About 152.4km from the city of Hyderabad and about three hours drive is the 274-acre campus which is all about Gautama Buddha. The huge structure was thrown open to the public in December 2021. Buddhavanam, as the place is called, brings us close to the Buddhist principles, which mean a lot in the times of COVID and Omicron. One of Buddha’s teachings was that pain is inevitable for humans, but suffering is an option.So, one can skip the snarling traffic and pollution and head to the awesome, lush Nallamala forest, watching the quartzite rocks on the way and the river Krishna flowing alongside. Located on National Highway No 565 connecting the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the Rs 65 crore Buddhavanam project is the latest attraction from the Telangana Tourist Development Corporation. It is known that in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, Nagarjuna Sagar was a seat of Buddhism and several scholars and seekers came from far and wide.As for Buddhavanam in Telangana state, it is a fruit of 5 years of hard work where world-class infrastructure has been developed to attract international tourists, especially from southeast Asia and local tourists. The maha stupa happens to be a white dome with golden lotus petals, and the stone walls are a replica of the original 1700-yr-old Amaravati stupa in dimensions, shape, and design.If one spends time walking around the Pancha Dhyana Buddhas on four sides and four cardinal directions, one will spot the panels from Nelakondapalli, a neighboring town that also happens to have Buddhist connections. 1200 artisans worked for five years to come up with this enticing stupa.Also, one has to observe and relish the beauty of heavily engraved doors that symbolize pragna or wisdom, a Buddhist heritage museum, a theater, and an interpretation center beside a 28-foot stupa of Buddha in dhyana mudra.However, that is not all. Soon, there will be a dhyanavanam, stupavanam. Also, popular monasteries of Southeast Asia will be starting their chapters here. There will be a Buddhist university, research library, hospital with Tibetan herbal medicine, a Buddhist crafts village, and cottages to stay in for tourists. For now, tourists can stay at the TSTDC resort in Vijay Vihar, which is about 3km away from Buddhavanam.

Get Entranced at Buddhavanam, 150 Kms From Hyderabad

The Start-up India campaign has helped many realize their dream of starting something independently. Many youngsters are now opposed to 9-5 jobs that their parents did. Instead, they are willing to work through the day to make their ideas work. This way, they not only get to be their own boss but also employ many others.Gone are the days when one passed out of college and looked for campus recruitments. Today, it is all about cracking an idea with a bunch of friends and setting up a company. Some start-up owners share that finally, Hyderabad is waking up to the idea of a variety of start-ups. There was a time when a start-up meant a tech start-up, and that is no longer the case.Ramesh N, who has recently started his start-up in the food industry, says there are many Indian CEOs worldwide, and this was bound to impact youngsters here. He adds that the education system, which once trained students for jobs in companies, is now pushing them to start something on their own. Also, with incubators and angel investors, things look positive for those looking to set up something of their own.And surprisingly, the lockdowns have helped many to kick-start their ideas. One such girl is Sripallavi, who started a start-up in the children’s domain. She says she had to wait for a joining date after getting a job and that it was during that time that she and her friend hit upon the idea. She says it has been gratifying and lots of fun and hard work.Similar thoughts are shared by Simhadri Prem Satish, an Agri start-up, Prerna Agri Nature Private Limited, and Dr. Sravanthi Ellasiri, owner of Boxwish, a business advising consultancy.

City Entrepreneurs Hinting At End of 9-5 Jobs?

