Andhra, Telangana bifurcation: Feels like we went from being ‘cousins’ to ‘colonial cousins’, says Bhavneet Singh

As a kid, who was born in unified Andhra Pradesh, the bifurcation just felt like a division of government services.
I decided to go on a solo drive to Nagarjunasagar. The world’s largest masonry dam stood as majestically as ever, the mist from the four open gates was as cool as it was in 2011
I decided to go on a solo drive to Nagarjunasagar. The world’s largest masonry dam stood as majestically as ever, the mist from the four open gates was as cool as it was in 2011

HYDERABAD:  As a kid, who was born in unified Andhra Pradesh, the bifurcation just felt like a division of government services. For the first two years, it felt like a change of names. The number plates were still the same, the condition of the States, too, felt very similar and I could still see both the Chief Ministers in Hyderabad. As someone, who frequented Vijayawada and Vizag, nothing really felt different across the border either. 

However, when the pandemic hit, my travel plans came to a crashing halt. One thing I noticed was how different people reacted to it. Some came out stronger, some paranoid and very few determined ones came out exactly as they were. When things opened up, like most from my generation, I too had the urge to go to Goa or Manali and whitewash the memories of our collective house arrest. But being a responsible citizen, I decided to go on a solo drive to Nagarjunasagar.

The world’s largest masonry dam stood as majestically as ever, the mist from the four open gates was as cool as it was in 2011 and everything felt like before. I clicked a whole bunch of photos (for the ‘gram) and decided to complete the mandatory drive to Ethipothala Falls -- which is on the other side of the river Krishna.  Realisation hit me when I crossed the bridge over Krishna and was stopped on the other side by the Andhra Pradesh RTA. 

Every vehicle with a ‘TS’ number plate was being stopped and checked thoroughly before being let in. They were looking for people, who might be smuggling alcohol (thanks to the new alcohol laws) into their State. That’s when it dawned on me that these two States had come out very differently from the lockdown -- just like all of us.  It was just a series of observations that told me the two States were slowly starting to branch away into different directions. 

I noticed the road conditions were different, the infrastructure and number of commercial establishments on each side were different and the amount of security and cleanliness, too, weren’t the same. I wouldn’t dare to label which side was better, but one thing was as clear as day, we were no longer the ‘same’.
Like a classic Amitabh Bachchan film from the 70s, where two brothers get separated in childhood and meet years later on opposite ends of a gunfight, the two States are now on a trajectory of their own (without a dramatic gunfight at the end). 

For the first time since the bifurcation, it felt like I was in a different State. It just feels like we went from being ‘cousins’ to ‘colonial cousins’ (sorry Hariharan.) However, I found three common links to ease my separation anxiety -- our food, our language and sadly, Sunrisers Hyderabad.

(Bhavneet is a stand-up comedian and this may be his new material)
 

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