A guy asks a girl in a library; Do you mind if I sit beside you?
The girl answered with a loud voice; I DON'T WANT TO SPEND THE NIGHT WITH YOU!.
All the students in the library started staring at the guy and he was embarrassed.
After a couple of minutes, the girl walked quietly to the guy's table and said, 'I study psychology and I know what a man is thinking, I guess you felt embarrassed right?'
The guy responded with a loud voice: What??? $200 JUST FOR ONE NIGHT!? THAT'S TOO MUCH!
...And now all the people in the library looked at the girl in shock.
Then, the guy whispered in her ears, 'I study Law and I know how to make others feel guilty'.
Tuesday, October 02, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
HAVE WILL POWER!
A Business executive was deep in debt and could not see any way out. Creditors and suppliers were demanding payments. He sat in a park wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy.
Suddenly an old man appeared before him and said, "I can see that something is troubling you seriously". After listening to the executive the old man said, "I believe I can help you." He asked the man his name, wrote out a cheque and put it into his hands saying, "Take this money, meet me here exactly one year from today and you can pay me back at that time". Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come. The business executive saw in his hands a cheque for $ 500,000 signed by Warren Buffet.
"I can erase my worries instantly" he realized. But instead, the executive decided to put the uncashed cheque in his safe knowing that it might give him the strength to work out to save his business and to use this only in case of dire emergency.
With changed thinking he negotiated better deals, restructured his business and worked rigorously with full zeal and enthusiasm and got several big deals. Within few months, he was out of debt and started making money once again. Exactly one year later he returned to the park with the uncashed cheque.
As agreed, the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand him back the cheque and share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the old man."I'm so glad I caught him" she cried. "I hope he hasn't been bothering you much. He always escapes from the mental hospital and tells people that he is Warren Buffet", saying this she took the old man away.
The surprised executive just stood there, stunned!!! All year long he had been dealing thinking that he had half a million dollars behind him.
Moral...
Its not the money, real or imaginary, that turns your life around. It is your newly found self-confidence that gives you the power to achieve anything you want...!!
Suddenly an old man appeared before him and said, "I can see that something is troubling you seriously". After listening to the executive the old man said, "I believe I can help you." He asked the man his name, wrote out a cheque and put it into his hands saying, "Take this money, meet me here exactly one year from today and you can pay me back at that time". Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come. The business executive saw in his hands a cheque for $ 500,000 signed by Warren Buffet.
"I can erase my worries instantly" he realized. But instead, the executive decided to put the uncashed cheque in his safe knowing that it might give him the strength to work out to save his business and to use this only in case of dire emergency.
With changed thinking he negotiated better deals, restructured his business and worked rigorously with full zeal and enthusiasm and got several big deals. Within few months, he was out of debt and started making money once again. Exactly one year later he returned to the park with the uncashed cheque.
As agreed, the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand him back the cheque and share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the old man."I'm so glad I caught him" she cried. "I hope he hasn't been bothering you much. He always escapes from the mental hospital and tells people that he is Warren Buffet", saying this she took the old man away.
The surprised executive just stood there, stunned!!! All year long he had been dealing thinking that he had half a million dollars behind him.
Moral...
Its not the money, real or imaginary, that turns your life around. It is your newly found self-confidence that gives you the power to achieve anything you want...!!
Woman and a Fork
There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly..
'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.
'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing
quite what to say.
That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.
'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.'
The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand.. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.
During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share .... being friends with someone is not an opportunity, but a sweet responsibility.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly..
'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.
'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing
quite what to say.
That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.
'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.'
The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand.. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.
