Hyderabad: National Highway No. 44 is a wonderful road to take if you decide to take a break and visit Pocharam Lake near Medak, about 120 km from Hyderabad. The road is crowded till Medchal town, but once you cross it, it is like the highway belongs to you.
Dotted with small dhabas and restaurants, and a couple of breakfast and lunch joints, including Priyadarshini and the Sony Garden restaurant (which also announce toilets) you can wander at your own pace.
The road is parallel to the railway line, which earlier used to be a meter gauge line and known as the Godavari Valley Light Railway. The Masaipet Dargah, built during the Qutub Shahi period can be seen along the way.
Get off the highway at the 60 km mark and take the old highway to Medak via Chegunta. There are other routes to Medak but this is a scenic one, with trees still growing strong and mighty on either side of the road, giving plenty of shade.
Now, you are in rural Telangana, with small houses and farms on either side, though it is not very green because the harvesting must have just been done. There are beautiful rock formations, part of the Deccan Plateau, and if in the mood you can play a game of ‘guess what shape it is.’
The neat little road twists and turns and suddenly you come on a crop of rocks with a little flag flying atop and a board that reads: Vedanta Raja Yoga Ashramam. The priest said this was an old Lord Padmanabhaswamy and Lord Shiva temple. If you want to visit the temple, mornings are the best time.
Thirty km on, this old highway finally leads you to busy Medak. In the distance you can see the fort, its ramparts still visible in certain places. The fort was built by the Kakatiya rulers. Vehicles can go up to a certain point where there is a Haritha restaurant, with some of the most delicious smells coming from it. The toilets are clean but seem to be a resting place for bats and there are warnings about monkeys.
The view from this place is magnificent. If you turn a blind eye to the concrete structures and look below, you can see how beautiful Medak village must have been. Some of the old houses with tile roofs still stand, looking very picturesque. In the distance is a small lake and ahead you can see the beautiful spire of Medak cathedral.
Descend from the fort and follow the road till you see the famous Medak Cathedral on the left, which is a must see with some beautiful stained glass windows.
Medak Cathedral is the largest of all churches in Telangana and is the seat of the Bishop for the Church of South India. The Cathedral also oversees the diocese of Medak, which is the single largest diocese in Asia and the second largest diocese in the world. It was consecrated on December 25, 1924, on a sprawling 1,000 acres, though the foundation stone was laid in 1914. Built by the British Wesleyan Methodists, the Cathedral is now under the jurisdiction of the Church of South India.
As you drive on to get to Pocharam lake, you will pass a number of old houses, probably built for the people working at the church, and an old cemetery, which is still in use.
Another board declares that there is a deer breeding farm, and since there is a largish forest, there is a new official forest building coming up.
The Pocharam dam was built between 1916 and 1922 and has beautiful stone masonry work. Vehicles traverse over the actual spillway when the dam is full because the water then flows into the irrigation channel. Right now the water is at a low level but it is all around, looking gorgeous, built over the Allair river, which is a tributary of the Manjira river. This is definitely a spot to delight picnickers.
What was the tourist guesthouse, locally known as the Nizam’s bungalow, is made of stone, but every stick of furniture has been taken away, including the doors and hinges. A watchman kept proper watch over the property till the mid-70s when he passed away and now there is Mohan who says that he comes from a nearby village and claims that he “looks after” the place, which is littered with empty plates and bottles. There is a small natural look-out from where one can do some fishing. There used to be some boating, which has apparently stopped. Getting to the dam is a bit difficult as it is uphill and full of thorny bushes on either side. But once there, the view is wonderful. There is an island in the centre of the reservoir, which can be reached by boat. It is green and thick with bushes.
The reservoir is also home to the Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1952. It was the hunting ground of the Nizams. Boards announce the presence of deer and bears and some birds. To venture into the forest would require various permissions and a guide.
There are no shops or eateries so carry your own water and snacks if you feel like a picnic, because the site is beautiful enough to spend some time in.
