It is now almost a year that we moved to Hyderabad and I guess I can now reflect back to the circa 2018. The year has been euphoric, eventful and exhausting, all at the same time.

The first three months flew by in a jiffy or it seemed so as we were getting used to staying outside Delhi for the first time since our birth. We were getting to know the neighborhood, tasting the famed Hydrabadi Biriyanis and other delicacies, getting lost in the maze of Hydrabadi streets while exploring only to be rescued by Google Map.

First we had a three-way birthday celebrations of mine, my wife’s and bro-in-law and we turned into tourist to explore the city, visiting the Charminar, Hussain Sagar and Golkonda Fort. We had Biriyani at the famed Sadaab Hotel near the Charminar. We celebrated the triple birthdays at the Fisherman’s Wharf, a seafood fine dining restaurant situated in the Financial District.

The second event was a mini reunion of friends in Puri, Odissa. My childhood friend Soni had opened his hotel and invited all the classmates over but only few of us could make it. #Please see PuriJatra at aranyascope.com.  After having a fabulous weekend with friends it was back to the routine.

By the end of third month in Hyderabad, I had tried all the famed Biriyani’s viz. Shah Ghouse, Pista House, Paradise, Behrouz, Bawarchi and Four Seasons. Also tried their kebabs and curries; the only lingering taste that remains is the hot spices. Among all these, Shah Ghouse stands out as the most aromatic and less spicy which is what I prefer in my Biriyani.

In mid April I had a short visit to Delhi to attend a wedding and after I came back things took a different turn. Deepika’s office got relocated to Hafeezpet from DLF Gachibowli and we came to know the real Hydrabadi traffic, a mere 7.5 km stretch takes 35-40 minutes between 9am to 11pm slot. I have come to realize that the kings of Hyderabad Roads are the two wheelers followed by the three wheelers. The two wheelers outnumber the cars in the ratio of 5:1 at least if not more and irrespective of who is driving – male or female; their dare devilry is jaw dropping. The 2-wheelers on Hyderabad roads are like cockroaches coming out from the drain, moving haphazardly without caring for the others or even themselves. Many a times, waiting at the traffic signal, I had wondered, if the citizens of the country are so undisciplined in following the traffic rules how will the country be disciplined in more complex things like honesty in financial dealings, inter-personal relations and even in politics!!! 

On the positive side, this maddening traffic has made me patient while driving. Initially, I had thrown few expletives at the erring and scurrying drivers but perhaps they neither understood the Delhiwala language nor cared. After driving scratch-free for full five months, on 1^st June while listening to Rabindrasangeet to sooth my nerves and waiting for the signal to turn green I was nudged to reality when a brand new Swift Dezire tried to squeeze through a non-existing passage between my car and the motorcycles on the right, to make its mark on the rear door of my car. I was expecting a “sorry” from the occupant of Dezire but no such luck; it simply sped away as soon as it could maneuver its way through the traffic. And I realized, it is the norm in Hyderabad roads, the traffic neither cares for your expletives nor the sorry, they simply move on… perhaps considering the roads as their ancestral property.

When the summer came, it was very different from what I am used to in Delhi. The heat wasn’t intense like Delhi but very sultry during the day but the late evenings were enjoyable with cool breeze flowing in from the lakes around the surrounding area. The summer in Hyderabad is not a prolonged affair like Delhi; it quickly gives away to the monsoon. I found the Hyderabad weather pretty funny because on some days, the sky would be filled with dark black clouds ominous of imminent rains but within the hour it would clear up and on other occasion, it would start raining without a warning. The rainy days were particularly very trying for Rolf who hates wet surfaces and it became a real task to take him out for a walk. In Hyderabad, the peripheral roads running through the colony doesn’t have a raised footpath, instead it has a red sand patch on the sides that works both for pedestrian movement as well as parking of the vehicle. And during monsoon, these sidewalks become so messy that there is no alternative but walk on the concrete road dodging the traffic.  

Deepika had been complaining about health issues and from mid-May onwards, every weekend or the alternate weekend, our days would start with a visit to the doctor. She would complain of stomach ache every other day and the GP whom we were consulting suggested we consult a specialist. We went to Apollo Spectra Hospital for a thorough check-up as it was well known for having highly qualified doctors. She was diagnosed with gastroenteritis by the doctor from the ultrasound report. Accordingly, he prescribed the medication but emphasized on the diet and regularity of taking ones food. He also suggested her to relax and not take unnecessary stress at the work place but it was easier said than done in this modern day corporate culture.

