Lexury at Low cost

Luxury at low cost

During my trip to Hyderabad for participating In the Half Marathon, I was staying with my cousin at Somajiguda in the heart of the city near Raj Bhawan, Banjara Hills etc.  The ITEX Expo where the BIB number and T Shirts were being distributed was far off from there. Last year I went there by an auto spending huge amount on conveyance.  This year I decided to go by public transport.  On enquiry I was told that I can go by local train. Necklace Road Railway station is only walking distance from my place of stay. When I reached the station, a train going to Yellampalli passing through Expo city was standing on the platform. Since I had not purchased the ticket, I did not board that train. I purchased a ticket which was costing Rs 5 only and without enquiring I was told by the booking clerk that the next train is at 9.10 AM, after about 40 minutes.

There were only a handful of passengers in the platform. The platform was facing the famous Hussain Sagar Lake.  Lake view hotels and lake view apartments are very costly but here I could enjoy lake view at free of cost. Moreover, in those hotels and apartments lake view will be hindered by some objects in between but here I was enjoying an unhindered view of the lake.  It goes to the credit of Hyderabadis that they kept the lake neat and clean unlike in some other cities where lakes are rivers are dirty pools by making them dumping grounds.  Perhaps for the first time while waiting for a train, I thought it better if the train comes late so that I can enjoy the beauty of nature for some more time.  As the name correctly indicates, necklace road is a necklace on the neck (Hussain Sagar Lake) of Hyderabad. I was tempted to have a boat ride at the lake, but unfortunately I was not having spare time. Story of a fascinating boat ride will be posted later

Train reached about 20- minutes late which helped me to have full one hour lake view. It was half empty and I could get a window seat.  Never could I travel in such a luxury in a city journey. (Mumbaikers will wonder whether it is possible to have a city travel like this.  During one of my trip to Mumbai, unable to bear the horror of train journey, I travelled by bus which took 2 hours to reach the destination. On return journey, at about 11.30 PM, my host suggested me to travel by train as there will be no rush. I could not get a seat in the train but I could reach the destination in 15 minutes. According to Mumbaikers, no rush means one can comfortably stand) I could view the lake for few more moments.  On the way 2 villagers boarded the train, one with a basketful of jasmine flowers and another with a basketful of curry leaves.  The whole compartment was filled with fragrance.

.  I was tempted to ask for a couple of curry leaves from the vendor.  He told me to take as much as I want.  What a generosity.  I took few leaves, squeezed one by one, smelled and thrown through the window.   I could never see such natural curry leaves for sale as all the curry leaves available in most of the markets will have only the shape and not the smell.  My journey completed after about 25 minutes covering 8 stations, all at a meager price of Rs 5. I think most of the people always talk about high cost and never about low cost.