At 23, many would be chilling with friends and not have any big-time goals in life. But today’s generation is a lot smarter, and they have a whole lot of things sorted in life. One such ‘today’s’ boy happens to be Adarsh Kandika. Though not many in India would know about woodball, Adarsh is a champion in the game, has three books to his credit, and is in the process of getting his fourth degree.For the unversed, woodball requires a mallet that is used to pass a ball through gates, either in grass, sand, or indoors, by a stroke or successive strokes. Whoever passes the ball in the least number of attempts is the winner, with each team consisting of 2 to 4 players.Adarsh surprisingly took to the game when his father, who is also a sportsperson, introduced him to the game. He says he never regretted taking up a sport that most people have no idea about. However, he says, he will now do everything in his power to take woodball as far as I can. He says one thing he needs to do is to get international recognition, which will make Indians sit up and take notice.Adarsh had won medals, silver, and gold at the 2018 and 2019 Woodball inter-state and national championships, respectively. He also got a bronze in the 1500-meter race and also represented the country at the Malaysia Woodball World Cup.The young lad has already completed his BA, BCom Finance, and a post-graduation in Banking Finance. But his ultimate goal is to clear the IAS examination and become a bureaucrat. He says he will then bring his name to the country by winning international medals. He credited his parents, coach, meditation, and limited socializing for his success.

Aiming For Two Goals at One Shot

Usually, children are asked what they would like to do when they grow up. And they come up with random job names. However, in the case of Ravi Teja and Sai Teja, they had the same answer they wanted to be travelers. While many kids forget what they wanted to be as children, Ravi Teja and Sai Teja have indeed become travelers. Together, they now run an adventure company.Ravi (27) and Sai (24) nurtured their childhood dream and are now running a successful adventure sports company called Cliff-inn Adventure in Hyderabad. Sai says he wanted to travel, especially to the mountains. In fact, he is a trained mountaineer from Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure and Eco Tourism (IHCEA) in Gangtok. Being passionate about mountaineering, Sai worked under K Ranga Rao, the founder of Adventure Club in Hyderabad. Sai says he learned a lot from his mentor but needed to start something independently.Since they set up their company, the brothers have taken up nearly 100 treks to nearby hills and even the Himalayas. They also arrange smaller treks for families and corporations who want to spend time in nature. In addition, they arrange campsites near forest areas, so they can relax and get rejuvenated before returning home.Ravi Teja says that while many people are interested in going on treks, they don’t have an idea of how to go about it. For this, the brothers have come up with a schedule for self-training, and in case someone is not sure, they offer personal training before the trek. They say they only use A-Grade equipment in unison.For the uninitiated, Sai Teja trained Telukunta Virat Chandra, the eight-year-old from the city who was recently conferred with Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar.

Organizing Adventure Trips is Their Passion

It is widely known that at Lal Darwaza Mahankali temple Bonalu festival will be celebrated on a grand scale amid high spirits among the devotees and organizers.Not many are aware that Mahankali in this temple was decorated with natural pearls more than a century ago, and there is a belief that the temple encouraged several jewelers to establish their shops nearby Charminar.Post the 1908 Musi Floods, The temple's significance grew when Bonam was offered for the first time at the temple so that water receded and there would not be more loss of lives. History says that when the historical flood hit the city, the then Prime Minister of Hyderabad, Raja Kishan Prasad, suggested that Bonam be offered to the Goddess. Later, Nizam directed everyone to carry out rituals as per the Hindu tradition, where pearls in a silver chata were offered along with other items and later immersed in the Musi river. This was how the water levels receded. The businessmen who came to know about it later started a business around the Charminar area," revealed G. Mahesh Goud, chief advisor of Lal Darwaza Simhavahini Sri Mahankali Temple Committee member.The 'City of Pearls' came into existence back then, and the incident said the septuagenarian, who had been serving the temple for years. He also added that this is the only historical reason behind this name for the city, which is not usually possible as it is away from the sea.According to a managing committee member, The Mahankali Temple is amongst the few temples which used to have animal sacrifices involving bovines, the blood of which was applied all over the body by devotees. But this tradition was stopped after 1955 following the intervention of reformers. The sacrifice of animals was replaced by the offering of pumpkins, concluded the person.

