For many Hyderabadi students, Charminar and Mecca Masjid are probably the most visited and well-known sites for them associated with a myriad of memories. On February 9, a guided tour of these monuments was curated as The Heritage Walk for students, which kick started the LEARN Project.
The Heritage Walk provided an opportunity for all students to interact with these monuments in way they had never done before. Being one of the proficient advocates of Hyderabad’s heritage and culture Member of Parliament from Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi spoke to the students about the architectural significance of these monuments, the legends and stories of the Qutub Shahs dynasty, and about the ‘Dakani Urdu’ language. The students were pleasantly surprised to know that it was through the efforts of Asaduddin Owaisi that the historical Charminar, which gives the city its unique identity, was included on the official emblem of Telangana State.
Although the students were well aware of the magnificence of both the monuments, they were surprised to know that the city has been planned with the Mecca Masjid at its heart. It added to their pride that it took skilled craftsmen from the city five years of toil to quarry the single granite rock from which its facade was made. They were informed that the Charminar was built to celebrate the eradication of a plague that had hit the city in the 16th century. The students who had lived their whole lives around these historic sites, were delighted to know their favourite monuments with deeper insights.
The group was also led by Mr. Gopal Rao, Officer, Archaeological Survey of India and walk leader Mr. Yunus Lasania, who shared their expert insights on both the monuments.
One of the participants of heritage walk, Meenal Rawat, a 2nd-year student of Masters in Public policy and Governance from TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences) said, “Hyderabad is the city of rich cultural heritage and what could be the best way to engage with people than a heritage walk at Charminar. As expected, the walk was not only informative with regards to history but also the politics of our country. Mr. Owaisi interacted with the youth and highlighted the importance of parliamentary democracy with utmost patience. One of the best experiences I gathered from the walk was people from different backgrounds coming together and sharing experiences through questions, comments and conversation. It was the boost for youth intending to be the part of India’s development and I hope such initiatives continue where we get to interact with our leader representing us directly.”
As the first of the flagship events lined up for students in Hyderabad, as part of the LEARN project, this Heritage Walk created a sense of belonging and pride, something more than just faded photographs, and allowed them to gain an appreciation of Hyderabad and its history.