During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share .... being friends with someone is not an opportunity, but a sweet responsibility.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Home truths on career wives
Home truths on career wives ---- Girls should read, but boys MUST read... Chetan Bhagat
Recently, I saw the recently released movie, Cocktail. The plot revolves around a philanderer hero who has to make the tough choice between two hot women. The uber-modern movie was set in London. The characters drank, danced in nightclubs and had one-night stands with aplomb. They worked in new-age aspirational
jobs like glamour photography, graphic art and software design. And yet, the guy eventually chooses the girl who cooks home food, dresses conservatively, wins his mother's approval and is happy to be the ideal Indian wife. In fact, even the rejected girl, a free-spirited, independent woman agrees to change herself. To get the guy, she is happy to cook and change her lifestyle to match that of the ideal Indian wife.
While the movie was fun, such depictions disturb me a little. When successful, strong women are portrayed as finding salvation in making dal and roti for their husbands, one wonders what kind of India we are presenting to our little girls.
Really, is that what a woman's life is all about — to make hot phulkas? Of course, i shouldn't be so bothered, many would say. It is a Bollywood movie. The commercial pressure to present a palatable story is real. Above all, the makers have a right to tell the narrative they want.
Yet, when our most modern and forward cinema sinks into regressive territory, it is unfair to our women. It is also depressing because deep down we know such attitudes exist. Many Indian men, even the educated ones, have two distinct profiles of women — the girlfriend material and the wife material. One you party with, the other you take home. The prejudice against non-traditional women who assert themselves is strong.
Let us look at another part of the world. Yahoo, a leading tech firm and a Fortune 500 company, recently hired a new woman CEO, Marissa Mayer. What's more, she was six months pregnant when she was hired, a fact she did not hide in her interviews.
Marissa will take some time off after childbirth and will be back at work later. She can manage both. There is something to celebrate about that. Marissa is a role model for women and even men.
I'd like Indian men to have an open mind about choosing their life partners and revise their 'ideal woman' criteria. Having a traditional wife who cooks, cleans and is submissive might be nice. However, choosing a capable, independent and career-oriented woman can also bring enormous benefits. For instance, one, a man who marries a career woman gets a partner to discuss his own career with. A working woman may be able to relate better to organizational issues than a housewife. A spouse who understands office politics and can give you good advice can be an asset. Two, a working woman diversifies the family income streams. In the era of expensive apartments and frequent lay-offs, a working spouse can help you afford a decent house and feel more secure about finances. Three, a working woman is better exposed to the world. She brings back knowledge and information that can be useful to the family. Whether it's the latest deals or the best mutual fund to invest in, or even new holiday destinations, a working woman can add to the quality of life. Four, the children of a working woman learn to be more independent and will do better than mollycoddled children. Five, working women often find some fulfillment in their jobs, apart from home. Hence, they may have better life satisfaction, and feel less dependent on the man. This in turn can lead to more harmony. Of course, all these benefits accrue if men are able to keep their massive, fragile egos aside and see women as equals.
Sure, there are drawbacks also in being with working women. But the modern age that we are in, the phulka-making bride may come at a cost of missing out on other qualities. Please bear that in mind before you judge women based on their clothes, interest in the kitchen or the confidence in their voice.
My mother worked for 40 years. My wife is the COO at an international bank. It makes me proud. She doesn't make phulkas for me. We outsource that work to our help, and it doesn't really bother me. If my wife had spent her life in the kitchen, it would have bothered me more.
Please choose your partner carefully. Don't just tolerate, but accept and even celebrate our successful women. They take our homes ahead and our country forward. We may have less hot phulkas, but we will have a better nation.
Recently, I saw the recently released movie, Cocktail. The plot revolves around a philanderer hero who has to make the tough choice between two hot women. The uber-modern movie was set in London. The characters drank, danced in nightclubs and had one-night stands with aplomb. They worked in new-age aspirational
jobs like glamour photography, graphic art and software design. And yet, the guy eventually chooses the girl who cooks home food, dresses conservatively, wins his mother's approval and is happy to be the ideal Indian wife. In fact, even the rejected girl, a free-spirited, independent woman agrees to change herself. To get the guy, she is happy to cook and change her lifestyle to match that of the ideal Indian wife.
