HYDERABAD
TOURISM
Overview of Hyderabad
The 5th largest city in Indiabut the smallest district
in Andhra Pradesh and the densest one in the whole state.
State: Andhra Pradesh
Area: 625 km² (241 sq. mi)
Time Zone: IST (UTC+5:30) GMT,
4.5 hours behind the Australian Eastern Standard time and 11.5 hours ahead of
American Eastern Standard Time (winter).
Distance from Hyderabad to some Important Cities
§ Delhi - 1499 km
§ Mumbai - 711 km
§ Bangalore - 562 km
§ Chennai - 688 km
§ Kolkata - 1516 km
Region: Telangana
Location: 17o E 22’ N Latitude & 78 o 27’
Longitude
Founded: 1591
Founder: Muhammad Quli Qutub ShahFifth Qutub Shahi
Ruler
Population: 8893640 (Year 2008),31, 45,939 in 1991 and
has grown to 38, 29,753 in 2001
Country code of India: 0091 or +91
City code / STD code of Hyderabad: 040
Languages: Telugu, Hindi, Urdu and English
Currency: Indian Rupees
LOCATION
It is located on the top of
the Deccan Plateau, 1776ft., above sea level, and sprawls over an area
of 100 Sq. miles. Hyderabad is situated at an altitude of 500metresand
almost in middle of India. And according to the Hyderabad MasterPlan 2020
the city will expand from 1,864 sq. km to over 2,000 sq. km.
There are different routes
to Hyderabad. From Jaipur via
Kota-Bhopal-Betul-Nagpur-Adilabad is 1411 km.
The History
§ Ruled by
the Qutub Shahis, the city has a history of nearly 400 years. The CapitalBhagyanagar
was named after a royal beloved Bhagyamati, who later as the wife of
Quli Qutub Shah became Hyder Mahal and thus was born Hyderabad.
§ Hyderabad
was founded on the River Musi five miles east of Golconda, the
capital of the Qutub Shahi rulers in 1591-92 by Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah.
§ Hyderabad, under the Nizam’s, was
the largest princely state in India.
§ Soon after
India gained independence, Hyderabad State merged with the Union of India. On
November 1, 1956 the map of India was redrawn into linguistic states, and
Hyderabad became the capital of Andhra Pradesh.
Hi-tech Hyderabad India
Hyderabad is one of the most
developed cities in India. It is an emerging information technology (or IT) and
biotechnology hub of India.
Hyderabad has witnessed a
remarkable growth in the real estate business, thanks to a predominantly
information technology-driven boom in the 1990s and the retail industry growth
over the last few years which have spurred hectic commercial activity. A number
of mega malls have come up and are being built in the city.
The rapid growth of the
city, along with the growth of Secunderabad and neighboring municipalities has
resulted in a large metropolitan area.
Hyderabad is the financial
and economic capital of the state. The city is the largest contributor to the
state's gross domestic product, state tax and excise revenues.
The infrastructural
facilities for basic research in Hyderabad are some of the best in the country,
hosting a large academic population from all over the country and beyond.
Climate
Weather in Hyderabad is very
pleasant. Temperature in Hyderabad ranges from 11°C to 42°C.
The capital city of
Hyderabad is well connected to most major Indian cities and some overseas.
Secunderabad main station is well connected to all cities of the country.
By Air
Hyderabad is well connected
to national and international destinations with both national and international
air carriers. Needless to say you can reach anywhere from Hyderabad in no time.
Hyderabad is centrally located and exudes a huge potential to be transformed
into a transit hub of South Asia
By Rail
Being the head quarter of
South Central Railway, Hyderabad is well connected from all major cities of
India. There are railway stations at Hyderabad (Nampally) and Kachiguda also.
Trains leaving from these two stations can be boarded at Secunderabad railway
station
By Road
Hyderabad, being Capital
city is well connected by Road from all major cities in Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka, TamilNadu, Maharashtra and Orissa.
HYDERABAD MAP
Charminar
§ It was
commissioned by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah to commemorate the end of the
plague, and completed in the dying years of the 16th century.
Golconda Fort
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§ Enter the huge iron gates,
rusted in place for centuries, and you'll discover a community with its own
schools, cafes and wedding halls. This was, after all, the original kingdom
before Hyderabad. And where a shepherd boy once found a magic idol, there now
stands a crumbling fort.
