The Food Walk...In Greater Detail

A Charminar walk is in itself a fascinating experience, and you add in a  food walk and it's an inundation on the senses.

Navin, after he quit Google, has been doing some super interesting stuff. He does 'heritage photography walks' . I'd signed up for one to qutub shahi tombs, but rain played spoilt sport that day.

So last week when he messaged saying 'Dhruv and I are going for a food walk, want to come?', it's only after I said yes, that I even asked what exactly that was. 

The list he sent me had me dazed. I said "I'll come and watch". (I'm no foodie).  And notwithstanding their exasperated reactions,  I went.

What an experience that was. Every facet of it more wonderful than the other. Walk through the gallis of Charminar, taking pictures of the little nooks and crannies he knows so well, the titbits of information he comes up with, the relationship he has with the dhabha guys.......and the food tho.....mashallah !

He has it planned out beautifully, starting right from giving us a bottle of water each as we get off the car, to knowing not just what, but even how much to eat.

Rest through pictures:

The start of the walk

We started with Nayaab, a small eatery inside of a small galli. Navin seemed to know not just the menu well, but the folks there too.  

He ordered. Paaya, Bheja fry, tandoori roti. And what's more, he ordered one tandoori roti, and split it in three. He said that's the way you'll get to eat everything on that list I sent  :)

Us after that kick ass start. Was to me, as I've had a mental block with bheja fry, that these two managed to break through :)

He took us on a tour of the kitchen, he seemed to ahve free access to anywhere. Half the kitchen is in the galli out the kitchen.

The paaya

Was amazing to see the dexterity with which he was slicing the onions, super thin, and what's more, he wasn't even looking.

The kitchen, way cleaner than you'd think

More cooking happening in the galli

Next was the 'Baadshahi Ashoorkhana', a heritage sight I hadn't even known off.

Built in 1594, three years after the charminar. It's  a place of mourning for the shias during moharram. There was some prayers on, so we stayed in the grounds.

An abandoned building inside the grounds. There's a huge tree growing right through the building.

The entrance to the ashoorkhana . You can see the Madina building in background.

Dhruva and Navin outside Mashallah Shammi Kabab, our next food halt. Missed a picture of the shammi kababs, they were so yumm I dug in before the picture. They were my favouritest of the lot.

Where they were being made. Looks like we aroused a lot of curiosity.

That's the whole of the eatery, even their vegetables and mixi sit on the tables we eat on.

And then we walked and walked. This was through mir alam mandi

The gate into mir alam mandi

An athar store, and the basket outside, it's meswak twigs used for brushing teeth

Royal fish, a counter on the road that sells just fish. Stood with a scooter as table and ate.

Interesting to see how the sewai was being sold

An old ornate door of a building that's yet in use as residence.

Sheekh kebab, again an eatery that had just two tables, one in purdah, and one outside. There's pictures of Mohammed Ali on the wall, and that got us talking. The owners brother was a wrestling champ and apparently the place is still better known as 'Pehelwan ki kabab'. Actual name is Jehangir Kebabs.

Back to walking towards Charminar

Kesar Chai....was wonderful chai

A kutti store, actually pretty much a cupboard converted into a service store.

All glitz and glimmer...a chudi (bangle) shop

Faloodah at Shadaab. Again, we just split one.

Dusk. A woman lighting a lamp at a really small dargah

Nimrah, right next to Charminar. He had the best Osmania biscuits ever. It's said that no biscuit eaten there is more than an hour old.

And finally avocado juice, at Milan juice right there, on the Charminar boulevard :) It was so pleasant and inspiring kinds, that we chilled there until almost midnight.

After an evening that started at seven and went on into late hours, we must have walked four hours and eight kms. And this is but half the interesting pictures we got.

Navin and Dhruva, so so glad to have done this with you. 

Navin, you've got something wonderful going here. Made me feel full on hyderabadi after a long time. Inshallah, may it grow and grow.

SELCO Again !

SELCO was big part of life for 3 years. Then I moved... on to Counselling and back to Hyderabad. So, when I got a call a few months back asking if I'd be interested in working on a project with them, I found myself saying a wholehearted 'yes' without even a thought.

End of three months was the 'Inclusive Investment Workshop ' held on 20th April at Bangalore. 

We had entrepreneurs, investors, academia and other interested folks. A day and an experience that made me, all over again, understand why SELCO inspired enough for me to up Google and move to Bangalore.

The project was aimed at a deeper understanding of 'how impact investments have influenced an enterprises ability to bring about social change with financial sustainability'.

Let me break that up.

A 'social enterprise' is a company, a private limited company, working in the developmental sector, set up with a social objective, while yet being financially sustainable. 

Impact Investment is 'patient capital that invests in the developmental sector, in social enterprise'. They function on what's called 'impact returns'. While they also look for financial return (ideally lower IRRs and longer Exits) they also measure 'Impact Metrics'.

The workshop was an effort to decode the 'balance' between social impact and financial returns, where invariably one gets compromised over the other, and sadly it is mostly the depth of impact that gets compromised.

The big pictures questions that we set out to find answers to........Where are the fault lines? How do we overcome them? How do we enable the sector that strives to make the world a more equitable place to live in? 

