Note that the policeman is on proper uniform and with a big gun. Riyaz is driving home in his RE Bullet.

Riyaz: Yes… can I help you?

PC: License, RC, Pollution and Insurance.

Takes out the wallet and hands over the License and RC. PC after closely inspecting the RC for sometime.

PC: Sir, are you from Income Tax Dept?

Well, it seems that he handed out his PAN Card instead of RC. Damn!

PC: Pollution and Insurance too, Sir.

Riyaz: Before that, can I see an ID, please?

PC: ID, what ID? No ID.

Riyaz: So, how can I make sure that you’re a real police man?

PC: So, you can’t make out that from the uniform?

Riyaz: Well, I myself have acted as police in couple of plays. Very easy to get.

PC: How about the gun then?

Riyaz: Terrorists and Maoists seems to have better guns with them.

PC: So, you’re saying that we’re four terrorists who checks people’s vehicle documents. That guy over there is an SI terrorist.

Riyaz looks around. Oh, there were four of them. All with big guns. Damn, again. Hands over the remaining documents.

Riyaz: So, why do you do this? This checking. I’m sure you’re not a part of regular Traffic loot Dept.

PC: Security Sir. Aren’t you reading papers?

Riyaz: Yes. What security? As usual I find news about ‘Aam Aadmi’ getting killed everywhere, despite your ‘Security’. One of you were killed the day before. It’s quite evident that you can’t stop them with these kind of shows.

PC: “Jeene Do Saab”. I’m also a part of that ‘Aam Aadmi’. What should I do. We are just following orders. BTW, ‘Kitna Mileage deta hoon Saab’?

Riyaz: Yes, do continue your duty please. And ‘they’ will do what they want to. It gives 30. Thanks and Bye.

PC smiles.

PS: Did I mention that this happened on 18th May 2010, on third anniversary of Mecca Masjid Bombing?

*RC – Registration Certificate, RE – Royal Enfield, PAN – Permanent Account Number, SI – Sub Inspector.
** Jeene Do Saab – Let me live, Sir.
** Aam Aadmi – Common Public
*** Kitna Mileage deta hoon Saab – How much is the mileage?

PS: The conversation happened in Hindi/Telugu. Rough translation provided. Try elsewhere at your risk.

Indiblogger Hyd Meet 2010

Met around 200 bloggers at the Hyderabad Indiblogger Meet 2010. When almost everyone had their 30 seconds of fame, I had my 30 minutes of fame, thanks to the Indiblogger team, who approved my last minute proposal of having a quiz at the meet.

Quiz at Blogger's Meet

There where quizzers of all kind – of ages 6 to 60, of blogs about nothing to everything, of owners of 0 to 60 blogs, of personal to professional to social bloggers. There was lots of shameless self promotion, including mine.  Should thank Indiblogger team and the sponsors Univercell for the Food, T-Shirts and A/c Hall (Roti, Kapada aur Makan as somebody puts it).

And here is a quiz I ran there. Somebody has already tagged it weird. Hope everyone didn’t felt that way.

Download the Quiz

Photo Courtesy: Sudeep almostinfamous (as claimed and verified).

[Update]: Official Indiblogger review | More reviews and event details | News on The Hindu | Photos

News on Hindu Metro Plus

When & Where?

Sunday, April 11, 2010 – 2:30 PM – 6:30 PM, at Fortune Select Manohar, Begumpet Airport Exit Road, Begumpet, Hyderabad.

Agenda and more info is available at the Indiblogger event page. You an register for the event there.

So what? See you there. Let me see if you can recognize me. Do you think it’s a good idea for me to run a small quiz there. Probably around blogging?

Here are some amazing facts about the origin of names of various places in Hyderabad. Most of these interesting stories were shared by some amazing Hyderabadis (like Gurudutt Pai), during my weekly quiz sessions.

Hyderabad – The Place

Charminar, Hyderabad

The name Hyderabad itself has a bit of history and myth behind it. The city was founded by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah of Qutb Shahi dynasti in 1591, the then ruler of Golkonda. He modeled the Hyderabad city on the then legendary city of Esfahan of Persia, in his words unparalleled in the world and a replica of heaven itself.

Legend says that the city was initially named as Bhagyanagaram after Bhagyamati, his lover. Bhagyamati was a local Banjara girl, and upon conversion to Islam, changed her name to Hyder Mahal, and hence the name – Hyderabad. The male name Hyder seems to be a bit unoriginal for a girl though.

Another theory suggests that the city is named City of Hyder after the title of forth Caliph Ali. The earlier name Bhaghyanagaram is explained as Bhagh Nagaram (City of Gardens; Bhagh = Garden).

Clock Tower in Secunderabad

Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad, gets its name from the third Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Akbar Ali Khan Sikander Jah (Asaf Jah III). During his time a British cantonment was established in a area of Hyderabad which was christened after Asaf Jah III, to be known as Secunderabad.

The places in and around Hyderabad carries such history and myth in it’s name itself. Let’s look at the interesting etymology of few of the places in Hyderabad.

