HYDERABAD CITY GUIDE
The tinkle of colorful bangles…The rich, dewy pearls…The aroma of Shahi Biryani…That’s the essence of Hyderabad for you. Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh and the fifth largest city in India was founded by Muhammad Quli Qutub Shahi, the Sultan of Golconda, in 1591. Hyderabad is very famous for its art, jewellery, poetry and architecture.
For, an investor or an entrepreneur, there’s another side to the city. It’s technological side. The city has constantly kept pace with the latest trends and advancements in technology and has acquired the status of a ‘cyber city’.
Charminar
This
best known landmark of Hyderabad gets it name from Char (four) Minar (towers).
The Charminar is a 56 m (185 feet) high arch, which has four minarets, nice
balconies and a small mosque. Situated amidst bustling bazaars, Charminar has
beautiful arches and elegant minarets. It was built in the year 1591 by Sultan
Mohammed Quli Qutub Shahi to commemorate the end of the dreaded epidemic plague.
Golconda Fort
With 18 m high walls, 8 huge gates, 87 bastions for cannons and sprawled
over 5 km, this fort is indeed impressive, where each corner tells a story of
royalty, passion and bravery. The Fort’s massive battlements wind tenuously
up a dust-brown hill. Inside the citadel are the ruins of palaces, assembly
halls, stables, barracks and arsenal. The Fort has got a fantastic acoustic
system by which a hand clap sounded in the Grand Portico can be heard in the
Durbar Hall atop the hill. From the Throne Terrace one can see the pavilions
from where Taramati and Pamamati, two favourite mistresses, are believed to
have sung for their Sultans.
The fort is open daily from 7.00 am to 8.00 pm. There is a very interesting
sound and light show every evening.
Venkateswara Temple (Birla Mandir)
This is an elegant white marble-carved temple built by the Birla Foundation.
It is opened daily from
7.00 am to noon and from 3.00 pm to 9.00 pm.
Birla Planetarium
It is located on top of Naubat Pahar Hill. There are English shows from
Mondays to Saturdays at
11.30 am, 4.00 pm, 6.00 pm respectively and on Sundays at 11.00 am, 3.45 pm
and 6 pm respectively. It is closed on the last Tuesday of the month. The Admission
fee is around Rs.10.00.
Falaknuma Palace and Purani Haveli
If you are a lover of antiques, precious artifacts and architecture Falaknuma
Palace and Purani Haveli will entrall you.
Mecca Masjid
Situated near the Charminar, Mecca Masjid is one of the largest mosques
in the world. The construction of this mosque was started in the year 1614 by
the 6th Qutub Shahi king, Abdullah Qutub Shahi, but was completed only in 1687
by the Mughul emperor Aurangazeb when he annexed the Golconda Kingdom.
Qutub Shahi Tombs
These seven elegant tombs, outside the Golconda Fort, contain the remains
of seven of the rulers of the Qutub Shahi kingdom.
Hussain Sagar Lake
This picturesque 6 1/2 km by 4 km artificial lake, has a 17.5m high, 350
tonne (approximately) monolithic Buddha statue on a platform in the middle of
the lake.
Nehru Zoological Park
A great attraction for kids, this large zoo, set in a scenic locale, houses
a large number of animals. It has a lion safari and a toy-train that goes around
the zoo. It is open daily from
9.00 am to 5.00 pm except on Mondays. There is also an Aquarium in the Park,
which is open daily between 10.30 am to
5.00 pm, except on Sundays.