Hyderabad Deccan is found in the state of Andhra Pradeshin India, it is a city that still exudes charm, which is reminiscent of a bygone era with its rich heritage and culture. Today, it is a mixture of modern influences with memories of the trappings and sophistication of the Nizams (Royalty) that ruled that part of India. It is also the city I originate from and have grown extremely fond of over the last few years as I discover more and more about its history and culture. Each time I visit the place; the speed of rapid development, modernisation and technology never ceases to amaze me! I hope to be able to provide you with an insiders view to Hyderabad both from a tourist’s point of view and from years of living and visiting the place. A key to understanding “Hyderabadi” culture and heritage lies in its rich history, which I will explain first.
HYDERABAD –THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
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Hyderabad lies on the banks of River Musi east of Golconda and was founded in the 16th century by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah. It was named after his wife “Hyder Mahal”. The city of Hyderabad is over 400 years old; during that time it has had a multitude of influences that have added their unique charm and character to the city. In the 16th century the Qutub Shahi rulers founded the Golconda Kingdom and ruled the Deccan for around 171 years. It was during the Qutub Shahi reign that Golconda became one of the world market leaders of diamonds, pearls, fine gems, fine cotton, linen and exquisite silks. The World famous Kohinoor diamond in the Crown jewels (now housed in Tower of London, UK) and Orloff diamond originated from Golconda.
The magnificence of the Golconda Kingdom ended in a siege when Aurangzeb captured Golconda following a siege; he was the last great mogul ruler. Following his death the Governor of Deccan, called Nizam Feroze Jung Asif Jah declared his independence from Mogul rule in 1724. This made him the first Nizam (also known as the Asif
Jai dynasty) and this marks the turning point in Hyderabad’s history that makes it so famous today. The reason why I say turning point is that the Nizams of Hyderabad are well known to have been the wealthiest royals of the past and have left a distinct mark on the city.
Hyderabad has had seven generations of the Asif Jai Dynasty (Nizams) rule it for over 200 years. Under the Nizams Hyderabad was the largest princely state in India. It even had its own mint! Currency, postal system, railways and even a small army!
During this extensive reign the Nizams developed Hyderabad on a great economic scale constructing major huge reservoirs and Dams e.g. Himayath
Sagar and Nagarjuna. The last (7th) Nizam constructed many buildings with notable architectural significance such as Osmania Hospital, Osmania
University, Jubilee Hall, Asifia library and Assembly building. I would like to point out that these buildings are still in use today and are of outstanding construction and architecture. It was during the reign of the Asif Jai dynasty many languages developed such as Urdu, Persian, and Telugu also existed.
Urdu was the official language till 1948.
Soon after India gained Independence in 1947, all the princely States were invited to join the Republic. The last 7th Nizam was reluctant to do so, but was forced to do so and Hyderabad State merged with the Union of India. The last Nizam died in 1967 and that marked the end of a glorious princely era. In 1956 when the map of India was redrawn and evaluated according to linguistic states, Hyderabad became the capital of Andhra Pradesh (A.P).
HYDERABAD TODAY
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Hyderabad is the fifth largest city in India with a population of over 5.3 million. It is attached to its twin city called, Secunderabad, which is part of Hyderabad. The Lake Husain Sagar separates the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
The official languages spoken are Urdu, Telugu, Hindi and English.
Hyderabad today carries reminders of these past glories as well as influences from neighbouring villages around the state of A.P. and with it's rapidly developing modern trends is currently known as
hi-tech city! This is one cosmopolitan dynamic city definitely in the fast lane!!
With its many beautiful palaces and buildings (sadly many are in ruins), gardens and streets each with its own history and architectural individuality, which makes Hyderabad a city of enchantment.
More recently, Hyderabad has become known as the hi-tech city of India due to its fast developing software companies and web developers. Microsoft opened its first office in India there last year, investing $50 million. It is booming with an interesting array of modern buildings, alongside the old, yet beautiful mogul architecture. There are still remains of some British architecture when they ruled there too.
Along with modernisation..comes the variety of traffic…..The traffic I warn you is bizarre! I don’t think anywhere in the same city would you expect to find the latest
Mercedes Benz, alongside cycle rickshaws, autorickshaws,
buses, cycles, buffalos (yes, buffalos march calmly down the busy streets, completely undeterred by the heavy traffic!!) bullock carts, and not to mention the holy sacred cow at rush hour…
HISTORICAL PLACES OF INTEREST
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Places of interest include the many old beautiful Palaces, such as Chiran Palace, and Golconda Fort, Qutub Shahi Tombs, and Falaknuma Palace.