She would be fine while the medication was on but would again complain of stomach ache when the doses got over. The ultrasound at the hospital had shown up minor ulcers on the stomach lining which is normal but I had my reservations about their radiology, as waiting outside the room I could see the turnaround of the patients in quick succession (10-15 minutes each) and to the best of my knowledge it takes about 20-25 minutes normally and even more if the radiologist suspect abnormality. It would be another two months in another city, another hospital where the correct diagnosis and treatment would alleviate her pains.

The spicy food and stress is a lethal combination for aggravating the hemorrhoids and its consequences. My hemorrhoids started troubling me and I decided to consult the doctor before it turned nightmarish like a few years ago. The doctor suggested immediate surgery and unlike few earlier occasion, this time I agreed to go under the knife to get rid of this recurring issue. The good doctor said that I shall be up and ready for a marathon in just three days. That is nothing but a White Lie to sooth my nerve; it took exactly four weeks to get back to my normal self. We, unlike in Delhi, do not have any support system in Hyderabad but managed to pass through the surgery and post operative weeks in flying colors. My biggest concern was daily walking of Rolf because neither Deepika nor Savita the housekeeper can manage, Rolf needs a firm handler. Priyanka, a sweet girl and a canine behaviorist came in as an angel and took care of Rolf while I recuperated.  

We do Laxmi Puja on the full moon day immediately after the Dusshera with Pandit ji coming and doing the rituals. This has been going on for generations and Deepika was certain that we will go back to Delhi on time to continue with the tradition. After much deliberation, it was decided to go a week before the Durga Puja. Since, Rolf was also going; it was decided to drive the 1600 km distance to Delhi. However, just two weeks before our departure, we had an accident that put a question mark on our plans.

It had rained through the night and continued to drizzle through the morning. The traffic was unusually heavy on the road that I normally take to drop Deepika to her Hafeezpet office. So, she suggested I take the alternate route that the Uber drivers take on many occasion and use the Google Map for convenience. I switched on the Google Map and started following its advice. The route had a very narrow railway underpass and even in normal days it’s always chalk-a-block. That day was no exception; rather the jam extended even more and I kept up with the Pajero in front of me, rolling the car with the flow of traffic. As we reached the mouth of the short underpass, the Pajero went ahead smoothly but my left front wheel hit some obstacle and the engine stopped. There was no time to check then and there, I started the car and reversed a bit to clear the obstacle and as I eased out I realized that the alignment of the car has gone bonkers. Luckily, the Toyota Service centre was on the way back home and I went there after dropping Deepika.

After a thorough check, it was diagnosed that the left arm of the steering assembly has got bent which is non-repairable and needs to be replaced. I got the car serviced the next day as servicing was also due in any case. Thereafter, it was one agonizing week of waiting for the desired auto part to arrive from either Bengaluru (Toyota warehouse) or Chennai (Toyota factory). All’s well that ends well, Kiran Kumar, the service executive at Harsha Toyota, true to his words, arranged the required item within the week and had the car ready for the long drive to Delhi.

While driving down to Hyderabad from Delhi, my car was more of a goods carrier than passenger car, so I put my foot down on the stuff we can carry to Delhi for our 5-week sojourn. Overall, the drive to Delhi was uneventful with few exceptions; Rolf, somehow managed to get hold of his tail in the confined area of the back seat that he had to share with our housekeeper and bitten it bloody. I noticed it when we stopped at GoFlamingo Resort, Pench for lunch. I couldn’t do anything at the spot but fed him Pedigree Chicken chunks and egg along with cold water.

I had booked Pathway Retreat, Sagar (MP) for the night halt, however, when we reached there after getting stuck on the highway NH44 for over an hour due to blockage by the villagers to protest the  death of a motorcyclist in an accident some 5-6 km ahead from our spot, the hotel had the audacity to tell us that they have given away their ONLY ROOM to someone else as we have been late in reaching. This after confirming just day before!! Anyways, I checked on the net and found an area not too far from the highway that has a number of hotels. The first hotel that Deepika checked was not suitable with dirty dingy rooms. Few good ones on the street to our liking was not pet friendly. Finally, we got one that after much prodding by Deepika agreed to accommodate Rolf in the room with a condition that he won’t bark at night. I was relieved as I knew Rolf doesn’t bark unnecessarily like other dogs. So, I told them that the room service guys should gently tap the door in order not to agitate him. We ordered plain rice for Rolf and roti-sabji for us. I mixed the rice with the packed chicken chunks for Rolf which he finished quickly and found a place to rest. Driving over 900km was tiring so immediately after dinner, we retired to bed, for the next day was another 600 plus km drive to final destination.

