HYDERABAD: Hyderabad dies a little every day and in different ways. Its lakes are polluted and indigenous boulders are drilled to the size of tiny rocks so that they can give way to boisterous buildings. Most of its parks, except KBR National Park, are carpeted with lawn grass and dotted with evergreen and shade-providing albeit ornamental trees. But it’s not the same at the renewed Gandipet Eco Park. Here, one can catch a glimpse of nature blossoming in its inimitable Deccan charm, nurtured to match the time, seasons and landscape of the city — all complemented by modern architecture.
“The renovated park is attractive, but they did not change everything; all the old trees are in their place,” says K Aruna, one of the sweepers at the park we happened to speak to. “Some trees are very old,” noted Aruna’s colleague, Vijay. The lake park is adjacent to Osman Sagar Dam and is believed to be built in the 1920s with the dam.
Unlike the emerald-velvet canopy of pruned non-native (Peltophorum, Millingtonia, Spathodea, Alstonia, Tabebuia and palm) trees that tend to line avenues and cover most parks in the city — Gandipet Eco Park is a constellation of myriad native trees, each with a different shade for a different season. Some green, some leafless and grey, some speckled with yellowing leaves, ageing orange and brown before finally falling quietly. Some trees are adorned with glistening bright-red figs.
The facade features gigantic accordion-like concrete pillars that nestle a tentacled tree sculpture with Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board logo atop. Walk inside and you’ll be greeted with a picturesque landscape. As we turn our gaze towards Osman Sagar from this point, we pleasantly note how there is no intervening obstacle between blocking the vista. Waves upon waves of cold air floated towards us from this lake’s foggy horizon while the warmth of the rising winter sun did its bit to soothe us.
Picnic to remember!
CE was a bit too early, perhaps for the day’s first visit to the park. It was all quiet; the din from day-to-day activities was all but absent and the chorus of birds could be heard loud and clear. A few moments later, the silence broke with the arrival of school children, who stood haphazardly and were sentenced, rather strictly might we add, by their teachers. Children scattered to play soon after reaching, and teachers were behind them. Although there’s no play equipment for children, they found the most exciting spot in the park - grass mounds.
On the left, towards the entrance, lies a quirky landscape, a minuscule mimic of Mongolian mound grasslands. For now, the grass is all ruffed and dirty yellow, but not unpleasing. Its beauty is intensified by the contrasting azure sky and the liveliness of joyous children in navy blue and white uniforms.
Not later, college students who, perhaps, bunked their classes arrived in groups; one carried a Bluetooth speaker playing Billie Eilish’s ‘Lovey’. Another group was experimenting with photography at the edge of the scenic amphitheatre that overlooks Osman Sagar, which has a gazebo on the water’s surface.
A group of photographers made a couple pose for pictures in the garden of blooming shrubs. This park’s corners seemed to be reserved for the commoner kinds of flowers; there’s spider Lily, in both dark pink and white and a host of other flowers typical to every garden in the city. On Wednesday, an elderly gardener was pruning a floral garden with housewifely care.
Since the grass is mounded, families sought refuge in gazebos; they spread the mat or carpet before opening tiffin boxes tightly packed with Pulihora. One family had bought tomato rice, too. All the scenic gazeboes were occupied, and some families had to picnic under the trees, which was arguably no less interesting than a gazebo -- for the afternoon light transcended through the sunlit tree, painted the ground with softly moving circular shadows, a delight to brooding eye.
By noon, the park was crowded with people from all walks of life. To get the most out of this park spread over 18 acres, arrive before noon. We promise you won’t be able to resist watching the sunset. The entrance fee is Rs 50.