HYDERABAD, THE CITY OF NIZAMS, ART, HISTORY AND FOOD.
About Hyderabad:
one of the most famous cities known for its palaces and forts, biryanis and haleems. And it is situated on the banks of River Musi in the northern part of the Deccan Plateau. Hyderabad is one of the most advanced and highly influential cities of India. This city is the perfect culmination of royal history, art, culture and definitely the scholarly mecca. From Hyderabad’s culinary heritage to the the hidden treasures of the city, there are many. This is a place of complete sense of history, these are places which exude a welcoming attitude and leave visitors charmed. It has that old-world touch and a relaxed attitude to life which does not fail to charm visitors. Already sounds aesthetic or something vintage? Then you must explore the From unknown monuments of the Nizam’s era and one of the oldest shop ice cream parlours. From hearing the stories of overcoming all obstacles, wars, history. Let us give a trip to Hyderabad through our eyes. Apart from biryani, Charminar and pearls, Hyderabad holds onto its past with grace, retaining a distinct flavour that piques the traveller’s curiosity. The old city of Hyderabad is marked with narrow lanes infested with markets, chai shops, a whirl of noise and stately old architecture. Hyderabad was the opulent seat of power of the Nizams that ruled over this princely state. Hyderabad is one of the largest cities in southern India, making a huge impact on the nation’s economy. and not just that you must experience ‘Hyderabadi’ culinary culture is a unique blend of Mughlai delicacies like Nihari, Haleem, and Kababs. The more you dig deeper, the more you gain more knowledge about this ancient royal city.
Best time to explore and experience Hyderabad:
October to February, the winter season is considered as the best season to visit Hyderabad. The temperatures drop to a relatively soothing level. Starting from October, the season reaches its peak in December, which makes it the coldest month of the year. The weather is chilly as well as pleasant from December to February. During this season, the days remain sunny while the nights turn colder, making it conducive to sightseeing and outdoor activities. you can indulge in activities such as ferry ride to the Buddha statue located in the middle of Hussain Sagar, Experience the culture of the region at Shilparamam Arts and Crafts Village. Learn and explore some historic places such as Charminar, Golkonda Fort, Qutub Shani Tombs, Makkah/Mecca Masjid, etc. Go trekking to some of the popular trekking sites like Ananthagiri, Ghanpur Fort, Medak Fort, Bhongir Fort, Koilkonda Fort.
Also, if you are travelling during this winter season, make sure to at least attend one of the festivals to explore the culture more such as:
1. Deccan Festival or Hyderabad Festival (February-March)
2. Floral festival of Bathukamma (September-October)
3. Lumbini Festival (December)
4. Hyderabad Book Fair (December)
5. Annual Rose Show at Jubilee Hall, Public Gardens (January)
6. Hyderabad Literary Festival (December-January)
July to September, is a monsoon season, which is not so good a season for exploring the city. But there are still some of the activities you can do. Monsoons come packed with moderate to heavy rains in Hyderabad, offering relief from the blistering summer heat. But, if you love rains, you will find the monsoons a great period for your travel plans. It would be very appealing of the monsoon days are the fresh greenery and the cool breeze that blows in evenings, making the weather pleasant. You can explore Ethipothala Waterfalls (160 km), Mallela Theertham Waterfall (180 km), Bheemuni Paadam Waterfalls. You can explore some of the few indoor attractions like museums, palaces, temples, and churches. Soak in the rain-drenched charm of the city with piping hot Irani chai and Osmania biscuits at various Karachi bakery outlets. Explore Hyderabad Botanical garden or KBR National Park.
March to June, is the summer season, too hot and humid. the season comes to its peak, making it the hottest month of the year. This season continues till June and sometimes extends to July as well, after which the monsoons arrive to bring relief to the scorched city. While the summer days are rather uncomfortable, the nights tend to be more pleasant. The rising mercury levels and humidity make it very challenging to go for outdoor activities. So its not really a good idea to visit at this time. Yet, regardless of harsh weather people who love cricket are here.
So even during the shot weather, you can go out in evenings as its pleasant such as:
1. Watch an IPL match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium
2. light and sound show at Golconda Fort or Warangal Fort
3. Relish on Lassi, Kulfi, and Falooda at some of the famous and oldest ice scream shops
4. Experience the illumination at Charminar after sundown
5. Explore the water parks in Hyderabad – Wonderla, Ocean Park, Escape Water Park, Jal Vihar
Places to explore in Hyderabad:
Charminar, one of the best Hyderabad attractions. Hyderabad is known for this historic gem. If you see, Hyderabad developed around this landmark mosque. The iconic mosque has stood through the entirety of Hyderabad’s history since the 1500s, keeping its exemplary Indo-Persian architecture and crafty sculptures intact until recent restoration projects were run on it to return this monument to its original glory.
Golconda Fort, this is such an architectural brilliance of ancient times. The true depiction of history, art, culture all together. This colossal structure requires some curious exploration in the right frame of mind as you will be climbing through a significant number of stairs and corridors. We would suggest you to make sure to include a tour guide on this trip to the fort specifically to know more about history.
