‘Gandipet ka pani’ is Back and Tending
Hyderabad: The age-old phrase ‘Gandipet ka pani’ is back and is all over social media after authorities lifted the gates of the Osman Sagar after a gap of 10 years to release excess water from the dam constructed in the early 19th century.
Popularly known as Gandipet, Osman Sagar has found a unique place in the hearts of a grateful public, who swear by the curative properties of its waters. It was planned and constructed by the sixth Nizam Mir Mahboob Ali Khan after the 1908 deluge. In fact, several celebrities including Tollywood actor Nagarjuna Akkineni were not able to hide their excitement about the event and tweeted.
“It’s been ten years since they opened the flood gates of Gandipet. Musi River has come alive again. Go feel the rush but please don’t thrash it,” he tweeted.
Old Hyderabadis connect themselves to the Gandipet as it was once the only source of drinking water for the city.
“Before the Manjira Dam and other projects were executed to ensure water supply to the city, the only source was Gandipet. So it gave rise to several idioms connected to the water,” recalls Nawab Najaf Ali Khan, a descendant of the Nizam family.
The reservoir catered to the drinking water needs of the city for several decades and authorities still draw water periodically.
“Hence, it gave way to the popular saying ‘Jo bhi Gandipet ka pani piya, Hyderabadi hogaya’ and still occasionally people, particularly old Hyderabadis refer to it,” says historian Mohd Safiullah.
Legend goes that Gandipet’s water provide a cure for almost all known ailments. It is also said that visitors who drink Gandipet water settle here. In fact, during the Telangana Statehood movement, politicians used the phrase to define a ‘Hyderabadi’. AIMIM party chief Asaduddin Owaisi at a public meeting said all those who drink the Gandipet water are uncontested Hyderabadis.
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