Hussain Sagar

Hussain Sagar (Tank Bund) – The name comes from the holy Pir Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali. There is a dargah of Pir Hussain, which lies just besides the Tank Bund Police station. The Pir had said that, as long as he was buried there, the bund would never break. And till date, it has not given way, even the most heavy flooding.

Mecca Masjid

Mecca Masjid – The stones and the sand used to build Mecca Masjid came from Holy city Mecca. The legend is that being deemed the most holy site for Hyderabad, it was deemed fit that only THE MOST holy man should inaugurate it. For this, they wanted a man, who had never missed a single Namaaz (prayer) and Roza (fasting). There was no such holy man to be found. At this,a person came forth, and said: I have maintained all my Namaaz, Roza, and have practiced the Zakat to the best of my capabilities and proceeded to inaugurate this. The man was Aurangazeb.

Punjagutta – The now crowded area with flyovers and shopping malls, was once said to be holy, because it had the impression of the Hand of God. (Punja = Palm/Hand, Gutta = Hill).

Gunfoundry – This was the place where the Nizam and subsequently the English and the Indian Army used to get their cannon balls from. Now, people get some of the best education, clothes, mobiles and food from this place.

Mehdipatnam – A small township built at the (then) outskirts of the city, named after Mahdi, the Yet to come Prophet according to the Ahmadiyya Sect of Islam.

Tarnaka – Named after a check post tower, totally surrounded by barb wire. (Tar = Barb wire in Hindi/Urdu, Naka = Check post).

Birla Mandir in Naubat Pahad

Naubat Pahad – This hill, which currently is the site of Birla Temple used to have two Nagada (Large drum) placed on it.These used to be played whenever there was any sign of trouble (Naubat).

AC Guards – Named after Nizam’s bodyguards African Corps Guards. The Nizam had to face many enemies, and hence, these African Soldiers who were tall, dark and very strong, and who looked different from the local population, were imported to work as the Nizam’s Bodyguards. These guards, with their families, were housed at a particular place, which still carries the trade mark name.

Raymond Tombs in Moosarambagh

Moosaram Bagh – Named after the Frenchman, General Michel Joachim Marie Raymond (Monsieur Raymond). He loved his horse greatly, so much that, when it died, he had a memorial constructed for it in a beautiful garden, and ordered that he be buried nearby. This person was claimed to be a Hindu by the Hindu’s and a Muslim by the Muslim’s, so much that they eventually decided on calling his grave by a common name. Monsieur Raymond became Moosa Ram (Moosa = Prophet (in Islam); Ram = Vishnu’s Avatar (in Hinduism); Bagh = Garden).

Karmanghat – The village got its name following Aurangazeb’s attack on the temple in the 17th century. It is said that when Aurangazeb and his army annexed Golconda and began destroying everything in their path, that his soldiers came to the Dhyananjaneya temple. The army could not proceed their course of action due to divine intervention. Aurangazeb himself came to the temple and heard a loud voice which said, Oh King, if you want to break the temple, strengthen your heart first. Following this, when Aurangazeb demanded to see who was talking, a single streak of lightening flashed across the clear skies, and struck the ground. And in that flash, Aurangazeb saw a figure over 100 feet tall. (Kar = Make/Do; Mann = Mind/Heart; Ghatta = Hard) (A photo of the stone explaining the legend)

Maula Ali Darga

Moula Ali Dargah – Dargah was constructed in the retention of Hazrat Ali, who is the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, and the forth Caliph. This Dargah is incomparable in a sense since it does not have anybody’s mortal remains. Apparently, a courtier of the Nizam saw an apparition of the Moula on this hill and hence a dargah was constructed here. It has 400 steps leading up to it, and is visited by the Shia’s in the month of Moharram.

Begumpet – named after the daughter of the second Nizam, Basheer Ul-Unnisaa Begum, who received it as part of her wedding dowry.

Qutb Shahi Tombs

Qutub Shahi tombs – This place is unique in the sense that the entire dynasty (except for the last ruler) lies together in one necropolis. All except the Last Nizam is buried here. The Last Nizam is buried in a mausoleum constructed by him opposite to the King Kothi Palace beside a Mosque.

Durgam Cheruvu – This lake was known and accessible to a very few people, as the Golkonda’s freshwater supply came from this lake. It was fiercely guarded because, in case of any attack by an enemy, the water could be poisoned and leave the entire population dead. Thus, the name “Secret Lake”. This is one of the most accessible places today, and definitely not a secret anymore.

Cyber Towers

HITEC City – Many mistook this for for Hi Tech City. In fact HITEC City stands for Hyderabad Information Technology Engineering Consultancy City.

Composed of a body of individuals who love Free/Open Source Software (FOSS), the mukt.in team organizes series of events to promote the same. mukt.in v2 is scheduld to held on Aug 1 – 3 in Hyderabad.
It aims to collaborate skill levels from complete novice to expert; collaborate to share knowledge and experiences.

mukt.in first started in 2007, Aug 24,25,26th. It featured discussions, speeches, presentations, and intense interactions.

For more info and regsitration: http://www.mukt.in/