Hyderabad- The city of Pearls and Culture

A city of minarets and pearls, Mughlai cuisine and cosmopolitan people, Hyderabad is located on the Deccan Plateau at an altitude of 533 m above sea level. Founded in 1590 AD by Mohammed Quli Qutab Shah, the ity covers an area close to 300 sq km. Hyderabad, along with its twin city Secunderabad, is a fast growing metroposis with the highest concentration of academic institutions and organisations in India.

The capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, nicknamed Cyberabad for its IT thrust, is India’s fifth largest city.

Hyderabad is among the few Indian cities which has a well preserved cultural heritage. It invokes nostalgia among residents for its culture, fine arts and its sophisticated manners. More than anything, Hyderabad presents a true picture of secularism.The city is noted for its natural beauty, mosques and minarets, bazaars and bridges, hills and lakes. It has an attractive amalgam of old world charm along with the ebullience of growth and enterprise. Beautiful old edifices built in Medieval, Mughul, Colonial and Indo-Saracenic styles abound, rubbing shoulders with large glass and chrome temples of commerce.

What to see:

• Golconda Fort, which dates back to 1346 AD. Situated on a hillock 400 feet high, the fort has a perimeter of 11 km and three outer walls.
• Char Minar – Hyderabad is famous for its charming minarets. The city is often identified with the majestic 16th century Charminar which stands at the center of the old city in all its splendor amidst the colourful shops of Ladbazzar with its glittering traditional bangles.
• The Salarjung Museum, is one of the single largest one-man collections of the world with collections belonging to different civilisations dating back to the 1st century.

Hyderabad Stats:

• Climate – The tropical rainy season is from June to February.
• Temperature –
  Summer, Mar – May: 24 degree celsius- 42 degree celsius
  Monsoon, Jun – Sep 22 degree celsius- 30 degree celsius
  Winter, Oct – Feb: 12 degree celsius- 22 degree celsius
• Getting there: Begumpet international airport is bang in the middle of the city and around 15 minutes drive to the business districts.
• Moving around: The newer parts of the city have broad roads. Negotiate fares before hiring yellow and black taxis.