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A reason to celebrate

Students of Pranava retrace the history of Secunderabad

PAST REVISITED Students with Shanta Sinha.

Were the celebrations of 200 years of Secunderabad truly `splendid' and `vibrant' as they were made out to be? Did the `enchanting' cultural performances reflect the rich heritage of our city and its people? Meet 30 high school children from Pranava who have truly celebrated the bicentenary of Secunderabad by taking the opportunity to retrace the history of the city they call home, through an academic project on heritage monuments and their conservation. After scores of interviews, several visits, studying of old maps and sieving through information, they have documented their learning into a booklet and a short documentary film to be released on Pranava Day today.

This exposure has given them lessons in history, geography, political science and environmental education that they could relate to and hence will remember far better than any textbook information. Script writing and documentary film-making were skills they picked up while on the project, not to mention a deeper understanding of Secunderabad's glorious past and uncommon human sentiments well worth replicating.

Tracing the city's history

The book on Secunderabad.

Armed with guidelines from UNESCO's Heritage in Young Hands, names of a few old residents and an eagerness to invest both time and patience, these youngsters scouted around like amateur detectives. With assistance from the Army Sub-Area they visited prominent landmarks in the cantonment area like Winston Churchill's residence, Abbey House, Military Hospital and discovered that Secunderabad originally had three Forts one which is presently the Military Reformatory, second the College of Air Warfare and third the dilapidated Mud Fort. They also chanced upon the oldest photo studio in the cantonment area Frankel's Studio, which has such a wealth of history that they recommend it being turned into a Photo History Museum.

With pride they learnt that Swami Vivekananda delivered a lecture at Mehboob College before he went to Chicago, that Sir Ronald Ross made what was termed as `one of the most dramatic discoveries in Medical Science' at the old Military Hospital in our very own Begumpet and that an ancient `Step' Well can be seen to this day on the CIEFL campus.

Niramala Sitharaman, Director, Pranava said, "Unfortunately, as adults we send convoluting messages to the young, instead we should sensitise them to the social planning and planned city development that once existed which included all strata's of society, and expose them to the exemplary practices that have left their mark to this day. The outcome of this project has been gratifying to both students and teachers."

PADMINI B. PATELL

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