The twin cities of Hyderabad- Secunderabad are pulsating with life and offer a peek into the rich heritage of the Nizams. Hyderabad is known for its nostalgic charm and magnificent culture exhibiting a blend of tradition and modernity. After Bangalore, it is also the second Silicon city in India exhibiting a powerful IT industry enabling successful operations to take place from its core.

Visiting Hyderabad is indeed a truly enriching experience. On the one hand you find yourself travelling down memory lane to the regal era of the Nawabs and on the other you will find yourself admiring the state-of-the art technology and huge multiplexes that are part the rapid urbanisation.

Hyderabad is a colourful place, capable of illuminating your soul. Amid the chaos caused by street hawkers, vendors, fruit sellers and beautifully lit markets, you will find that Hyderabad is a land of many wonders. Another thing the city is famous for is its delectable cuisine. The biryanis and kormas are simply mouth-watering and you will find your taste buds craving for more.

Hyderabad is an ideal place to begin a tour of South India. The various temples, lakes, gardens, and museums speak volumes about the rich crafts and culture of Hyderabad. The city promises an experience you will treasure for a lifetime.

History

Hyderabad is the capital of the State of Andhra Pradesh and was founded in the year 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, the fifth Sultan of Qutub Shahi Dynasty. The city boasts of a richly mixed culture and heritage dating back some 400 years. It is one of the most rapidly developing cities of India and has emerged as a strong centre for industrial, technological, and commercial dealings.

In 1687, Hyderabad was seized by Aurangzeb and its importance began to decline. The city soon fell to ruins and began to disintegrate with the downfall of the Mughal Empire. Viceroy Asaf Jah I proclaimed himself the Nizam and established independent rule of the Deccan. Hyderabad soon began to flourish once again and became an important capital city under the rule of the Asaf Jahi Nizams. The state was eventually merged into the Indian Union in 1948.

Secunderabad

The year 1798 saw the signing of a subsidiary alliance for military and economic cooperation between the Nizam and the British East India Company. An area of the North was established as a cantonment and was named Secunderabad after the then Nizam, Sikander Jah.

Hyderabad continued to develop under the rule of the Nizams both culturally as well as economically. Huge reservoirs such as the Nizam Sagar, Tungabhadra, Osman Sagar, Himayath Sagar and others were built. Survey work on Nagarjuna Sagar also began at this time. Under the Nizams, Hyderabad was the largest princely State and flaunted luxuries and precious jewels. It had its own currency, mint, railways and postal system.

The Kingdom of Golconda was founded by The Qutub Shahi Dynasty. It was one of the five kingdoms that emerged after the break up of the Bahmani Kingdom. The Qutub Shahis ruled the kingdom for almost 171 years. All seven rulers were patrons of learning and were great builders. They contributed to the growth and development of Indo-Persian and Indo-Islamic cultures in Hyderabad. During this time, Golconda became one of the leading markets of the world dealing in precious stones like diamonds, pearls, emeralds, steel for arms, and printed fabric.

Places of Interest

Birla Mandir: Birla Mandir is a fine display of mixed architectural styles of South India and Orissa. A Rajagopuram built in South Indian style greets the visitors while the tower over the main shrine of Venkateswara called Jagadananda Vimanam is built in Orissa style. The granite image of the presiding deity is about 11 ft tall and a carved lotus forms an umbrella for this image. There are several beautiful carvings in marble in the adjoining Mukha Mandapam depicting scenes from Indian mythology. The temple presents a magnificent sight when illuminated in the evening.

Birla Planetarium: Located close to the Birla Temple is the BM Birla Planetarium. It is one of the advanced technically advanced modern planetariums in India and gives one a feeling of actually being in space.

Gandipet: Osmansagar, popularly knows as Gandipet, is crowded by visitors all year round. This beautiful lake located 20 km west of Hyderabad was formed by Mir Osman Ali Khan as a result of damming of the river Musi in 1920. Gandipet is the most sought after picnic spot in Hyderabad. It is surrounded by lush green lawns and has a swimming pool and has been developed as a public recreational area. One can find peace at Gandipet. Andhra Pradesh Tourism provides a guest house called Sagar Mahal which was the resort of the erstwhile Nizam.

Shilparamam: Madhopur cradles two attractive spots of Hyderabad— Shilparamam and Durgam Cheruvu. Shilparamam is an arts and crafts village famous for its annual festivals and bazaars. Here one can meet the artistes and artisans from across the country and exchange their views. Durgam Cheruvu is a lake surrounded by huge rocks dating back a few centuries. It is popularly known as Hyderabad rocks and provides facilities like pedal boating.

Charminar: The Charminar is the most important landmark of the city located in the southern sector of Hyderabad city and south of the Musi River. This magnificent square edifice of granite was built by Sultan Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah upon four grand arches facing east, north, west, and south with 56-metre-high slender minarets and spiral staircases. In 1886, it was declared a protected site.