Golconda Fort:-
I can highly recommend the sound and light show in the evenings, which is a new added attraction in the
fort. I would also recommend a whole day exploring the Golconda fort in the day a place immersed in history, riches and jewels..this is where the Kohinoor diamond was found.
Qutub Shahi Tombs: -
Near Golconda fort are the tombs of the great Qutub Shahi rulers. These exquisite monuments are built on a
square base surrounded by pointed arches.
These were originally overlaid with blue and green tiles of which only few pieces are remaining now as sadly some of these beautifully made tombs have been subject to vandalism and require money and
fund to preserve them.
Charminar:- (this is in old part of city)
This magnificent edifice of four minarets is located in the heart of the old city and is the symbol of Hyderabad. It is yet another reminder of the phenomenal architecture built by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shahi in 1591. The best time to view this would be in the early morning as it stands in the centre of a busy traffic and it will be almost impossible to admire its
beauty and fine minarets with the haphazard traffic around you.
A stroll around Charminar takes you to the world famous area known as LAD BAZAAR with glass bangles, pearls, jewellery,
perfume, attar (pure perfume) and glassware bazaars.(see Shopping and Tips on how to “haggle”)
Falakunama Palace:-
This is one of the finest palaces in Hyderabad, it is situated on a hill 2000 feet high, located 5 Km. south of Charminar. It has often been compared to Palace Versaille
in Paris.
It is believed that the Falaknuma palace was gifted to the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, by the generous Nawab. The palace was designed by an Italian architect in 1884, and was constructed over a period of 9 years and it covers a total area of 9,39,712 square meters.
The Palace has an interesting architecture as the Nawab being an avid traveller, it shows influences of Italian design and flair. The Falaknuma palace is a rare blend of Italian and Tudor architecture.
The Falaknuma palace has the largest Venetian chandeliers, including a 138-arm Osler chandelier and the palace has 40 such chandeliers embellishing its halls! So grand is this Palace that its famous dining hall could seat 100 guests on a single table. The chairs are carved rosewood with green leather upholstery. The tableware was made of gold and crystal to which fluted music was thought to have been played in the background. I think now you can imagine the grandeur that was associated during the wining and dining of the Nizams.
Fine dining and music were all key
components during the Nawabs life so it is no surprise
to see a ballroom contains a two-ton manually operated organ said to be the only one of its kind in the world. Falaknuma is home to a large collection of rare treasures collected by the Nizam such as fine paintings, statues, furniture, manuscripts and books. The Jade collection of the Palace is considered to be unique in the world.
And for all those wining and dining guests from all over the world the palace has as many as 220 lavishly decorated rooms and 22 spacious halls. The palace has some of the finest treasures collected by the Nizam. Prior permission is required to visit this palace.
The
Taj Group of
Hotels has taken a 30+ year lease agreement to develop and manage the Nizam's Falaknuma Palace as a heritage
resort. I really do not think this place should be made into money-making property for the global consumerist hotel chains of India. What is required is a national heritage trust to preserve and educate the visitors that come to find
out about Hyderabad’s glorious past.
Another historical treat is the SalarJung museum (found in the old part of the city) which contains some rare Indian paintings and statues, collected by Nawab Salar Jung III.
The museum also has Jade room, with its priceless objects of ancient rulers like Aurangazab, Tipu Sultan, and the Asaf Jahi of Hyderabad.
There are so many places to see and things to do that I have not even covered a fraction of them here but hopefully have given you some idea of what Hyderabad was like, and how it is now.
OTHER PLACES TO SEE: MODERN HYDERABAD
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Other places to see are Birla Mandir, a beautiful temple made out of marble which is light up during the evening… a very beautiful sight. A recent addition is Birla
Planetarium, the most modern planetarium in country is built beside this Mandir. There are daily “Sky shows” held in different languages.
In the evenings you may like to try a walk along Tank Bund Road which is a dam across the Husain Sagar lake connecting the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. There are erected 33 statues along its route. The previous Chief Minister of Hyderabad commissioned the single largest Buddha Statue carved out of stone, which took 2 years to erect in the centre of the lake as it sank to the bottom whilst transporting. Personally I do not like the Statue, it is too big, overpowering and are most definitely not subtle.
In this area there are an abundance of
ice-cream parlours as they are known offering you a wide variety of ice-cream combinations from Casetta to Pistacchio.
Hyderabad, is always adapting and changing rapidly to modern trends mainly Americanisms such as burgers, pizza’s, Coca Cola all of these are prominent symbols associated with modern Hyderabad. The influence of Satellite tv has played an important role in the uprise of these modern trends. Almost every household seems to have a large dish stuck on it. I have even seen one on a small hut! The trade of providing satellite tv dishes has rocketed with many Users setting up their own main servers and providing satellite link up to the rest of the street!
