Hyderabad Part 2

Originally built as the home to the prime minister of Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, Mir Momen, the Purani Haveli displays some of the most exquisite forms of craftsmanship and today is known for its remarkable exhibits of artwork and talent and functions as a museum. A beautiful structure, one of the most unique features of the Purani Haveli is a wardrobe, which is the longest in the world. It is built on two levels and has a hand-operated elevator in place. The palace is an impressive structure with its interiors resembling the 18th-century European style of architecture and also amalgamates the traditional Indian courtyards and houses several antique furniture within the U-shaped complex with a central single-story building. The central palace has two parallel double-storeyed oblong wings among which the western wing houses the world’s longest wardrobe. Both the wings have ornamented courtyards that are further flanked by rooms and verandahs. A few of the chambers are embellished with exquisite tile and mosaic work that gives a unique regal appearance. The museum is filled with a fascinating collection of items gifted to Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad. The key highlights of the place are the remarkable exhibits of souvenirs, gifts, mementoes and models presented to him on the occasion of his Silver Jubilee Celebrations in 1927. The museum also has silver replicas of monuments in Hyderabad. A gold tiffin box inlaid with diamonds, diamond and gold-studded daggers, pearl-studded wooden writing box, painting of Mir Osman Ali Khan, caskets, silver perfume containers, silver coffee cups studded with diamonds, silver filigree elephant and citations about Mir Osman Ali Khan in Urdu is also present here. A wooden throne used for silver jubilee celebrations of the last Nizam also adorns the premises of the museum. Vintage cars such as 1930 Rolls-Royce, a Packard, and a Jaguar Mark V also find a place here. The museum is closed on Fridays and on other days is open between 10:30 am and 5 pm. Entry fees are INR 80 for adults, INR 15 for children and INR 150 to be allowed to take a camera inside.

The Taj Falaknuma Palace perched around 2000 metres above Hyderabad was once the royal residence of the Nizams, probably the richest man in the world at that time. Today the palace has been converted into a five-star luxury heritage hotel. Entry fees for adults are INR 3,100 while children need to pay INR 2,480. The Malwala Palace is an 18th-century historical monument that boasts of Rajput and Mughal architectural styles and has specially imported teak wood furniture. There are no entrance fees and is well known for its beautifully carved wooden pavilions.

Located in the Ibrahim Bagh complex, Taramati Baradari used to be a traveller’s inn or a sarai built by Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah. Today it is a cultural complex with an open-air auditorium that can accommodate 1600, an air-cooled theatre which can take in 500, a banquet hall and a multi-cuisine restaurant. It is open on all days between 11 am and 6 pm and has no entry fee.

Dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara of Tirumala with the idol a replica of the Lord in Tirupati, the Birla Mandir was created in 1976 by Swami Renganathananda of the Ramakrishna Ashram and constructed by the Birla Foundation. The temple is located at the top of a 280 feet hill called the Naubat Pahad that overlooks both, Hyderabad and Secunderabad as well as the Hussain Sagar Lake and has one of the best viewpoints in the city. The main idol in the temple is 11 feet tall and made entirely of white marble from Rajasthan and weighs approximately 2000 tonnes and is covered by a carved lotus canopy made of granite stone. The architectural style is a fusion of the South Indian and Nagara styles. The main tower and shrine or the Jagadananda Vimanam is built in the Dravidian style, the other smaller towers strongly resemble the South Indian style and the Sanctum Sanctorum is designed in a distinct Oriya style with a 42 feet flagstaff made of Bronze. There are depictions of scenes from Mahabharata and Ramayana carved on the walls. The temple is open on all days between 7 am to 12 noon and then again between 3 to 9 pm.

The Chilkur Balaji Temple in the village of Chilkur, about 30 km from Hyderabad. It is also called the Visa Temple as it is believed that paying your obeisance to the presiding deity, Lord Balaji Venkateswara, along with his wives, Sridevi and Bhoodev can grant your wishes of gaining a visa to the USA. The belief finds its roots in an incident when a few students who had their Visa applications rejected, came and prayed here only to have their applications accepted. The temple is also sometimes referred to as the Chilkoor Balaji Temple and is reputed to be the oldest one in Telangana and is believed to have been built half a millennium ago during the time of Madanna and Akkanna, the uncles of Bhakta Ramadas. Chilkur Balaji is also the only temple in India that has continued to stay out of government control and which does not accept any monetary donations from its devotees. The temple is so popular that around 75,000 to 1,00,000 devotees visit the temple every week. As per belief, the temple was constructed by a devotee who used to visit Tirupati every year. However, on one occasion he could not do so, owing to serious illness. Moved by his faith, Lord Venkateswara appeared in his dream and instructed him to find his idol, along with the idols of Sridevi and Bhoodevi and construct this magnificent temple. When the devotee started digging, his axe struck Lord Balaji’s idol and suddenly blood started to flow from the wounds, turning the ground scarlet. The devotee then heard a mystical voice instructing him to flood the area with milk. This further resulted in the idols of Lord Balaji, accompanied by Sridevi and Bhoodevi to emerge from the ground and the idols were then installed in the temple. During a visit to the Chilkur Balaji Temple, devotees go through the usual rituals of prayer including the 11 circumambulations of the inner shrine and this is followed by making a vow. When and if this vow is fulfilled, the devotee has to walk 108 times around the sanctum sanctorum. The temple is open between 5 am and 8 pm daily.

