As Hyderabad Trails lines up events to mark World Heritage Week, its founder Gopala Krishna shares the story behind the forum

The World Heritage Week begins on Thursday, November 19, and continues till November 25. If you want to explore historical pockets of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and didn’t know where to begin, a set of walks organised by Hyderabad Trails might help.

Hyderabad Trails has a steady following since its first set of walks in June. After living in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, Gopala Krishna moved to Hyderabad two years ago to make his debut feature film. Intrigued by the confluence of cultures in Hyderabad, he sought avenues to learn about the city, its history, food, architecture and people. To begin with, he posted a message on Facebook inviting like-minded people to join him on photo walks.

Soon, he organised a series of weekend walks through the month of Ramzan. “It was intended to be a one-off walk. Around 1500 people showed interest and I divided the walks into three varieties — the Iftar (7 pm. to 10 p.m.) walk, Shab-e ramzan walk (10 p.m. to 1 a.m.) and the Sehri walk (11p.m. to 7 a.m.)

Requests came in to organise further walks and he started Hyderabad Trails along with conservation architect Arunima Shankar. “The night walks around Charminar turned out to be a new experience for many. Hyderabadis often visited the Old City during Ramzan with friends and family, but not through structured walks. Such walks are common in Delhi and Mumbai during Ramzan but the atmosphere here is more vibrant. I found that some of the IT employees hadn’t visited this part of the city despite having been in Hyderabad for a decade,” recalls Gopala Krishna.

The idea behind Hyderabad Trails is to facilitate people to meet, learn about the city and share stories told through oral tradition. “I find it surprising when, in a group of 100, hardly a few know when Hyderabad was formed (1591). There are hundreds of fascinating stories, like the one about Bhagmati,” he says.

Gopala Krishna kept reading up on Hyderabad and Secunderabad’s history, and was eager to do more. “A number of dargahs are scattered through the city. I spoke to people and learnt about the difference between a mosque and a dargah and how Deccani Sufism thrived in Hyderabad for two to three centuries,” he says. Gopala Krishna organised a Sufiyana walk in August, taking 80 participants through 13 prominent dargahs between Darulshifa and Charminar, accompanied by a Sufi group. The second Sufiyana walk was in September when Bangalore-based Kabir Project group visited Hyderabad.

Elsewhere, in Alwal, Gopala Krishna was curious to know about the predominant Tamil population and the temples. “I learnt that the Alwars (worshippers of Lord Vishnu) who were travelling from Kumbakonam to Varanasi in the eighth century had passed through this area and were taken in by its serenity. They installed an idol of Venkateswara and promised to return. Later, they returned and formed a settlement,” shares Gopala Krishna. Next, he organised a ‘keertana walk’ in this area.

More walks followed, including a Dusshera Night Walk recently.

Hyderabad Trails organises walks for free or for a sum of Rs. 50 and Rs. 100; the team is looking for volunteers to spread the word on social media, design posters or design installation art.

Walks by Hyderabad Trails

November 19: 7.30 a.m. Mahlaqa Bai Tomb to Maula Ali Dargah

November 20: 7.30 p.m. Paigah tombs

November 21:

8a.m. Qutb Shahi Tombs

10:30a.m. Naya Qila Walk (near Golconda Fort)

6p.m. Hill Fort Palace, Adarsh Nagar.

November 22:

7.30a.m. Sufiyana walk through dargahs of Charminar

11 p.m. Night walk at Charminar

November 23; 7.30 a.m. Visit to Monsieur Raymond’s Tomb

November 24; 10 a.m. Salar Jung Museum

November 25; 10 a.m. State Archaeological Museum

November 26; 7 p.m. Visit to Yousufain Dargah, Nampally, with a Qawwali performance

November 28: 7.30a.m. Osmania University Trail

November 29; 7.30 a.m. Alwal Temple trail.

To register, email hyderabadtrails@gmail.com, check facebook.com/hyderabadtrails or call 9849687318

A number of cultural events are also being organised in the evenings.