VIZAG matters - Sohan Hatangadi's Blog

Auto rickshaws I have been in Vizag since the time Rickshaws were moved on human pedal power. We bargained in fractions of a rupee and having sealed the deal we clambered – four into the rickshaw and perched our posteriors precariously on the contraption as it crawled (or whizzed) depending on the topography of the area, to our destination. The rickshaw man sweated and strained, alighting from the seat many times to pull the rickshaw. Some passengers, moved by his efforts, would get off and give the man a hand. (No, they did not walk alongside clapping – they pushed). It was terrible labour and due to Vizag’s steep slopes and extreme weather the job was made even more difficult. Auto rickshaw pullers were a tough breed with sinuous legs and weather beaten faces. They smoked Chuttas and abused most colorfully. They labored all day, brawled all evening over bottles of arrack. And after a frugal meal they slept deeply, curled up on their rickshaw seats. Late at night, below the...

Vizag’s tourism paradigm Over the last several months I have been travelling out of Vizag often. Each time I return I am glad to be back. Not only because I am coming home to family and friends but because I come home to Vizag; my stunningly beautiful city.    It is natural that the residents of the city to be proud of Vizag. And from this pride comes the tendency to show off the city to others. That is why we Vizagite say “We should develop Vizag into a tourist spot”. The rationale for wanting tourists is that: tourism brings in visitors who spend gobs of money here and generate employment that makes Vizagites rich . Notice how a subliminal pride of the city is rationalized into what appears to be a good reason. But what is the truth about tourism? While there are several different types of tourists let us examine a few main segments MONEY BAGS Indian & western The rich five star hotel and cruise liner type. Generally well-heeled, b...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/Hic-Hic--Happy-New-Year/articleshow/28072606.cms Happy New Year Time of joy This is that part of the year when a spirit of bonhomie, geniality and general joie de vivre permeates the air. Not to mention the spirit of … well spirits … that permeates our veins and puts us all in a particularly amenable mood. With joyous shouts of “Happy New Year” we greet complete strangers startling them and prompting them to shout back “same to you, same to you”. Ah, I love this part of the year. Planning where to go This is also that part of the year when socialites make plans for 31 st night. The plans are generally kept fluid till a couple of days before New Year’s Eve. For those going to hotels it’s straight forward. Dress up – sit there – watch the canned entertainment – drink – eat – burp - slur – stagger and or drive back home and sleep it off. Those going to “Clubs” also have little to plan. Dress – take your seat – w...

Click on this link to see the article in the Times of India Kurupam market vanishes Vizag’s amazing vanishing act 28.11.13 Appeared in the Times of India on 1st December 2013 Sohan Hatangadi Now you see it … now you don’t One night last week, Vizag’s imposing century old lady; the “King Edward VII Market” locally known as the “Kurupam Market” was erased from the face of the Earth. Poof! Like a great magician’s illusion she was gone. Only problem is that unlike an illusion the market was not hidden under a trapdoor or behind a screen, or clouded by smoke and mirrors. It was gone for good! Gone As it was in its heydays The beginning of the end Distraction and disappearance Magicians do their tricks when the audience is distracted, and as Vizag’s population was distracted by cyclones and cricket, a big JCB trundled in like a Jurassic monster and ruthlessly brought the iconic building down in a cloud of dust. Then, just to make sure it there...

My article in the Times of India about the wanton destruction of a beautiful heritage building in Vizag, India

It is with great sadness that I inform you that our beloved and historic Kurupam Market gateway towers have been demolished by GVMC last week.  The market was donated by Raja Vyricherla Veerabhadra Raju of Kurupam to the then Vizagapatam Municipality on September 1, 1914, to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII. As it was Going Gone I am told that a new building is planned there. Only two weeks ago INTACH had offered to provide expertise to restore the iconic clock tower arch way but it appears to have fallen on deaf ears. It is very unfortunate that this monument was brought down without public consultation. Our uncouth city administration has driven another dagger into our city's rich heritage. No doubt a  monstrosity  will come up at the spot. It will be typical of Vizag's public buildings, no dignity, no class. No doubt that our heritage will die a little more.  One wonders who these ruthless, insensitive and heartless people a...

