Born in Delhi, lived partly in Kolkata, yet Anju Poddar is a true blue South Indian. An author and art lover, Anju moved to Hyderabad in 1973, when her husband, Vinod Poddar, was posted at a steel plant in the city. Anju says it’s one of the best things that happened to her. The warmth and simplicity of South Indians is endearing, she says.
“There are so many historical places in the city. From the day I moved here to now, I have been exploring it. Charminar, Salar Jung Museum, Golconda, Qutab Shahi Tombs, Falaknuma Palace, the Pathar Gatti, the Mozamjahi Market... I could go on and on. Back then, the city was more traditional and quaint. I lived at Banjara Hills, and it was beautiful. There were peacocks on the streets! Abids was a centre for shopping then. Gold and silver ornaments were sold near Charminar. The city has now become modern. Though I miss how it was back then... I still love the city,” confesses Anju.
Her relatives and friends from her hometown visit Hyderabad. “I first take them to Salar Jung Museum; that’s one of my favourite places. We visit Purani Haveli, Mecca Masjid, Chowmahalla Palace, and Laad Baazar and so on. Hyderabad has lots to offer, especially to the lovers of handlooms. Ikkat, Jamdani khadi saris, Uppada, Kalamkari, Venkatgiri, Mangalgiri saris... the list is endless. We shop together,” she says.
The languages, culture and art, are a few other things that make her a proud Hyderabadi. “The city hosts some of the best contemporary artists; K. Laxma Goud, T. Vaikuntam, Surya Prakash, Chintala Jagdish are a few artists that I respect. It indeed has an active art scene,” admits Anju, who has developed a collection of contemporary Indian art, which she collected passionately over four decades.
“Apart from the IT buzz, the city is known for its medical tourism,” she informs.
“Being a vegetarian, I have so many varieties of food to choose from. Whoever plans to visit the city will never go back disappointed,” she says, adding that Hyderabad is one of the easiest cities to live in.
