Mangoes and Mogras

Back then, during our Hyderabad days, we simply took it all in.
We rarely stop to notice the things that quietly become part of our lives until, one day, they are no longer there.
The familiar neighbourhood shops, quiet roads, cycle-rickshaws, cinema halls, summer afternoons, childhood games, street-side treats, old buildings, shared traditions and the simple rituals of everyday life of watching a black and white TV or eating mangoes on hot summer afternoons. So ordinary then, so precious in memory now.
This is a journey through those disappearing worlds: streets that have changed, customs that have faded, kotis and palaces that have crumbled, friendships and easy camaraderie that once seemed effortless, and little joys we never thought we would miss.
From Hyderabad’s old streets to the many experiences that shaped a generation, these essays look back at a time when life felt
slower, closer and perhaps a little more uncomplicated.
Because sometimes, what we remember most is not what happened, but what quietly disappeared while we were busy living it.