Inimitability of Gari Khata Hyderabad

 

It is said that a person is connected emotionally with the place where he lives. I am also linked with the place where I opened my eyes. Gari Khata Qazi Abdul Qayoom Road is my birth place where I spent my childhood teenage and still I am living here.

Places makes memories and stories. The streets, roads and residents have a deep connection with me. There are a lot of my childhood memories. It is special place because I am living here. Well jokes apart, it is special and unique for many things as Hyder Chowk, Naya Pul, tractor parts shops and so on. There are also many other things that can be considered as its inimitabilities.

Temple and Mosque: Before the partition of India, Hyderabad was a place where both religions were living peacefully. In 1947, Pakistan came into being and migration took place. There are still many historical buildings which tell us that no religion teaches extremism but only peace.

At Gari Khata, Qazi Abdul Qayoom Road, there is a street where an old temple lies named Naval Mandir. While in opposite road, there is a mosque namely Allah Di Masjid. No doubt both temple and mosque are different places of prayer of two distinct religions but Muslims and Hindus of the area live with harmony. They say that we all are brothers to one another.

The ancient Naval Temple was built before the partition but was doomed due to some clashes. This temple is named after Guru Naval who migrated from India to Pakistan. He rebuilt the temple in 1956 at the same place. Maharaj of the temple, Haridas told that previously it was just a ground but now we have augmented the space.

Allah Di Mosque is named after a lady named ‘Allah Di’, who lived there. It was her will to make her house a mosque after her death. So, it was constructed as a mosque. Now this mosque has also occupied a large space and has a great importance. 

As sunsets, Muslims offer Maghrib prayer and after that the Hindus start their worshipping their idols. Neither the Hindus do any problematic activity, nor do the Muslims harm them. But they never fight over religious views. Hindus celebrate Holi, Diwali while Muslims celebrate their festivals like Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha etc. There is friendly atmosphere and they all live like a family.

In my childhood we all used to gather in the streets and played different games like chuppan chuppai, pakram pakrai and so on. We were never restricted to play with children of other religion.

Edhi Centre: Dates back to the history, it was a building where food, shelter and other aid was given to needy ones. No doubt it was a musty building previously but was providing the necessities and livelihood to the deprived people. 

There was a langar khana which provided food to the starving people, a medical room for the sick ones who were unable to bear the expenses of medication. People used to donate their clothes in this centre which were than given to the beggars. The cradle was also placed at the doorstep of Edhi Centre for the unwanted children. 

But now whenever I cross the street I can see hopelessness. There is just an office for paying bills. Due to high rain fall the building is in a horrible condition. Edhi Centre was a hope for needy people. But in this day and age it seems like humanity is dead. All the hopes of poor people are faded away.

Various ambulances are still ready to rescue but the building is not in a good condition. The centre that has always served the humanity needs the attention of authorities. And should be reconstructed as soon as possible.

Food Street: While coming from Hyder chowk to Naya pul, entire road is occupied with numerous food stalls including biryani, haleem, fast foods, sandwiches, faluda and lip smacking halwa poori.  Gari Khata is a market place as there are numerous book shops, tractor parts shops, automobile repairing shops and so on. But it is also famous for its food. 

The whole road gives the look of Food Street. Halwa poori breakfast is so common for the residents of the area. In morning, we can see a crowd of people here for breakfast. They say, our forefathers were also engaged in this business and now we are also doing same. Jalebi, which is one of my favourite sweet is also available here. I used to go to the shop every Thursday with my father to watch how they make jalebi in my childhood. Further, there are three different stalls of biryani out of which Karachi Naseeb biryani is most famous.  

It is true that a person love the place where he has spent most of his/her life time. I also love the area no doubt there are certain issues including traffic but still I love it because I have spent my childhood here and it has a lot pf my childhood memories.