Hyderabad

Date of publishing: 5/17/2012

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Destination: Hyderabad | Date of publishing: 5/17/2012

Introduction, Travel Guide, Landmarks and Historic sites, Museums, Streets, Squares and Neighbourhoods, Getting around, Bars, Tours, Nature and sport, Parks and gardens, Theaters and performance, Flea and street markets, Stores and shopping malls, Travel tips, Safety and Warnings

About
Introduction
- Introduction

presence of the Information technology Industry making it popularly known as 'Cyberabad'. With a rich history, culture and architecture representation, its unique character acts as a meeting point for North and South India. Most of the area has a rocky terrain with temperatures in April and May rising to 40C (104F) but during the rest o the year the climate is temperate; with the coolest months being December and January.

Attractions
Travel Guide
- Travel Guide

One of the largest and wealthiest of India's former princely states Hyderabads metropolitan area is the sixth largest in India with an estimated 8.7 million population, it also acts as the financial and economic capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Built its fortune on the trade of pearls, gold, steel, fabric and, above all, diamonds, which some believe remain hidden beneath the foundations of Golconda Fort, and having evolved into a cosmopolitan society due to the heavy

Among the Hyderabads main attractions, a must-see is surely the Golkonda Fort. Several towns in USA named after Golkonda; with its fort beign built for defense from invading Mughals and designed a perfect acoustical system by which a hand clap sounded at the fort's main gates. Once renowned for the diamonds found on the southeast and cut in the city, at a time when India had the only known diamond mines in the world. Falaknuma Palace literally means "Star of Heaven" in urdu designed by an Italian architect and laid out in the shape of a scorpion with two stings spread out as wings on the north. Salar Jung Musem is the 3rd largest museum in India and one of the largest one-man-collections in the world. Salar Jung Musem is a royal treat to the connoisseurs with a collection of over 43000 art objects, 9000 manuscripts and 47000 printed books, dating back to the 1st century. Charminar is a mosque of the four minarets built by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 to commemorate the eradication of plague as well as in honour of his wife (said by some); shortly after he had shifted his capital from Golkonda to what now is known

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Destination: Hyderabad | Date of publishing: 5/17/2012

as Hyderabad.

Landmarks and Historic sites

- Birla Mandir (Sri Venkateshwara Temple)
The Birla Mandir is situated on the hilltop of Kalapahad in Hyderabad. It is open from 7 am to 12 noon and 3 pm to 9 pm on all days of the week. It is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara and is a nice combination of the southern and northern styles of architecture. The temple is constructed from pure white marble from Rajasthan. The mythological figures, the ceiling and the intricate carvings in the temple are an evidence of the craftsmens adroitness. Important scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, the two great epics, are sculpted in marble. There are several lofty steps that lead to the sanctum along which there are several marble statues of Hindu Gods and Goddesses situated amidst verdant gardens. It overlooks the calm waters of the Hussain Sagar Lake and offers a good view of the twin cities Hyderabad and Secundarabad.

the grand Khilwat or the Durbar Hall. The oldest part of th palace is being restored and is made up of four palaces th Aftab Mahal, the Tahniyat Mahal, the Mahtab Mahal and the Afzal Mahal. Out of these, the grandest is the Aftab Mahal which is a two storied building that has a European front portion of Corinthian columns.

- Golkonda Fort

- Chowmahalla Palace
The Chowmahalla Palace in Hyderabad extends from the Laad Bazaar in the north to the Aspan Chowk road in the south. Formerly, this palace covered 45 acres out of which only 12 are extant. Chow means four and mahal means palace thus Chowmahalla means four palaces. In 1750, the construction of this palace was started by Nizam Salabhat Jung however the final completion occurred only during 1857 to 1869 under Nizam Afzar-ud-Dawla Bahadur.This palace complex is a copy of the Shahs palace in Teheran in Iran. Currently this palace consists of two courtyards with elegant palaces, gardens, fountains and

Golkonda Fort is a very splendid fortress complex that is situated about 11 kilometers to the west of Hyderabad. Th best time to visit this fort is from September to March. The name is derived from Golla Konda or Shepherds Hill in Telugu language. Golkonda is made of four disparate forts. There is a long outer wall that is 10 kilometers long and has 87 semi circular bastions, some of which still have cannons. There are also four drawbridges, eight gateways and several royal apartments, stables, magazines, mosques, temples and halls. On the south-eastern corner is the Fateh Darwaza or Victory gate. Here, the door is studded with huge iron spikes to prevent elephants from breaking them. At this gate, incredible acoustical effects can be experienced. The clapping of hands at a specific point under the dome close to the entrance can be heard distinctly at the

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Bala Hisar pavilion, which is about one kilometer away.

