A memory of Gandipeta By R.Krishnamurthy

How sweet used to be the water
How fresh it was even in summer
It would stir your appetite like a tonic
You wouldn’t have to visit a clinic

It would quench the thirst of millions
Meeting their needs in gallons
A reassuring sight for a resident
Or a traveler taking lodge in a restaurant

How overhead tanks overflowed
How under the taps children enjoyed
There was no talk of water scarcity
In the whole Hyderabad city

Somebody called it Gandipeta
Somebody deemed it Himayath Sagar
But whether you’re a beggar or a millionaire
It treated everyone as it’s beta.