Hyderabad Travel Guide
About Hyderabad :
Hyderabad - an important centre of Islamic culture, was the seat of the
legendary Nizams of Hyderabad, rulers of one of the largest native
states in India. Sightseeing tour commences with a visit to High Court,
built in solid pink granite. It is a very impressive building in Mughal
- Saracenic style, enriched with panels of bas-relief decoration carved
in red Hyderabad sandstone. Visit the Char Minar or 4 towers, which are
186 feet high and 100 feet wide on each frontage. It is a masterpiece of
the Qutab Shai dynasty and was intended to mark the centre of the city.
Immediately Southwest of the Char Minar is the Mecca Masjid. Built in
local granite, it is one of the largest mosques in India. Each column is
carved out from a single stone. The small red stones in the central arch
are made of earth from Mecca. Also, drive past the Osmania General
Hospital, a spectacular range of stone buildings dressed with chunam and
designed by Vincent Esch in Indo-Saracenic style. State Central Library
has an outstanding collection of Islamic manuscript. Also visit the
Public gardens, Archaeological Museum and Gandhi Bhawan.
Getting There :
Air : Hyderabad has its own airport, so travelling air
to Hyderabad is not a problem.
Rail : The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderbad
are connected to all the major cities of India.
Road : Hyderabad lies on National Highway No. 7 and 9,
hence is connected by the rest of the country.
Tourists Attractions :
Char
Minar :
The principle landmark of Hyderabad is the Charminar (four towers), the
massive arch built by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah in 1591 to commemorate
the end of a devastating epidemic of the plague. There is a small mosque
on the second floor, which is the oldest in Hyderabad. In the south-east
corner is a small Hindu shrine honoring Laxmi, the goddess of wealth.
Each evening, the arch is illuminated and is a sight worth seeing.
Salar Jung Museum :
One of Hyderabad's prime attractions is the Salar Jung Museum, the
world's largest collection by a single individual, Sir Yusaf Ali Salar
Jung III. The 36 rooms, house around 35,000 exhibits from all over the
world including sculptures, illuminated manuscripts, unusual collections
of jade, marble statues, rare manuscripts, Persian miniature paintings,
Chinese porcelain and other objects d'art. The collected items in the
museum could be far better classified because a lot of the really good
pieces of art need to be hunted for. Whatever the inevitable drawbacks
of a one man collection, a must visit. The museum is closed Fridays.
Mecca
Masjid :
One of the largest mosques in the world, the Mecca Masjid is said to
accommodate upto 10,000 worshippers. The foundation of the mosque was
laid during the reign of Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah in 1614, but was
completed only in 1687, when the Golconda Kingdom was annexed by Emperor
Aurangzeb.
Birla Mandir :
You can visit this modern enchanting temple dedicated to Lord
Venkateswara on your tour to Hyderabad. The Birla Mandir stands in all
its grandeur on the hilltop of Kalapahad. The intricately carved, tiered
tower at the base is typical of the southern Indian shrines while the
smooth dome at the top is in the north Indian Rajasthani style. Made of
pure white marble from Rajasthan, the Birla Mandir overlooks the serene
and placid waters of the Hussain Sagar Lake. The Birla Mandir presents a
colorful spectacular sight when illuminated at night.
Gandipet :
Gandipet, located at a distance of about 20 kms west on your tour to
Hyderabad city. Mir Osman Ali Khan formed this water body as a result of
damming of the river Moosi in 1920. Anyone visiting Gandipet is pleased
to see a vast stretch of placid water that shimmer like gold with the
rays of the morning sun.