The main deity at the ISKCON temple is Lord Krishna with other idols of Sri Gaura-Nitai, Sri Jagannatha Baladeva-Subhadra and Sri Radha Madana-Mohana. Also known as the Sri Radha-Madana-Mohana Temple, the temple has a magnificient architecture with the steps having various stops that lead to further ends of the temple. The Sanghi Temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara and is situated at a distance of about 35 km from Hyderabad. Perched atop the Parmanand Giri Hill, the temple has a magnificent gopuram and boasts of marvellous architecture. The temple houses idols of other Hindu deities as well and is said to be a replica of the Tirumala Temple. The temple is open on all days from 8:30 to 10:30 am and then between 4 to 6 pm. The Peddamma Temple’s main deity is the supreme mother as Pedamma means Mother of Mothers who is the supreme of the 11 forms of the village deities. Besides the main shrines, the Peddamma temple also has idols of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganpathy and Goddess Saraswati and the temple accepts only coconuts as offerings. The temple which is closed on Sundays is open from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm on other days. Built by the Odia community in Hyderabad, the Sri Jagannath Temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe. Constructed in red sandstone, the temple follows the ancient shikhara style pattern. Besides the main deity, the temple has smaller shrines dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman and the Navagrahas. The temple is open between 6 to 11 am and 5 to 9 pm on all days.

The largest and oldest mosque in the city, the Mecca Masjid was commissioned in 1614 by Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, but only finished in 1694. Together with the Chowmahalla Palace, Laad Bazaar, and Charminar, the mosque forms the four heritage attractions in the city. Located near the Charminar, it has the capacity to accommodate 10,000 people. A grand gateway welcomes visitors to a path that leads up to the entrance of the court where one will find a water fountain with a vast pond situated nearby and it is believed that anyone who sits on the benches by the pond revisits them at least once again in their lifetime. The main prayer hall of the mosque is 75 feet high and 180 feet long with 15 ornamental arches decorating the roof with crystal chandeliers from Belgium which act as a support for three walls, such that five arches support each of the walls. Sermons from the Holy Quran as well as floral embellishments are carved onto the surface of the arches typical of the Qutb Shahi style of architecture. The columns are octagonal in shape and give way to arched balconies at the same level as the roof of the mosque itself. The columns themselves rise much higher and end in the shape of a spiral dome. Inside the dome lies five pathways to the tombs of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. The domes at the zenith of the mosque were not a part of the original architecture, rather they were later additions under the Mughals. Other heritage items such as a single strand of hair belonging to Prophet Mohammad, can be found here. It is believed that the arch embellishments over the main sanctum are made from the soil of Mecca which is why the mosque is known as the Mecca Masjid. Only followers of Islam are allowed to enter the mosque. The mosque is open daily between 4 am and 9:30 pm.

Located within the Paigah Palace, the Spanish Mosque is massive and can accommodate around 3000 people. Also known as the Masjid Iqbal Ud Daula or the Jam e Masjid Aiwan-E-Begumpet, the mosque, constructed in 1906, has beautiful architecture similar to that of Spain with a church-like appearance due to its structure and designs and is one-of-its-kind in India. The mosque is open on all days between 5 am to 9 pm. The Toli Masjid, also known as the Damdi Masjid is a flamboyant mosque, located nearly 2 km from the Golconda fort. It is a breathtakingly beautiful example of the Qutb Shahi architecture and is embellished by two minarets of about 20 meters on either side. It was constructed in 1671 by Mir Musa Khan Mahaldar, the designer of Qutb Shah. The frontage of the mosque comprises about five arches, each of which has lotus decorations in the spandrels. The main arch is somewhat broader and more elaborate. The mosque is open daily between 10 am and 6 pm.

Located in the Ibrahim Bagh, the Qutub Shahi Tombs are a group of small and big mosques and tombs built by the rulers of the Qutub Shah dynasty. The tombs are all built on a raised platform and have a dome-shaped structure. The little tombs are single-storeyed while the bigger ones are double storeyed. The tombs are closed on Fridays and on other days, open between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm and has an entry fee of INR 10 for adults and INR 5 for children. Located in suburban Hyderabad, the Paigah Tombs are a group of tombs of the Paigah royal family and is managed by a family of caretakers who reside in the premises. Although derelict and dilapidated today, the tombs still boast of a stunningarchitecture with marvellously carved marble panels. The tombs are open daily between 10 am and 5 pm and do not have any entry fee.