If you get a chance to drive out to suburbs of city you should try to eat out in a DHABA (this is an outdoor place whereby usually long distance lorry drivers make their stop on long journeys, like the services
in UK) however the food is freshly prepared. It is cooked on an open fire, and the aroma of freshly
cooked chicken over coal, freshly prepared vegetable dishes and lentils with a hot roti from the tandoor is very tempting! its delicious. Best time to visit a DHABA is in the evenings after dark, when it is cool. These have become popular with families too as the food is delicious and the surroundings spacious and cool.
If you happen to visit Hyderabad in the month of January, you must visit the HYDERABAD EXHIBITION, this is an outdoor exhibition which takes place once a year throughout the month of January. Here, merchants and vendors from all over India come to sell their exhibits, from Indian Silks, Handicrafts from Mysore, ornaments, Kashmiri Carpets, Jewellery from Rajesthan etc etc. “Haggling” is a must here, infact it is compulsory it’s all part of the fun!
Hyderabad exhibits a varied geography with many Hill ranges e.g. Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills; these are beautiful residential areas with an interesting mixed array of modern influences on house architecture. Many actors, film directors, and non-resident Indians live here too. Driving around some of these areas you may forget where you actually are! You could be forgiven for mistaking it for
Spain,
USA, the design of houses are so bizarre and varied with the odd traditional large court house veranda styled mansions of Nizam’s time too.
And WEDDINGS
Okay if that does not take your fancy this is an interesting option provided you dress for the occasion and you are in the vicinity of a Marriage Hall you are more likely to end up with a free unchallenged meal! So get dressed and your banquet awaits….Weddings like any place in India are large affairs and almost every street has about 3 to 4 Wedding Halls (these are Traditional Halls people can hire to get married, they comprise of indoor covered Hall and various marquee set up according to guest needs) I would recommend you attend a Wedding whilst in Hyderabad, doesn’t matter if you don’t know the bride or the groom they’ll love to have you! It is one hell of an enjoyable experience with lots of traditional games played on the groom by the bride’s sisters and girl friends great fun!
SHOPPING – and Tips on how to “haggle”
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Now as you may have guessed there are 2 parts to Hyderabad: The Old traditional Hyderabad and the Modern NEW hip Hyderabad that happily co-exist together.
Traditional Shops:-
I am very fond of the OLD Hyderabad for shopping as it offers a unique experience one you cannot find anywhere else, so I tend to favour small, traditional shops and bazaars, markets and Exhibitions. This is where I mastered my “haggling skills” or “bargaining” as it is known in India. A better word would be negotiating skills to put it politely:)
Whilst walking down the crowded bazaars such as LAD BAZAAR, located in the old part of the city near Charminar. It is important to stay vigilant and be alert the streets are crowded; there is lots of traffic and crowds of people looking at you! So ladies words of advice when visiting old parts of the city do try to cover up and dress modestly, wearing long loose clothes is usually the best way to keep you cool.
Hyderabad is famous for pearls and you will find an abundance of
all types pearls, rice pearls, semi-precious gems, a plethora of glittering artificial jewellery awaits you be it a intricately beaded choker with
multi-colour stones or a diamante necklace and matching diamante white stone studded bangles, its all here, dazzling and shining! What are you waiting for items like these are begging to be adorned by you! It is very tempting to get excited and want to buy everything here, the place really buzzes, and glitters and dazzles and it are not expensive. People also come to Lad Bazaar to buy things for a traditional Wedding, things like henna, glitter, bangles, clothes etc.
You will find the most beautiful hand embroidered cloth here in Lad Bazaar with “zardosi” work i.e silk, silver or gold thread work, with pearls, stones, and other fine items intricately worked in any design you like. Not only are the clothes beautifully embroidered but you will find matching fabric handbags and
sandals intricately embroidered. You can also buy “ready –made” fabrics with embroidered designs which you can get stitched by the abundance of
tailors nearby (they can usually stitch a dress/suit within a day! remember to say “its urgent”) But beware tourists from all over India visit Charminar’s LAD BAZAAR area to buy bangles, jewellery, silverware etc so prices are hiked up!
Whatever the trader asks for half the price! And stick to your guns. He will then come back with a lower price, don’t accept it, stick to your original price. If he doesn’t lower it walk away..he WILL call you back! If he doesn’t there always the next shop..its just a game they all play ..enjoy it. If you don’t like to haggle then I suggest you can go to the modern shopping outlets which are very much as you’d find in UK or USA, most are air-conditioned too, so you will feel comfortable and pay a “fixed price”.
