An Insight :
It is rare to come across a place that welcomes the 21st century with an
'adaab'. Hyderabad is one such place. There is so much here to awe the
senses. From the magnificent food to the majestic monuments, from its
terrific landscapes to a populace steeped in respect and tradition.
Consisting of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, Hyderabad is
also the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Once the largest princely
state in India, Hyderabad had its own flag, currency, railway, and postal
system, before being incorporated into the Indian nation.
With a rich history, Hyderabad boasts of some fine examples of Qutab Shahi
architecture - the Jami Masjid, the Mecca Masjid, Toli Masjid and of course,
the impressive symbol of Hyderabad, the Charminar.
A unique feature of the city is that it is the only city in the south,
where the major language spoken is Urdu.
Home to the Nizams, reportedly, the world's richest royals, Hyderabad is
also home to famous folk arts like shadow puppetry and kuchipudi.
Lets Explore the City of Hyderabad :
» The Charminar - Has four wide roads radiating
in the four cardinal directions. The structure is square, each side
measuring 100 feet, with a central pointed high arch at the center. The
whole edifice contains numerous small decorative arches arranged both
vertically and horizontally. The projected canopy, ornamental brackets and
decoration in stucco plaster add graceful elegance to the structure. The
upper courtyard was used as a school and for prayers at the mosque. The
minarets, their domed finials, rise to 180 feet from the ground.
» The Galleries Of Charminar - There are two
galleries in it, one over another, and all over a terrace that serves for a
roof, bordered with a stone balcony. In its heyday, the Charminar market had
some 14,000 shops, a unique conglomeration of a grand oriental bazaar. The
whole market around the Charminar is crowded with shops of glass bangles in
rainbow colors - Red, blue, green, yellow, orange, mauve and pink-and many
more.
» The Mecca Masjid - Near the Charminar stands the
Mecca Masjid, whose construction started by Muhammad Qutb Shah in 1617 and
completed by Quranzeb in 1693. It is a grand edifice with a huge courtyard,
which can accommodate nearly ten thousand men at prayer. The other two
mosques--the Jami Masjid and the Toli Masjid-are small and modest structures
in the city.
The Falakuma palace, the Chowmukha palace, the Regency Mansion, built in
1803, the Husain Sagar Lake, Naubat Pahad, a hilltop crowned by the Birla
temple, Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, the Nehru Zoological Park the Salar
Jung museum are some other tourist places.
Shopping in Hyderabad :
» Pearls - The Qutb Shahi rulers and the Nizams
loved pearls and diamonds and therefore the pearl work flourished in
Hyderabad. The Asaf Jahi Nizams not only wore ropes of pearls studded with
diamonds as part of state regalia but also used paste of crushed pearls as
beauty aids. Osman Ali, the richest of the Nizams stored pearls and diamonds
in sacks in basement chambers. The flourishing trade of pearls at Hyderabad
attracts tourist and connoisseur alike.
» Bidriware - Hyderabad is also famous for
Bidriware, a type of encrusted metalwork where one metal is inlaid or
overlaid on another. It looks similar to damascene work (koft gari) with
gold or silver. Originating from Bidar, this art achieved perfection in
Hyderabad. Bidriware derives its beauty from the contrast created by the
inlaid metal-gold silver or brass against the black background.
» Kat SarisThe Kat saris, the traditional saris of
Hyderabad turn women irresistible for shopping. The other popular variety of
saris is from Siddipet, Dharmavaram, Narayanpet and Gadwal. Also typical of
the state is Kalmakari-the hand painted fabric, and Nirmal painting, using
dyes to create memorable scenes from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
Where is Hyderabad?
» By Air - There are number of daily flights to
almost all the major cities in India. Hyderabad is also an international
airport, Lufthansa, Silk Air, Air India, Emirates and Air Lanka operate
direct flights.
» By Rail - Hyderabad is well connected to all
major Indian cities. There are number of daily express trains from Hyderabad
to other cities of India.