An urban park named after Lumbini in Nepal, the Lumbini Park is located alongside the Hussain Sagar Lake and has an artificial water tank. There is a huge statue of Lord Buddha installed in the tank which can be reached through paddle boats. The park also has musical fountain shows and is open on all days between 9 am and 9 pm. The entry fee for adults is INR 20 and for children is INR 10. The Hyderabad Botanical Garden boasts of a rich variety of plants, shrubs, trees, flowering plants and medicinal herbs plus several meandering waterways and fountains. Open daily from 5:30 am and 6 pm, entry fees to the park are INR 25 for adults and INR 10 for children while photography which is allowed between 5 and 8 am has a fee of INR 500. Adjacent to the Hussain Sagar Lake, the NTR Gardens is a tiny but gorgeous park dotted with brightly coloured plants and tall trees. Boasting well-groomed landscaping, ornate lamp posts and brilliant water fountains, the park also has a souvenir shop, toy train, freefall, restaurants and a variety of fun activities for both kids and adults. The entry fee to the park is INR 20 for adults and INR 10 for children and the park is open from 2:30 to 8:30 pm, Mondays to Saturdays and from 12:30 to 8:30 pm on Sundays. Spread over 92 acres on the banks of Hussain Sagar Lake, the Sanjeevaiah Park is dedicated to the former President of India, Dr Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy. Replete with lush green trees, flowering shrubs, fountains and glossy grass lawns, the park is the perfect place to rewind and rejuvenate from the daily routine life. Open daily from 9 am to 6 pm, for morning walks, the entry fee is INR 2 per day or INR 50 monthly while general visitors pay INR 5 per visit and children below the age of 10 do not pay any entry fees. Named after the former Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi, the Indira Park houses tall towering trees and plenty of shrubs and flowering plants. Spread over an area of 76 acres, the park is believed to have been built in 1975. The park is open between 5 am to 8 pm daily and has an entry fee of INR 5 for adults and INR 1 for children. A popular hangout, the Krishna Kanth Park is dotted with swings and sprinkled with benches and is open daily between 5 am and 9 pm. The Kidwai Garden boasts lush green trees, vibrant blooming flowers and an all-round aesthetic atmosphere and is a popular local spot. The park is open daily between 10 am and 7 pm and has an entry fee of INR 20 for adults and INR 10 for children. Located adjacent to the Saroornagar Lake, the Priyadarshini Park has beautifully landscaped lawns, swings and snack stalls. The Saroornagar Lake offers magnificent views of the city in the moonlight and is open between 9 am and 8 pm daily. Entry fees to the park are INR 5. Established in 1846, during the Nizam’s reign, the Public Gardens is considered to be the oldest park in Hyderabad. Also known as the Bagh-e-Aam, the park houses several buildings of historical and political importance including the very popular Lotus Pond. Open daily from 9 am to 12 noon and then between 2 to 6 pm, the park’s entrance fee is INR 20 for adults and INR 10 for children.

Renowned as Asia’s largest artificial lake at 5.7 km, the Hussain Sagar Lake was commissioned by Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah in 1563 and is renowned for its monolith statue of Lord Buddha that stands in its centre, the tallest of its kind in the world. Also known as the Tank Bund, the lake lies on a tributary of the River Musi and has a 3 km long dam and connects the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The statue of Lord Buddha was installed in 1992 and was inaugurated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Crafted entirely out of white granite, the statue is placed upon what is known as the Rock of Gibraltar. The unique heart-shaped lake is perennially fed by canals from the Musi river and was the main source of water supply to Hyderabad before Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar were built on river Musi. Hussein Sagar is open from 8 am to 10 pm daily.

Located in Hyderabad’s outskirts, the Osman Sagar Lake is also known as Gandipet. Elless World, Ocean Park and Treasure Island surround this lake, making it a local favourite. The water body was made by building a dam on the Moosi River in 1920 by Mir Osman Ali Khan and it provides waters to Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The lake is open daily between 9:30 am and 5:30 pm and has an entry fee of INR 5 per person.

Durgam Cheruvu is a serene and picturesque lake in the middle of Hyderabad, it is also known as the Secret Lake as it is bordered by granite on all ends and is hidden by rocks. It is believed that the lake was the main source of water for those living in Golconda Fort. Today, Durgam Cheruvu has an artificial waterfall and fountain with boating the must-do activity here. It is open between 10 am and 6:30 pm daily.

With over 1500 species here, the Nehru Zoological Park is also known as the Hyderabad Zoo and is among the largest zoos in India at 380 acres. Inside the zoo, visitors are spoilt for choice with a number of safaris including Lion, Tiger, and Bear. For children, enclosures such as the Dinosaur Park visit, a mini train ride and elephant rides. The zoo also has a museum detailing its natural history. Migratory birds are known to arrive every year at the Mir Alam tank lake and its embankment, adding to the biological diversity of the place. From April to June, the zoo is open from 8 am to 5:30 pm while between July and March, it is open from 8:30 am to 5 pm. Closed on Mondays, entrance is INR 20 for adults and INR 10 for children. For the train ride, adults and children pay INR 15 while the safari ride costs INR 25 for adults and INR 10 for children. Fees for the regular Elephant Ride is INR 15 for an adult and INR 5 for a child while for the Maharaja Elephant Ride, it is INR 50 for an adult and INR 50 for a child. The entrance fee to the Nocturnal Animal House is INR 10 for adults and INR 5 for children and a brochure with the zoo details and a map is available for INR 5 at the entrance. A guest house is available from 9 am to 5:30 pm for INR 200 for 10 persons and INR 2000 for more than 10 persons. For an amateur photography camera, the fees are INR 20 while it is INR 500 for a professional photography camera. Fees for an amateur video camera is INR 100 and INR 500 for a professional video camera.

