Osman Sagar Park

Osman SagarDuniya Se Door, Rehaishoon Ke Pare, Jahan Musi Pe Hooti Hai Sehar…

25 Km from anywhere, at least from the humming civilization that we know of, Osman Sagar is a breath-taking dam structure over the fabled Musi. Witness to centuries of upheaval on either side of its shores, Musi stands now harnessed, to fulfill the Hydroelectric needs of a mammoth city.

The bus journey, though not exactly your idea of comfy travel, will provide a sneak preview of the budding expansion of the city. You'll be billeted across a large expanse of rocky terrain, interspersed with officers' palatial colonies in the making, construction in various stages for schools and technical institutes, and above all, the glittering ensemble of Taramati Baradari.

Aspirants of a serene rendezvous with the green lands and the blue seas might be jolted upright - the first sights are not very encouraging. Your landing spot will be near a highway kerbside dhaba setup, with its display of greasy bread pakodas and ThumpsUps. First indication that you must come armed with your own food and drink.

This one time popular holiday resort and fun place is now not only littered with polythene bags but also scum of the deadlier kind - mobike hugging, Nagarjuna-tresses sporting - the newly young go with their hands flailing in the open air, hitting anybody - man or woman, preferably later, on their way. The car sporting middle-aged men, hugging ambitions of making up for those lost tresses by flaunting their gold chains and bracelets - are not much behind.

The main park of Osman Sagar as it stands now, is a recluse to the local cricket enthusiasts, who descend on it with a vengeance on Sundays. The reservoir itself is a long snaky affair, with enough creeks to make a hideout for couples. A very mute Musi flows as if stunned by the Gen-X. You can come across graffiti of the ugliest kind, as well as of the most amazing one, like - 'I love Zarrine Begum of Sikri'. Truly, times never change - remember, Shakespeare's Othelo carving out Ganymede's name across all the forest wood?

With an entry fee of Rs. 10 you can take your 4-wheeler, but this long stretch over Musi is best traversed at a leisurely pace on foot. You can digress into the daintily preserved Rock Garden with its elaborately designed pathways and well-kept flower beds. A token pass of Rs. 5 as an entry fee to the Rock Garden ensures a better upkeep of the place. Men come here with their mothers and even grandmothers to play tennikoit and badminton.

On your way you might be surprised by spontaneous singing and dancing and by the autorikshaw drivers gyrating to the latest Chiru numbers. A visit to Osman Sagar entails that you be on your guard against pickpockets, and for the ladies, there is as much a chance of being smacked or spitted upon as there is anywhere else in the city. So be there with friends, come in a group, bring a lot of food, and above all, wear sensible shoes.