Hyderabad Tourism
State : Andhra Pradesh
Area :260 sq kms
Temperature :28°C - 39.4°C (Summers), 17°C
- 27.1°C (winters)
Altitude : 537 mts
Language : Telegu, Urdu, English
Best Season : October - February
When a poet, architect and an artist supervises the building of a city,
beauty, balance and proportion are to be expected. What lends an air of
romance to the city of
Hyderabad, is the love story of
a young prince and a village belle that resulted in its very foundations
being laid.
There are several places to see in and around the city of
Hyderabad.
The Charminar, which is the prime attraction of the city, has four wide
roads radiating in the four cardinal directions . The four minarets command
the landscape for miles. The structure is square, each side measuring 100
feet, with a central pointed high arch at the center. The whole edifice
contains numerous small decorative arches arranged both vertically and horizontally.
While the Nizams did not build much mosques or palaces, the Hussain Sagar
Lake is likely to fascinate you. An artificially built lake between Hyderabad
and Secunderabad, every evening sees hordes of Hyderabadis driving past
this beautiful waterfront.
who can resist mouth-watering kebabs, mirchi ka salan, bagharey baingan,
sheermal roti and biryani - some of the irresistible delights of Hyderabadi
cuisine? Competing with these aromas
are the unique scents of traditional
ittar - perfumes and oils which are intended to work on one's senses in
varying ways. Ointments to soothe, vapors to lull one to sleep or startle
one to wakefulness are all to be found, bottled and displayed. Stunning
varieties of glass bangles are a photographer's delight as resplendent shades
of every imaginable color glint in the afternoon sun.
Hyderabad today stands as one of the most rapidly growing
cities of India. This almost 400-year old city with its natural beauty,
mosques and minarets, bazaars, bridges and lakes is rightfully referred
to as a link between the north and the south, and a meeting place of the
east and the west.
History
There is a love story related to the founding of the city of
Hyderabad.
As a young prince, Muhammad Quli fell passionately in love with a maiden
from Chichlam village across the river Musi. He would even venture to cross
the river to meet his beloved. Ibrahim Qutb Shah, his father, built a bridge
on the river so that the crown prince did not endanger his life. When he
ascended the throne, Muhammad Quli built a grand structure, the Charminar,
at the site of the village. The city was called Bhagnagar to appease his
beloved, Bhagmati. Later on it came to be called
Hyderabad.
Bhagnagar means city of good fortune.
The history of
Hyderabad begins with the establishment
of the Qutub Shahi dynasty. Quli Qutub Shah seized the reins of power from
the Bahamani Kingdom in 1512 and established the fortress city of Golconda.
Inadequacy of water, and frequent epidemics of plague and cholera forced
Mohammed, the fifth Quli Qutub Shahi ruler to venture outward to establi
sh
the new city with theCharminar at its center and with four great roads
fanning out in the four cardinal directions.
The City of
Hyderabad is famous for its minarets and its
pearl bazaar. Pearl from all over the world are said to come to
Hyderabad
because the artisans here are skilled in piercing and stringing pearls without
damaging them. The city's gypsy tribes called Lambadas and Banjaras are
known throughout the country for their colorful costumes - and Hyderabadi
cuisine is much sought after.