Falaknuma Palace Hotel, , this Falaknuma Palace used to be the luxurious residence of the Prime Minister of the Princely state of Hyderabad under the Nizami rule. Literally meaning ‘reflection of the sky’, this palace is located atop a hill from where you will get magnificent views of the entire city. Offocurse, considering the lavishness of the hotel, the primings are too high.
Chowmahallah Palace, It is the 200-year-old palace that served as the official residence of Hyderabad Nizams. But, now it is turned into a museum, showcasing as well as preserving the Nizami way of life, their treasures, their pride and heritage, with items such as antique furniture, cars, art collections, photos, and clothes. Nizam of Hyderabad, now lives in Australia and visits his palaces once in a year.
Salar Jung Museum, Situated on the banks of the Musi River, this is one of the largest museums in India, a must-visit on any Hyderabad trip. The museum contains within its walls, a most extensive collection of arts and historical artefacts such as Nizami furniture paintings, sculptures, carvings, ceramics, textiles, carpets, and clocks among others, collected by the family of the Salar Jung Nawabs. You can find all kinds of gems, arts in this huge museum.
Hussain Sagar Lake, The lake was built in 1563 by Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah and was designed by Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali, who gave the lake its present name. In the middle of the lake, there is a small rocky island, known as Gibraltar Rock, upon which a 32-ft tall monolithic statue of Gautam Buddha was erected in 1992. The lake is a huge water body and makes for a beautiful outdoor location for low-cost recreational visits. We suggest you to spare a day especially for this place in your itinerary, and go on picnic or do a shoot.
Local food to try in Hyderabad: if you are truly as food connoisseur , how can you miss the delectable taste of Hyderabad’s nizam which is extremely flavoursome full of meat, fat, nuts and some authentic spices.
Hyderabadi Biryani, , the biryani of Hyderabad is extremely popular because of its rich aromatic flavour. It is usually made with mutton, but chicken biryani is also a hot selling item too. And the places you can eat these are at Paradise, its Biryani outlet, Madhapur.
Haleem, Mostly made from mutton, nuts and spices and wheat, this slow-cooked dish and usually eaten during the 40 days leading up to the festival of Ramzan. This dish provides special sustenance to people of Islamic faith who fast most stringently.
Hyderabadi Marag, it is Hyderabad’s special soup. Marag is a soup that is a favourite with people who like their soup spicy and with meat in it. Made of tender mutton, and you can try it in Zaiqa-E-Hyderabad, Banjara Hills.
Keema Samosas, already tempted? These are available as a snack in this region. Also known as Sambusas, this deep-fried item is a pastry filled with meat or vegetables, usually peas, potatoes and carrots.
Kebabs, one of the most popular barbecued meat dishes, originating from Middle Eastern cuisine. Extremely popular in Hyderabad, with huge queues forming outside Hyderabadi joints for a plate of succulent, smoky kebabs and mint chutney, the meat-dish is considered a non-vegetarian’s idea of paradise.
Mutton Dalcha, new to you? Hyderabadi dish makes use of the most tender mutton along with pulses and spices. It’s made using chickpea lentils and mutton, but can be made with vegetables too if you wish. You can try it at Bombay Restaurant, Nampally.
Dum Pukht, involves cooking meat or vegetables over a very low, slow flame. Relying heavily on roasting the vegetables or meat in their own juices, and not on flavouring them using various spices, Dum Pukht cooking has its origins in Persia.
Kubani ka Meetha, ever heard of this desert? It is Made of dried apricots, flavoured and sweetened just sufficiently, and garnished with slivers of pistachios, almonds and cashew nuts. Seasoned diners order it topped with vanilla ice cream and this dessert is almost a staple at most weddings and other festivities in Hyderabad.
Irani Chai, is not just like another tea but it is very milky, boiled for hours over a low flame, leaving it with a bitter, unique taste. Irani Chai is very popular in Hyderabad, with entire stalls dedicated to it. You can find it on the stalls in each lane.
Sheer Korma, how can you even dare to miss it? It is vermicelli pudding, with sweetened milk and dates. Usually made for festivals and functions, or just quiet afternoons, Sheer Korma is high up on the list of Indian comfort-foods.
Accessible routes for Hyderabad:
By Air: The Rajiv Gandhi International terminal, Hyderabad’s international airport is well-connected with major cities across the globe. The airport also has a domestic terminal called NT Rama Rao which is connected to most of the Indian cities. Approximately 20 kilometres away from the city, the airport is situated in the Begumpet area. Almost all airlines fly daily from and to Hyderabad.
By Train: There are three major railheads in the city, namely, Hyderabad Railway Station, Secunderabad Railway Station and Kacheguda Railway Station. These railheads connect major Indian cities like Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune. Some of the popular trains that run daily from Hyderabad rail junctions are Kacheguda Express, Hyderabad Express, Charminar Express, Konark Express, Andhra Pradesh Express and Shatabdi Express.
By Bus: it has a huge bus terminal, the city is well-connected to its neighbouring towns like Aurangabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Tirupati and Panaji. The bus terminal is managed and well-organised by Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC).