An unusual initiative by Taj Falaknuma under the leadership of GM Girish Sehgal, sets an example for all hoteliers.
Tral is a small town prettily situated on the mountains of Jammu and Kashmir. Shaded by trees and its many springs and lakes, the town is famous for its pristine beauty. But off late, calm and serenity has been disturbed due to insurgency. Therefore, it was exciting for a select group of 19 students from Tral to step out of their region into the city of Hyderabad, after spending a little time in Delhi.
This was a part of the National Integration Tour- Operation Sadbhavana, which is conducted by the Indian Army, with an aim to let them visit other parts of India.
Falaknuma Palace is one of the finest palaces in Hyderabad and when in the year 2000, Taj Hotels started renovating and restoring the palace, it gave birth to Taj Falaknuma Palace: where rooms and halls were decorated with ornate furniture and handcrafted tapestries and brocade. It has 101 seat dining hall, considered the largest in the world, and the Durbar Hall, embellished with intricately carved wooden ceilings, parquet flooring, walnut furniture and handcrafted mirrors.
The property warmly welcomed the young students and treated them as young Nawab. They were offered rose-scented towels, and specially made welcome drinks as they got off the chariots. Post the full Palace arrival experience, they received a guided historical tour of the Palace, which was most enriching for them, and helped instil in them the importance of preserving our heritage. The Falaknuma team also organised an interaction session with the children in the grand Durbar Hall, wherein they got a chance to ask questions and for the team to learn about their life back home in their villages in Kashmir.
Later the students visited the Golconda Fort, one of India’s richest palaces. And their reaction was filled with awe. The students were surprised to know that it took ten long years to complete the external structure of the Palace and 22 years to complete the interiors. Abid Ahmed, one of the students said, “People say that Kashmir is heaven on earth, for me this Palace and Hyderabad city feels like paradise.” Another student, Arif Irfan, added, “After seeing Hyderabad, we are inspired. We also want to work hard and be someone. We see the vision here, the progress and the exposure that’s not present back home. We want to learn all of it and implement it there.”
The teachers who accompanied the students, also added that when they were first told about the tour, most of the parents were hesitant. “Most of them are in the agriculture industry and some of them are in the government sector. They have no exposure at all.
So when they heard that we were going on a tour, they just knew we are going to some ‘other state’,” said Muzamil, one of the teachers, who added, “We know that there are
seven wonders in the world. This feels like the
eighth wonder.”
Post the interaction, the students experienced a full Nizami afternoon tea in the spectacular Gol Bungalow, followed by a private Sufi music session. And as they prepared to leave the Palace, they were given a group picture taken on arrival at the front façade of the Palace in lovely ‘ikkat’ frames, and some of the local Hyderabadi souvenirs.
The entire visiting team, including the accompanying Indian Army officers from Kashmir, were overwhelmed with the warmth, attention and care shown by the Palace team, and they thanked Girish Sehgal the GM along with the management of Falaknuma for organising the trip for the young students, who can now be called ‘young ambassadors of India’.