A one of its kind planetarium, the Birla Planetarium was inaugurated in 1985 with technological help from Japan. With periodical sky shows throughout the day, the planetarium is open daily between 11:30 am and 8 pm and has an entrance fee of INR 100 per person while the entrance fee to the science museum and planetarium combined is INR 160 per person.

Located on the banks of the Musi River, the Salar Jung Museum is one of the three national museums in the country and also among the largest at 10 acres and spread over two floors. The collection inside the museum is because of Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, also known as Salar Jung III, the former Prime Minister of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad. With over one million paintings, sculptures, carvings, manuscripts and artefacts, the museum is a repository of art collections, some dating back to the first century, including a painting of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the artist, Aurangzeb’s sword, daggers that belonged to Shah Jahan, Jehangir and a full wardrobe of Tipu Sultan. The museum also has a number of priceless sculptures such as the Veiled Rebecca, the Double Statue of Mephistopheles & Margaretta. The biggest attraction at the museum is the musical clock dating to the 19th century and consists of more than 350 parts. It is believed that the present collection is just half of the original collection of Salar Jung III. The museum building has a semi-circular shape and 38 galleries within it spread over two floors with the ground floor having 20 galleries and the first floor 18 galleries. The musical clock was acquired from Cook and Kelvey Co. and has more than three hundred parts. A bearded man in a robe comes out of an enclosure and hits the bell, the number of hits signifying the time of hour while a blacksmith constantly hits an anvil every second. Created by the Italian sculptor, Giovanni Maria Benzoni, the Veiled Rebecca is a life-size sculpture that is skilfully wrapped in a transparent veil that is also a part of the marble masterpiece. The pedestal on which the sculpture stands is carved out of a single marble and there are only four copies of the Veiled Rebecca in the world. The museum is closed on Fridays and public holidays and on other days is open from 10 am to 5 pm and Indians will need to pay INR 20 and foreigners INR 500 to access the museum.

A private museum, the Sudha Cars Museum was established in 2010 by Kanyaboyina Sudhakar who displayed hand-made cars created by him with all cars designed to look like everyday objects. Every exhibit has a plaque stating the time and cost of manufacture and the maximum speed it can attain. The cars at the museum can be driven but are not for sale. The museum is open daily between 9:30 am and 6:30 pm and has an entrance fee of INR 50 for adults and INR 15 for children.

In close proximity to the Charminar, the Nizams Museum is a royal museum, situated in the Purani Haveli housing the memorabilia and artefacts of the then Nizam of Hyderabad. These include a 1930 Rolls Royce, Mark V Jaguar and Packard as well as the flattering gold-furnished throne, used during the celebrations, coffee cups made of silver and studded with diamonds, a gold tiffin box with diamonds and more. The museum which is closed on Fridays is open from 10 am to 5 pm and has an entry fee of INR 100 for adults and INR 15 for children.

The AP State Archaeology Museum, now known as Telangana State Archaeology Museum is located in the public garden of Hyderabad and is one of the oldest museums in South India. The museum is built in the Indo-Saracenic style and is unique. It is said that the sole purpose of the museum was not just to be a place of artefacts, but as a repository of the culture and heritage of the state of Hyderabad when it was taken over by the British colonial rule. Created in 1915, the museum was constructed in 1930. Previously the museum was installed inside a palace in the Public Garden which was the Nizam for his daughter and was called it the Doll’s house. The most famous attraction of the museum is the presence of an Egyptian mummy which was accidentally brought in by Mahbub Ali Khan, the son-in-law of Nizam. Another attraction is the gallery dedicated to Lord Buddha which comprises bronze artefacts, arms, armours and has a Jain gallery as well. Closed on Fridays, the museum is otherwise open from 10:30 am to 5 pm and has entrance fees of INR 10 per adult and INR 5 per child as well as INR 20 for any camera carried inside.

Shilparamam is a traditional crafts village created with the idea to preserve and conserve traditional crafts. The village has been set amidst cascading waterfalls and lush greenery; with sections designated to depict each region of the country. There is also a rock museum, a rural museum, a recreational area and boating activities for visitors. Open daily between 10:30 am and 8:30 pm, Shilparamam has an entry fee of INR 40 for adults and INR 30 for children.

The Ramoji Film City was built in 1991 and is spread over 2500 acres. It has been certified as the World’s largest Film Studio Complex by the Guinness Book of World Records. The film city can accommodate 20 film units at one go and has various shooting locations including the streets of London, the Hollywood signage, Japanese gardens, an airport, a hospital, landscapes and buildings as well as laboratories. There are a number of package tours and buses that leave regularly from the city to tour the film city. It is open daily from 9 am to 8 pm daily and a general guided tour without Food provided will set an adult back by INR 900 & a child between 3-12 years by INR 800. A Ramoji Star Experience which includes food provided will cost an adult INR 1900 & a child between 3 – 12 years, INR 1600.

Located in the Jubilee Hills area, the KBR National Park or the Kasu Brahmananda Reddy Park is also known as the Chiran Fort Palace. The park is known as a jungle amidst the concrete jungle and was declared a National Park in 1998 and the complex houses the Chiran Fort Palace, a Mor bungalow on a hillock, the Gol bungalow, stables for animals, a motor shed for vehicles, several water tanks and wells, all enveloped by a dense forest. One can see more than 600 species of flowers and plants, more than 100 species of birds, reptiles and other animals as well as several small animals here as well as an exciting range of butterflies and the park also offers guided tours mostly during the evenings. The two different zones of the park are the Conservation Zone and the Visitors Zone. The larger of the two zones, the Conservation Zone is spread over 86.5 hectares and is dedicated primarily to the conservation of nature with several planned activities here. The Visitors Zone is spread over 56 hectares and falls partially under the Wildlife Protection Act, and so visitors can only access certain parts of this zone. The Park used to be a palace before being declared a national park in 1998. The Chiran Palace was built on the premises in 1940 and it is believed that Azam Jah gifted this palace to his son Prince Mukarram Jah, on his coronation and is a double-storey structure.

Located near the Chiklur village, the Mrugavani National Park is a very popular weekend getaway for locals which sprawls over 1211 acres and houses 600 species of animals and plants. The Park was declared a National Park in 1994 and in addition to birdwatching and jungle safaris, the park also houses a tall tower that lets one look at the mesmerising view of the wildland below. The national park also has a jungle resort which allows visitors to unwind and relax amidst nature. Visitors can tour the Mrugavani National Park by taking a safari bus which can take a maximum of 50 passengers at a time and the cost per person is INR 20. Other facilities in the park include a well-stocked library, an education centre, a museum, and an auditorium. Visitors can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the forest from the tall watchtower inside the park. Accommodation is also available with prior booking in tents, cottages, and dormitories. The park is closed on Mondays and on other days is open between 9 am and 5 pm. Entrance fees are INR 10 per person while the safari rate is INR 50 per person.

The next state we will explore is India’s newest state. Situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau, Telangana is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India. On 2 June 2014, the area was separated from the northwestern part of Andhra Pradesh as the newly formed state with Hyderabad as its capital. Telangana is bordered by the states of Maharashtra to the north, Chhattisgarh to the northeast, Karnataka to the west, and Andhra Pradesh to the east and south and the terrain consists mostly of hills, mountain ranges, and thick dense forests covering.

Known for its Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb culture, the cultural centres of Telangana, Hyderabad and Warangal are noted for their wealth and famous historical structures including the Ramappa Temple which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Charminar, the Qutb Shahi Tombs, the Falaknuma Palace, the Chowmahalla Palace, the Warangal Fort, the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam, the Thousand Pillar Temple and the Bhongir Fort in the Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district. The historic city of Golconda in Hyderabad established itself as a diamond trading centre and, until the end of the 19th century, the Golconda market was the primary source of the finest and largest diamonds in the world and so the legendary Golconda Diamonds became synonymous with Golconda itself.

A popular etymology derives the word Telangana from Trilinga Desa or the land of three lingas, a region so-called because three important Shaivite shrines were located here: Kaleshwaram, Srisailam and Draksharama. According to experts, Telangana is of Gondi origin with the name derived from Telangadh, which means south in Gondi and has been referred to in the Gond script dating back to about 2000 years. One of the earliest uses of a word similar to Telangana can also be seen in a name of Malik Maqbul, a commander of the Warangal Fort, who lived in the 14th century, who was called the Tilangani, which implies that he was from Telangana. The word Telinga changed over time to Telangana and the name Telangana was used to distinguish the predominantly Telugu-speaking region of the erstwhile Hyderabad State from its predominantly Marathi-speaking one, Marathwada. After Asaf Jahis ceded the Seemandhra region to the British, the rest of the Telugu region retained the name Telangana and the other parts were called Madras Presidency’s Circars and Ceded.

Throughout antiquity and the Middle Ages, the region was ruled by multiple major Hindustani powers such as the Mauryans, Satavahanas, Vishnukundinas, Chalukyas, Cholas, Rashtrakutas, Kakatiyas, Delhi Sultanate, Bahmani Sultanate and the Golconda Sultanate and by the Mughals during the 16th and the 17th centuries. During the 18th century and the British colonial rule, Telangana was ruled by the Nizam of Hyderabad who lost control of the Northern Circars or Coastal Andhra and the Ceded Districts or Rayalseema to the East India Company in 1823. The Northern Circars were governed as part of Madras Presidency until India’s independence in 1947, after which the presidency became India’s Madras state. Hyderabad state joined the Indian Union in 1948 after an Indian military invasion and in 1956, was was dissolved as part of the linguistic reorganisation of states and Telangana was merged with the Telugu-speaking Andhra State which was part of the Madras Presidency during the British rule to form the state of Andhra Pradesh. A peasant-driven movement began to advocate for separation from Andhra Pradesh starting in the early 1950s, and continued until Telangana was granted statehood in 2014.