While the movie was fun, such depictions disturb me a little. When successful, strong women are portrayed as finding salvation in making dal and roti for their husbands, one wonders what kind of India we are presenting to our little girls.
Really, is that what a woman's life is all about — to make hot phulkas? Of course, i shouldn't be so bothered, many would say. It is a Bollywood movie. The commercial pressure to present a palatable story is real. Above all, the makers have a right to tell the narrative they want.
Yet, when our most modern and forward cinema sinks into regressive territory, it is unfair to our women. It is also depressing because deep down we know such attitudes exist. Many Indian men, even the educated ones, have two distinct profiles of women — the girlfriend material and the wife material. One you party with, the other you take home. The prejudice against non-traditional women who assert themselves is strong.
Let us look at another part of the world. Yahoo, a leading tech firm and a Fortune 500 company, recently hired a new woman CEO, Marissa Mayer. What's more, she was six months pregnant when she was hired, a fact she did not hide in her interviews.
Marissa will take some time off after childbirth and will be back at work later. She can manage both. There is something to celebrate about that. Marissa is a role model for women and even men.
I'd like Indian men to have an open mind about choosing their life partners and revise their 'ideal woman' criteria. Having a traditional wife who cooks, cleans and is submissive might be nice. However, choosing a capable, independent and career-oriented woman can also bring enormous benefits. For instance, one, a man who marries a career woman gets a partner to discuss his own career with. A working woman may be able to relate better to organizational issues than a housewife. A spouse who understands office politics and can give you good advice can be an asset. Two, a working woman diversifies the family income streams. In the era of expensive apartments and frequent lay-offs, a working spouse can help you afford a decent house and feel more secure about finances. Three, a working woman is better exposed to the world. She brings back knowledge and information that can be useful to the family. Whether it's the latest deals or the best mutual fund to invest in, or even new holiday destinations, a working woman can add to the quality of life. Four, the children of a working woman learn to be more independent and will do better than mollycoddled children. Five, working women often find some fulfillment in their jobs, apart from home. Hence, they may have better life satisfaction, and feel less dependent on the man. This in turn can lead to more harmony. Of course, all these benefits accrue if men are able to keep their massive, fragile egos aside and see women as equals.
Sure, there are drawbacks also in being with working women. But the modern age that we are in, the phulka-making bride may come at a cost of missing out on other qualities. Please bear that in mind before you judge women based on their clothes, interest in the kitchen or the confidence in their voice.
My mother worked for 40 years. My wife is the COO at an international bank. It makes me proud. She doesn't make phulkas for me. We outsource that work to our help, and it doesn't really bother me. If my wife had spent her life in the kitchen, it would have bothered me more.
Please choose your partner carefully. Don't just tolerate, but accept and even celebrate our successful women. They take our homes ahead and our country forward. We may have less hot phulkas, but we will have a better nation.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
THE CASE AGAINST LORD KRISHNA
A nun in Warsaw, Poland, filed a case against ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness).
The case came up in court. The nun remarked that ISKCON was spreading its activities and gaining followers in Poland. She wanted ISKCON banned because its followers were glorifying a character called Krishna "who had loose morals," having married 16,000 women called Gopikas.
The ISKCON defendant to the Judge: "Please ask the nun to repeat the oath she took when she was ordained as a nun." The Judge asked the nun to recite the oath loudly. She would not.
The ISKCON man asked whether he could read out the oath for the nun. Go ahead, said the judge. The oath said in effect that 'she (the nun) is married to Jesus Christ'. T
he ISKCON man said, "Your Lordship! Lord Krishna is alleged to have 'married' 16,000 women. There are more than a million nuns who assert that they are married to Jesus Christ. Between the two, Krishna and Jesus, who has a loose character?"
The case was dismissed..
The case came up in court. The nun remarked that ISKCON was spreading its activities and gaining followers in Poland. She wanted ISKCON banned because its followers were glorifying a character called Krishna "who had loose morals," having married 16,000 women called Gopikas.