Modern Shops:-
In recent times a multitude of modern shopping malls have shot up all over the city offering authorised outlets selling brand names such as Levi’s, Nike, Reebok, WAP phones, pagers and even mp3 players so on. The main shopping area is Abids in Hyderabad selling a variety of handlooms, silk saris, handicrafts and leather goods. There are plenty of customs notified shops too selling imported goods, but be careful not all goods are genuine! Abids does get very crowded around 3pm due to there being many schools in the area, so it is best avoided at that time, best time to shop is in the evenings. There are many air conditioned shopping Malls such as Shoppers Stop in Begumpet with is Hyderabads largest 5 floor shopping Mall.
FOOD
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Last but certainly not least is Hyderabad’s fine cuisine. Hyderabad is famous for biryani it is a fine art prepared using only the finest basmati rice and pure saffron. This is the only place where you will get to taste authentic biryani apart from home cooked biryani. It is traditionally served with Mirch ka salan and dhai ki chutney and to for afters a special gajar ka halwa (carrot sweet) adds the finishing touches to a meal set for a King! Apart from traditional Hyderabadi foods eg khati-daal (lentils with tamarind), kebabs, Hyderabadi Korma, Haleem (a special dish comprising meat and lentils takes 2 hours to prepare!!)
there is an abundance of South Indian restaurants that cater for purely vegetarians, you will find a choice of dosas, idli’s, vada, samosas and so on, an ideal place to go for a late breakfast.
Hyderabad has no shortage of
restaurants with north Indian, South Indian,
Continental and the very popular Chinese restaurants in the city.
There are also a string of pubs opened in Hyderabad and a couple of dicso’s, (though the last time I visited the chief minister put a curfew on the clubs in the city after it was found his daughter was found at one!
) Hyderabad can be a crazy place at times but it’s a lot of fun too!
WHEN TO VISIT
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The best time to visit Hyderabad is between August - February. The time to avoid visiting Hyderabad is in the month of May when the city temperatures can sore reaching up to 44ºC! June is start of monsoon season. It may not be suited to travellers with small children. Most people visit in Nov-January. December and January and are the most popular months people visit India and hence the busiest times to travel and finding tickets in this period can be quite a task so book early! You will require a Visa to visit India and this can take some time allow at least 6-8 weeks before departure as Indian High Commission can be slow particularly in peak periods.
HOTELS
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Hyderabad has a vast range of hotels ranging from 2 star to 5 Star Hotels. A typical 3 star hotel (eg
Hotel Golconda will cost you Rs 1800 approx £26 for a double room, including breakfast) Luckily for me I have a lot of friends and family out there so do not really need to book
accommodation, but when I do there is plenty of choice. The city boosts of two
5 star hotels being the The Grand Kakatiya and The
Krishna Oberoi. I did stay at "The Krishna Oberoi" a couple of nights after receiving a rather generous wedding gift and I highly recommend it! Now you may be thinking 5 star hotels are very expensive well a double room will cost you around Rs. 3700 (£56 a night). In India prices are quoted per room and not per person. This hotel also has many deals with Thomas Cook offering you 3 days accommodation with free site seeing too. If you book internationally via websites it will cost you more the hotels are clever and have 2 rates one for Indians in India and one for Non-Resident tourists the tourist rate is $90 (£65).
HOW TO GET THERE (UPDATED)
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Thanks to EMIRATES airline I have needed to *UPDATE this opinion, for they have launched a NEW service to Hyderabad [HYD] from July 2001 that operates 8 flights per week via
Dubai. My husband has recently flown on this new service and I can most definitely recommend it. Air India also has flights to Hyderabad (with a short 2hr stop in Bombay); however I would not recommend the flight. Alternatively one can fly to Bombay with a standard airline e.g.
SingaporeAirlines, KLM, Lufthansa, BA (this will cost around £350-£600 max in peak season) and take a short internal connecting flight to Hyderabad. Note: internal flights can cost a lot about £125 return BOM-HYD, so bear this in mind. Hyderabad is also well connected by railway network, though a
train journey to Hyderabad from Bombay will be an overnight affair.
If I had to name 3 things that characterise Hyderabad it would have to be:
1) The rich heritage and beautiful architectural buildings showing glories of a bygone era, pearls, jewels are the world’s famous-
2) Its cuisine is amongst the finest with the subtle blend of spices
3) A city with contrasting modern trends and influences co-existing with traditional trades
It is an interesting array of modern influences with historical and traditional charms.
This is not your usual touristy place, so you may not find package tours as yet, but what you will be able to do is tailor make a holiday to your requirements. Hyderabad offers an ideal stop gap for perhaps travelling down South into Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Any comments, questions about Hyderabad most welcome, and with my vast contacts there..you may not even need to pay for accommodation..its a friendly place:)though that would probably kill the tourism industry..
An opinion of connoisseur_haggler© UK ciao 2001
Hyderabad a City of Enchantment and Jewels 