Situated on the Deccan Plateau, in the central stretch of the eastern seaboard of the Indian Peninsula, Telangana is drained by two major rivers, with about 79% of the Godavari River catchment area and about 69% of the Krishna River catchment area, but most of the land is arid with a predominantly hot and dry climate. One of India’s classical languages, Telugu is the official state language and Urdu is the second official language with about 77% of the population speaking Telugu and 12% speaking Urdu.

Telangana has an agriculture driven economy though the state has also started to focus on information technology and biotechnology and is one of top IT-exporting states of India. The state is also mineral rich and the Golconda region has produced some of the world’s most famous diamonds, including the colourless Koh-i-Noor, the blue Hope, the pink Daria-i-Noor, the white Regent, the Dresden Green and the colourless Orlov, Nizam and Jacob, as well as the now-lost diamonds – the Florentine Yellow, Akbar Shah and Great Mogul.

Hyderabad Part 1
The city of Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana and also a shared capital for Andhra Pradesh until the new capital of Amaravathi is ready. It is the largest city of the state and lies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of South India. Much of Hyderabad is situated on hilly terrain around artificial lakes, including the Hussain Sagar lake, which predates the city’s founding. Hyderabad is the fourth-most populous city in India and the sixth-most populous metropolitan area in India and has the fifth-largest urban economy in the country.

Hyderabad was established by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 to extend the capital beyond the fortified Golconda Fort. In 1687, the city was annexed by the Mughals and in 1724, the Mughal Viceroy Nizam Asaf Jah I declared his sovereignty and founded the Asaf Jahi dynasty, also known as the Nizams. Hyderabad served as the imperial capital of the Asaf Jahis from 1769 to 1948 and also housed the British Residency and cantonment until the Indian independence in 1947. Hyderabad was annexed by the Indian Union in 1948 and continued as a capital of Hyderabad State between 1948 to 1956 and after the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, was made the capital of the newly formed state. In 2014, Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated to form Telangana and Hyderabad became the joint capital of the two states with a transitional arrangement scheduled to end in 2024. Since 1956, the city has housed the winter office of the President of India.

Relics of the Qutb Shahi and Nizam rules remain visible today with the Charminar symbolising the city. The amalgamation of local and migrated artisans created a distinctive culture and the city emerged as a significant centre of oriental culture. Painting, handicraft, jewellery, literature, dialect and clothing are prominent still today. Through its cuisine, the city is listed as a UNESCO creative city of gastronomy. The Telugu film industry based in the city is the country’s second-largest producer of motion pictures. Until the 19th century Hyderabad was known for the pearl industry and was nicknamed the City of Pearls, and was the only Golconda Diamonds trading centre in the world. Hyderabad’s central location between the Deccan Plateau and the Western Ghats has attracted major Indian research, manufacturing, educational and financial institutions and since the 1990s, the city has emerged as an Indian hub of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

The name Hyderabad means Haydar’s City or Lion City, from Haydar or lion and abad or city, after Caliph Ali Ibn Abi Talib, also known as Haydar because of his lion-like valour in battle. The city was originally called Baghnagar or the City of Gardens, and later acquired the name Hyderabad. One popular legend suggests that the founder of the city, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, named it Bhagyanagar after Bhagmati, a local nautch or dancing girl whom he married. She converted to Islam and adopted the title Hyder Mahal with the city named Hyderabad in her honour.

There is evidence that Hyderabad and its surrounding region has been inhabited from the Stone Age with archaeologists finding evidence of inhabitation that may date from 500 BC. The region comprising modern Hyderabad and its surroundings was ruled by the Chalukya dynasty from 624 to 1075 and following the dissolution of the Chalukya empire into four parts in the 11th century, Golconda came under the control of the Kakatiya dynasty from 1158, whose seat of power was at Warangal, 148 km northeast of modern Hyderabad. The Kakatiya dynasty was reduced to a vassal of the Khalji dynasty in 1310 after its defeat by Sultan Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate which lasted until 1321 when the Kakatiya dynasty was annexed by Malik Kafur, Allaudin Khalji’s general. During this period, Alauddin Khalji took the Koh-i-Noor diamond, said to have been mined from the Kollur Mines of Golconda to Delhi. Muhammad bin Tughluq who succeeded to the Delhi sultanate in 1325, brought Warangal under the rule of the Tughlaq dynasty and Malik Maqbul Tilangani was appointed its governor. In 1336 regional chieftains who revolted against the Delhi sultanate in 1333 took Warangal under their direct control and declared it as their capital and in 1347 when Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah, a governor under bin Tughluq, rebelled against Delhi and established the Bahmani Sultanate in the Deccan Plateau, with Gulbarga, 200 km west of Hyderabad as its capital, both the neighbouring rulers Musunuri Nayakas of Warangal and Bahmani Sultans of Gulbarga engaged in many wars until 1364–65 when a peace treaty was signed and the Musunuri Nayakas ceded Golconda fort to the Bahmani Sultan. The Bahmani Sultans ruled the region until 1518 and were the first independent Muslim rulers of the Deccan.

