Hyderabad engulfs you in traditional
warmth. Be it the yummy lip smacking food, the old buildings including the
Charminar, the city weaves a magic spell. A truly magnificent city in every
way epitomizes true old world charm, yet progressing by leaps and bounds.
The city has a history of over 400 years. It is the fifth largest
metropolitan city in the Indian Subcontinent. The enchanting city has been
shaped beautifully by a multitude of cross cultural influences. Every corner
in Hyderabad can boast of a duality that is harmonious, the confluence of
the Hindu and Muslim communities. With its pleasant climate, wonderful
shopping areas, magnificent and much talked about cuisine and the amalgam of
diverse cultures every street, every monument; every tree must have a
wonderful story to narrate. Also called the City Of Pearls, the streets of
Hyderabad once saw these precious items being sold on the street like the
peanuts being sold these days. The capital city of Andhra Pradesh is one of
the most techno savvy cities in India, second perhaps only to Bangalore. It
soon might be India’s second Silicon Valley. The future, for the city
of destiny, looks promising.
History
The fifth ruler of the Qutub Shahi Dynasty, Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah founded
the city of Hyderabad in 1586. He called it Bhagyanagar in honour of his lady
love Bhagmathi, for whom the city was built. When Bhagmathi married Quli Qutub
Shah, she was rechristened Hyder Mahal. The city too got a new name, Hyderabad.
The city is modelled after the Iranian city of Isfahan and was an attempt
to recreate paradise on earth. The city bowled over the French traveller Tavernier,
who compared it to Orleans. By the 1670s, the city was the central point of
all trade in the East.
Hyderabad has grown enormously in the past 400 years and has now become a
commercially aggressive city, competing with the older metropolises of the
country. The city is attracting a lot of investment and other opportunities
for economic growth. It has been playing host to some major trade shows and
technology fairs in India in recent years.
What to see
Hussain Sagar
Bridging the gap between Hyderabad and Secunderabad lies the Hussain Sagar
Lake, more so known as Tank Bund. Visible even from the hilltop of Kala Pahad,
where the Birla Mandir is located, the lake is witness to Hyderabad's medieval
history and its present glory. But the most watchful sight at the lake is
the world's largest Buddha figure standing tall in the middle of waters. Having
the height of 17.5 m, the sculpture is made up of a large block of stone.
Osman Sagar
And as if the Hussain Sagar Lake doesn't quench your thirst for boating, Osman
Sagar is at help. A dam over the river Musi, this lake attracts thousands
of tourists each year. And it is not just boating; Osman Sagar quenches your
thirst even in literal sense as it provides drinking water to the city becoming
significant with respect to Hyderabad's civilization as well. If you want
to spend a romantic evening with your partner, there's a beautiful florid
lawn adjacent to the dam.
Charminar
A symbol of success, the Charminar, stands tall. This majestic monument in
the heart of the old city is the signature of Hyderabad; it was erected by
Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah to commemorate the eradication of plague from the
city in the year 1591. Visitors are allowed inside only the cellar of the
monument. It is open till 10 pm.
Mecca Masjid
Only for Muslims, Mecca Masjid gets its name from the bricks that were imported
from the Muslim's holy city of Mecca and were used in the construction of
its central arch. The mosque can accommodate over 10000 parishioners at a
time and is considered to be on of the largest in India. Unfortunately, non-muslims
are not allowed inside the building. The work for Mecca Masjid was initiated
by the Qutub Shahis but unfortunately they couldn't complete the structure.
Hence, later on it was completed by Aurangzeb in 1694.
Golconda Fort
Situated around 11 km from Hyderabad, Golconda Fort consists of eight gates
and 87 citadels. Famous for its diamond market in earlier days, the fort is
well-known for its resourceful water supply and acoustic systems. Adapted
from local language Telugu word Golla Konda which means Shepherd's Hill, Golconda
is worth watching during its sound and light show. An hour long English performances
everyday from March to October starting at 7 pm is worth to lookout for. It
is believed that the famous Kohinoor diamond originated from Golkonda.
Qutub Shahi Tombs
And when you are at Golkonda Fort, less than a kilometer away are the
tombs of the Qutub Shahi kings. Velvet canopies on silver poles, carpets and
chandeliers adorned the tombs inside Ibrahim Bagh in the past. Time to visit:
9.30 am to 4.30 pm except Fridays
Salarjung Museum
A massive collection of antiques is displayed at Salarjung Museum in its 35
rooms. Apart from watching remarkable collected work of European and Indian
paintings, do not miss Jade Room of all as it stocks the priced possessions
of the kings like Aurangzeb, Tipu Sultan, Shah Jahan and the Asaf Jahi rulers.
No other plans are necessary on the day of visit to the museum as once inside,
you are bound to get hooked to its beauty. Considerable amount of time is
spent discovering the entire museum. Time to visit: 10 am to 5 pm except Fridays
and government holidays.
Birla Mandir A blend of Oriya and Dravidian architectural styles, the temple
stands on Kala Pahad, facing the Tank Bund. See it at night, when it is lit
up. Museums
Birla Planetarium
Birlas doesn't have just the temple here. There's also Birla Planetarium in
the middle of Hyderabad. Telugu and English shows are regular at this planetarium.
