First trip to Hyderabad? You'll love the mixture of
'Cyberabad's' IT boom and Islamic and Hindu culture, on show
at ancient Mecca Masjid mosque and modern marble Venkatesvara Temple.
There's plenty to experience, from exotic jewel-filled bazaars and
centuries-old tombs to colonial Indo-Saracenic architecture in this hospitable city.
Background
The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad have grown to blend seamlessly, with
Islamic history in the once princely state in Hyderabad's old city.
It's easy to see Hyderabad's past as a centre of the pearl, gold
and diamond trade, with shops galore around Laad Bazaar, near to the landmark
Charminar arch and Mecca Masjid mosque. Hyderabad also boasts a burgeoning IT
centre, where the suburb dubbed Cyberabad houses several computing giants.
First-time visit
Climb the Charminar, a four-sided archway with soaring minarets in the old
city's hub, and gaze down at Laad Bazaar, then head there to shop
for pearls. Nearby, gaze at the mammoth courtyard of Mecca Masjid, one of the
oldest and largest mosques in India, with some of the bricks made out of soil from
Mecca. Outside the city, visit the graceful domes of Qutub Shahi Tombs, the
resting place to Hyderabad's dynastic leaders, some in their own garden.
From there, scramble around the ramparts of Golconda Fort, the excavation
site of the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond.
Return visit
Sip a refreshing cup of aromatic Indian masala chai tea brewed with milk while
gazing at the Osmania General Hospital, built in ornate Indo-Saracenic style
by the infamously rich ruler, Nizam VII in 1925. Also on the banks of the Musi
River, pick out your favourite exhibits in Salar Jung Museum, with
stunning Mughal miniatures, Shah Jahan's daggers and Aurangzeb's
sword. Hindi film fans will love the plaster copies of famous monuments at Ramoji
Film City, the world's largest film studio complex. Take a boat
trip on Hussain Sagar lake, nicknamed Hyderabad's Riviera,
containing the mammoth 197-foot-high, 386-ton monolith granite Gautama
Buddha.
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