Date:29/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/29/stories/2008092950690200.htm

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Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

When Musi flooded the city a century ago

Special Correspondent

Calamity recalled under the tree that saved 150 lives during the flood in 1908

– Photo :Mohd. Yousuf

Remembering Musi: People gather under the tamarind tree in Hyderabad on Sunday to commemorate Musi flood.

HYDERABAD: Bitter and poignant memories came flooding back under the tamarind tree.

The calamity that befell the city exactly a century ago was recalled in bits and pieces under the huge tree which saved 150 lives during the great Musi flood of 1908.

Concerned citizens assembled under the shade of the saviour tree in the Osmania General Hospital premises on Sunday and paid homage to the memory of those who perished in the flood.

Distress

But nothing portrayed the emotions and distress of the devastation like the poem of Amjad Hyderabadi who lost his mother and wife in the flood. Y. Satyanaryana of Answar-ul-Uloom College read out the moving verses making everyone teary eyed.

The programme organised by the Centre for Deccan Studies (CDS) and Forum for a Better Hyderabad aims at bringing out a “Musi charter” after debating various issues relating to water management, slums, housing, transportation, heritage and other planning failures that afflict the city.

“It will be an important document not just for the government but for the NGOs for future affirmative action,” said Sajjad Shahid, secretary, CDS. M. Vedkumar, president, Forum for Better Hyderabad, also spoke.

The most important post flood aspect, Mr. Shahid said, was the resilient spirit of the Hyderabadis.

After the flood there was a prolong drought, break out of plague and death of the sixth Nizam, Mahboob Ali Pasha. Yet amidst all these trying times the Nizam government set up the “Aaraish-e-Balda” (City Improvement Board) not just to rebuild the city but to embellish it, Mr. Shahid said.

He wanted the entire Musi belt and the CIB office situated in the premises of the old Gandhi Medical College at Basheerbagh to be declared as heritage monuments.

Holding pictures of the devastation wrought by the Musi flood members of Mesco, Chatri, COVA, SPEQL, Intach sat under the tree. Huge banner with Amjad Hyderabadi’s poem on floods hung from the tree.

A participant, Vinay Varma, recited select verses from ‘Lavni’ on the floods written by Hariram Sikhawat while Prof. Amina Kishore of Maulana Azad National Urdu University, read out the “The lament of a tree”, an English translation of Dr. Ammangi Venugopal’s poem – Chettu Aatma Ghosha.

An exhibition of photographs of the Musi flood from the collection of Mohd Safiullah, managing trustee, Deccan Heritage Trust, was arranged. The programme ended with planting of a sapling near the tamarind tree by renowned historian, Dr. Rahimuddin Kernal.