Time to visit: 10.30 am to 8.15 pm except last Thursday of each month
NTR Gardens
Fruits restaurants, insects made up of fiberglass, Machan tree, Japanese garden
and even a monorail train ride, all under one roof. Sprawling 36 acre NTR
garden, bordering the Hussainsagar Lake proudly shows off this and a lot more.
The garden is home to the memorial of the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh,
late N T Rama Rao and is named after him. Late evening lights give the garden
an extensive look.
Getaways
Moving farther for about 50 kms from Warangal, visitors can watch the
heavenly site of Pahal Lake. The lake is surrounded entirely with lush green
forest and hills and can well be called an ideal romantic place. It is a man-made
lake coming into existence during the era of the King Ganapathi Deva. While
spotting animals like tigers, panthers, leopards and sambhars and a few migratory
birds during winter in this nature-rich area, make sure not to disturb this
wild habitat.
Nagarjunkonda (160 km from Hyderabad)
Nagarjunasagar is perhaps India’s first island-museum. The chain of human
evolution in India, right from the Prehistoric to the medieval times has been
represented here. The main attractions here are Simhala Vihara, a monastery
for Ceylonese monks and Mahastupa, one of the oldest structures on the island
that contains few corporal relics of Lord Buddha. There is an architectural
museum containing several idols and statues, figures of yakshis, coins, pottery,
a model of the submerged valley, and exhibits dating back to the Stone Age.
Travelling : Visits to these near by destinations can be classified
as sight seeing tours so pick up some snacks and food, ask your hotel or a
travel agent nearby to see if they can arrange transport for you. Take loads
of film rolls as there is plenty in store for keen shutterbugs.
Dining Out
The trip to Hyderabad is incomplete without having itsmouthwatering and world
famous rice preparation Biryani. Ingredient for non-vegetarian biryanis is
chicken or mutton and vegetarians are loaded with different kind of vegetables
nicely cooked with nuts and spices. Other compulsory items to consume are
tamarind rice and a meat dish called Halim.
There's some good new for international travelers. The city has a lot to offer
to tickle the tastebuds in the form of Chinese food.
The influential moguls who ruled the place gave birth to the Moghlai dishes
here whereas the locals generally prefer having simple south Indian food.
As mentioned earlier, the food is hot and spicy and these mouthwatering dishes
may cause not just your mouth but also your eyes to turn watery.
Shopping
Pearls, Pochampalli silks, vegetable-dye paintings, miniature paintings,
lac bangles, block-printed textiles, handlooms bedspreads. The list is endless.
The shops on Patthargatti Road provide a variety of saris, silks, cottons,
and readymade outfits. Recommended shops are Kalanjali, PublicGarden, and
Meena Bazaar (in Tilak Road and Basheer Bagh).
For pearls, visit Mangatrai (outlets in Patthargatti and Basheerbagh) or Lepakshi,
the Government of Andhra Pradesh's handicrafts emporium at Gunfoundry. The
Cottage Industries Exposition (Begumpet and Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad)
is a good hunting ground for handicrafts, carpets, furniture, linen, and miniature
paintings. If you are the Begumpet outlet, you could hop over to Contemporary
Arts & Crafts (in Panjagutta area). The shop prides itself in its beautiful
collection of fabrics, objects-de-art, table and bed linen, wooden and wrought
iron furniture, beautiful tea cups, paintings, and home accessories.
Your next halt should be Lad Bazaar, also called the 'Bridal Bazaar of Hyderabad'.
The real draw is the exquisite range of stone-studded lac and glass bangles.
Nayeem Bangles and Jewellery Shop specialize in stone, shellac and metal bangles
in all the possible colours. The designs are intricate and eye catching. The
Sultan Zari Palace specializes in rich zari and zardozi (fine gold-thread
embroidery) saris and wedding outfits.
Visiting
The most pleasant months are October to February. The maximum temperatures
at this time of the year hover at 28 º– 29º C. The nights are
cool at a minimum temperature of 16º C. In the summer months the temperature
can soar upto 40°C in the daytime, dropping to a minimum of 30ºC
at night. The monsoons hit the city during June to December.
Tourist Offices
The Andhra Pradesh Travel & Tourism Development Corporation (APTTDC) is
the state's tourism department. It is responsible for the promotion and management
of tourism in the state, and the APTTDC officials are probably the best equipped
to deal with visitor queries. The office in Hyderabad is on Bund Road, next
to the Lumbini Park Tank. It is open everyday from 10:30 am to 6 pm. Telephone:
(040) 7816375.
The Government of India tourist office in Hyderabad is at the Sandozi Building
in Himayatnagar. It will be able to provide you with valuable information
on travelling anywhere in the country. It is open from Monday to Friday 9:30
am to 5:30 pm. Railway stations and central bus stations usually have a tourist
office counter too.
How to get there
Air
Hyderabad is an important centre in the air transport network of south India.
There are flights in either direction between Hyderabad and Bangalore, Mumbai,
Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Nagpur, and Visakhapatnam. Hyderabad
has an international airport too and sees flights mainly to the US and the
Middle East.
Rail
The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad are extensively covered by the
railway network. There are train links with the metros, besides Bangalore,
Bhubaneswar, and Visakhapatnam and towns within Andhra Pradesh.
Road
The city is easily accessible by road as it lies on the crossroads of National
Highways 7 and 9. Buses of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation
(APSRTC) as well as private operators ply to all important towns and cities
within the state.
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