At micro level.....we did in-depth interviews of 30 social enterprises across the country, and this is an infographic of the process.

Needless to say, it was an absolutely fascinating and enriching experience talking to 30 social entrepreneurs about their stories.

Evencargo, a company that's enabling women delivery girls for the Amazons and Swiggys.
VShesh enabling skill training and employment for the differently-abled
Vatsalya and IKure working to take good quality primary healthcare to rural India
Dharavi Markets creating employment for women in Dharavi
Skillveri, providing simulation training and employment for the rural youth, in the manufacturing sector
Edusports providing quality sports training to children in rural government schools
Banyan Roots reviving traditional sustainable agricultural practices to improve the lot of the farming community in Rajasthan
......and the list goes on.

Each an inspired story, each unique in what it sets out to do. The bootstrapping phase of a start up, the building of a business model that works in the social sector, keeping in sight their vision of social impact, struggle to find a footing in an ecosystem that is far from conducive.... the sentiment and passion that keeps them going against all odds.

Some pictures from the event:

Harish, talking with depth and passion as always

A panel discussion in progress, all impact investors and moderated by Mara from Oxfam, on the extreme left.

A graph bringing out the depth of the issue. The blue line is the poverty line. Green line showing how short term change can bring in incremental benefit, and how a single setback can bring things back to or even lower on the poverty line.

The question being asked, what would enable sustainable change...reach the orange line, a line of social security that brings in the level of stability.

A snapshot of the audience

Some quotes from our interviews

Back in office, at my old table. Roshan and Nitesh doing some dramatic posing :)

Brought back all the emotion and depth of the SELCO experience. Sarah, Swathi and Amogh, was wonderful working with SELCO, and you again !!

Infinite Cartwheels - The Story

'Infinite Cartwheels' is a banner under which Mayur and Diksha organize music gigs in the city.

While they're personally picky about their liking in music, for the gigs they do a lot of genres and have had an eclectic mix of bands, typically three to four per gig. They had a gig last week, with 'As We Keep Searching', 'Diarchy', 'Rishab Seen' and Hyderabad's own 'Pandora's Box'. A nice thing I've noticed is that they always include atleast one band from Hyderabad, doing their bit for our own local talent.

The Hindu did a good job on band level detail, in 'Infinite Cartwheels: A Platform for diversity'

The surprise was that they announced this gig as 'Final Edition'.

I've had a bystander view. Over the last year, each time there's a gig coming up, I'd know through seeing a shift in Diksha's coming home timing, increased energy (stress) levels, posters and banners all over her room, and a near madness in her eye as the day approaches.

Seeing 'final edition' made me curious.... inspired a  chat with the two of them. I realized I knew very little. I didn't know when it started, how they had gotten together, what their commitment was..... and finally, why was this their last.

The chat:

Me: Mayur, how long have you been doing this?

Mayur: We've done Infinite Cartwheels for almost an year, we started last May.

Me: Aah, so you started this after Diksha moved to Hyderabad? How did that story start...tell me right from the beginning, how did you even get into music organizing.

Mayur: Infinite Cartwheels started an year back, but I've been involved in organizing music shows for a long time, almost eight years.

Me: Wow, 8 years ! And how old are you?

Mayur: I'm 24

Me: So you started when you were, what....how early?

Mayur: I started when I was sixteen. I had moved to Hyderabad from Bangalore, soon after my 10th.  I got introduced to 'Orka' who was then organizing a rock show at Shilparamam. I volunteered for the show, they liked my work and wanted me to work with them.

Me: So you actually worked with them ? for how long? And your studies?

Mayur: Yes, I worked with them, for six years, and I did my engineering alongside. I learnt the ropes with Orka.

Me: Lovely. So tell me how 'Infinite Cartwheels' came into existence, and how you and Diksha got together for it.

Mayur: I used to work at Fubar, I was their PR person. April last year, Diksha used to be there almost every evening.... she would be either reading or writing, all by herself, at one table. One day I introduced myself, and we got talking.

Over a few days, we realized we were both into the same kind of music, and when I told her I was wanting to organize a gig, she volunteered to help. And I needed help. That's how it began.

Me: That's an interesting story. Diksha, tell your version.

Diksha: When I moved back from Bangalore, I was at a loose end, didn't know what to do. One day I attended a doodle workshop organized at Fubar. I liked the energy of the place, I didn't know anybody there.....but I'd go everyday. I'd just sit there, sip beer, and do my own thing, writing, reading...

And like Mayur said, one day he just came up and said hi, and we got talking. When he told me about wanting to organize a gig, I said I would be happy to help. It was an impulsive thought, but I love music and it sounded like something I'd like to be doing, something so close to music. I put myself fully into it....and that's how it started.

Me: How many gigs have you'll done over the year?

Both: We've done eight.

Me: Nice !! almost one a month. Tell me how it works, how do you figure which bands,  the when, where....all that.

Mayur: It's not structured or planned. We keep our eyes and ears open to what's happening in the music scene, which bands are touring where, it's like a constant awareness and we keep talking, thinking....and then it starts to fall into place. We just go with the feel.