Golconda: The Golconda Fort provides a splendid backdrop for the city of Hyderabad. It is located in the western sector of the city. The outer fort consists of three square kilometre area and is 4.8 km in length encircling an old settlement. Golconda was built on a hill in 1143 and was a mud fort under the Rajah of Warangal. In the 14th and 17th centuries the fort was strengthened and expanded by the Bahmani Sultans and the Qutub Shahi Dynasty. It became the capital of the Qutub Shahi rulers. The inner fort comprises of the ruins of palaces, mosques and other public buildings.

Hayat Bakshi Begums: This mosque is named after Hayat Bakshi Begum, the mother of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah. The mosque has a façade of five arches and was constructed in 1672.

Main Mishk Masjid: This mosque is one of the most interesting mosques in Hyderabad. Standing at one end of a square country, it has an atmosphere of divine peace and tranquillity. It was built in 1678 and bears the name of its builder Malik Miyan Mishk, an Abyssinian slave of Abdul Hasan Tana Shah. Malik Mishk’s grave is situated nearby and a Caravan Sarai and bath which were built for him are intact.

Mecca Masjid: The Mecca Masjid is situated immediately to the southwest of Charminar. The works on this mosque commenced in 1614 by Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah (the sixth Qutb Shahi ruler) and was completed by Aurangazeb in 1693. It is one of the largest mosques in India and the principal one of Hyderabad. The arched gallery, which is a later addition at the south end of the mosque, consists of the tombs of all the Nizams from 1803. This is the biggest mosque in Hyderabad. Its name is derived from the Grand Mosque at Mecca on which it is patterned. This mosque can easily accommodate 10,000 people at a time.

Paigah Tombs: Here the tombs of several generations of the Paigah nobles including Asman Jah, Vigarul-Umara and Shams-ul-Umara are located. These magnificent structures are adorned with stucco work and represent the Asaf Jahi and Rajasthani styles. The varieties of marble used in these tombs is worth praise and the geometry found in the tombs is unique and one of a kind in the entire world.

Qutub Shahi Tomb: These tombs were made in memory of the departed kings of Golconda and are splendid monuments made of black granite or green stone with a shape of square or octagonal base. The tombs stand a kilometre north of Golconda fort’s Banjara Darwaza and are a silent reminder of the grandeur and splendour of the past.

St Mary’s Cathedral: St Mary’s Cathedral is a huge and magnificent structure with vast and open space. It was build during 1860-65 and is a fine display of pointed arches, windows, turrets, and buttresses. It is one of the main landmarks of Secunderabad and is known for its fine architectural quality.

HITEC City: Hyderabad is called second Silicon Valley in India after Bangalore. Its Software Technology Park is the hub of leading industries like Intergraph, UUNET, TCS, Wipro, Baan, Satyam Park International,etc. HITEC (Hyderabad Information Technology Engineering Consultancy) City is spread across 151 acres of land for commercial development and has the best facilities and amenities, enabling hassle free IT operations.

Salarjung Museum: This museum boasts of one of the largest personal collections of the world comprising of jewellery, arms, clothes etc. The museum has a collection of more than 43,000 art objects and 50,000 books.

Falaknuma Palace: Falaknuma Palace was gifted to the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, Mehboob Ali Khan by the generous Nawab. The palace which was constructed over a period of seven years is spread out in a total area of 9,39,712 square metres. The structure is a fine blend of Tudor and Italian architecture and is laid out in the shape of a scorpion with two stings spread out as wings on the north.

Ramoji Film City: This is the world’s largest film production complex situated 16 miles from the city of Hyderabad. The film city is spread over 2,000 acres of land marked with hills, lakes, and gardens. It is also a major tourist attraction.

AP State Museum: This structure is located in the picturesque Public Gardens and boasts of one of the richest repositories of antiques and art objects in the country. It was built by the Nizam VII in 1928 and is a great example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. The museum has a Buddhist gallery, Jain gallery, Bronze gallery, Arms and armour gallery, Numismatics gallery and Ajanta gallery.

Nizam’s Museum: This structure is located in the Purani Haveli and was once the palace of the second Nizam. This museum boasts of a fascinating collection of gifts and mementos presented to the last Nizam on the occasion of the silver jubilee celebrations in 1936. A 1930 Rolls Royce, Packard, and a Mark V Jaguar are among the vintage cars displayed.

In Closing

Hyderabad is the city of Nizams and pearls waking to the beat of hi-tech operations and modernisation. The Nizams were famous for their jewellery collections which have become a rage during the festive season in India. Hyderabadi Biryani is an exotic rice dish which declares that the Imperial Nizams were great connoisseurs of food. The city has a rustic old world charm blended with the necessities of contemporary India and is one of the fastest growing cities of India. It reminds one of the opulence of the past at the same time charming its visitors with a trendy ambience.