Hyderabad needs a better bookstore

On an off day, for a lot of us, there's nothing better than being in the middle of books, books and books. There are a couple of places one could go to - Odyssey, Crossword and Walden but some how they haven't been convincing enough as 'quality' book stores. Do I expect them to be like Barnes & Noble or Borders? Absolutely not. However, I think little things make a big difference.

First of all, are the employees just employees or are they book lovers too? All of them could do with book loving helpers.

I have noticed that commercial compulsions are making these book stores assign less and less space to books and more to gift items, stationary etc., Have the owners lost their love for the books as well?

Has any of you been to Akshara, the little book shop that used to be housed below Q-Mart for a long time but unfortunately has had to vacate due to the demolition of the basement. It's now shifted to Srinagar Colony. If you want to see a book store owner who is a real book lover, do visit Akshara.

I would love to see a book store that has rooms set aside for book reading and not just for children. Knowing how important it is for us to keep the book reading habit in our children alive, we should make it happen by making reading entertaining. Make it like a fun event - and the book stores are in a perfect position to do that.

And can there be section (completely away from gifts, stationary, music etc.,) which is just books, books and more books? And some reading spots too?

20 questions to the Hyderabad Traffic Commissioner

1. Why do we have white and yellow lines in the middle of the roads?
2. Will the traffic cops in Hyderabad pass the traffic rules test?
3. Why do motorists in Hyderabad never watch the traffic signal but always follow the vehicle in front?
4. Why are the traffic cops more interested in playing with their mobile phones than regulating the traffic in peak hour?
5. How come the moving traffic is always the best time for pedestrians to cross the road?
6. Why is there no award for the best criss-crossing vehicle in Hyderabad? Everyone seems to be an expert.
7. Are the roads being widened to allow more vehicles to double park and more vendors to set up their business?
8. Why do people coming from the wrong end of a one-way lane think we are the ones committing a crime?
9. Why is cutting lanes so fashionable here?
10. Why is the pedestrian never wrong if he gets hit by a vehicle in the middle of moving traffic?
11. Why are the penalties for breaking traffic rules so miniscule that it doesn't pinch anyone?
12. Does the traffc department penalise anyone at all for breaking traffic rules?
13. What's the Traffic Management Strategy for the city?
14. What would you do to have fewer vehicles on the road?
15. Is there any thinking to make travelling by bus cool to reduce vehicular traffic? A punctual premium bus service that will make motorists take the bus to work rather than their bikes / cars?
16. Do you enjoy driving in Hyderabad?
17. Would you consider a new revenue model by implementing a "Traffic Obstruction Fine" for motorists, pedestrians and vendors?
18. What are you doing to get people to follow rules when they seem to be becoming completely oblivious to the traffic rules?
19. Can traffic in Hyderabad ever be as smooth / organised as it is in Singapore or Europe?
20. If you were to take the Chief Minister for a round of the City at 5.30 pm without the help of pilot vehicles, would you look forward to it?

I want to have biryani

When we have our business associates coming to Hyderabad for meetings, they normally have an open mind for all business issues except that when it comes to lunch, they just want to have the 'renowned Hyderabadi biryani'. Except that there's a problem. The fact is that there is no 'one' hyderabadi biryani.

People would say Paradise biryani is the best. But frankly, I personally think it's over-rated. Having eaten chicken biryani there, I can vouch that chicken can be better cooked. If you are a vegetarian, don't even try the veg biryani at Paradise - you are likely to find bones in it. And the restaurant staff won't even think it is a problem - "chhota haddi hai saab" is what you are likely to hear. But Paradise is legendary (despite the fact that I hate the place) and its tales of fame continues to grow. Try going for dinner to Paradise on a weekend!

Hyderabad House is a good stop for biryani. The meat is far better cooked and is tastier than the food you would get at Paradise. What started out as a simple take away place now has a sitting area too. It is possibly one of the few places where take away food is given on weight.

My favourite is a place called "The Hub" near the Punjagutta circle. I thought they made the best biryanis in town - the people I took there vouch for the taste of The Hub. My parcel comes from there once in a while even though I haven't been there for some time now - the place itself is too dark for my comfort but the food makes up for it.

Yes, Hyderabad is famous for its biryani but which biryani are you talking about? What perception you take home after your visit to Hyderabad will entirely depend on where you get that biryani from.

Brand Hyderabad - there's a long way to go

Hyderabad is truly a majestic city. The culture is enthralling, the architecture marvellous and the language simply enjoyable. Its new transition to a hitech city is the modern view of a city that wants to change, wants a piece of the big buck business action and wants to compete in the bad world of politics and business.

The companies that have set up base here represent the new face of Brand Hyderabad which didn't have an international business name in its home until the IT industry decided to venture into this Nawabi city. For some one who is visiting Hyderabad after say 7 years, this city is unrecognisable. The flyovers, the stylish retail outlets and ofcourse the roads - they are indeed impressive.

But Brand Hyderabad cannot be what it wants to be by just changing its packaging. It has to change its product too. I am here talking about the people and their attitude. The mindset is still more about 'Chalta hai' and not about 'ho jayega'. Indiscipline rules in every sphere of life. Check out the traffic on the roads. What is the use of such wide roads if the users of the roads are all over the place? The cops will possibly fail the theory and practicals of the traffic test miserably. For there is no dearth of people who take the wrong turns in front of the cop in the heart of the city.

A 20 minute drive into the city is enough for one to guage the intrinsic strength of Brand Hyderabad. For all its outward glitz, Brand Hyderabad still has a long way to go.

I love this city and cannot see it going from bad to worse. I am sure this is not an insurmountable problem. Will the owner of the Brand please stand up?