Unknown But Glorious History of Lal Darwaza Mahankali temple 

A Defence Research &amp; Development Laboratory (DRDL) contract employee named Mallikarjun Reddy was arrested a couple of days back after falling prey to a honey-trap by a Pakistan-based ISI operative.Getting into details, Dukka Mallikarjun Reddy, an MBA Graduate from Hyderabad, was taken into custody by a joint team of police and a special operation group for sharing confidential information with the Pakistani ISI agent that has the national security.&nbsp;As per the cop's version,&nbsp; Mallikarjun Reddy was working with a Bengaluru-based company in 2018 and later was assigned to a DRDL project on which he worked till January 2020. Reportedly, after completing the assigned project, Mallikarjun reached out to the DRDL authorities and sought a job as a contract employee in the ANSP project and has been continuing to work at RCI Balapur, Hyderabad since then.Based on his Facebook profile that he worked for the DRDL, in March 2020, he received a friend request from another Facebook user named Natasha Rao. As the lady has said the friendship request, Mr. Reddy accepted her request, and she introduced herself as an employee of a UK-based defense journal engaged in the publishing department.In the casual FB chat, the ISI agent enquired about Mallikarjun's profession, location, and nature of work. Police reports suggest that during their conversation, the accused shared some confidential information with Natasha, and they both stayed in touch till December 2021. Currently, Mallikarjun Reddy is being questioned in all possible ways in connection with the Pakistani ISI.

Honey-trapped DRDL Employee Arrested for Sharing Data With ISI Agent 

The Surge in pricing levied by cab aggregators whenever it rains in the city is hurting commuters and making more and more people opt for personal vehicles. This, in turn, is indirectly causing an increase in traffic and air pollution in the city. As monsoon hits the city, rain is expected during most of the evenings. As roads are busy in the evenings, commuters face a double whammy - lack of cabs and surge pricing, say people have environmental concerns.&nbsp;Satyanarayana Mathala, president of Telangana Facilities Management Council (TFMC), says the surge pricing of cabs will push more and more people towards using their personal vehicles to go to their workplace. He added that the city would become another Bengaluru at this rate. We do not want to go that way.Founder president of Telangana Gig and Platform Union Workers (TGPWU) Shaik Salauddin's opinion is that contrary to popular belief, the drivers themselves do not earn more from surge pricing. They are unaware that the cab companies are charging the customer higher fees.In conclusion, Mr. Shaik said that sometimes the fare is hiked to 3-4 times the usual fare, but on their app, drivers will see the usual fare itself. It’s part of the algorithm game played by cab owners.Especially in the IT industry, the lack of last mile connectivity with public transport keeps many IT sector employees away from using them. To resolve this, IT firms have arranged transport for their employees from Metro stations to workplaces.Reportedly, the Central government held a meeting with cab aggregator platforms that cautioned them against levying high surge pricing. But there is no stepping back from the aggregators to date.

Surge in Cab Prices Making Life Difficult for Hyderabadis

On Friday morning, an uproar was in full swing at Secunderabad station. At the railway station, horrifying scenes were witnessed.&nbsp;A man was shot dead in police firing in Secunderabad, trains were burnt up in flames, and private and public vehicles were attacked as highways, and railway stations turned into a battleground amid burgeoning protests against Agnipath, the contentious defense recruitment scheme.Food stalls and other shops on all platforms were looted and set on fire. Some of the protesters were seen with sticks and hammers. When the protesters tried to enter electric locomotive engines, railway officials cut the entire railway station's power.After four hours of dharna and attacks, the number of agitators significantly came down. But those present at the railway station continued to protest on the railway tracks. The police tried to convince them to call off the protest, but they refused to budge.The police then continued their talks with the agitators, surrounded them, and around 5.30 pm, started taking them into custody and shifted them to the police station.Due to protests in the city against the Agnipath scheme, the Hyderabad Metro Rail had suspended all operations for a few hours till evening.By late evening, Operation All Clear became successful, and the railway authorities restored rail operations.