- Falaknuma Palace
The Falaknuma Palace is situated in Hyderabad and about 5 kilometers from Charminar. The best time to visit this place is from October to March. This palace has been designed by an Italian architect and it is built completely out of Italian marble. It is spread over an area of 9,39,712 square meters. There is a huge assortment of rare treasures accumulated by the Nizam. This includes books, manuscripts, furniture, statues and paintings. It is said that the Jade collection of this palace is unparalleled in the world. The ceiling of the state reception room is adorned with gilded reliefs and frescoes. In the ballroom, there is a manually operated organ of two tons which is regarded as one of its kind in the entire world. This palace has 22 spacious halls and 220 lavishly decorated rooms. In the dining hall, hundred guests can be seated on a single table. The chairs are created of carved rosewood along with green leather upholstery. The tableware is manufactured of gold and crystal.

sculpture of Veiled Rebecca and popular European paintings like Soap Bubbles and Venice. The building of the museum is in a semi-circular shape. There are twenty galleries on the ground floor and eighteen galleries on the first floor. The objects related to different subjects can be seen in separate galleries. [paragrafo007]

- Eat Street

Eat Street has a number of restaurants for foodie people. This street is popular for its food joints and tasty food too with a large variety of cuisines. It is a bit crowded and one can enjoy his journey to this street with his friends and family. A nice place to hang out, Eat Street also presents a person to come again and visit the street to have fun.

Getting Around
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- Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

Museums
- Salar Jung Museum
The Salar Jung Museum is situated in Hyderabad on the southern bank of the river Musi and is open from 10 am to 5 pm on all days except Fridays. It is the third largest museum in India and is the largest one-man collections of antiques in the world. This museum has jade and ivory works, rare manuscripts, clocks, carpets, Japanese silk paintings, Chinese porcelain, European paintings and sculptures and Mughal miniatures.The highlights of this museum include jade crafted knives of Jehangir and Nurjahan, Arabic Al Quran in Nashq (1288 AD), Musical clock, double figure by Italian sculptor G.H. Benzoni,

Hyderabad International Airport is located about 22 kilometers from Hyderabad city, close to Shamshabad. It is named after Rajiv Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India and is the first greenfield airport in India.After the Cochin International Airport, this is the second public-private partnership venture and is a joint venture between Airports Authority of India, the Government of Andhra Pradesh, Malaysia Airports and GMR Group. As per the project plan, this airport would be spread over an area of 5,400 acres and the expenditure for this project is estimated at 560 million USD. The airport would be able to handle 40 million passengers per year.Lufthansa Technik would be located at the airport, which is the leading provider in the world for overhaul, repair and maintenance of airplanes, engines and

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components.

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Eating & Drinking

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- Pubs & Bars

Hyderabad is not much of a happening place as far as nightlife is concerned and most of the places shut down after 12 at night. However there are several restaurants and popular food outlets in the city which are open till late at night where one can savor delicious lip smacking Hyderabadi biryani and Haleem which are the delicacies of the place.Bottles and Chimneys are some of the popular nightclub venues in the city. The Treasure Island provides a dance floor for those who enjoy dancing. The Dublin at Sheraton hotel and T2 at Taj Krishna are popular hang out places for the elite crowd and have a bar, which serves a wide variety of alcoholic beverages as well as a dance floor. The Light and Sound show which is held at the Charminar is a spectacular night show which is worth watching by all.Apart from this a number of cultural shows are held at the theaters and movies can be watched at the cinema halls. [capitolo010][paragrafo010]

- The Hyderabad Sultans

The Hyderabad Sultans is the Premier Hockey League team from Hyderabad of royal lineage. This team has a mix tradition with modernity and is known as the progressive nawabs. This squad is captained by Sardara Singh since 2007-08 edition. The teams were the winners of the first Premier Hockey League in 2005. Gachibowli Hockey stadium is home of the Hyderabad Sultans of the League. This stadium has a seating of over 8,000 people.

- Tank Bund

- Charminar tour
Charminar is a 500 years old structure. It is a wonderful square structure of granite built upon 4 grand arches and faces all directions. This 186 feet structure is a prototype of Tazia, a representation of the Imam Husain Tomb. One can reach this place through any mode of transport. The tour service makes it a point to showcase the Charminar history and provide a guide too if needed. The best season to see this place is June to March. T

Husain Sagar was a serene and tranquil lake of 24 kilometers constructed by Hazrat Husain Shah Wali which is now popularly called as Tank Bund. In the past, this wa a simple bund that joined the Nizam and British areas of th cities of Hyderabad and Secundarabad. Currently, this is a complex of statuary, temples, parks and sites of entertainment. On the south side of the Tank bund, there are the artistically constructed Secretariat buildings, the Lumbini Park, the NTR memorial, the Hyderabad boat club and a flyover. On the north side of the Tank bund, are the Hazrat Saidani Ma Saheba tomb, the Sanjeeviah Park and the Secunderabad Sailing Club. The lower Tan Bund road is remembered due to the famous and popular Katta Maisamma temple. The Indira Gandhi Park is located close to it. There is also the Necklace Road that connects the Sanjeeviah Park in Secunderabad to the Lumbini Park in Hyderabad. In the middle of the Tank Bund, there is a monolith Buddha statue, which is a center of attraction.