The ISKCON defendant to the Judge: "Please ask the nun to repeat the oath she took when she was ordained as a nun." The Judge asked the nun to recite the oath loudly. She would not.
The ISKCON man asked whether he could read out the oath for the nun. Go ahead, said the judge. The oath said in effect that 'she (the nun) is married to Jesus Christ'. T
he ISKCON man said, "Your Lordship! Lord Krishna is alleged to have 'married' 16,000 women. There are more than a million nuns who assert that they are married to Jesus Christ. Between the two, Krishna and Jesus, who has a loose character?"
The case was dismissed..
Eleven Laws Newton Forgot To State explicitly.
Here are 10 laws that Isaac Newton failed to share with the world???
And specially read the 11th one
1. LAW OF QUEUE: If you change queues, the one you have left will
start to move faster than the one you are in now.
2. LAW OF TELEPHONE: When you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy one.
3. LAW OF MECHANICAL REPAIR: After your hands become coated with
grease, your nose will begin to itch.
4. LAW OF THE WORKSHOP: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least
accessible corner.
5. LAW OF THE ALIBI: If you tell the boss you were late for work
because you had a flat tire, the next morning you will have a flat tire.
6. BATH THEOREM: When the body is immersed in water, the telephone rings.
7. LAW OF ENCOUNTERS: The probability of meeting someone you know
increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.
8. LAW OF THE RESULT: When you try to prove to someone that a machine
won't work, it will!
9. LAW OF BIOMECHANICS: The severity of the itch is inversely
proportional to the reach.
10. LAW OF COFFEE: As soon as you sit down for a cup of hot coffee,
your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the
coffee is cold.
NEWTON STRIKES BACK WITH LAW NO 11...
THE LAW OF MOTION..
LOOSE MOTION CANNOT BE DONE IN SLOW MOTION.......!!!
And specially read the 11th one
1. LAW OF QUEUE: If you change queues, the one you have left will
start to move faster than the one you are in now.
2. LAW OF TELEPHONE: When you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy one.
3. LAW OF MECHANICAL REPAIR: After your hands become coated with
grease, your nose will begin to itch.
4. LAW OF THE WORKSHOP: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least
accessible corner.
5. LAW OF THE ALIBI: If you tell the boss you were late for work
because you had a flat tire, the next morning you will have a flat tire.
6. BATH THEOREM: When the body is immersed in water, the telephone rings.
7. LAW OF ENCOUNTERS: The probability of meeting someone you know
increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.
8. LAW OF THE RESULT: When you try to prove to someone that a machine
won't work, it will!
9. LAW OF BIOMECHANICS: The severity of the itch is inversely
proportional to the reach.
10. LAW OF COFFEE: As soon as you sit down for a cup of hot coffee,
your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the
coffee is cold.
NEWTON STRIKES BACK WITH LAW NO 11...
THE LAW OF MOTION..
LOOSE MOTION CANNOT BE DONE IN SLOW MOTION.......!!!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
A History behind Street Names of Hyderabad & Secunderabad
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 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 .
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’.
There is one 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 Chermas, Big Shot, the famous Taj Mahal Hotel, Deccan Pen Stores, General Post Office, Golden Threshold (The erstwhile residence 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 Gundoundry. 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 As 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 role played 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.
Situated far from maddening crowd of the city is Vanasthalipuram, considered to be the biggest colonies of Asia. This two decades old colony, in the beginning of the 19th century, was a densely wooded area boasting an abundance of wild animals and was the famous hunting ground or shikarghar of the Nizam of Hyderabad. Hence it is named as Vanasthalipuram. This once beautiful grassland today regarded as ‘janasthali’ with over a lakh population in about 42 colonies in and around this locality, this soon has become the preferred colony by many employees both private and government. Mahavira Harina Vanasthali – deer park, the Vipasana Mediation Centre, the Venkateswara Swamy temple and the Somnatha Kshetram are some of the attractions of this area.
