200 Run for 2.5 Billion-year-old Khajaguda Rocks
After the run and breakfast, participants joined a guided walk across the hillocks to learn about the ecological and historical significance of these ancient formations.
Hyderabad: Over 200 people gathered at Fakhruddingutta Hills, also known as Khajaguda Hills, early Sunday morning to take part in the latest edition of “Run for Rocks,” an annual event jointly hosted by the Society to Save Rocks and the Hyderabad Runners. Held on July 27, the initiative aimed to raise awareness about the city’s rapidly disappearing natural rock formations, some of which are more than 2.5 billion years old.
Participants aged six to over 60 ran distances of 6 km, 10 km, or more than 20 km across the rocky terrain. Many said the challenging landscape made the run memorable, offering a special opportunity to connect with Hyderabad’s natural rock heritage.
After the run and breakfast, participants joined a guided walk across the hillocks to learn about the ecological and historical significance of these ancient formations. The event was flagged off by Frauke Quader, secretary of the Society to Save Rocks, and Sangeeta Varma, vice-president, who also addressed the gathering.
Sangeeta Varma said, “The society has been gently pursuing the government to restore these beautiful rock formations to the Heritage List. They were omitted when the new Heritage Act was introduced in 2017. Contrary to popular belief, rocks play an important role in the ecosystem. Our granite formations are around 2,500 million years old and deserve protection from merciless destruction.”
She added, “It’s unfortunate to see heaps of rubble from these fabulous granites, which could have been integrated into building architecture. Hyderabad is a city of rocks, and it’s time we all own this natural heritage and work with the government to conserve it for generations to come. Today’s event, ‘Run for Rocks,’ is yet another gentle reminder by the Society, and we are very happy that the Hyderabad Runners have supported this cause for many years.”
Anil Kuppa, joint treasurer of the Hyderabad Runners Society, said, “Our runners thoroughly enjoyed Sunday’s run with the Society to Save Rocks. Hyderabad Runners has been collaborating with them for over a decade. It was an eye-opener for many new runners who weren’t aware that these formations are over a billion years old.”
He added, “Running on these rocky hills is tough but fun. After the run, many people took part in a guided walk to learn more about the rocks. It’s important for people today and in the future to understand why we must protect these natural rock formations, which are slowly disappearing due to new construction. We urge the government to support conservation.”
