KBR National Park

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the fifth largest city in India - Hyderabad lies KBR (Kasu Brahmananda Reddy) National Park. It's difficult to imagine a natural habitat in the center of a concrete jungle but that's exactly what KBR park is - an oasis in middle of an urban desert. One of Hyderabad's prized tourist attractions which in my opinion doesn't get the attention it deserves.

The Entrance <Courtesy: Andhra Aroma>

I don't remember when I first noticed the park but it soon became a sight which I couldn't miss during the course of my everyday commute to work. I always wondered what lay beyond the entrance but never found the time to check it out for myself until last year. But let me back up a bit, there's a back story to my first visit to the park.

In my 'Count Your Blessings' post, I talked about how a walk around my office building started a positive change in my life. That incident made 'walking' a fixture in my everyday routine. The daily walks not only revitalized me but also upped my physical fitness. Each day I pushed myself to walk more and soon enough I had to find more places where I could take those long speedy walks without the fear of interruption. That's when I realized KBR park should be one of the places I must visit to extend my walking regime.

So there I was all set to make my entry into the park on a warm June Sunday afternoon. As soon as I entered the park, two distinct pathways greeted me. I took the one on the right as it looked more sparsely populated off the two and was immediately rewarded with the splendid sight of a peacock crossing the road. The journey only got better from there, every turn in the road took me one step closer to nature. The trees, the greenery, the wilderness all seemed to fulfill my childhood fantasy of exploring the woods. 

The peacock in the middle of the road

After a long walk I settled down on one of the park benches (Yes there are plenty of benches for those who want to take a walk around the park at a leisurely pace). I couldn't help but admire the layout of the park, except for the roads and park benches most of the park was untouched by human intervention which allowed for an unbridled view of nature. As darkness fell I slowly made my way to the entrance and vowed to come back soon (Note: KBR Park closes by sunset and there's no lighting in the park to guide you after dark. Hence it's best to leave while there's still some light).

The wilderness, the peace and the calm

The next time I reached KBR park, I was late (The park has strict timings and anyone approaching the gates before the shutoff time wouldn't be allowed to go in). With no choice I decided to take a walk around the circumference of the KBR park (Yes, there is a pathway around the circumference of the park for walkers). Little did I know then that this journey too like the first one would leave me with lasting memories. The serpentine path laced with boulders first ascended to the top where I could clearly see the road adjoining the park and then descended down a flight of steps bringing me to the level of the road once again. The descents and ascents continued until I reached a rock platform high above the road.  

The steep descent

The sharp ascent

As night fell I sat on a ledge on the rock platform and watched the city traffic roll by (Note: There aren't too many lights on the pathway surrounding the park, it's therefore not recommended to venture out alone into the dark corners of the pathway after sunset). I couldn't help but wonder how many of those cars which went by, belonged to people who were rushing for a night-out right at that very moment. Little would they grasp the bliss that can be experienced through an outdoor activity in the lap of nature. 

The longer I sat on that ledge the more I felt that the park and it's surroundings were indeed one of nature's last frontiers which weren't spoilt by human intrusion. I was thankful that we could salvage this sanctuary but was sad that around the world several natural habitats were being destroyed by rapid urban development. If only human beings could value natural beauty over artificial pleasures, this world would be a much better place to live in. I left KBR with these thoughts that evening and to this day KBR has never left me. If the walk in the park was a memorable trek then the walk around KBR Park's circumference was a bona fide adventure. 

Having roamed around the world, I've had the wonderful opportunity to see several beautiful places but KBR park is truly unique because at KBR nature comes alive with every step you take.  Next time you are in Hyderabad do pay a visit to KBR, who knows a walk in the park might well turn out be a walk to remember forever.

Until Next Time,

Yours Always,

J.J. Chaitanya