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 dynastic rule. It was in 1812 Nizam felt the need to modernize his army which comprised of Mughal army, irregular troops, regular army, the French Corps, Russel Brigade, Maisram army, etc. In April 1887, Jamait Nizam Mahboob raised a regiment called Maisram Regiment and moved to Maisram, a hilly locality where the Army had its barracks. It is because of these barracks the place adjacent to Maisram is called Barkas. There are 15 mosques, a CRPF Group Centre, CRPF Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bagh Sharfuddin, etc. worth mentioning in this locality.
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.
The bund which links the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad today houses world’s tallest monolithic Buddha Statue, 33 statues of legendary personalities, Lumbini Park and Boats Club where the famous OK Dingy National Boats Regatta takes place. Incidentally, Tank Bund is the only picnic place available within close proximity to the people in the city (off late, the place has become a venue for Tank Bund Tamasha on public holidays). The famous 200 years old Hanuman Temple, Vijay Marie Hospital and The Institution of Engineers (India) (One of the largest professional bodies in the world, it was set up in November 1938. Inaugurated on November 15, 1938 by Sir Akbar Hyder Nawaz Jung Bahadur, the president of the Nizam’s Executive Council, it contributed its mite to the development of the State in general and the city in particular.
Presently, the centre disseminates information on 15 disciplines of engineering. Later this institute was renamed as Visvesvarayya Bhavan, after the famous engineer whose services were enlisted by the then government after the devastating Musi floods in 1908) are famous landmarks of this locality.
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 Tank. He immediately has a palace built here and called the area Sultan Shahi.
Moghulpura is another area where Moghuls set camp. It was formerly called Da-e-ra-Mir Mommin, as it had burial grounds, donated by Mir Mommin. After the Moghuls left, a man named Zabberdast Khan got Tabarrukat from Ajmer and placed it here and called ‘Khaja-Moin-Ud-Din-Chiste-ka-chilla’, a name sill in use.
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 guards or 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-Pul and 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.
The cultural nerve centre of Hyderabad – the Ravindra Bharathi (constructed on a small hillock overlooking the Legislative Assembly, it is the theatre frequented by cultural czars and is a major tourist attraction. It is the first theater established in the country to commemorate the centenary celebrations of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. The foundation stone was laid in 1960, it has 1,104 seating capacity), Directorate General of Police, Ranga Reddy District Collectorate, Niloufer Hospital (founded by Princess Niloufer, wife of Prince Moazzam Jah, the second son of the seventh Nizam, the last of the Asaf Jah rulers in April 1949, it is the first hospital to set up a separate ‘Neonatal’ unit. It provides treatment for women and children) and Mehdi Nawaz Jung Cancer Hospital (Founded by the late Nawab Mehdi Nawaz Jung, a legislative luminary and a dedicated social worker in 1952, it has a capacity for about 110 inmates. It was formerly known as ‘Baithul-a-Mazureen’).
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.
Similar to Tarnaka, there are streets like Golnaka, Chatrinaka. But, the origin of these names is not known. Probably, like Tarnaka, these places must have had some guard rooms. Hayat Nagar, 16 kms away from east of Hyderabad was built by Hayath Bakshi Begum in 1626. This was the small village, where the ceremony of the first tonsure of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah was celebrated by his mother, Hayath Bakshi Begum, on a very grand scale of twelve days in 1631. May be because of Hayat Bakshi Begum, the place was thus known as Hayat Nagar.
Apart from these, other interesting pieces of history behind these places is one Saheb Ki Galli, named after a man who was perpetually irritated. Sookhe Mir Ki Kaman was named after a lean man. Gunge Nawab Ki Deewadi was named after a dumb nawab. Karvan, one of the oldest places in Hyderabad was a trade centre and had two sarais (guest houses) or Inns for the visiting businessmen. Hence, the name Karavan for the place. Mirpet, Muminpur, Muminpet, Dair-e-Mir Mumin and Mir Chowk are named after Mir Mohd. Momin Astrabadi, who was the architect of the new city of Hyderabad in 1591 AD. He was also a prominent Iranian in the city.