§ A few things everyone will
tell you about the Golconda - acoustics, diamonds, secret passages. The first
refers to the design of the Fort, which served an important function in days
before the intercom. The second detail is mentioned with some wistfulness for a
time when Golconda's diamond mines were the only ones in the world. Legendary
rocks like the Kohinoor and the Jacob have been unearthed here.
The third and most intriguing issue of the
secret passages is nothing more than a good story, because even if these
rumored routes to the Charminar existed, the authorities have now walled up any
seemingly furtive pathways to avoid accidents or mischief.
§ The Durbar Hall, situated
on top of a small hillock, bears the full brunt of this cruelty.
This Hall was where the royal couple held court with the commoners, and is the last stop on your tour after the rock-hewn Kali temple.
This Hall was where the royal couple held court with the commoners, and is the last stop on your tour after the rock-hewn Kali temple.
Sound & Light Show, 55min
English: 7pm, daily
Telugu: 8:15pm, Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays
Hindi: 8:15pm, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
Mecca
Masjid
§ It is one of the largest mosques in India - one of the
largest in the world in fact - and took 8,000 masons and laborers, 77 years,
and, if stories are to be believed, 1,400 bullocks (!) to be finally completed.
The Mecca Masjid is a must-see on any self-respecting tourist's itinerary, and
with good reason. Lying in the center of Old Hyderabad and just southwest of
the Charminar, this mosque, which claims to be able to accommodate over 10,000
worshippers at a time, has several stories behind it.Its construction was begun
in 1617 by Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, who is said to have transported
earth from Mecca, got bricks made out of them, and placed these bricks in the
central arch of the mosque.
§ The Mosque was completed in 1694 by the Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb, and since then has come under considerable repair. Patches on the
walls and cracks in the pillars are common, even after the chemical wash in
1995.
§ The fact remains that like most of Hyderabad's older tourist
attractions, Chowmahalla is in no glamorous location.
§ The Chowmahalla Palace was the first palace to be built in
the Asaf Jahi dynasty, and was where the Nizam entertained his official guests
and royal visitors.
§ It took 10 years to build Chowmahalla, but it was almost
overnight that it became renowned as an object of beauty and architectural
magnificence.
Necklace Road
§
The Hussain Sagar stink is
negligible, there's plenty of grass (to sit or play Frisbee on, we mean) and
there are innumerable vendors with puchkas, bhel and cool drinks.
§
The biggest attraction on
Necklace Road now, characteristic of Hyderabad, is Eat Street, a selection of
restaurants offering the very best in munch-by-the-lake cuisine
Shilparamam
§ Held in the last two weeks of December every year, the annual Crafts
Mela, also known as The Overpriced Rip-off Fair of the Year, is only one part
of life at Shilparamam.
§ The walk up to it is torturous, but the view is wonderful, and the Punugulu
(a fried Andhra snack served with flaming chutney) are just the thing to munch
on when sitting under the wide-open sky.
Qutub Shahi Tombs
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§ These are the Qutub Shahi tombs, the mausolea of the 'Sultans of
Golconda', surrounded by the lovely landscaped gardens of Ibrahim Bagh. The
tombs here consist mainly of the seven Qutub Shahi kings who ruled Golconda for
nearly 170 years (all the kings except the last, who was a prisoner in the
fortress of Daulatabad, near Aurangabad, when he died).
§ The carving on these tombs is elaborate and intricate, and the
architecture shows a mixture of Persian, Pathan and Hindu styles.
§ Built in 1602, it rises to a height of 42.5 meters,
and has a huge dome and 28 open arches on each side.
§ The most important of these is the tomb of Hayath
Bakshi Begum, daughter of Mohammed Quli, with a stone tank and a fountain. Two
courtesans, Premamati and Taramati, the favorites of Sultan Abdullah Shah, also
lie here.
§ Other important monuments include the dargah of
Husain Shah Wali, the revered Sufi saint known as the builder of the Hussain
Sagar in 1562; the Mortuary Bath used to perform the ritual washing of the bodies
of the dead kings; and the mosque of Hayat Bakshi Begum. The last is known as
the great mosque of the Golconda tombs, and has on it the most delicate
calligraphic inscriptions.
