The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Hussainsagar turns holiday getaway

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Monday, Aug 11, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Hussainsagar turns holiday getaway

Staff Reporter

Crowds throng Tank Bund to catch the lake in ‘action’; hawkers do brisk business

- PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

Wonder struck: People watching the full-capacity Hussainsagar on Sunday.

HYDERABAD: Curiosity is one human instinct that cannot be turned a blind eye to. Perhaps that’s what drove Hyderabadis in hordes to the Hussainsagar on Sunday to witness the spate of the lake in the aftermath of the cloudburst that lashed the city for the past three days.

Festive atmosphere reigned at Tank Bund with crowds thronging along the entire stretch to see for themselves the visuals that had been repeatedly churned out by various television channels. Unbothered by the slight drizzle, people jostled for space to have a look at water gushing out of the vents near Marriot Hotel and at various points on Tank Bund road.

Digicams snapped and flashes flickered. Onlookers posed for pictures in their attempt to capture the loch in spate.

Three men, the adventurous kind, ventured onto the narrow strip that extends into the lake while a few others had to be content settling on the grass near Sailing Annexe.

White foam, formed due to efflux of water caught the attention of many an onlooker. Children squealed in delight at the sight while a few others hid their faces in the chests of their dads jittery at the sight.

Jagannatha Rao who is a regular visitor to the lake is excited.

“This Sunday is all the more memorable as we had a chance to witness the lake in spate instead of watching it on TV,” he said.

Hawkers were a happy lot as milling crowds ensured that their business thrived. Siva, who sells ‘moori chat’ was happy that his business was good after two days of almost no business.

“There was a continuous flow of crowd right from morning,” he said.

Home guards J. Ramu and Ramesh posted near the hotel had a tough time controlling the traffic. “Since most people are parking their vehicles along the sides of the roads to have a look at the lake, the flow of traffic has slackened,” they said.

Even those travelling by cars and autos craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the choppy waters of the lake.

When there is roasted corn to nibble and a lazy Sunday evening to spend, can animated conversation be left far behind?

Many were heard wondering aloud if more rains would cause the lake to overflow like it did a few years back while the environmentally-conscious grumbled at the filth that had accumulated on the lake.

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