Of Rockets & Rubbish The link to Times of India article  Of rockets, reptiles and rubbish Of scientific temperament and snake feeding On 5th March a rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre launching a robotic satellite on its 200-million-kilometre journey to Mars . When asked why a poor, low literacy nation should be going to space, the learned men said that it was to demonstrate our capabilities, fill our hearts with pride and most importantly inculcate a scientific temperament  among  Indians. Two days after that, on C.V. Raman’s birthday, thousands of educated Vizagites, got all dressed up and fanned out into the bushes to find ant hills to feed eggs and milk to snakes! Split personality This is the quintessential split personality of India. One set of people reaching for the stars (a planet really) and the other group visiting our friendly neighbourhood Cobra which - they imagine - waits, mouth open inside an ant hill, for e...

Being lazy - posting links with no matter: Vizag's tourist guide training 1 Vizag's tourist guide training 2

There have been some reports recently in the papers about the fate of our once vibrant old town. A walk through the dusty old town today does not reveal the lively social life in that part of Vizag in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. It was so different then that those who did not experience it will consider it pure fiction. A land far far away. A people so alien. A life so unimaginable. Only those of us who lived there will remember those days with poignant fascination, like a hazy dream. It is hard but let me try and give you a picture. We called our part of the town “One Town” or “Soldierpeta”. The beach Road was just around three kilometre in length. There was no outer harbour then and most of us stayed a street or two away from the sparkling clean sea. As kids our playground all summer was the beach and the beach road. We swam, fished, and caught crabs. We wrestled and played football. We played Holly-Colli, Sticks and Stones, Tops and Gilli Danda till it was dark. As winter advance...

The news item GVMC BILLBOARD PLANS Recent newspaper reports on GVMC’s plan to appoint an external agency to handle their Billboard tax collection are quite alarming. Here is why Billboards hinder pedestrians Our cities have no pavements and very little open space in commercial areas where billboards can be accommodated. Pedestrians struggle to walk even 10 feet on Vizag city pavements because they are so rare and when available they are interrupted by missing death trap slabs, electrical poles, open electric switch boxes and the ubiquitous panipuri and noodle vendor.  Billboards spawn businesses below Drawn by the structure of the board, billboards soon become an attraction for myriad street vendors. Before you know it a scooter repair shop, a fruit vendor and the idly cart have occupied the pavement below and tied their temporary shades to the frame of the billboard. Within days what little pavement is available is gone for ever. So you have no option but to wa...

This was the article as it appeared in the newspaper As I drive around Vizag, I am quite convinced that there is a shadowy group of experts, secretly meeting in an underground control centre somewhere, to work out how to create complete chaos on Vizag roads. They sit in a dimly lit room, around a table, faces lit up by large monitors showing road maps and traffic data. They are busy working out how to design roads to create daily disorder, continuous confusion, terrible turmoil, permanent pandemonium, maximum mayhem and … well you get the point.  Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the secret underground “Chaos Club”. This club, comprising members of local administration, which I cannot name due to the secret nature of their work, has succeeded in permanently fouling up traffic at the infamous Gajuwaka, NAD Kotha Road and Sathyam junctions. They have ensured that those junctions will drive drivers crazy in perpetuity. At Aseelmetta this secret group has ensured that o...

Today was the Olympic Day Run on Vizag Beach Road. Here is what happened: 1. Thousands of posters were stuck indiscriminately on the beach road walls weeks earlier. An illegal and uncivil act. Question is who will pay for removing the posters? The Visakhapatnam District Olympic Association wanted to achieve a Guinness World Record. They certainly broke the World Record in Littering.  Come children - let us litter together! The litter had already entered the drains that lead to the sea I understand that thousands of children participated. Which brings me to the following questions: 1. What type of homes did these kids come from?  Do they come from homes that have not taught them basic civic sense? Messy parents messy  children? Did they not know that all litter must go in the bins provided? Incidentally GVMC Keep Vizag Clean bins was everywhere but they were almost empty! 2. What type of schools did they come from? If the parents have f...