Salarjung Museum
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§ Salarjung Museum is huge. Spread over 10 acres and
4 floors, and with close to 40,000 exhibits, the museum is a collection of
various artifacts gathered by Nawab Turab Ali Khan, popularly known as Salar
Jung I, the Diwan of the Hyderabad State, and his descendants, with the
collection of Salar Jung III alias Mir Yousuf Ali Khan forming the major chunk
of the art pieces on display.
§ There are a total of some 36 galleries spread over
two floors, the ground and the first. You can start with the Founders' Gallery
and move on to the Western Furniture gallery. The Ivory Section is ethereal
with a whole chair set made of ivory, which was presented to Tipu Sultan by
Louis XV. A lot of statues and figurines set in ivory encircle the Centre
display of the chair set.
Ramoji Film City
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§
When Ramoji Film City was built in 1991, it
injected a huge bolus in the much-lacking fun factor of Hyderabad's touristy
image.
§
Ramoji Rao started off as a copywriter or an
even lesser mortal, built the biggest media empire in India over next 30 years.
Birla Mandir
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The
Birla Mandir was built in 1976, and is young, fashionably clean (no gooey
stickum of mud and water under your feet when you step inside here), made of
100% pristine and super-smooth marble, and surrounded by neat little rose
gardens and manicured lawns.
Birla Planetarium
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The
gallery has a display of a rather fantastic collection of quotes by and
anecdotes about Einstein and some interesting paintings. It also plays host to
a number of exhibitions, the most recent one being "Reach Out For The
Sky", a photograph display dedicated to Kalpana Chawla and her comrades
who perished in the Columbia Space Shuttle tragedy.The Birla Science Museum was
started in 1990.
Osman Sagar
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§ It is located in Gandipet. History relates that the
reservoir formed by the dam over the river Musi is named after Mir Osman Ali
Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad. The lake is a stunning example of both the
foresight of the builder, and of the glory that was Nizami Hyderabad
SHOPPING IN HYDERABAD
Laad Bazaar:
This is
famous, colorful shopping Centre of the old city, tucked away in one of the
streets leading off from Charminar. Bridal wear, Pearls and the traditional
Hyderabadi glass and stone studded bangles are sold here.
AP State Archaeological MuseumVisiting
Hours: 10.30 am – 5 pm
(Friday Closed)
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§ Located in the picturesque Public
Gardens, the museum boasts of one of the richest repositories of antiques and
art objects in the country. Built in 1920 by the Nizam VII, the museum building
itself is a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. The museum contains a
Buddhist gallery, Brahmanical & Jain gallery, Bronze gallery, Arms &
Armor gallery, Numismatics gallery, Ajanta gallery and more. Adjacent to the
State Museum is the Contemporary Art Museum.
Public Gardens
Nehru Zoological Park (Monday Closed)
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§ Spanning 300 lush green acres, the Nehru Zoological
Park is a must for nature lovers. It has over 250 species of animals and birds,
most of which are kept in conditions as close to their natural habitats as
possible. This is the first zoo to create moated enclosures for animals. The
Lion Safari Park, Natural History Museum and Children’s Train are the added
attractions.
Mir Alam Tank
§ Mir Alam Tank is a large lake
adjacent to Nehru Zoological Park situated on the Hyderabad-Bangalore Highway.
§ It has provided drinking water to Hyderabad
people for 125 years before the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar were built.
§ Mir Alam laid the foundation for the
tank on July 20, 1804, as a plaque still lying in a corner shows. It was
completed in about two years on June 8, 1806.
§ It was named after Mir Alam Bahadur
(Syed Abdul Khasim), the then Prime Minister (1804 - 1808) of Hyderabad state
during the reign of Mir Akbar Ali Khan Sikander Jah, Asaf Jah III, the third
Nizam of Hyderabad state.
Hi-tech City
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§ One of the largest parks within the
city KBR National Park is a Southern tropical deciduous forest.
§ The last vestigial representative of
the endemic flora of Hyderabad region, with over 100 species of birds, 20
species of reptiles and 15 species of butterflies.
§ One of the modern monuments of trade
and technology, it embodies the newfound attitude of Hyderabad and today finds
a place of pride. Situated on the outskirts of the city, it is the nucleus of
Cyberabad, the IT destination in this part of the world. Cyber Towers is the
main building here.
Hussain Sagar Lake
§ Excavated in 1562 A.D. by Hussain Shah Wali during the time of Ibrahim Quli
Qutub Shah, the lake has a promenade that is a busy thoroughfare today. Boating
and water sports are a regular feature in the Hussain Sagar.
