There’s an anticipation in the air as you enter Deccan Park; apart from the passing traffic, there’s barely any man-made noise. The occasional calls of peacocks and kites melded into the gusts of wind seem to distance the place even further from the chaos of the city. Located next to Qutb Shahi Tombs in the Golconda area of Hyderabad, the park has finally been inaugurated this year after a 15-year limbo.
The monsoon brings a pretty muddiness to the winding and intersecting pathways that run through the park. Every corner presents a strange but eye-catching oddity; be it a landscaped crocodile coated in grass or a waterslide. Bridges that run over the to-be-filled bodies of water adds a romanticism to the place. There is also a kiddy-train in the works, a swimming pool and a couple of enclosed gazebos for picnicking parties.
Deccan Park is mettled with a variety of flora — cacti, succulents and cycas among many. It’s the hypnotic foliage maintained by the generous rains that attracts people on a daily basis, namely the morning jogger or the family seeking a few moments of stillness.
Even on a sunny day, Deccan Park can accommodate the sun-shy crowd with immense trees that close over the pathways, with only the slightest rays peeking through.
HYDERABAD, TELANGANA, 19-07-2017: Deccan Park, Qutub Shahi Tombs, Hyderabad. Photo: K.V.S. Giri
While still being relatively new, the park has already attracted a lot of youngsters who make the most of the summit of the park which was created from the mounds of earth dug up to create the water bodies.
Offering a memorable view of the city and placing you up close to the massive domes of the tombs nearby, it’s worth taking some time to just absorb the juxtaposition of enduring history against rapidly-developing modernity.
Ideal for the Instagram feeds and just for relaxing on the lean-back benches, the views would be ideal for sunset visits.
HYDERABAD, TELANGANA, 19-07-2017: Deccan Park, Qutub Shahi Tombs, Hyderabad. Photo: K.V.S. Giri
Having acquired the land in 1982, the Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA) had long been at work to embellish the grounds with more vegetation and activity areas for visitors.
Despite an intention of opening it to the public in 2002, court cases prevented this— ultimately it opened just this month.
There are hopes for the park to merge with the tombs grounds so as to provide a better access to the heritage site. If this is done, this will surely make way for a restoration of the tombs gardens to its former glory.
It should be noted that Deccan Park, despite its 15 year close-off period, still has a long way to go in terms of beautification; the man-made structures such as the train and the swimming pool are clearly in dire need of some cheering up and revamping. But one should still go check out the dense greenery, proving Mother Nature always wins.
Deccan Park
What lung space and access
Area 20 acres
Where Golconda, Hyderabad
