HYDERABAD

HYDERABAD – TELANGANA TRAVEL GUIDE

INTRODUCTION

Hyderabad, the pearl city of India, is the capital of Telangana in Southern India. It sits on the banks of the Musi River and on the Deccan Plateau. Hyderabad and Secunderabad are “twin cities” near Hussain Sagar Lake (also known as Tank Bund in local parlance) but both cities have grown so much that now they have become one big metropolis. The city and district of Hyderabad are coterminous. Hyderabad district is entirely contained within the Ranga Reddy (formerly “Hyderabad Rural”) district of Telangana. Many of the suburbs of Hyderabad have been merged into the city, now called Greater Hyderabad.

History

In the 10th century, the kings of the Kakatiya dynasty built the fortress of Golkonda about 8 km to the west of what is now Hyderabad’s old city. Over the next few centuries, the fort became a major centre of diamond trade fed by the mines of Kollur, so much so that the word “Golkonda” became synonymous with great wealth. The fort changed hands many times before it came under the control of Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk in 1463. He had quelled rebellion in the Telangana region and was appointed the subedar, or administrator of the region by the Bahmani sultan as a result. By 1518, he had become independent from the sultan, declared himself the Sultan under the name “Quli Qutb Shah” and established the Qutb Shahi dynasty. In 1589, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, a grandson of Quli Qutb Shah, moved his capital from the Golconda fort to the present day location of Hyderabad due to water shortages at the old location. In 1591, he ordered the construction of the Charminar, reportedly in gratitude to Allah for stopping a plague epidemic before it could do too much damage.

The name “Hyderabad” reportedly had its origins in an affair between Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah and a local Telugu courtesan named Bhagmati. He named the city Bhagyanagar after her, and after she converted to Islam and took on the name of “Hyder Mahal”, he named the city Hyderabad. Hyderabad was built on a grid plan with help from Iranian architects. French traveller Jean-Baptiste Tavernier favourably compared Hyderabad to Orleans.

Hyderabad become the capital of Hyderabad state. In 1956, Telugu-speaking areas were consolidated into the state of Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad became the capital of this new state. The new capital’s administrative buildings were constructed in the “new city”, between the “old city” (as the Nizam’s city came to be called) and Secunderabad. However, in 2014, the merger of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh was reversed, and the state of Telangana was officially formed. In 2016-7 the capital of Andhra Pradesh was moved to Amaravati, leaving Hyderabad as the capital of Telangana alon

How to Reach :

1.By Road :

Hyderabad is well-connected to all parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and most parts of South and Western India by bus.

2.By Train :

Indian Railways has service to Hyderabad from all over India.

There are three major railway stations serving the twin cities: Hyderabad Station [HYB] (Deccan or Nampally), Secunderabad Station [SC] (Junction), and Kachiguda [KCG] and a minor station at Begumpet. Most of the trains bound for South India and North India originate from Hyderabad and leave via Secunderabad.

3.By Air:

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) is 22 km (14 mi) from the city. The sleek and well-organized airport is one of the best in India. It has one integrated terminal (although passengers departing on international flights must now complete security, immigration and customs at the interim international terminal first, then go to the main terminal, with a free shuttle and premium check-in available) as well as a special Hajj terminal.

Best Time to Visit :

Hyderabad has a tropical climate. The best time to visit the city is from mid-November to mid-February. Temperatures are mild with abundant sunshine during this time and average temperatures range from a low of 15°C (59°F) to a high of 29°C (85°F).

March to June is hot and dry with occasional thunderstorms. Highs can reach 45°C (113°F) or more and a lack of air-conditioning can make it feel very uncomfortable. July, August, September and October can be quite warm and humid. Low pressure systems from the Bay of Bengal during the monsoon season can cause heavy rain for days.

Places to Visit :

Old City
The Old City lies south of the Musi River. Most historical attractions, including the Charminar, lie in this district. It is also one of the most crowded areas of India, where, in some ways time has stood still since around 1800 while in other ways it has taken a few awkward steps forward. The crowded bylanes of the Old City are great areas to shop for bangles, henna, clothes or pearls.

Central Or New City
The modern city centre, between Musi River on the south and Hussain Sagar lake on the north. This area developed after Independence to house the government offices of the capital of the new state. The Hussain Sagar lake and its surroundings have been beautified in the last two decades and you will find some nice amusement parks, promenades and restaurants around it. To the South of Hussain Sagartowards Musi River Abids, Koti , Nampally, Kachiguda,Basheer Bagh, are the city centres in the Central Hyderabad district. To the west of the lake are the prosperous suburbs of Punjagutta, Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills, with shopping and restaurants. The ancient Golconda Fort is also in this district

North Hyderabad and Secunderabad
north of the Hussain Sagar. At one point, Secunderabad was a separate city, which is why you often hear the appellation “Twin cities” to refer to the region. Like the typical Indian cantonment town, the roads are better maintained and broader. It has nice parks, open spaces like the parade ground, and some excellent restaurants. The Secunderbad Cantonment areas Trimalgheery, Bollaram, Bowenpally, Begumpet, Ameerpet, Jawahar Nagar , CRPF Area, Towards Shamirpet. And North- East Hyderabad / Secunderbad Suburb’s has suburbs like Alwal, Yapral, Malkajgiri, Neredmet, Moula Ali areas are full developed. North Hyderabad is something of an industrial and suburban zone, with pharmaceutical factories, and middle-class housing. Other than the occasional park and the odd restaurant, North Hyderabad is most visited for the resorts on the outskirts of the city.

West Hyderabad (Cyberabad, Hi-tec city, Gachibowli)
A technology hub. Home to Microsoft, Oracle, Infosys, and many other IT and BPO (business process outsourcing) firms. The crowd here is cosmopolitan, the restaurants and bars hipper, and the attractions worth seeing are newer.

South Hyderabad
The areas south of the Musi River, excluding the Old City.

East Hyderabad
Home to Osmania University, the eastern part of Hyderabad is a vast suburbs like Kapra,ECIL,Nacharam, Hubsiguda, Uppal areas are well developed as Industrial Areas and also L.B Nagar, Vanastalipuram, Hayathnagar areas that has little of interest.