Agnipath Anarchism Rakes Havoc in City

The city boasts of good infrastructure and robust IT growth. However, if one looks beyond the sheen and glitter, there is a reality that is harsh. And one example of such harshness is the dilapidated state of government colleges in the city. According to RTI’s reply to a public petition, Rs 16.25 crore was allocated for infrastructure development in the colleges.Also, Rs 10 crore was allotted for two-degree colleges at Chanchalguda and Falaknuma, and works are yet to commence in these colleges. And it’s not the case with one or two government colleges; degree colleges at Neredmet, Chanchalguda, Golconda, and Falaknuma are in a dilapidated condition. Ironically, the government degree college at Sitaphalmandi is located on private land. The government hasn’t allocated land, and the colleges don’t have basic facilities.“It seems that funds sanctioned for renovating government degree colleges are only on paper. The government claims that the sanctioned amount has been utilized, but the ground reality is no development works have taken place from 2014-to 22. All colleges lack washrooms, there are no fans in classrooms, and a drinking water facility is lacking. There are computer labs without computers,” says social activist Robin Zaccheus.Though the government could have focused and rejuvenated the colleges using the funds, they haven’t bothered to take any steps in that direction, he adds. Due to lack of basic facilities, boys are forced to relieve themselves in public, while girls have to put up with dirty toilets, say the students.In yet another disturbing situation, the degree students at Neredmet college are forced to sit outside as the premises also have inter-college.a

Govt Colleges in Dilapidated State, Despite Having Funds

A young couple in their 20s has been excommunicated from their caste for marrying in the same gotra. Despite people advancing and prospering, some sections of society seem to be stuck in their age-old and often redundant thoughts.The couple who are from Hyderabad’s Shahinyatgunj has been excommunicated for marrying against their parents’ wishes. Incidentally, the couple tied the knot at an Arya Samaj temple in July 2020. The case of contention is that the boy and girl belong to the same caste and gotra. The girl’s family did not accept the marriage as it violated the ‘gotra.’The couple claims that their family members are harassing them by putting up abusive posts on social media. The couple realized that there was a threat to their lives based on such posts and approached the local police. A case of criminal intimidation was filed based on a complaint from the woman. The police accordingly called their community members and the family and warned them to mend ways, shares Afzalgunj inspector Ravinder Reddy.In the same area, Shahinyatgunj, a horrific killing took place in the name of ‘honor killing.’ A 21-yr-old man was stabbed to death in Begum Bazaar for marrying outside his caste. At least five people stabbed the man multiple times on the busy streets of Begum Bazaar. The deceased Neeraj Kumar married a girl a year ago. The police suspect the role of the girl’s family in the murder.

Couple Excommunicated and Threatened for Marrying in Same Gotra

The last week, we have published a story about how a young boy's video of his father's Haleem business has gone viral on social media. The video worked wonders for his father, Mohammad Iliyas's business and he is even thinking on the lines to start a delivery service for his haleem."I was distressed due to no sales on Iftar, but as soon as my son made a video to promote my shop, it went viral, &amp; customers poured in. Sania Mirza's sister also showed up. We'll also start delivery services soon," Mohammad Iliyas, Haleem shop owner says. The kid Adnan says his father used to sell not even 10 plates earlier and now, they are selling 150 plates per day.The pushcart which was earlier named Alhamadulillah Haleem is now rebranded as 'Alhamdulillah Pappa Ki Haleem" and also has the picture of the boy. He has become a social media celebrity now. The business is also now found on Instagram and the page has over 6000 followers already. The business can be found at Motinagar X Road, BorabandaImages Credit: ANI
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Hyderabad: To accelerate his father's 'Haleem' (thick stew) business, Mohd Adnan promoted it on social media followed by an overwhelming footfall of customers. "It was difficult to sell even 10 plates earlier, and now we are selling 150 plates...," Adnan said (18.04) <a href="https://t.co/EMpROFEOAE">pic.twitter.com/EMpROFEOAE</a>— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1516162968475803649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>