Helping People Stay Hydrated: A thirst-quencher not just during summer

Even as temperatures keep soaring as a prelude to a long, hot summer, one out on the road, reeling under sun, desperately tries to reach out for a cool glass of water. Catering to such people moving around Mehboob Chowk Clock Tower near Lad Bazar, for 365 days for the last 60 years, is a water camp, Aabdar Khana, which old timers recall fondly.

Set up by nobles

Earlier rulers used to establish Musafir Khana, Aabdar Khana and Sarai to help their subjects irrespective of religion and caste. Different kinds of facilities as a way of this endeavour were established in Hyderabad by Qutub Shahis, Asaf Jahis, Paigahs and others. Aabdar Khana is one among them, established in 1961 with the aid of Paiga nobles.

Sahebzadi Sadat Unnisa Begum, wife of Nawab Khair Nawaz Jung Bahadur, in memory of her mother Sahebzadi Liyaqat Unnisa Begum set up the service. Nawab Khair Nawaz Jung Bahadur was the fifth son of Nawab Sultan-ul-Mulk. They also donated two shops so that the income generated by them would help meet the expenditure of Aabdar Khana.

Traders install cooler

According to Chowk market traders, Aabdar Khana remains opens for all 365 days and during summer there is rush for drinking water. Anyone who passes along the stretch, it quenches their thirst. "The camp has a massive 2000-liter tank and a few years back the Mehboob Chowk traders installed a water cooler for providing cold drinking water," said Hussain Bin Asad of Hussain Stationery shop near the water camp. "During summer, the tank is filled twice a day and which can explain how many people are getting benefitted by this."

Locals restore it

"In the recent decades the water camp remained shut owing to the negligence. The tenants of shops below the tank have neglected their responsibility due to which the service was closed for years," Asad informed. However, in 2008 the traders contacted the family members and asked them to restore the service. The descendants asked the traders to start the service again. "In 2008, after meeting with the Nawab descents, with the help of the then local Corporator Mohammed Ghouse, the traders restored the service. The camp is now restored with a connection of new water pipeline and provided with a motor and water cooler. People get water from 6 am to 11 pm from this Aabdar Khana," said Asad. "Proving water to a thirsty is a good deed and more such social services are needed to revive such good traditions," observed Javed Ali after drinking a glass of water.