I must mention here that when we were approaching Sagar, a nuisance in the form of squatting cows slowed us down considerably and this obstruction continued the following day as we traversed through MP-UP-MP-UP till we hit the Yamuna Expressway. Also, a nudge from one of the bovine while passing it damaged the side view mirror as we entered the state of Uttar Pradesh for the first time. I had to fold back the side mirrors and it caused discomfort in driving as I am used to frequently referring to either of them, especially if I have to change the lanes.

In the morning after breakfast I got the med kit from the car and using the bandage and antiseptic cream that the Toyota provides with each car, bandaged Rolf’s tail.

As I started the engine I realized the fuel tank was nearing the ‘empty’ mark. Deepika assured me that we will find the gas station on the highway when I told her that I have seen one which was little ahead of the hotel and a slight detour from our path. However, she insisted we move on and fill up on the highway. I kept an eye on the fuel gauge and started panicking when after driving almost 20-25 km we could not locate any gas station on either side of the road. I thought of turning back to Sagar but Deepika prodded me carry on and she looked up the internet to locate one. It said there’s one just 5 km ahead and we kept a careful watch on either side. Soon we could we see the sign of an Indian Oil Petrol Pump but couldn’t find the way to reach the spot as the highway was elevated road and the station was way below without any clear exit to reach it. Then I saw a tyre repair shop and stopped to check with them. One of the guy suggested that I go on the wrong side for 100 meters and I will find the exit patch to reach the gas station. Much against my sensibilities, I had to take the suggested path and reached the gas station rolling down a muddy path used by all shapes and size of automobiles and bullock carts as well. I got the tank filled to the brim which is actually not recommended specially in the summer months. The fuel lasted us till we reached Greater Noida and could have gone till Delhi but I was did not take that chance.

The drive till Jhansi was smooth barring occasional road blocks by the bovine army that squatted on the roads at will and brought the cruising vehicles to mere rolling in those patches. We saw few martyred bovines that probably stood up to the larger and heavier trucks at night and laid down their lives. Once we crossed Jhansi and on way to Gwalior, the road became bad; this stretch of the highway has been in Work-in-Progress since my first journey last December and hasn’t made much progress as some of it belongs to UP while the other belongs to MP and neither would act. Hopefully, when I make my next road trip to Delhi, this will be completed, fingers crossed!!

The distance to cover from Jhansi to Gwalior was approx 136 km which I would have done in 2.5 hours if the roads were good but it took us almost 4 hours to cross this part and we started feeling hungry once we crossed Gwalior. We were looking for a mid-way retreat kind of place where I can feed Rolf as well but except few Dhabas nothing came up on the horizon and we reached the outskirts of Agra. We had the option at that point to bypass Agra and take NH19 to Mathura-Vrindavan-Faridabad-Delhi or go through the city of Agra and take the Taj Expressway-Yamuna Expressway-Greater Noida-Noida-Delhi. We took the latter option for 2 reasons – (1) although it marginally longer route, once you hit the expressway, it was much faster commute than the other; (2) we were hungry and the Toll Plaza at the Yamuna Expressway had Food Court and ample space to walk n feed Rolf.

Before leaving for Delhi, having fed Rolf as well as ourselves, I called up Rolf’s doctor in Delhi and told him about the problem and that we would reach his clinic latest by 8:30pm; the good doctor promised to keep open his clinic for Rolf. On reaching Greater Noida, I took a small detour towards Pari Chowk to fill up the fuel tank as I knew there won’t be any gas station till I reach South Extension, Delhi. Although, it was Sunday but traffic on the Greater Noida-Noida Expressway was still heavy and I managed to reach the veterinary clinic at East Kidwai Nagar around 8:30 pm as I estimated. The doctor treated his badly bruised tail and found that he has been running high temperature. Rolf was administered injections of antibiotics for his wound and one for the fever. I was advised to take him to the clinic for next 3 days for medication. Following day after his CBC, it was found that he has been suffering from Tick Fever which could have been fatal if we had not taken him to the clinic on time. I was shocked and felt helpless by the mere thought that if hadn’t come to Delhi and Rolf hadn’t bitten his tail and we hadn’t taken him to the vet, we would have lost Rolf as he had not shown any symptom of fever or being unwell. Normally, if he (or any dog) is unwell, the first symptoms are complete refusal of food intake however this time he was having food normally and doing his daily chores as well. Later, I got to know that one dog had died and another one severely affected by Tick Fever in our housing complex in Hyderabad.

