Growing up in Hyderabad old city - Part 3

In part three am writing on the activities observed by me around 1980-81 at home and outside in my locality. Every morning my father would bring milk and the Hindu news paper. Milk was supplied in glass bottles. Bottles were replaced over time with plastic packets. I remember kannada magazine Prajamata. I guess it was weekly. Occasionally I would see Camels outside my school standing at the ground adjacent to library. Camels had big tin boxes with Lhasa Lamsa tea written in big letters. I guess the distributors employed Camels in those days.

Some distinct professionals that I cannot find in today were common in old city.  One is Lime mortar maker. Traditional method of bulls pulling at grinding roller in a circular path to grind lime, sand and water was in use in 1980s. The cement concrete mortar was used in any new buildings coming up. Last such lime mortar maker was in gowlipura. First right from masjid, this lane lead to manik prabhu temple. He had a bull to pull the circular grinder.

Second profession was an iron Smith located diagonally opposite to the library building at the corner of road leading to Gowlipura. He used to make iron hoves for horses, cows and bulls, make iron rim for the wooden wheels of the cart. Bullock carts were commonly used to carry grass from open fields in uppuguda. The tall grass was the food for cattle.

Third profession was white washers with long bamboo ticks. They would wait at the Shahalibanda cross roads in the mornings. Those who want to hire them would go negotiate cost to white wash homes. One such person was called every year before Diwali

In my home. My father would hire a pathan regularly. After many years I guess in 1990s my father pointed a single room house abandoned and said the pathan lived here. This is as we enter lane beside Library building to go towards Murad nagar and laldarwaza, one lane leads to Nagul chinta. Its not actually proper road, it’s a private property enclosed by walls. At the end of long open place an old building stands. Its extends up to the well behind it. The abandoned one room house was on the left as we entered open space. The pathan may have died or migrated. As I grew up the white washing of house before Diwali was distributed among Diwakar, me and father. We would paint the Doors, Windows, Wooden furniture ourselves.

I would see the Baul singer come by in the mornings. I could here from distance his voice and sound of Gubgubi or Gubguba. My mother would give some rice. The Baul singers dress resembled that of Swamy Vivekananda. Some times a different baul singer was seen playing an ektara.

 

Baul singer Puran Das, for illustration of Baul Singer. 

One more professional was the mobile barber. Barbers carrying a black leather bag were seen walking the streets. They may still be around. But I would see families getting hair cut from these barbers at home.

At home summer activity was a compulsive ritual to prepare mango Pickle. Father would buy dry mangos. On way from Charminar, after the Bharat petrol pump the street turned a market selling dry mangoes in summer. Market extended all the way to the end of Princess Esra Hospital compound. Each vendor had a dedicated person to chop the mangoes into pieces. I started going with my father around that time. My mother prepared the mix of oil, chilly powder, salt. The pickle was stored in ceramic Jars enough to last till next year. We had three big size jars and two small.

My mother would also prepare Sabudana Sandige (Sabudana papad) and Sun dried chilli known as balaka in kannada. My lunch box often contained curd rice and pickle. Those days the lunch box was a round steel. Sometimes it was a struggle to open the lid.