Hyderabad
City Information
Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra
Pradesh is a bustling 400-year-old metropolis
founded in 1589 by the famous Qutub Shahi
dynasty of Golconda. Hyderabad is located
on the Deccan Plateau and the Musi River,
650m above sea level. The physiography of
Hyderabad is dominated by hills, monuments,
tanks, forests, mosques, temples, a rich and
varied heritage in arts, crafts and rock formations.
Hyderabad straddles two worlds: the oriental
glory of Indo-Islamic culture and a yuppy
upwardly mobile 'Cyberabad'. Western haute
couture is slowly being preferred over the
sherwani and burqa. This is the city that
has even been the home of a Miss World.
A delightful blend of the old and the new,
Hyderabad presents to the onlooker an interesting
skyline, with modern buildings standing shoulder-to-shoulder
with fascinating 400 year old edifices - the
remains of the city's Islamic roots. Known
as the Istanbul of India, Hyderabad boasts
of example of Qutb Shahi architecture- the
Jama Masjid, Mecca Masjid, Toli Masjid and
Hyderabad's symbol, the Charminar.
A fine climate, a fascinating amalgam of
cultures, magnificent cuisine, splendid shopping
and a variety of things to see and do make
a trip to this city memorable.
Main
Sightseeing of Hyderabad
Charminar : Built by
Sultan Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah, the Charminar
is a magnificent square edifice of granite,
built upon four grand arches facing north,
south, east and west with 56 meters high
slender minarets and spiral staircases.
These arches support two floors of rooms
and a gallery of archways. It is these four
(char) minarets (minar) that give the building,
its name 'Charminar'. Each minar stand on
a lotus-leaf base that is a recurrent motif
in Qutub Shahi buildings.
Golconda Fort : The majestic
ruins of Golconda Fort stand as a backdrop
to the sprawling city of Hyderabad. Built
by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah in 1525, the
Golconda Fort epitomises the opulent nawabi
culture of the time. A new attraction at
the fort is a sound and light show that
brings the legend of Golconda to life.
Qutub Shahi Tombs (7 Tombs)
- The tombs are made of black granite or
green stone with a shape of square or octagonal
base. Its dome is in onion shape and arches
are with fine sculptures. The road from
Golconda fort goes to the north has the
tomb of Abdullah Qutb Shah (1626 - 1672).
The tombs of Abul Hasan Tana Qutb Shahi(1672
- 1687), Princess Hayat Baksh Begum (died
on 1677), Muhammad Qutb Shah (1612-1626)
and Pemamati, one of the mistresses of Muhammad
Qutb Shah are also situated near to the
tomb of Abdullah Qutb Shah.
Mecca Masjid : It is a
grand mosque of South India. The construction
of this masjid was started in 1614 by the
6th Sultan Abdulla Qutb Shah and completed
by Aurangzeb. This vast mosque can accommodate
10,000 personnel during prayer time. It
was built of enormous black granite slabs.
The clay from Mecca mixed with red colour
were used for stucco decorations at the
entrance of the Masjid. Lies next to Charminar.
The entrance arches are made of single slabs
of granite.
Salarjung Museum : One
of the largest private collections in the
World. Situated at Afzal Ganj, the museum
has a collection of more than 43,000 art
objects and 50,000 books in the 38 rooms
spread over three floors of the building.
Open timing:10 to 7pm. Closed on Sundays
and public holidays.
Falaknuma Palace : It
is believed that the Falaknuma palace was
gifted to the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad,
Mehboob Ali Khan by the generous Nawab.
The palace was constructed over a period
of seven years and it covers a total area
of 9,39,712 square meters. The Falaknuma
palace is a rare blend of Italian and Tudor
architecture. The palace is laid out in
the shape of a scorpion with two stings
spread out as wings on the north
Hussain Sagar Lake : Its
uniqueness lies in the fact that it connects
the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
On the banks of the placid waters of the
Hussain Sagar a water front or bund was
constructed to arrest the flow of water
on the other side. A major attraction at
the Hussain Sagar is the 16 meter high,
350 tonne monolithic Buddha statue on the
Rock of Gibraltar. Hussain Sagar has other
attractions for lovers of water sports.
The yatching and sailing clubs at the lake
are active and the annual regatta draws
a good number of sportspersons and lay people
alike from all around the country.
Birla Planetarium & Science
Museum : It is located in the heart
of the picturesque city of Hyderabad on
the panoramic hillock of Naubat Pahad, surrounded
by gardens. The Birla Science Center houses
a number of sections such as a Planetarium,
a Science Museum, the Center for Applicable
Mathematics and Computer Sciences, a Science
projects division and so on.
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Excursions
from Hyderabad
Ramoji Film City : The world’s
largest film production complex, is situated
just 16 miles from the historic city of Hyderabad.
Hyderabad, an international IT hub located
in south-west India, is a modern metro and
the home to several major transnational corporations.
The Film City, spread over 2,000 acres of
land studded with hills, vales and lakes,
has few parallels as both a tourist attraction
and major film-making facility.
Nagarjuna Sagar Srisailam
Sanctuary : Located about 130 kms
from Hyderabad, this is one of the biggest
success stories of Project Tiger, a concerted
effort to preserve the magnificent striped
predator in its natural habitat. Thick foliage
along the river Krishna, covering an area
of 3568 sq kms, is home to animals like the
tiger, panther, sloth bear, wild dog, black
buck, nilgai, wild boar, chowsingha, sambhar,
etc. The best time to visit is between Oct
and May.
Manjira Sanctuary : For
avid bird watchers, there's no better place
to come across feathered friends. Just 50
kms from Hyderabad, this river habitat supports
marsh crocodiles as well as rare species of
aquatic birds. Well equipped inspection bungalows
at Sangarareddy and Sadasivapet, allow you
to rest and refresh yourself. The best time
for a visit is between October and June.
Mahaveer Harina Vanasthali National
Park : The park is located at Vanasthalipuram,
at a distance of 20 km from the city and originally
the area was under the Nizam. The park was
established in 1977. The flora is of dry scrub
jungle with grass lands. Major plant species
found here are Neem, Butea (Flame of the forest),
Acacias, Bauhinias etc. apart from a variety
of thorny scrub species. The park is famous
for the endangered Black Buck, the state animal
of Andhra Pradesh. Tourist facilities There
are sheds for rest and observation towers
for viewing the animals. A van is provided
to take the visitors inside the park to see
the animals from close quarters.
Hyderabad Botanical Gardens :
The first Botanical Gardens in Andhra Pradesh,
spread over 120 acres, when completed will
have 19 sections (Vanams). Already open to
public is the first phase, with the completion
of 5 sections. The sections include medicinal
plants, timber trees, fruit trees, ornamental
plants, aquatic plants, bamboos and so on.
The Park has been designed to have large water
bodies, rolling meadows, natural forests,
rich grasslands and exquisite rock formations
- all providing visitors an unforgettable
experience.
How
to reach Hyderabad ?
By Air : Hyderabad is an important centre
in the air transport network of south India.
There are flights in either direction between
Hyderabad and Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata,
Delhi, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Nagpur, and Vishakhapatnam.
Hyderabad has an international airport too.
By Rail : The twin cities of Hyderabad and
Secunderabad are extensively covered by the
railway network connected with Bangalore,
Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai
and other cities in India. Hydrabad is well
connected by rail with all the important places
within the state also. The city bus service
operates from the railway station.
By Road : On the crossroads of National highways
7 and 9, Hydrabad is well connected. Buses
of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport
Corporation and Private buses operate to all
centres in the region..
