HYDERABAD: Golden Threshold. The house was named after the celebrated poet-nationalist leader Sarojini Naidu’s debut eponymous book of poetry published in 1905. The 100-year-old structure was her home where several discussions related to reforms, nationalism, women empowerment were held. Several noted leaders, including Mahatama Gandhi, visited the house in Nampally. The building was presented as a gift to the University of Hyderabad (UoH) in 1974 by Padmaja Naidu, Sarojini’s daughter. It was inaugurated by Indira Gandhi in 1975. The humanities and social sciences departments were housed over there for years before the campus was shifted to the Gachibowli campus.
Centre for Distance and Virtual Learning, UoH is housed on the premises. While the rest of the heritage structure remains in a dilapidated condition, moss covers the walls of this building done in Indo-European pattern dotted with Islamic-style arches. The UoH had taken up the restoration of the property along with Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, (INTACH) but due to fund crunch the entire building is yet to be restored, but now a cultural and literary centre has come up at Golden Threshold.
Named Rajkumari Indira Devi Hall after Rajkumari Indira Devi Dhanrajgir, who donated a sum of `20 lakh to it. She is a patron of art and literature and was the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony held on Wednesday. She was married to noted Telugu poet the late Gunturu Seshendra Sarma.
The hall can accommodate 70 guests. A 200-seater auditorium for theatre, dance, and other cultural performances is also to come up. In May 2017, author-journalist Sheela Reddy had the reading of her book ‘Mr And Mrs Jinnah: the Love Story that Shook India’ based on the epistolary correspondence between Sarojini Naidu and Ruttie Petit, later Mrs Jinnah. Says Vinod Pavarala, senior professor of communication, UoH, who is currently looking after the Golden threshold Project, “This is going to be open for public. The cost factor for holding an event will be decided soon. We are also going to hire a curator.”