Hyderabad draws its character from its architectural richness. But, as is the case with most cities in India, it is slowly losing its charm owing to the real estate boom, population explosion, illegal encroachments and the apathy of the government towards protecting historical monuments. It is this story that a unique photo exhibition titled Golconda — Hyderabad wishes to narrate.
The exhibition by German photographers Hans Winterburg and Thomas Luettgen at the Salar Jung museum showcases stills from 1975, 1996 and 2011. “It is a question of relating to one’s history and roots. Here, people want to live like Americans and buy German cars. It’s time efforts are made to raise awareness in society,” says Hans, but is cautious of ‘accusing’ anyone.
But do we need outsiders to tell the city to listen to the silent cries of deteriorating monuments? The answer lies in history — Hyderabad has always been a melting pot of cultures from different rulers, immigrants to neighbours. So the frames of two German photographers are as important as any local’s plea, more so as their genuine affection for the city is evident.
The two photographers had a local force with them in the form of their driver, Basheer Ahmed, who is now as much a part of the exhibition as the artists. Recalling the times when they returned to sites like Golconda fort and Qutub Shahi tombs in 1996, Hans says, “In 1970, we could see Golconda from the tombs. Now, the spaces are completely filled with buildings. When we went back in the 1990s, we faced real danger from illegal encroachers and liquor brewers who had taken over government land.” He also rues the fact that political factors have also led to destruction of the momuments.
While our cities grow bigger, how do we strike a balance between urbanisation and protecting our roots? “You need space, in between the monuments and the cityscape. The Indian lifestyle, in general, is in grave danger. There is no space for people to walk or for children to play,” observes Thomas Luettgen, who reminisces that the Hyderabad of 1975 felt like a ‘dream country’.
Anuradha Reddy P., convenor of Intach Hyderabad, which is also involved in the Goethe-Zentrum exhibition, points out, “The photographs chronologically convey a message. The first series shows the photographers’ love for the city and later, there is a sense despair captured in 2011 frames. The cause is unplanned expansion of cities. Neglect of nearby places has also led to immigration.”
