Sainikpuri in Secunderabad is quiet for most of the year. Even the 462-year-old Kohe Imam-e Zamin Koh means hill, Imam means leader and Zamin means guarantor) dargah sees the spiritually inclined only during the annual Urs.
The dargah of Kohe Imam-e-Zamin, also called Kohe Imam Pahadi because it is situated on a hillock, in Ammuguda , houses the Imam-e-Hazrate Abbas and Raza-e-ghareeb Imam. The hillock is 600 metres above sea level (as per the Al Kausar Trust that is currently taking care of the renovations) and was given this name during the Qutb Shahi period.
Presently, the hillock on which the dargah is situated and its surrounding areas are becoming popular among cyclists, athletes and runners training to get into the army and police: The steep incline offers a strenuous cardio routine.
Recent weekdays have seen a steep rise in footfalls, from the barely 100 in the mornings, to several hundreds throughout the day.
“The number of casual visitors has increased,” confirms Hamid, the caretaker at the dargah. The area has turned into an evening hotspot as visitors sit on the rocks and watch the sunset. Full moon days also apparently draw a lot of visitors.
The entrace to the dargah
So what has wrought this transformation in a year? The hillock and its surrounding areas including the dargah have been renovated and got a much-needed facelift. The boundary walls around the dargah which were in a state of disrepair have been raised and rebuilt.
A team engaged in the renovation of the premises has also had to deal with heaps of litter left by careless visitors. Now, a concrete and metal framework that supports the dargah’s main hall and inner core, gives strength to the lime and stone structure. The flight of 147 steps that lead to the top of the hillock, that would plunge into darkness at night, is now well-illuminated, thus making it safer for visitors at night.
Syed Nazeer Hasan Abedi, founder and president of the Al Kausar Trust that is making all these changes, says that the renovation work was necessary to restore the grandeur of the hillock on which the dargah is situated. “We have also made a concrete road that goes right up to the ramp that leads to the top of the hill. Another ramp is coming up at the other end of the hill where the sunset viewing point is. There, it is always breezy and offers a picturesque view of a part of Secunderabad.”
Even as the renovation work is underway, one catches the pleasant sight of a few visitors ensuring cleanliness around the dargah and taking care not to litter.
Regulars who use the new concrete road for cardio and agility training say they feel blessed to be able to use a space that is free of traffic and polluting vehicles. Ratna Raheja, a teacher says, “Even though I live close by, it never occurred to me to come here. Once I saw the renovation work on the hillock from my home, I visited the place out of curiosity; I regret not coming here earlier.
Syed Nazeer Hasan Abedi, founder and president of the Al Kausar Trust that is making all these changes says that the renovation work was necessary to restore the grandeur of the hillock on which the dargah is situated. “We have also made a concrete road that goes right up to the ramp that leads to the top of the hill. Another ramp is coming up for people who want to reach the other end of the hill where the sunset viewing point is. There it is always breezy and offers a picturesque view of a part of Secunderabad.”
View from the hillock | Photo Credit: Prabalika M Borah
Even as the renovation work is still underway, one catches a pleasant sight of visitors ensuring cleanliness around the dargah and taking care not to litter. Regulars who use the new concrete road for cardio and agility training say they feel blessed to be able to use a space that is free of traffic and non-polluting vehicles.
Ratna Raheja, a teacher says, “Even though I live close by, it never occurred to me to come here. Once I saw the renovation work on the hillock from my home, I visited the place out of curiosity; I regret not coming here earlier. It is nice to see so many active people and others quietly enjoying the views.”
Rockscape in and around the hillock | Photo Credit: Prabalika M Borah
How does the Trust plan to maintain the area? “We don’t want to promote this place as a picnic spot. We will install dustbins to minimise littering. Right now, youngsters who visit the place are also playing a responsible role.”