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. Long live Hyderabad.
Information Collected and Compiled By:
B.Sravan Kumar, Moulali:Hyderabad
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 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 .
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’.
There is one 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 Chermas, Big Shot, the famous Taj Mahal Hotel, Deccan Pen Stores, General Post Office, Golden Threshold (The erstwhile residence 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 Gundoundry. 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 As 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 role played 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.
Situated far from maddening crowd of the city is Vanasthalipuram, considered to be the biggest colonies of Asia. This two decades old colony, in the beginning of the 19th century, was a densely wooded area boasting an abundance of wild animals and was the famous hunting ground or shikarghar of the Nizam of Hyderabad. Hence it is named as Vanasthalipuram. This once beautiful grassland today regarded as ‘janasthali’ with over a lakh population in about 42 colonies in and around this locality, this soon has become the preferred colony by many employees both private and government. Mahavira Harina Vanasthali – deer park, the Vipasana Mediation Centre, the Venkateswara Swamy temple and the Somnatha Kshetram are some of the attractions of this area.
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 dynastic rule. It was in 1812 Nizam felt the need to modernize his army which comprised of Mughal army, irregular troops, regular army, the French Corps, Russel Brigade, Maisram army, etc. In April 1887, Jamait Nizam Mahboob raised a regiment called Maisram Regiment and moved to Maisram, a hilly locality where the Army had its barracks. It is because of these barracks the place adjacent to Maisram is called Barkas. There are 15 mosques, a CRPF Group Centre, CRPF Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bagh Sharfuddin, etc. worth mentioning in this locality.
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.
The bund which links the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad today houses world’s tallest monolithic Buddha Statue, 33 statues of legendary personalities, Lumbini Park and Boats Club where the famous OK Dingy National Boats Regatta takes place. Incidentally, Tank Bund is the only picnic place available within close proximity to the people in the city (off late, the place has become a venue for Tank Bund Tamasha on public holidays). The famous 200 years old Hanuman Temple, Vijay Marie Hospital and The Institution of Engineers (India) (One of the largest professional bodies in the world, it was set up in November 1938. Inaugurated on November 15, 1938 by Sir Akbar Hyder Nawaz Jung Bahadur, the president of the Nizam’s Executive Council, it contributed its mite to the development of the State in general and the city in particular.
Presently, the centre disseminates information on 15 disciplines of engineering. Later this institute was renamed as Visvesvarayya Bhavan, after the famous engineer whose services were enlisted by the then government after the devastating Musi floods in 1908) are famous landmarks of this locality.
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 Tank. He immediately has a palace built here and called the area Sultan Shahi.
Moghulpura is another area where Moghuls set camp. It was formerly called Da-e-ra-Mir Mommin, as it had burial grounds, donated by Mir Mommin. After the Moghuls left, a man named Zabberdast Khan got Tabarrukat from Ajmer and placed it here and called ‘Khaja-Moin-Ud-Din-Chiste-ka-chilla’, a name sill in use.
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 guards or 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-Pul and 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.
The cultural nerve centre of Hyderabad – the Ravindra Bharathi (constructed on a small hillock overlooking the Legislative Assembly, it is the theatre frequented by cultural czars and is a major tourist attraction. It is the first theater established in the country to commemorate the centenary celebrations of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. The foundation stone was laid in 1960, it has 1,104 seating capacity), Directorate General of Police, Ranga Reddy District Collectorate, Niloufer Hospital (founded by Princess Niloufer, wife of Prince Moazzam Jah, the second son of the seventh Nizam, the last of the Asaf Jah rulers in April 1949, it is the first hospital to set up a separate ‘Neonatal’ unit. It provides treatment for women and children) and Mehdi Nawaz Jung Cancer Hospital (Founded by the late Nawab Mehdi Nawaz Jung, a legislative luminary and a dedicated social worker in 1952, it has a capacity for about 110 inmates. It was formerly known as ‘Baithul-a-Mazureen’).
