Durgam Cheruvu

There are 28 places in the city where you can go and dance away mindlessly. But since you'll be arrested and shoved into an asylum at 25 of such places, it leaves us with just 3. Among those, Durgam Cheruvu is the best. Period.

Durgam Cheruvu (previously the infamous secret lake) is embedded within towering boulders glowing purposefully with artificial incandescence. The newly-laid dance floor can accommodate easily up to 900 couples if they super glue each other and chop off their limbs. If they don't, about 200 of them can fit in nicely.

The serene lake is separated from the dance floor by a picket fence. The lake is where you'll find all the dancers disappear into as soon as the DJ starts playing something from Abhijeet Sawant. DJs here are mostly imported from Mumbai and Bangalore. Bigwigs like Akbar Sami, DJ Nasha and Aqueel are regulars to this disco.

Visiting Durgam Cheruvu is a weekly ritual that many of the compulsive party animals follow religiously. These are the same set of clubbers who rush to Treasure Island after 2:30am when Durgam shuts shop. Durgam is obviously in cahoots with TI, as it sells passes to TI almost every gig.

Various shacks take on the duties of providing the all-important booze and bread. Depending on who's sponsoring the event for that weekend, the stalls pretty much cover all that you require for a night full of dancing, except, of course, a partner. They provide that, too, if you don't mind dancing with a rotten tomato.

Since the stalls keep shifting every week, it's hard to pick a favorite here, but the Chinese stall is always a safe bet. And Bacardi, if available.

Stags are usually not allowed to mingle with the couples. They stay at the other end of the lake and stare either hopelessly or pitifully, depending upon their experience.

In between the pleasantries of nature, namely women, and in the midst of a scenic setting, Durgam is the best place to let your hair down in town.