University - Rs. 37500, Andhra University - Rs 35500 SK University - Rs 25000, Nagarjuna University - Rs 22700 OU - Rs 17400, K.U - Rs 14000
- Cultivation land (Lakh Acres) Before 1956, Andhra 30.65, Telangana 18.20 In 2004, Andhra 69.27, Telangana 18.00
- Andhrites love for Hyd is like Pakistan's love for Kashmir. They are ready to go to any extent to capture it.
- Kothagudem thermal power station sabotaged on purpose to obtain repair contracts to Andhra contractors in 1978, this is confirmed in single man commission (Sundar Ramaiah commission - 1979)
- All APSEB scams occurred so far at high level in board are targeted towards Telangana power supply and distribution, never to Andhra or Rayalaseema region. Higher officials found guilty by Vimal Lal commission, the recommendation were never implemented.
- Technically it is possible to develop water grid to benefit Telangana, Rayalaseema and Andhra regions - it would match in comparison with Mississippi river water system (USA), Three Gorges river system (China), Nile river (Aswan dam) Africa and Rhine river system Europe. Similar models were conceived by intellectuals but are trashed by Andhra rulers and pseudo intellectuals because they will benefit Telangana.
- 1969 - after Jai Telangana movement 'All Party Accord' was formulated, scrapped within 6 months. Than 8-point formula, 5-point formula were announced. then supreme court upheld Mulki rules. Andhra elites could not digest it, launched Jai Andhra movement. Central govt yielded as usual to elites tactics, then 6-point formula. Even this is being violated royally many times, robbing Telangana its rightfulness.
- Nagarjuna Sagar initially meant to benefit Andhra and Telangana. Later on it is modified in such a way that 75% of the benefit is accruing to Andhra reducing the share of Telangana region to just 25%. Andhra settlers own 50% of these 25% utilization lands.
- Singur project was originally designed to meet primarily the irrigation needs of Medak and Nizamabad districts. But it is now solely used for meeting the requirements of capital city.
- Jurala Project which is the first project on river Krishna meant for Telangana, is the smallest of all the projects built on this river. The Bachawat Tribunal allocated just 17.5 TMC ft. water for this project, and the state government reduced its storage capacity to 60% ft. But the actual utilization so far has not been more than 10%
- Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme, was to irrigate 87500 acres in Mahabubnagar. The Bachawat Tribunal also allocated 15.90 TMC ft. of water for this project. This water has to pass through a canal in Raichur district of Karnataka State. After the formation of Andhra Pradesh landlords of Rayalaseema blasted the gates with bombs and diverted water to their land. Since then Govt never even tried to reconstruct the gates.
- Devadula Project, provides water for 5 lakh acres, was promised to be finished in 5 yrs in 2001, yet to begin work. The funniest fact is, Sriram sagar is yet to be completed for last 40 yrs which provides water for just 4 lakh acres. Telangana people are supposed to believe the promise.
- Two major projects proposed on river Godavari are Ichampally and Polavaram. Ichampally is meant for Telangana and Polavaram for Andhra. The irrigation potential of Polavaram Project would be 6 to 7 times more than the irrigation potential of Ichampally. Ichampally is going to be primarily a power project not a irrigation project !
- Andhra lands are irrigated by canal irrigation i.e. with tax payer's money. Andhra farmer pays Rs 200 - 300 per annum as water charges. Telangana lands are irrigated by bore wells, entire cost is on the farmer . Digging, power, bore well, motor, pipes. He struggles with fluctuations in power supplies with irregularities and pathetic power distribution pattern in Telangana.
- Technological University was actually started in Warangal but was shifted to Hyderabad, Open University was originally Nalgonda district but was later shifted Hyd. The same state level universities University of Health Sciences, Mahila University and the University of Dravidian Languages were allowed to stay in Seemandhra - not moved to Capital city.
- Twelve milk chilling plants established by the erstwhile Telangana Regional Committee in different parts of Telangana have been abruptly closed down showing lack of funds as a reason.
- Ramagundam is in heart of coal belt . Fertilizer plant is closed showing a
reason as poor quality of coal. NTPC is running with same coal, VTPS is
running with same coal. Subsequently, Fertilizer plants are started in Nellore
and Andhra - Based on the proportionality at least 40% of jobs, i.e. 6 lakhs, should have gone to Telangana. But the total number of jobs now occupied by them is less than 3 lakhs.
