‘Hatiyan ka Jhad’ to be out of bounds for visitors soon?

Hyderabad: With the construction works being undertaken under the Naya Qila precincts of Golconda on the route towards the famous ‘Hatiyan ka Jhad’ (elephant tree) Baobab, locals fear that visitors will lose access to the pathway completely.

The locals informed The Hans India that the Hyderabad Golf Course (HGC) began widening of the moat channel towards clearing waters coming from nearby Shah Hatam Lake. “Already, there exists a moat channel. However, the HGC began expanding this into a nala adjacent to the boundary wall of the Naya Qila. This will completely eat up the pathway towards the famous tree, people visit to see,” said a local activist on condition of anonymity.

The activist further informed that the waters that are already polluting the Bagh-e-Qutb and the sprawling Persian garden would further damage the fort precincts. “The visitors are already not being allowed, citing the construction works as the reason. The development by HGC and the expansion of the golf club have already posed a risk to the heritage structure of the Naya Qila and its walls. The walls are on the brink of collapse, but the authorities are nowhere concerned with restoring them,” he pointed out.

The more than 400-year-old Baobab tree with a large trunk is native to Africa. This tree has a width of 89 feet, and the cavity is formed inside its truck. According to folklore, this tree trunk could have accommodated 40 men (notorious thieves) to hide during the Qutub Shahi era. One can observe that the tree is spread out and appears like a huge foot of an elephant.