Such Great Heights

Today our group had the fortune of visiting Golcunda Fort. The first thing we saw was a banyan tree that is the largest tree in Asia. We weren’t allowed to go in, but it is said that five people can stand in the cave-like structure that the roots have made. We were then able to climb up a tower on the back side of the fort and overlook the area around the fort. Although my sometimes intense fear of heights made the climb up and down quite difficult, I must admit that it was worth it. The views were simply breathtaking. On one side we saw the bright green pastures, trees, and running streams. On the other side we saw the city as it is now – many buildings, high-rises, and rolling hills. The views kept getting better as we climbed. We went up all 380 steps to the very top of Golcunda Fort. Everything was extremely peaceful there. A calm wind was blowing, the sun was just starting to set, and Hyderabad looked beautiful. The sun reflected off the white buildings in a way that made them glow, and little colored rooftops dotted the scene.

And yet, from being here for two weeks, I can assure you that Hyderabad is not calm and peaceful. The city is full of bustling cars, trucks, people, and animals. The streets are littered. There are thousands of shops and restaurants everywhere, most of them usually packed. And our work here has made us very aware of the education and poverty issues of Hyderabad. But when standing so far away from the city, I almost forgot about it all. There was not a sign of any of those things. Everything looked so perfect, so pristine. It amazed me

Photo Credit: Courtney Montgomery

how deceptive certain perspectives can be. That’s true of everything, if you think about it. If you know about a city, a profession, or even a family from a distance, everything seems great. You only get to know the problems as you familiarize yourself with it more closely.

For what it’s worth, I guess Iron & Wine said it right: Everything looks perfect from far away. And today, Hyderabad looked perfect.