A heartfelt letter to Hyderabad. Blending history with storytelling, Paravasthu Lokeshwar explores the origins of its bastis, the legacy of its monuments, and the lives of the people who shaped the city's diverse social fabric. Filled with anecdotes and memories, this book captures the warmth and the charm of our city through the stories of its bastis. "Even as the gargantuan metropolis of Greater Hyderabad grows at a monstrous pace, the nostalgia for that 'original' diamond in the Deccan continues to find literary expression. Paravasthu Lokeshwar's 'Shehernama' offers a soulful tour through the heart and belly of a city transformed." -- Sanjaya Baru, Hyderabadi, political commentator "The Hyderabad that I grew up in was secular and diverse and home to much variety in cultures, in cuisines, in language. We took that for granted. That culture, those stories can run the risk of being submerged by the avalanche of information. These stories are simple and beautiful and illustrate the diversity we grew up with. I loved reading them. It made me more Hyderabadi." -- Harsha Bhogle, Hyderabadi, cricket commentator & journalist