Nourishment for souls
The New Indian Express, 4 April 2023
Excerpt:
The ‘Secret Ramzan Food Walk’ with The Deccan Archive and Hyderabad Walking Company at Nampally was not just an assortment of food items laid out on a dastarkhan, one can be assured of nourishment for souls as well, for they never let their walkers leave without a piece of history, a slice of information to savour for a lifetime.
Not just Haleem: This Ramzan, ‘secret’ walks in Hyderabad’s old city unearth hidden food treasures
The Indian Express, 3 April 2023
Excerpt:
Conceived as ‘The Secret Ramzan Walks’, Navin Sigamany, Mohammed Sibghatullah Khan and their friends are attempting to bring together the city’s history, heritage, and culture as well as the culinary characteristics of the purani sheher.
From identifying smaller outlets that dish out delicious local cuisines and charting out food trails that encompass the city’s history as well as culinary heritage, they aim to offer the ‘Ramzan ki Raunaq’ in a true sense.
During Ramadan in Hyderabad, All Roads Lead to Haleem
Eater, 23 March 2023
Excerpt:
Apart from mutton, you can find non-GI haleem made with chicken, beef, duck, turkey, prawn, fish, emu, and jackfruit. Then there are the toppings. According to Navin Sigamany, a Madinaguda resident and the owner of The Hyderabad Walking Company (which runs a Ramzan Walk), most shops offer the standard fried or caramelized onions, chopped coriander, bright red shorba, and a slice of lemon. There have always been a few eateries willing to experiment, throwing in half a boiled egg, fried cashews and raisins, or a drizzle of fresh cream; as the dish has become more popular on social media, more eateries are adding additional ingredients, meaning there is always another new bowl to try.
There are also many ways to enjoy haleem outside of the street stalls. Small restaurants cook haleem in pressure cookers all year, and Sigamany encourages people to explore their neighborhood haleem shops, some of which add their own twists to the dish. During Ramadan, many customers also prefer to take their meals home to their families. “Locals can be seen bagging huge portions of haleem to take home and enjoy with the company of loved ones,” Sigamany says. Many establishments also partner with delivery companies to facilitate the iftar rush.
But it’s the scene that surrounds haleem that makes eating it so special, a feeling that begins even before the holiday. Sigamany suggests visitors check out the restaurants pre-Ramadan to watch them set up their bhattis, a huge operation in and of itself.
Ever tried a walking tour in India? Meet the locals doubling up as historians and curating trails
The Hindu, 10 February 2023
Excerpts:
Having moved to Hyderabad for work in 2006, and “fascinated with the city, its stories, its people, its food and its culture”, Navin quit his job and set up The Hyderabad Walking Company in 2017.
“[The City of Pearls walk] is a great introduction to the city since it combines a little bit of history, culture as well as a taste of every Hyderabadi’s favorite Irani chai and Osmania biscuits.”
Navin’s most popular culinary tour is the Old Hyderabad Food Walk, where “we explore local-favourite eateries in the Charminar area in a three-hour walk that combines awesome food with the history of the area we are walking in.”
India heritage walks: From the Sufi trail in Srinagar to stories about the Begums of Bhopal
Money Control, 15 May 2022
Into the thoroughfares
The New Indian Express, 27th March 2019
Navin Sigamany, who started Hyderabad Walking Company, out of love for the city elaborates on how Hyderabadis and others enjoy city walks over the touristy few hotspots.
This man is giving Hyderabad’s tourists a walk to remember through his engaging heritage walks
The New Indian Express, 29 June 2018
Navin Sigamany’s The Hyderabad Walking Company ensures that during their heritage walks, you not only walk with fellow enthusiasts, but alongside history as well
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