This is a trip Anshoom Jain is not likely to forget, for all the right reasons. On her first visit to Golconda Fort, along with four members of a group, Anshoom a boutique owner in the city, set out to find a place inside the fort where ‘nagina’ (diamonds) were traded during Qutb Shahi’s reign. With some help from the clues provided to them, the group found the place to be Nagina Bagh.
Another explanation for the name of the gardens — it is ‘a gem (nagina) among gardens (bagh)’— only adds to the mystique of the fort and the rich cultural history of the city and serves as an eye opener, even for heritage buffs. The unique heritage treasure hunt was a trial run organised by DoScience, the city-based experiential science centre, for the delegates of the Hyderabad Design Week conference to be held between October 9 and 13.
Qutb Shahi tombs
More details of the tour emerge. “At Qutb Shahi tombs, we had to decode a few words; we were learning about history and in a fascinating way,” shares Anshoom, adding, “Even during lunch, we had to identify delicacies famous in Hyderabad and the dishes that we identified were served to us.”
As a precursor to the Design Week, the team is offering a run-up to this ‘historic city treasure hunt’ for city residents. “This tour will not be like a regular sightseeing tour; we uncover the city’s hidden treasures with maps and codes,” shares a DoScience organiser. The day-trip takes participants through Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi tombs, Naya Qila and Shilparamam, with a lunch stop at Taramati Baradari. “One has to solve cryptic codes at Qutb Shahi tombs and decode mirror reflections of words at Naya Qila,” adds the team. The Design Week will entail workshops, installations and conferences and it is at the request of the Government of Telangana, that DoScience developed a historic city treasure hunt for delegates. For these tourists exploring Hyderabad’s heritage and architecture, there is no dearth of places to explore and admire. In fact, the treasure hunt is an opportunity for people to discover Hyderabad beyond the usual Charminar and biryani.
City residents can take the tour for ₹2,000 (including transport, activities and lunch) on September 28, from 8.30 am to 5 pm. Details on https://kidengage.com/events/show/historic-city-treasure-hunt or 8897204422
Published - September 27, 2019 04:43 pm IST