Me: How did it work for you Diksha? How did it shift from volunteering to something committed?

Diksha: I completely enjoy the space,  it's tough but interesting, it's high energy and we get to hang out with interesting people, get to meet some great bands, listen to their stories, their journeys, experiences. I love the work, though it's very stressful at times. People don't realize how much work it is.

Mayur: Tell your mom what you told me the other day, I really liked that, about making a difference to the music scene in Hyderabad.

Diksha: Well, I think we are influencing the music scene in Hyderabad.  It's pretty pioneering, as there aren't a lot of music organizers in Hyderabad. We've now gotten a decent reputation in the city, our own niche following.

Mayur: Over the year we've like become a brand name. I think Hyderabad is now ready for the big scene in music.... we still have a niche audience, but it's definitely happening.

Me: What's the biggest risk you've taken?

Mayur: Skyharbour. It was a massive risk. Our biggest, and most expensive. We knew it was going to be a risk, and gave us many stressful moments. It was a learning experience...it turned out to be a hit, we had 350 people show up, it was jam packed.

Diksha: Most people were shocked that we could pull off that kind of thing in an indoor place, we didn't even think Moonshine Project could fit that many. Apparently some event company sold tickets in our name and we got over booked. I thought that kind of thing happened only to big cricket matches, it was crazy. Not like we made big money, but it was a huge success.

Me: How do you market your events?

Mayur: We use all forms of marketing. It's a lot of the digital platform, we use a lot of social network. We put posters around the city....a lot of word of mouth.

Diksha: We also do smaller events to promote it, make it more fun. Like we did a 'barter counter' once.

Me: What's a barter counter?

Diksha: Where people can bring anything they want and exchange....they do things like collectibles, guitars, cool beer mugs, trinkets...all kinds of stuff.

It's tough though as we need someone to man the counter....friends offer, but it's hard to do as they end up wanting to watch the gig once it starts, and then there's no one at the counter.

Me: What's the most challenging part of organizing a gig?

Mayur: The economics. We don't know till the end, we never know if it will make money. It's always tense around that.

Me: How do your economics work?

Mayur: We try and get sponsorships. Our audience ranges from 20 years to 50 years, so we look to companies which can benefit from the visibility, or like to promote music, or both. It takes a lot of networking.

Me; How has it been so far ?

Mayur: We've mostly managed to break even. Haven't made any money, but it's been a learning experience, and we love what we do.

Diksha: And there's Karthik, from Banjara, a travel company in Mumbai who has been a huge support. He sponsored our initial gigs and then he became like a partner. He's been a great mentor, and when Mayur and I don't agree on something, he's also our mediator :)

Me: Why is this the final edition?

Both: We want to take a break. Step back and reassess what we've done. Use the learnings, and step up our game with Cartwheels. We want to make this into a 'music festival'. Go big.

Me: Big plans. Nice. What about meanwhile? Won't you lose momentum?

Mayur: Yes, so we're meanwhile going to do a bunch of other things that we're now working on, maybe some electronic or  maybe 'sketch and strum'

Me: What's sketch and strum?

Both: It's smaller scale, solo performances and the audience has to sketch the band as they play. The best and worst sketch get prizes. We've done one before, it's a lot of fun, gets a lot of participation.

Me: Interesting. To close, tell me about your most intense moments.... highest risks, biggest highs, whatever......both of you.

Mayur: My biggest risk was when we did sky harbour and I had this moment when I was thinking "why am I risking so much money that I don't even have?"

My high comes when after a gig people come up to me and say "the evening was so great", "you gave us the best night of our lives" "a night that will stay forever". And the bands themselves.... When they appreciate what we've done, they like the energy of what we've created, and are happy to come play for us.

Diksha: It's the moment the show starts. The last two days before the show are the most stressful. And then the show starts.... and then when you see people getting totally lost in the music, some getting emotional, totally into it.......that's my high.

Intense moment is when I think back 'If I hadn't been sitting and reading all alone, all those days, I would never have met Mayur, and I wouldn't have found my thing in life'.

Me: Wonderful. Thanks for sharing such interesting, and intimate details of your journey. It's a fascinating world. All admiration for you both...and wishing you all the luck for your dream and aspiration to take cartwheels to the big league, to make it a  'music festival' !!

Some pictures from their events:

The Skyharbour event. I know only Diksha and Mayur. Mayur's the guy in the blue shirt and jacket. Diksha, not difficult, the only girl in the picture :)

Audience, visibly fully involved

Rishabh Seen, very popular on the sitar

The poster for the 'Final Edition'

The Final Edition bands and Mayur and Diksha, sitting left 

In rapture I guess

The eyes saying so much

Audience again

They created a board with all eight event posters, an adieu of sorts for the Final Edition.

The sheer energy and depth of the pictures tell a powerful story. The line I read from the photographer says it best "The pictures tell what an insane night it was".

The shared passion......when last year they both drove to Bangalore to attend 'Open Air', a music festival, at Bangalore. Also, a picture I really like, one that seems to represent stillness with intensity....so it made it's way in here.

Way to go the two of you....may the Infinite in the Cartwheels go on :)