Looks like Dubai, feels like Delhi. Actually, doesn't feel like Delhi... it's just really massive, kind of like Gurgaon, but way better than Delhi (I think).
Didn't have the famed biryani or the other meat & rice specialties the city is famous for. Mostly had dal rice and roti everywhere we went, which was a relief for the gut given all the heavy food we had before coming here.
Went to a couple of nice restaurants, including one Bengali place called Sarkar's Kitchen, which served amazing fish and poori bhaji. Also discovered this place close to where we were staying in Gachibowli that home delivered the softest idlis with the tastiest coconut chutney.
Also, Gachibowli is big. The colony we were staying in is huge. Everything in Hyd is so spread out, it's lovely to see. The apartment we were in was a sprawling 4 BHK. The weather was pretty decent too. A little bit cloudy, a little sunny.
RxJ introduced us to Nichiren Buddhism. There's a lot to it that even we weren't able to wrap our heads around, but we went to a place nearby to do some prayers, which was quite nice.
Every day prayers involve chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo in a group, eyes open, looking at a wall. One of the prayer meetings we went to was a meeting for first time members where everyone introduced themselves and spoke about their history with the faith. We gave our numbers and address to the local person, who's going to put us in touch with the Mumbai chapter so we can continue going to these meetings.
There's a bunch of reading we need to do to fully understand the history and teachings. The current leader of the faith - philosophically, not hierarchically - is a gentleman named Daisaku Ikeda, who's done most of the writings interpreting the Lotus Sutra, the essence of this faith. The objective, through chanting, is to achieve a state of kosen-rufu, which means universal oneness.
The Lotus Sutra is the 9th part of Buddha's teachings, and the central tenet of Nichiren Buddhism. The philosophy's been active since the 13th century, and has presence all over the world, including about 3L members across India. They want to reach 10L members by 2030, and are in full alignment with UN's SDGs.
We were also invited to a (very) private Zoom meeting where Mr Ikeda addressed the audience virtually. The headquarters are in Delhi, and there's chapters in every city around the country.
So anyway, Aditi and I have been chanting pretty regularly ever since, even if only in short 10-minute sessions. It's very similar to mindfulness meditation in that it clears up the mind and calms down the senses. Also, doing it in a group is kind of hypnotic because it sets off a rhythm at a low-hum frequency that is super trancelike.
In Hyd we did longer sessions too, like hourlong ones, which was super nice. Chanting just before falling asleep also gives good sleep.
Met R, an ex-colleague, and her husband N. Went to a nice brewery at Jubilee Hills and had some good, mild beer. Then went to Roast 24x7, which is this round-the-clock joint where you get coffee, food and amazing desserts. Drove around for a bit, went to R and N's apartment. Got back home around 2 am, and the next day was our last day in the city.
Discussed moving to Hyd (more than) a couple of times, for no other reason than the sheer space it offers and the good food everywhere. Convenience of transport is an issue, though, with Uber and Ola drivers cancelling trips at their whim and refusing to switch on the AC.
Also went to Shilparamam, which is Hyderabad's version of Nisargadham, a nature reserve conflated with a marketplace for indigenous crafts. Walked around a lot and also bought a small painting for RxJ and family. Went there straight from a meeting so didn't have the camera, but took some nice pics on the phone.
The trip had a lot of firsts - we did a meeting in a lawn, a pitch presentation in a trampoline park, a meeting with the city head of a big, multinational as Much Much (our first, I guess). Lots of interesting conversations transpired.
Conversely, spent a couple of very chill evenings watching Better Call Saul and Delhi Crime, ordering in from some nice places nearby (chole chawal thali one day, a nice hummus platter another day).
Made the most out of the little time we had there.
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