The lane that leads to First Lancer Road is identified in different ways; as the route from Masab Tank to Mahatma Gandhi Colony to Ahmed Nagar to Owaisipura, but nothing beats the prominence of a landmark like Nasheman Hotel. From a cab driver to an autowala, you can be assured of its familiarity if you are to reach the area’s whereabouts. Such is the legacy of the 57-year old hotel founded by Shaik Jahangir Sahab that stays true to its name, their Irani chai priced at ₹ 10 is as intoxicating.
Set amid a bustling atmosphere full of kirana stores, meat and chicken shops and apartments, a regular morning sight at Nasheman Hotel is a handful of men sipping their chai leisurely, reading Urdu newspapers. It’s tougher to grab a seat between 9 and 10 am in the mornings, where people quickly gobble up a cup of chai and Osmania biscuit (that comes to ₹ 20).
Shaik Saleem Photo: Nagara Gopal
While chai (that was first sold at 20 paise) happens to be Nasheman’s integral element, its lukhmi and sugar-spotted khajoor are extremely sought out. Nihari Naan Ki Roti, Alu Samosa, a plate of poori (four of them-priced at ₹ 20) add to the variety. Nasheman isn’t complete without its paan, so famous that actor Rajesh Khanna would come down to the hotel for the paan during his Hyderabad visits, claims Shaik Saleem, the younger son of Jahangir who manages the hotel with his brother Shaik Basheer. This was the first business that Shaik Jahangir had invested in his early 20s, it was among the first hotels to be set up in the area.
The interiors are a toast to the hotel’s aura, its old-world charm is reflected in a series of photographs that capture the Nizami legacy, how the city and its popular tourist spots looked in the 60s. While most of its competitors around the area now sell tea at ₹ 12, Saleem informs us that the pricing is kept at ₹ 10 to sustain its regular customers. The hotel has undergone multiple renovations since its construction, but the stillness in the place in a bustling area makes the visit special. The hotel continues to ride on nostalgia and goodwill sustained over the decades. For many it’s a childhood memory that hasn’t faded with time.
Nasheman Hotel
Where: First Lancer Road, Masab Tank
What: Irani chai and snacks
Speciality: Chai, khajoor, poori