Sultan Quli, a governor of Golconda, revolted against the Bahmani Sultanate and established the Qutb Shahi dynasty in 1518 and rebuilt the mud-fort of Golconda and named the city Muhammad Nagar. The fifth sultan, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, established Hyderabad on the banks of the Musi River in 1591 to avoid water shortages experienced at Golconda and built the Charminar and Mecca Masjid in the city during his rule. In 1687, the Golconda Sultanate came under the rule of the Mughal empire and Hyderabad was renamed Darul Jihad or the House of War and Golconda was renamed Deccan Suba or the Deccan province. The capital was moved from Golconda to Aurangabad, about 550 km northwest of Hyderabad. In 1724, Asaf Jah I defeated Mubariz Khan to establish autonomy over the Deccan, named the region Hyderabad Deccan, and started what came to be known as the Asaf Jahi dynasty and rulers were referred to as Asaf Jahi Nizams or the Nizams of Hyderabad. In 1768 Asaf Jah II signed the Treaty of Masulipatam, surrendering the coastal region to the East India Company in return for a fixed annual rent.

In 1769 Hyderabad city became the formal capital of the Asaf Jahi Nizams and the Nizam signed a subsidiary alliance with the East India Company in 1798, allowing the British Indian Army to be stationed at Bolarum in modern-day Secunderabad to protect the state’s capital, for which the Nizams paid annual maintenance to the British. After India’s independence, the Nizam declared his intention to remain independent rather than become part of the Indian Union or the newly formed Dominion of Pakistan. On 17 September 1948, the Indian Army took control of Hyderabad State after an invasion codenamed Operation Polo. With the defeat of his forces, Nizam VII capitulated to the Indian Union by signing an Instrument of Accession, which made him the Rajpramukh or the Princely Governor of the state until it was abolished on 31 October 1956. On 1 November 1956 during the state reorganisation on linguistic lines, Hyderabad state was split into three parts, which were merged with neighbouring states to form the modern states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The nine Telugu and Urdu speaking districts of Hyderabad State in the Telangana region were merged with the Telugu speaking Andhra State to create Andhra Pradesh, with Hyderabad as its capital. The Telangana movement which demanded the creation of a new Telangana state took place in 1969, 1972 and 2010 and on 30 July 2013, the Indian government declared that part of Andhra Pradesh would be split off to form a new state of Telangana and Hyderabad city would be the capital city and part of Telangana, while the city would also remain the capital of Andhra Pradesh for no more than ten years. The state of Telangana thus was formed on 2 June 2014.

The Golconda Fort is one of the region’s best-preserved monuments with construction completed in the 1600s and is reputed for being where once, the Koh-I-Noor diamond was stored. It is said that if you clap your hands at the bottom of the fort, the echoes of it can be heard right to the top. As per legend, an idol was found in the area by a shepherd. Soon after, the Kakatiyan king was informed about the same, and he gave the order to build a mud fort around the idol in 1143. The fort came to be known as Golla Konda which meant Shepherd’s Hill in Telugu and then Golkonda. The fort rose to prominence when it came under the rule of Qutub Shahi Dynasty during the 16th century and the fort expanded from a mud fortress to a lofty structure having a 10 km outer wall. After a failed attempt in 1686, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was finally able to breach the impregnable fort in 1687 after a long nine-month siege.

A grand structure, the Golconda Fort is built at an altitude of 400 feet with a circumference of 7 km displaying a fusion of Hindu-Islamic styles of architecture. Its walls comprise of 8 gates and 87 bastions with each reaching heights between 50 to 60 feet. There are three powerful consecutive fortification walls each within the other with the first wall containing a town, the second wall which is a double wall that runs around the foot of the hill on which the citadel stands and the third wall which is further up the hill lies within the second and is comprised of masonry and natural boulders. Situated with the fortress are the dwellings of the queens and princesses and their retainers. The fort is famous for its royal apartments, parade grounds, numerous halls and mosques. Amongst the eight gates, the Fateh Darwaza is the main gate as the victorious march of King Aurangzeb proceeded through it. This door is 13 feet wide and 25 feet long and was made up of steel spikes to protect it from elephants. The Balahisar Darwaza which was built in the Nawabi style is another magnificent structure, but today, only the eastern gate can be visited.

The Golconda mines are known to produce some of the most coveted and popular diamonds ever known including the Idol’s Eye, the Hope Diamond, the Darya-i-Noor and the famous Koo-i-Noor. In the evening, the fort comes to life with the light and sound show which showcases snippets from its past. On all days, the first show is in English while the second show is in Telugu on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and in Hindi on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Between November and February, the first show takes place at 6:30 pm and the second show at 7:45 pm while between March and October, the first show takes place at 7 pm and the second show at 8:15 pm. The ticket counter opens from 5:30 pm with tickets costing INR 140 for an adult and INR 110 for a child in the executive class and INR 80 for an adult and INR 60 for a child in the normal class. The fort is open from 9 am to 5 pm and the entry fee to the fort is INR 5 for Indians and INR !00 for foreigners. Camera fees are INR 25. Naya Qila is an extended version of the Golkonda Fort.

