Hyderabad: Several communities that call Hyderabad their home are gearing up to celebrate new beginnings this weekend.
From stocking up on traditional sweets and flowers to rehearsing dance performances and planning elaborate feasts, communities across the city are immersed in preparations for Baisakhi, Poila Boishakh (Bengali New Year) and Vishu.
In Ameerpet and Bowenpally, spiritual devotion and energetic celebrations are prevalent as Sikh families prepare for Baisakhi. At Gurudwara Saheb, volunteers have been working round the clock to prepare for Sunday’s ardas and community langar. “We are expecting more than a thousand people,” said a volunteer, adding, “We have dhol players, children practising bhangra and volunteers preparing huge quantities of kadha prasad and chole puri.”
Harsh Arora, a college student who coordinates the children’s dance programme and helps decorate the gurudwara in Kompally, said: “This is the kind of chaos we love. We have invited our Telugu neighbours — they look forward to it every year!”
Meanwhile, Bengali households are gearing up for a nostalgic and flavourful Poila Boishakh. The Cyberabad Bangali Association has planned a special Noboborsho day with Rabindra Sangeet, folk dances, dramatic performances and the Bangla band. “On the menu, we have crispy luchi, aloo dom, the aromatic mangsho (lamb meat), rosogolla and, of course, mishti doi,” says Subhro Mukharjee of the association.
Apart from celebrations, the Bengali Cultural Association in Masab Tank is also involved in charity work. “We do not celebrate any extravaganza, but constantly do charity work for the poor, needy students, old age homes, blind people, rescued girls, etc. This is how we welcome Naba Barsha and try to do our best for the society throughout the year,” said Sanjay Bose of the association.
In the western parts of the city — Kukatpally, Chandanagar and Hafeezpet — Malayali families are preparing their homes for Vishu, the Kerala New Year, which begins at dawn with the serene viewing of the Vishu Kani. Shubhan Jay, who moved to Hyderabad a decade ago, describes the preparations as deeply symbolic. “We have bought konna flowers, new brass vessels and fruits for the kani. Tomorrow night we’ll arrange everything in front of our Krishna idol. The big Vishu sadya is also in the works,” said Jay, who is also planning a potluck-style feast with other Malayali families. “We have divided up the food — I am going to make avial and parippu; someone else will bring payasam. It’s a logistical feat, but we’re enjoying every minute of it. We’ve even invited non-Malayali friends, who have developed quite a taste for sadya!”