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- Nehru Zoological Park

The Nehru Zoological Park was founded on 26th October 1959 and declared open to the public on 6th October 1963.It is spread over 380 acres in Bahadurpura adjacent to the Miralam Tank with its entrance on Bangalore-Hyderabad highway NH7.In an enclosure of an area of 10,000 square feet there are birds like Tawny Eagle, Shorttoed Eagle, Cinereous Vulture, White backed Vulture and Scavenger Vulture. There are nocturnal animals like Civets, Lorises, Cats, Ratels and Hogs. There is a reptile house where Common Cobra, Banded Krait, Bamboo pit Viper, Saw scaled Viper and Python can be seen. It is proposed that all the three species of Indian Otters would be displayed in a unique complex of three enclosures. This zoo proudly states that it has the first Tiger Safari Park and Asiatic Lion Safari in India. In this zoo, there are primates like Monkeys, Langurs, Baboons and carnivores like Bears, Gaurs as well as herbivores like Elephants, Rhinoceros and Hippopatamus. [capitolo014][paragrafo014]

to pamper. Some people are of the opinion that the original name was Lords Bazaar and this was corrupted t the current name. In this bazaar there are many shops tha sell articles mainly meant for women like saris, pearls, semi-precious stones and gorgeous bangles. Out of these, the most famous items are glistening pearls and colorful bangles however this bazaar is known for bargaining and hence the shopkeepers set enhanced prices. Those who are adept in the art and tactics of bargaining decrease the price by almost 20 to 30 percent. The shops are very confined, so every inch of available space is used by carpeting from wall to wall and requesting the customers to sit on the floor. Auto rickshaws, cars and cabs are not permitted in the bazaar and one has to walk on foot. [paragrafo016]

- City center Mall

City Center mall is located in the heart of Hyderabad. There are 4 floors which are filled with shopping stores and the entire fifth floor is of restaurants. There is the BJN Groups wonderful restaurants too which can make for any dining options. There is also a quadrangle which is perfect for hanging out and relaxing. Some of the shops in this ma are Crossword, Shoe Factory, Trigger and many such brand name stores.

- Jewelry, bangles, pearls and more

- Shilpakala Vedika
Shilpakala Vedika is an auditorium and also a convention center which is located in Hyderabad. This is a 60,000 square feet of auditorium wherein a large amount of terracotta has been used for making this amazing building. The convention center itself has an auditorium which is rather flexible in design and which offers a number of configuration selections. [capitolo015][paragrafo015]

Hyderabad is famous for its pearls, bangles, jewellery, handicrafts and arts and craft. The main shopping areas are the Nampally, Bassheerbagh and Abids. For those o you looking for pearls, diamonds and other precious metal the Laad Bazaar, Mahatma Gandhi Road and Sultan Bazaar are ideal venues. One of the largest bazaars in the city is the Begun Bazaar and is also well known for its brassware. The popular shopping items of this city include the handloom fabrics, Lambadi mirror-work, wood carvings Kalamkari art and Hyderabadi Lacquered

- Laad Bazaar
Laad Bazaar is situated adjacent to the historic Charminar in Hyderabad. It is a one kilometer long, stretched on one of the four roads that shoot from the Charminar.Laad is an Urdu or Hindi term that means to love or

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bangles. The zardozi embroidery work done on saris is a specialty of Hyderabad. The main shopping areas in the city of Hyderabad include the Charminar area, Monda Market, Narayanguda Chikkadpally and Koti Sultan Bazaar. A number of huge shopping malls such as Shoppers Stop, CMR Shopping Mall, Lifestyle, Weekender Kids and Globus Stores have also come up in the city. [capitolo018][paragrafo018]

is a popular dish so one may be tempted to try this, however do remember that most of the dishes are extremely spicy and oily in this part of the city (well tasty as well), so make sure to remind the cook to make the dish less spicy especially if you cannot tolerate strong spices. Be careful while drinking mineral water as it could be tap water filled in bottles, so buy from well known shops.

- Information about the city

The most posh area of Hyderabad is the Banjara Hills. Hyderabad is well known for its Biryani, which is a rice and meat dish.Some other dishes that would prove interesting are the Shahi Tukda (or the Double ka Meetha) and the Kubani ka Meetha. Although, Hyderabad is a safe city, it is not very usual for women to be alone in the city at night. Salads must be avoided except in very posh restaurants. One has to be careful regarding the water and ice. Those who want to drink fruit juice at a good restaurant should ask only for juice and not mixed with water or ice. Tips are not a very usual feature at the restaurants and the system in only one-tenth of the restaurants bill.There is no need to pay tips in cabs.At the tourist attractions, there are tour guides who talk with the tourists and depending on the time for which both are involved, the tourist may pay 1.2 to 3.6 USD (INR 50 to 150).One need not be very particular regarding the dress, but it would be better if a conservative style is chosen. [capitolo019][paragrafo019]

- Safety and Warnings

Although the city is a bit conservative in its outlook, one can wear western outfits as long as they are not revealing so it best to avoid mini skirts and shorts unless you want to attract unwanted attention. The local shopkeepers hike up the prices the minute they know that you are new to the town, so make sure that you bargain and also decide on the auto rickshaw fares in advance to avoid problems. The Hyderabadi Biryani

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