Exploring Hyderabad's hip Maqtha art district
21.07.2023 - 08:01
/ roughguides.com
Hyderabad is one of two capitals in southern India’s Andhra Padesh and Telangana state, twinned with Secunderabad. It’s an old city – founded in 1591 – with bazaars, museums and palaces to explore, as well as a burgeoning technology scene that’s giving the area a much-needed surge of energy. Nearby is Hussain Sagar, an artificial lake, that separates Hyderabad from Secunderabad.
But if you take the time to step away from the tourist trail, you’ll be rewarded with something altogether different; a spot that will undoubtedly become one of the highlights of your trip. Intrigued? We don't blame you. Here’s why a visit to Hyderabad's Maqtha Art District should be at the top of your list of things to do in India.
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The small neighbourhood of Maqtha bursts with colour: children dash through bright-yellow alleyways, washing is hung to dry out of the windows of electric-blue flats and motorbikes cluster at colourful street corners. It was once an area that was busy but anonymous – the streets were so small they didn’t have any names – one that looked similar to countless other neighbourhoods, with roadside shops and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. But if you visit there today, it makes for an unforgettable experience: there can be no confusing where you are as soon as you step foot in this distinctive art district.
Situated next to the Hussain Sagar, Maqtha was one of the greenest area in Hyderabad, a fertile ground which was used for agriculture. In the piece @saadhux associated the name of the lake with an imaginary poet giving him the feature of a primitive looking character whose face takes on the characteristics of the masks (Nazar Battu) that are found outside the houses in Maqtha to ward off bad omens. The personification of the lake gives birth to the geometric patterns of the tree that stands central in the composition reimagining the lost past greenery of Maqtha. The colourful and cluttered chaos that characterises the piece with additional elements such as calligraphy resonate with the hustle of the layered concrete architecture and the multicultural nature of Maqtha.
It all started with not-for-profit organization, St+Art India. The foundation aims to make public spaces more vibrant, with a focus on promoting social roots, urban design and, most importantly, art that is accessible to all. They’ve previously worked in two other cities in India: Lodhi Art District in Delhi, and Mahim (E) Art District in Mumbai. Maqtha was once an unassuming neighbourhood humming with the comings-and-goings of daily life, but St+Art’s initiative breathed new life into this hard-working