Hyderabad

I arrived in Hyderabad, India, around 3:30 AM. Not my normal arrival time, but it was one of the cheaper and more direct flights. After going through passport control, I ordered an Uber and went to the designated meeting spot. Without much waiting, I was soon on my way to the hostel, about 50 minutes away. I had a nice chat with the driver, who told me how he moved here to pursue his dream of working in the film industry. He explained how Hyderabad had become a big center for movie and television production. We talked about the importance of following our passions when we can.

As we neared the address I was given, we didn’t see the hostel or any signs for it. He pulled over and asked a young man sitting by the road. The man came up and said he thought it was ahead of us around the corner. We thanked him and slowly went forward, looking around, but still not seeing anything. Just a few minutes later, we heard a tapping on the window. It was the same young man, saying it was back where we’d been but down a small street. He hopped in the cab, and we all went back there. When we got to the street, he went ahead to confirm, then waved us down to show it was the spot. I thanked the driver and went on my way. The young man shared his number and told me to call if I needed any help.

The rest of my week there would be filled with other moments like these. Walking down the street looking for an ATM, getting on the subway for the first time, or buying food and drinks at small shops. I also noticed with my friend that when she asked people for information, she would introduce herself and me, and they would do the same. I saw this everywhere, people helping others out naturally and without hesitation.

My first day I rested from the late travel. The following day, Monday, I met up with my friend. We had worked together 10 years ago in Boulder. She had returned to India about 6 years ago to follow her passion for becoming a lawyer. She went back to school and is now practicing. She picked me up after work and took me on a tour of the nearby Osmania University, where she studied, as did her grandfather. From there we drove to get some samosas at a street vendor and some chai. It started to rain again, and we all huddled under a small roof. At one point, I bumped into a man next to me, said sorry, and my friend introduced herself and me to him. We talked about the tea we had just had and about my travels.

The next day I took the subway to Sanjeevaiah Park and walked around for a while. There was a rose garden, lots of trees, and a few playgrounds. The map also said there was a butterfly garden, but because of the rain, I didn’t see many. A couple of kids came to talk to me about where I was from and how I liked the city. It felt natural to them, chatting with a stranger. At some point, the path was flooded, but I walked around it on the grass. I was reminded that, like in Brazil, there are poisonous snakes around here, so I kept an eye out. Just a few minutes later, while back on the trail, a large snake crossed the path in front of me. I only got a quick photo before it slipped into the bushes. It was a great afternoon walking around and seeing others enjoying the park as well.

The following day my friend had a busy schedule and couldn’t hang out, but she recommended I visit Golconda Fort. After a slow morning of reading and resting, I took the subway to the closest station and then an auto rickshaw to the fort. I arrived with a little over an hour to spare, not as much time as I would have liked, but enough to walk around and see its wonder and the view from the top. It was much larger in person than I had imagined. Golconda is a fortified citadel expanded and fortified to its current state in the 14th and 17th centuries by the Bahmani Sultans and the Qutub Shahi dynasty.

On Thursday I visited the state high court where my friend works. Two of her colleagues joined us and took us around to meet others in the court, including the president of the association and a judge. I had a pleasant conversation with the judge about current world events and his knowledge of Brazilian history and sports. From there we went down to the cafeteria for a snack before heading across the street for some hot jalebi (a local sweet) and then some mutton biryani.

On Friday we had a full day together. My friend invited another friend, and the three of us visited the Sri Someswara Temple in the village of Kolanupaka. I learned that my friend was born there and that her family still owns the house she was born in. After passing by the house, we headed to the temple. It’s still in remarkably good shape given that the current structure was built in the 12th century. There were numerous stone statues with intricate details. From there, we returned to her family home and ate the lunch she had packed, a meal her mom had cooked for us. After lunch and chatting with the tenants currently renting the house, we went on to visit the Jain temple and later drove to an event area that used to belong to her grandfather. There we had some chai and prepared to return home. On the way back we got a few beers, then relaxed and had some good conversations about connecting with our emotions, our travels, and other things.

The next day I woke up a bit later and quickly learned she had booked the three of us for an Ayurvedic massage with warm oil called Abhyanga. After that, we walked around a bit, got ourselves some coconut water, then drove to buy ingredients for an early dinner. We stopped by a chicken shop where they have live chickens and prepared them for you right there. It reminded me of the souk I went to in Morocco, where they had all sorts of animals for sale. Back at home, they prepared delicious rice and curry, and after eating, they dropped me off at the hostel.

My first week in India was coming to an end. While chatting with another friend, he said, “You are blending in with the chaos.” I could see and sense the chaos, but as I told him, there’s also a calm to it, or as the friend I had just spent the week put it, there is harmony. I think that describes it perfectly, chaos with harmony.