Dinesh Sharma's 'Beyond Biryani' explores Hyderabad's future in its past

There is a figurative divide between the old city and Cyberabad, a tension between Hyderabad's history and its future, raising the central question of Beyond Biryani: Does history hinder development?

Beyond Biryani: The Making of a Globalised Hyderabad 

Author: Dinesh C Sharma

Publisher: Westland

Pages: 336 

Price: Rs 799

 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that if one passes by the Cyber Towers in Hyderabad, one is bound to look back at it for another glance for its sheer beauty and design — more so after sundown when it glimmers with lights. With Chandrababu Naidu’s rigorous efforts to make Hyderabad more advanced than Bengaluru, the Cyber Towers were the first twin-tower to be constructed in the city for the promotion of information technology (IT). In his book Beyond Biryani, the science journalist and author Dinesh Sharma traces the transformation of the place from “a proto-colonial city in quasi-Mughal princely state” to “a modern and vibrant metropolis”.

 

The book traces the history of scientific development from the days of the Nizams, who were open to Western medicine and encouraged learning English for students to excel in the field of medicine, to Mr Naidu’s ambitious attempts to make Hyderabad a city at the forefront of scientific and technological advancement.

 

The book has three sections. The first meticulously showcases early-20th-century modern city planning and development following the devastating 1908 flooding of the Musi River. This project, led by India’s foremost civil engineer M Visvesvaraya, gave the city a new skyline by raising a hospital and court on the riverfront. The second section deals with the development of various establishments beyond Osmania University for research and development as the city merged with post-colonial India. The third part shows the city’s physiological change into an IT hub after liberalisation.

 

Mr Sharma’s work is painstakingly thorough with details of various projects, establishments, and the people involved. This can be intimidating to readers who were tempted by the title to look at the city beyond its famous cuisine that’s travelled far and wide. Owing to his career as a science journalist, the author presents this comprehensive history in a matter-of-fact way, leaving his interpretations for the conclusion. He also sprinkles the book with anecdotes. It is interesting to note, for instance, that the early emphasis on teaching technology in local language in Osmania University led to a massive translation enterprise. The Darul Tarjum, or the Bureau of Translation and Compilation, was tasked with the preparation of textbooks in Urdu for all courses.

 

“The Chemistry of Life” in Section II is an interesting chapter on research work on the malaria parasite, chloroform testing, and the beginning of an indigenous electronics industry accelerated by the Indo-Pak War of 1965. The chapter features the establishment of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), headed by Pushpa Mitra Bhargava who returned from the US in 1958. He introduced a research culture that did away with the rigidity of specific working hours in the institute. He firmly believed that research cannot be constrained by time. It requires openness and flexibility.

 

Based on this, Bhargava also approached the construction of the CCMB building on Frank Lloyd Wright’s principle of “form follows function.” CCMB then became a space where any researcher could work at any time, in any space, with access to common recreational areas for discussion with their colleagues. It also became a residence for artists such as M F Hussain, Surya Prakash and Li Yan at different times, which laid the ground for a wholesome creative environment.

 

Section III, “Two Coups and 20/20 Vision” is entertaining for it interweaves Chandrababu Naidu’s dramatic entry into politics, his character and his ambition for Hyderabad. After all, he was one of the first politicians to appear in public with a laptop and was known for his PowerPoint presentations.

 

This book is a perfect resource and starting point for future chroniclers of Hyderabad. The city has made space for itself on international stage by remaining open to the possibilities of scientific discoveries and a better way of living. It has also been lucky to have leaders who were able to gather the best minds who had studied abroad and at home to brainstorm and establish labs, public sector undertakings, defence production units, central universities, training centres, agriculture research centres and technical education institutes. These impacted the private sector and led to many employment opportunities that boosted industrial growth.

 

However, this progress has come at a cost. There is a “figurative divide” between the old city and Cyberabad, which creates a chasm between Hyderabad’s history and the future. People from two ends of the city rarely interact. Mr Sharma states, “Those residing and working in Cyberabad were keen to point out the lack of necessity to engage with areas of the old city, while people from the old city showcased their capabilities of navigating the digital and thereby minimising their need to travel beyond the vicinity of their places of work and residence.” The Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb exists in its “cuisine, rehen-sehan [lifestyle], lingo, attire but also with wit and humour so typical of Hyderabad”. But with the coming of migrants and social media, the exchange of cultural ideas “is restricted to newer parts of the city.”

 

Beyond Biryani leaves the reader with questions: Does history limit development? Can a balance between the two be drawn for a better ecology? Whatever the answers, one thing is certain: This 430-year-old city is constantly growing, willing itself to higher glory led by enterprising rulers and politicians.

 

The reviewer is an independent writer based in Sambalpur. She is @geekyliterati on Instagram and X