- 1972, PV Narasimha Rao made an attempt to implement the verdict of Supreme Court validating the Mulki Rules. The verdict was in favor of Telangana. Seemandhra gave outrageous reaction, he lost his Chief Ministership.
- If it is assumed that the leaders of a region becoming chief ministers can contribute to the development of that region, then why do the people of Rayalaseema complain of backwardness ?
- Daily wage workers working in industries - from Andhra (9 districts) 3.16 lakhs, from Rayalaseema (4 districts)- 0.7 lakhs, Telangana (10 district) 0.81 lakhs.
- Andhra controlled media never highlighted migration of 15 lakh people out of 24lakh population from Mahabubnagar due to draught conditions. T. Anjaiah CM of AP from Telangana region was presented as a buffoon in dailies and cartoons.
- At the time of merger Andhra leaders persuaded Telangana leaders by offering many safeguards against exploitation. They also passed a Unanimous Resolution' in November 1955 in Andhra Assembly in support of safeguards and subsequently they put these safeguards in an Agreement on 20th February. 1956 which is known as "Gentlemen's Agreement". All are trashed soon after the agreement is signed.
- Proportional representation says Telangana should get 42% jobs in the Secretariat, t only 9% are working now. How can a people representative, MLA, MLC can get a work done if 91% do not help ?
- Metro Rail project is being designed dilapidating 5000 shops, 2500 houses, 147 schools, 120 hospitals, 60 Temples/Masjid/Churches. Historical monuments will disappear. All shops and complexes throughout Metro rail route are with Seemandhra thugs.
- 1947 India got Independence. 1948 Indian Army did police action to dethrone Nizam. Hyd state existed from 1949 to 1956. Telangana merged with Andhra against its wishes in1956. Telangana has nothing to do with Potti Sriramulu.
- Telangana Sayudha Poratam, (Telangana armed struggle) was against Nizam facist rule, 4000 people died - inspired all subsequent land movements in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura and paved way for formation of Communist governments in those States. This is never acknowledged by Seemandhra rulers so far.
- Despite 69% Krishna, 79% Godavari flows through Telangana, irrigation cost is Rs.1500/acre. 13% of Krishna, 21% Godavari flows through Andhra irrigation cost is Rs.150/acre.
- Per capita income of Madhya Pradesh: Rs 18,051. Chattisgarh formed in 2000. Per capita income of Chhattisgarh in 2008-09 - Rs. 29,621. Recently formed smaller states are catching up with Haryana is 71%, Himachal is 81% and Uttarakhand is 75% - now Jharkhand 58%, Chhattisgarh 63%. Also, Infant mortality UP 67%, Uttarakhand 44%.
- Yr 2008 Targeted growth rate & achieved: bigger states: MP 7% - 4.3%; UP 7.6% - 4.6%; Bihar 6.2% 4.7% smaller states: Chhattisgarh 6.1% - 9.2%; Jharkhand 6.9% - 11.1% Uttaranchal 6.8% - 8.8%
- Since 1956 to date, the additional irrigation potential created in Telangana is only 5%
- There are 10,000+ Industrial units in Telangana, 1200 are owned by Telanganites, 6500 are owned by Seemandhra, rest are by outsiders
- Proportionally Telangana should be given about 43% in budget allocation, Since 1953, it never exceeded 30%. Yet Telangana contributes 42% of revenue to the state exchequer.
- Nizamsagar was built in 1931 to serve Nizamabad and Medak about 2.7 lakh acres of land. It was neglected for maintenance and improvements, now satellite images prove that all its 83 tributaries, 243 distributaries have been silted up and eroded. World bank sanctioned 30 crores for the project, which was never spent. The project now going to be almost useless.
- In Andhra region every year two crops are cultivated because of water availability, in Telangana a single crop will be cultivated with great difficulty.
- Technical institutions wise, 26 are in Telangana, 54 are in Andhra. 20 polytechnics in Telangana, 70 in Andhra. 2 Medical colleges in Telangana, 6 in Andhra.
- British build Railways, Administrative Services, Post and Telegraph, installed democratic institutions, judiciary, rule of law, and built the cities of Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, and New Delhi. British did not claim any of these when they had to leave India. Seemandhra are making big hue and cry clamoring for Hyderabad claiming they have built the city. In 400 yrs of Hyderabad history, how many years did they contribute the 'development' ?
- Hyderabad - demographic expansion can never be considered as a development. It's natural growth. It is like a girl who is 10 yrs now will attain 15yrs of age after 5 yrs - can we call it development ? Also, its not just Hyd which is developed . all big/medium cities in India are in development path.
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