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.
Similar to Tarnaka, there are streets like Golnaka, Chatrinaka. But, the origin of these names is not known. Probably, like Tarnaka, these places must have had some guard rooms. Hayat Nagar, 16 kms away from east of Hyderabad was built by Hayath Bakshi Begum in 1626. This was the small village, where the ceremony of the first tonsure of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah was celebrated by his mother, Hayath Bakshi Begum, on a very grand scale of twelve days in 1631. May be because of Hayat Bakshi Begum, the place was thus known as Hayat Nagar.
Apart from these, other interesting pieces of history behind these places is one Saheb Ki Galli, named after a man who was perpetually irritated. Sookhe Mir Ki Kaman was named after a lean man. Gunge Nawab Ki Deewadi was named after a dumb nawab. Karvan, one of the oldest places in Hyderabad was a trade centre and had two sarais (guest houses) or Inns for the visiting businessmen. Hence, the name Karavan for the place. Mirpet, Muminpur, Muminpet, Dair-e-Mir Mumin and Mir Chowk are named after Mir Mohd. Momin Astrabadi, who was the architect of the new city of Hyderabad in 1591 AD. He was also a prominent Iranian in the city.
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. Long live Hyderabad.
Information Collected and Compiled By:
B.Sravan Kumar, Moulali:Hyderabad
Friday, April 06, 2012
Racism in the Skies!
A 50- something year old white woman arrived at her seat on a crowded flight and immediately didn't want the seat. The seat was next to a black man.
Disgusted, the woman immediately summoned the flight attendant and demanded a new seat. The woman said "I cannot sit here next to this black man."
The fight attendant said "Let me see if I can find another seat." After checking, the flight attendant returned and stated "Ma'am, there are no more seats in economy, but I will check with the captain and see if there is something in first class."
About 10 minutes went by and the flight attendant returned and stated "The captain has confirmed that there are no more seats in economy, but there is one in first class.
It is our company policy to never move a person from economy to first class, but being that it would be some sort of scandal to force a person to sit next to an UNPLEASANT person, the captain agreed to make the switch to first class."
Before the woman could say anything, the attendant gestured to the black man and said, "Therefore sir, if you would so kindly retrieve your personal items, we would like to move you to the comfort of first class as the captain doesn't want you to sit next to an unpleasant person."
Passengers in the seats nearby began to applause while some gave a standing ovation.
Disgusted, the woman immediately summoned the flight attendant and demanded a new seat. The woman said "I cannot sit here next to this black man."
The fight attendant said "Let me see if I can find another seat." After checking, the flight attendant returned and stated "Ma'am, there are no more seats in economy, but I will check with the captain and see if there is something in first class."
About 10 minutes went by and the flight attendant returned and stated "The captain has confirmed that there are no more seats in economy, but there is one in first class.
It is our company policy to never move a person from economy to first class, but being that it would be some sort of scandal to force a person to sit next to an UNPLEASANT person, the captain agreed to make the switch to first class."
Before the woman could say anything, the attendant gestured to the black man and said, "Therefore sir, if you would so kindly retrieve your personal items, we would like to move you to the comfort of first class as the captain doesn't want you to sit next to an unpleasant person."
Passengers in the seats nearby began to applause while some gave a standing ovation.
THE GYNAECOLOGIST WHO BECAME A MECHANIC
A gynaecologist had become fed up with malpractice insurance and paperwork, and was burned out. Hoping to try another career where skillful hands would be beneficial, he decided to become a mechanic. He went to the local technical college, signed up for evening classes, attended diligently, and learned all he could.
When the time of the practical exam approached, the gynaecologist prepared carefully for weeks, and completed the exam with tremendous skill. When the results came back, he was surprised to find that he had obtained a score of 150%. Fearing an error, he called the Instructor, saying, "I don't want to appear ungrateful for such an outstanding result, but I wonder if there is an error in the grade?"
