Graveyard with grandeur: Begumpet Vaikunta Dhamam indeed lets souls rest in peace

HYDERABAD: The BRS government in Telangana, which is going full steam in creating modern infrastructure in Hyderabad and beyond, is certainly taking this approach even to the graveyards. The newly built Vaikunta Dhamam or Mahaparinirvana in Begumpet is a live example of the redefined imagery of the graveyards in our midst.

Built at a cost of Rs 8.54 crores and inaugurated by Telangana Minister K T Rama Rao (KTR) on Tuesday, the new-age funeral complex oozes with serenity amidst modernity besides showcasing features that can only be likened to a state-of-the-art facility. Thanks to this ultra-modern ‘place of dignity for the departed’, untidy graveyards filled with filth and gloom are going to be a thing of the past.

What was a dumpyard not so long ago is now a thematic graveyard with hyper-modern architecture and grandeur. The Vaikuntadhamam was developed over four acres of land in Dhaniyala Gutta near Shyamlal Buildings of the busy Begumpet area. In a nutshell, the aesthetics of the modern-day graveyard is certain to leave everyone, including the grief-stricken mourners, awestruck.

Built into a spacious and uncluttered design, the funeral complex features three enclosures named ‘Vaikunta Dham’. ‘Divya Dham’ and ‘Swarga Dham’, funeral platforms, an administrative block, modern washrooms for men and women, bathing area, a ceremonial hall for performing the rituals related to last rites, a cafeteria and a thematic plantation besides a neatly landscaped ‘circular butterfly garden’. Not to miss is the quintessential presence of ‘Bhagwan Siva’, the ruler of the graveyards, in the form of a black statue with the Lord in sitting and meditating posture.

Adorning the high walls are the Vedic scriptures written in Telugu, best suited to the sombre mood and to provide some soothing solace to the bereaved kin of the dead. No one with a sane mind craves to visit a graveyard. But if a look at this video arouses one such feeling, you are certainly not at fault. Blame it on its brilliant architecture..!