Amongst the sprawling mansions of Jubilee Hills, you needn’t worry about a lack of lung spaces to escape the honks and shouts of the traffic. One of the city’s prettiest spaces is Lotus Pond, and visiting this serene spot is a rejuvenating experience every time.
Completed in 2001 by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and maintained immaculately since then, Lotus Pond is a biodiversity hotspot for birds such as pied kingfishers, various amphibians and practically endless number of flora species - living up to its name with the blooming lotuses in the glittering pond. Trees in the area also include those growing Custard Apples, Neem and Singapore Cherries.
The access to Lotus Pond is a tricky trek with a single street winding up to its modest entrance. Because of its relatively small size compared to other parks in the city, many people do not realise just how intense it is. The mornings attract yoga and tai-chi groups while the late afternoons draw in working crowds who need a bit of a breather. The 1.2km walking path is ideal for morning walkers, predictably. Gaggles of geese and ducks would be waddling about to further enliven the area. A small gazebo overlooking the pond is worth a picnic — as long as you clean up after yourself.
Ananya, a resident of the nearby area, says she loves doing yoga on the weekends here, as there are more people around and it graduates into a mutually silent group course, which shows the accepting nature of Hyderabadis.
Around wedding season, the place would be popular for couple photoshoots; ideal with its kitsch little bridge and multicolour sunsets — but cameras are strictly not allowed in the vicinity. Another group drawn to the area are botany and biology enthusiasts who wish to study the little critters.
Monsoon favourite
There’s a fairytale feel about Lotus Pond; the tall grass, the slight hum from the nearby traffic, the dragonflies darting about and the layered greenery that adds a pretty dimension to the space. The pond is guarded by a fence to keep the ecosystem safe - and to keep people and children from toppling in, of course.
It goes without saying that such a place with no covering overhead except for some bigger trees, Lotus Pond isn’t ideal for peak summer visits. In fact, the place takes on a rather unreal prettiness during the monsoon - the greens become darker, the pond seems deeper and the flora bursts into life. If you’re paying an evening visit, be sure to have some mosquito repellent on hand, and the lighting isn’t ideal for late visits, so daytime is probably your best bet.