§ One of the World’s tallest monolithicstatues of the Buddha stands on the ‘Rock
of Gibraltar’, in the middle of the lake.
§ Surroundings of Hussain Sagar Lake
provide marvelous entertainment options like NTR Gardens, Necklace Road, Tank
Bund, Prasad’s Multiplex, Lumbini Park, and Sanjeevaiah Park etc.
§ The beautiful, well-laid-out Lumbini
Park, part of the Buddha Purnima project, has a musical fountain. The lake is
encompassed on one side by the Lumbini amusement park.
§ There is the enchanting Birla Mandir
hewn on a hillock nearby. Standing on the Tank Bund at night, one is awe-struck
to see the glimmering row of lights outlining the lake that look like “a diamond studded necklace”. This is
the necklace road designed to enhance the beauty of Hussain Sagar
The Nizam’s Silver Jubilee Museum
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§ The stately Purani Haveli, the palace
acquired around the year 1750 by the second Nizam, is now converted into a
museum with a fascinating collection.
§ The museum exhibits the gifts and
mementos presented to the last Nizam on the occasion of the silver jubilee
celebrations in 1937.
§ A1930 Rolls Royce, Packard and a Mark
V Jaguar are among the vintage cars displayed. There is an interesting
collection of models made in silver of all the prominent buildings of the city
and citations in Urdu about H.E.H. Mir Osman Ali Khan, gold burnished wooden
throne used for the silver jubilee celebrations, gold tiffin box inlaid with
diamonds, and a gold model of Jubilee Pavilion.
Durgam
Cheruvu Visiting Hours :( 9 am – 8.30 pm)
§ Durgam Cheruvu is a freshwater lake
located in Rangareddy District, Andhra Pradesh, India. The lake, which
is spread over 83 acres (34 ha), is located near the city of Hyderabad.
§ The lake is also known as “Secret Lake” because it is hidden
between the localities of Jubilee Hills and Madhapur.
§ Under the rule of the Qutub Shahi
dynasty (1518–1687), this lake served as the drinking water source for the
residents of Golconda Fort.
§ The other activities organized at the
lake include adventure activities like rock climbing, trekking, rappelling,
lounge-cum-art gallery and a sculptor park for artists.
Chilkur Balaji Temple
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§ The Balaji Temple is located at
Chilkur in the Hyderabad district. It is 33 Kms away from Mehdipatnam.
Approximately 75,000 to 1, 00, 000 devotees visit in a week. Generally temple
gets heavy rush on Saturdays and Sundays.
§ Set in sylvan surroundings, the
temple attracts thousands of pilgrims every year and is an ideal place for
sequestered retreat and meditation.
KBR National Park
§ One of the largest parks within the
city KBR National Park is a Southern tropical deciduous forest.
§ The last vestigial representative of
the endemic flora of Hyderabad region, with over 100 species of birds, 20
species of reptiles and 15 species of butterflies.
Mrugavani National Park
§ Located at Chilkur, 25 km. from
Hyderabad, the park contains the endemic flora of Hyderabad and is an urban
refuge for small mammals like wildboar, jungle cat etc. and birds.
Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National
Park
§ Located 15 Kms from Hyderabad, the
park has more than 350 black bucks, 400 cheetahs and a number of wild boars,
small mammals, reptiles and over 100 species of birds.
Hyderabad Botanical Gardens
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§ The first Botanical Gardens in Andhra
Pradesh, spread over 120 acres. Already open to public is the first phase, with
the completion of some sections.
§ The sections include medicinal
plants, timber trees, fruit trees, ornamental plants, aquatic plants and
bamboos.
Shamirpet Lake
§ Located 24 km to the north of
Secunderabad, Shamirpet has a beautiful lake and a deer park. Its peaceful
environs make it a great picnic spot. AP Tourism offers comfortable cottage
facilities for accommodation, while the forest lodges can be booked with the AP
Forest Department office at Saifabad.
PRASADS I MAX – ‘Entertainment Complete’
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§ IMAX®
Theatre: This facility houses South India’s first IMAX theatre called Prasad’s
I MAX Theatre. IMAX, a brand that is recognized worldwide for high quality
family entertainment, is the most vivid and immerse film experience available.
Multiplex, Food Court, Shopping.
MOUNT OPERA – ‘world of magic &
pleasure’
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