Rolf’s doctor informed that a new preventive medicine for Ticks is now available in India but quite expensive @Rs.2000/- per tablet. I immediately asked him to get one for Rolf and he said to give it him once he is completely cured. It is chewable tablet in the size of a chocolate cube and I was apprehensive about him having it voluntarily. I really had to fight with him to make him have oral medicines but this one he simply sniffed and chewed up to a great relief to all of us.

Deepika & I had planned to go Pandal hopping on Durga Ashtami evening but she started complaining severe stomach ache which continued till late into the night despite having medicines. Next day morning, we went to the doctor, a specialist in gastro enteritis’s who after examination said it could be for some other reason and advised us to get a fresh ultra-sound done which we got done at the recommended lab. The result clearly indicated deposition of multiple stones in the gall bladder and it made us wonder at the efficiency of the Radiology Department of Apollo Spectra Hospital, Hyderabad.

The doctor suggested immediate surgery and she got admitted to PSRI Hospital on Saturday and was operated in the afternoon through laparoscopy. After spending the night for post-operative care was released on Sunday evening with advice to take it easy for couple of weeks. However, the workaholic Deepika was back in business on the third day and a week later she traveled back to Hyderabad to attend few meetings.

The renewal of my driving license was one of the task that I had earmarked while in Delhi. I knew my driver’s license was due for renewal in 2018 but was in the impression that the month was November. So, in the first week itself (in October) I took out my driving license and was shocked to see that the “due date” was in March 2018. I have been carrying just a piece of paper all this while and driving not just in Hyderabad but actually drove 1600 km across the country, virtually without a driver’s license. Once you know this fact, it becomes impossible to drive (for a law abiding citizen). Our driver and handyman Guddu Kumar provided the solution with his contact at the Sheikh Sarai RTO. I wanted my DL immediately, so paid a premium and got the renewed one in 3 days flat.

Ayush came over on 31 October and we planned a Diwali Party on Sunday, 4 November calling our friends for a friendly card party. This year for the first time, I did not lose any money in the game of teen patti. And Ayush was the big winner of the season!!

Following the Diwali which we celebrated with the Basu’s at their Gurugram residence, the big event was Bhaiduj when all the siblings gather at our place for a gastronomic pleasure. This year too was no different with Biriyani and Korma from Babu Khan Bawarchi, Matka Pir, New Delhi and other homemade delicacies.

Deepika and Savita, our housekeeper left for Hyderabad on Saturday and Ayush on Sunday. I packed up the house after dropping off Ayush at the airport and was ready for the return journey with Guddu at the wheels, this time.

The drive back to Hyderabad was uneventful but slower than my first trip; I felt, Guddu was not in his element and drove at a sedate pace instead of his hurried nature. We reached our night halt, GoFlamingo Resort, Pench at 10pm, a good 2 hours later than our first trip. Had our dinner and slept early. The following morning, after breakfast, left for the final leg of the journey to Hyderabad. This time I had Reliance Jiofi with me and did not, even for once had any connectivity issue and Google Map guided us to home, NCC Urban, Hyderabad around 4 pm, 2 hours earlier than Google Map forecast!!

A week later, Deepika & I went back to Delhi to attend a family wedding and do some unfinished work. Being a born Delhiite, it is always difficult to say goodbye to the city, despite its shortcomings.

Deepika’s cousin with his wife came over to stay with us in mid-December and once again, we visited the usual tourist points – Charminar, Salarjung and Golconda Fort. We went to Golconda Fort in the evening for the Sound-n-Light show. The first experience was tackling the never ending army of mosquitoes. The organizers unable to eradicate the problem have come out with novel measure of providing the guests with mosquito repellant cream and it worked. There were few glitches in the conduct of the show, viz. sudden loss of sound but overall, it was a good effort. I felt, the content was a bit incomplete with very less information about the early years of the Fort when erstwhile Hindu Rulers had the control of the fort. In a effort to cover up, the content has added few unverifiable stories which are good to hear though.

Thereafter, life has got into the routine and now I look forward to our impending visit to Ayush at Bengaluru for the year ending weekend.