The Gomajipet Fort located about 110 km from Hyderabad is a popular tourist attraction. It has lately been restored and boasts of magnificent architecture and reflects the grandeur of a royal time. The Asmangadh Fort constructed in 1885 translates to the home in the sky is because it was situated on a hilltop. Today, it has been converted into a school called the St. Joseph’s Public School.

Synonymous with Hyderabad, the Charminar is located in the heart of the city and was erected by Quli Qutub Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty to signify the founding of Hyderabad when he shifted his capital from Golconda. It was so named as it consists of four minarets and is also famous for the market that sprawls around it and is called Laad or Chudi’ Bazaar. According to historians, the inadequacy of water and the plague forced Quli Qutub Shahi to move his capital and Quli Qutub Shahi pledged to build a monument if the suffering of his people came to an end. The Charminar was built to commemorate the decision and eradication of the plague from the city. The old city of Hyderabad was designed keeping Charminar as the centre of the city. According to legend, Quli Qutub Shahi saw his beloved wife, Baghmat he and built Charminar as a symbol of his eternal love for her. There is also a legend that talks of the existence of a secret tunnel under the Charminar that connects it to the Golkonda Fort which was created as an escape route for the royal family in time of an emergency.

The Charminar is a massive structure with four minarets. Towards the north of the monument, there are four gateways known as Char Kaman constructed in the cardinal directions. The Charminar is a perfect square, inspired by the shape of the Shia Tazias with each side 20 meters in length. It has four grand arches that face a fundamental point that open into four streets. There stands a 56 meters tall minaret at each corner with a double balcony. Each minaret has a dome on top with petal-like designs at the base. One needs to climb 149 steps to reach the upper floor. The structure is made of granite, mortar, marble and limestone and there is a mosque located at the western end of the open roof. One can get a bird’s eye view of the city from the balconies of the Charminar with the devout able to offer prayers inside the mosque. An exquisite example of the Indo-Islamic architectural style with Persian influences. The arches and domes of the monument define the influence of Islamic architecture, while the Persian influence is prominent from its minarets. The balconies and the outside walls, embellished with delicate stucco floral ornamentations on the ceiling, showcase the influence of the Hindu style of architecture. At the base of the Charminar is a small temple known as Bhagyalakshmi Temple. The best shopping in Hyderabad is the area surrounding the Charminar with the streets brimming with people and the shops displaying attractive and colourful bangles, pearls, jewellery, semi-precious stones, silverware, Kalamkari paintings, sarees, silk materials, gold-embroidered fabric, lacquer bangles, ittar and the traditional Khara dupatta. The area is also famous for its delicious Hyderabadi cuisine. The Charminar is absolutely mesmerising when illuminated between 7 and 9 pm but one can’t enter the building after 5 pm. The second floor and upper columns are not open to the public.

Once the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, the Chowmahalla Palace was built between 1857 and 1869 and can be translated to mean Four Palaces. The monument consists of two massive courtyards as well as a grand dining hall known as the Khilafat and once served as the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad and still belongs to the heir of the Nizams, Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah.

The facade of the Chowmahalla Palace is a delicate artwork of domes, arches, windows and meticulously carved out designs embellished with gentle fountains, expansive lush gardens, numerous palaces, a clock tower, the Roshan Bangla and the Council Hall. The construction of the palace was initiated by Salabat Jung in 1750 and completed during the period of Afzal ad Dawlah, Asaf Jah V in 1869 and is believed to have taken inspiration from the Shah of Iran’s palace in Tehran. Influenced by Persian, Rajasthani, Indo-Saracenic and European styles, the palace was originally spread over an area of 45 acres, but covers only 12 acres today. There are four palaces inside, Aftab Mahal, Afzal Mahal, Tanhiyat Mahal and Mahtab Mahal and the northern courtyard has the Bara Imam, where all the major administrative activities took place. The most important structure is the Khilwat Mubarak which has the raised marble platform where the Takht-e-Nishan or the royal seat was laid. A Clock Tower which is also called the Khilwat Clock is also present and has been ticking away for about 251 years now. The Council Hall has an impressive collection of manuscripts and priceless books and today, holds a priceless collection from the Chowmahalla Palace Collection. The Roshan Bangla is a royal chamber named after Roshan Begum. The Bara Imam is situated in the Northern Courtyard and overlooks a building built in its exact image and used to serve as a guest house. The Afzal Mahal in the Southern Courtyard is a two-storeyed building adorned with long pillars, detailed carvings, and majestic garden spaces while the Mahtab Mahal, the Tahniyat Mahal and the Aftab Mahal have delicate carvings and majestic archways adorning their white stone surface and are built in neo-classical architectural style. Chowmahalla Palace is closed on Fridays and is open between 10 am to 5 pm on other days. Entry fees are INR 80 for Indians, INR 200 for foreigners and INR 10 for children. Photography fees are INR 50 and videography will cost you INR 100.

Since Hyderabad has so much to offer, it will be split into two parts, with the second part coming up.