The instructor said, "During the exam, you took the engine apart perfectly, which was worth 50% of the total mark. You put the engine back together again perfectly, which is also worth 50% of the mark."
After a pause, the instructor added, "I gave you an extra 50% because you did it all through the exhaust, which I've never seen done in my entire career".
When the time of the practical exam approached, the gynaecologist prepared carefully for weeks, and completed the exam with tremendous skill. When the results came back, he was surprised to find that he had obtained a score of 150%. Fearing an error, he called the Instructor, saying, "I don't want to appear ungrateful for such an outstanding result, but I wonder if there is an error in the grade?"
The instructor said, "During the exam, you took the engine apart perfectly, which was worth 50% of the total mark. You put the engine back together again perfectly, which is also worth 50% of the mark."
After a pause, the instructor added, "I gave you an extra 50% because you did it all through the exhaust, which I've never seen done in my entire career".
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
LOL
Husband:
Mom called me and she is coming tomorrow. Her train will reach by morning 4'O clock !!!
Wife:
She come just 4 months back only, right? Why is hse coming now again? Tomorrow is Sunday and I thought of getting up late, but your mom had to come on a Sunday itself and that too morning 4'O clock. Where will she ...even get an auto at that time?
Husband:
Not my mom. It's your mom.
Wife:
Wow!!! Mom is coming!! It's been more than 2 months I have seen her. Listen na. I have the number of the auto driver. Please call him and tell him to come on time tomorrow morning. It's good, tomorrow is Sunday, even the kids will be at home as they don't have school. They can play with their grandmother
Mom called me and she is coming tomorrow. Her train will reach by morning 4'O clock !!!
Wife:
She come just 4 months back only, right? Why is hse coming now again? Tomorrow is Sunday and I thought of getting up late, but your mom had to come on a Sunday itself and that too morning 4'O clock. Where will she ...even get an auto at that time?
Husband:
Not my mom. It's your mom.
Wife:
Wow!!! Mom is coming!! It's been more than 2 months I have seen her. Listen na. I have the number of the auto driver. Please call him and tell him to come on time tomorrow morning. It's good, tomorrow is Sunday, even the kids will be at home as they don't have school. They can play with their grandmother
Monday, January 23, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Careful!
A wife was making a breakfast of fried eggs for her husband.
Suddenly, her husb...and came into the kitchen.
"Careful," he said, "CAREFUL! Put in some more butter! Oh my GOD! You're cooking too many at once. TOO MANY! Turn them!
TURN THEM NOW! We need more butter. Oh my GOD! WHERE are we going to get MORE BUTTER?
They're going 2 STICK! Careful.. CAREFUL! I said be CAREFUL!
You NEVER listen to me when you're cooking! Never! Turn them! Hurry up! Are you CRAZY? Have you LOST your mind?
Don't forget to salt them. You know you always forget that. Use the salt. USE THE SALT! THE SALT!"
The wife stared at him. "What is wrong with you? You think I don't know how to fry a couple of eggs?"
The husband calmly replied, "I just wanted to show you what it feels like when I'm driving."
Suddenly, her husb...and came into the kitchen.
"Careful," he said, "CAREFUL! Put in some more butter! Oh my GOD! You're cooking too many at once. TOO MANY! Turn them!
TURN THEM NOW! We need more butter. Oh my GOD! WHERE are we going to get MORE BUTTER?
They're going 2 STICK! Careful.. CAREFUL! I said be CAREFUL!
You NEVER listen to me when you're cooking! Never! Turn them! Hurry up! Are you CRAZY? Have you LOST your mind?
Don't forget to salt them. You know you always forget that. Use the salt. USE THE SALT! THE SALT!"
The wife stared at him. "What is wrong with you? You think I don't know how to fry a couple of eggs?"
The husband calmly replied, "I just wanted to show you what it feels like when I'm driving."
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