Hyderabad India. Key travel destinations
Do you need a visa to go there?
It is necessary, but it is given very easily. To obtain a tourist visa to India, you do not need anything at all except a valid passport, plane tickets and hotel reservation. The visa center near the Sukharevskaya metro station is small, there are not many people there, the employees are friendly. The visa is issued in a few days.
We needed a visa to attend the conference - Indians have a separate type of visa (they travel to Europe for conferences on a regular tourist visa). Therefore, with us everything was a little more complicated, and not without the omnipresent Indian flavor.
To obtain a visa for the conference, among other documents, the consulate required a certain paper from the organizing committee - something like permission to hold the conference. We first tried to shake this paper out of the organizing committee ourselves, but after a week of communication by email and international telephone, we entrusted this difficult task to the consulate staff. So that they themselves explain to their compatriots what they want from them. The process took a long time. The rest of the documents had been collected a long time ago, we were sitting on pins and needles. We even got our own consulate employee who you could call on his cell phone and ask how things were going. There was less than a week left before departure.
Finally, two days before departure, the consulate and the organizing committee found a common language. We submitted the documents and received ready-made visas the day before departure. We delegated a representative from our company to the consulate. At first they tried to be indignant that visas are issued from five to six and what is he doing here at lunchtime. But an Indian running past recognized him - oh, so it’s you! - and brought him our passports. It’s that simple - no document, no power of attorney, no receipt, no one.
Chaos on the one hand, humanity on the other. I’m trying to imagine this in Schengen, but I can’t.
How to get there
The easiest way is by plane. In our case, it was Emirates airline, a flight from Moscow to Hyderabad with a transfer in Dubai. The flight from Moscow to Dubai takes 5 hours, from Dubai to Hyderabad 3.5 hours. The transfer was 9 hours on the way there and 5.5 on the way back.
Dubai Airport is a special experience. Firstly, it’s +40 there. It feels like sitting on a bus in winter with a stove blowing on your feet. Only it’s not the stove, it’s all the air. Secondly, it is a melting pot. The center of the world, where the roads of five continents converge. Here you can see representatives of all cultures that have mastered air travel. Hindus in bright clothes. Muslims: women tightly wrapped in burqas embroidered with gold, men in white loose robes. Africans and Asians. Dominican nuns of Indian origin. Europeans are in a miserable minority. It seems that you can live here for a month - and collect a mountain of cultural material that you could not collect even over the years of expeditions.
And I would also like to express my delight at Emirates airline. Because I have never seen such excellent service in economy class for reasonable money anywhere else. The plane is huge, each passenger is entitled to a pillow, a blanket and a screen with music, films, games and cameras looking outside the plane. Very high quality food and metal cutlery. Flight attendants wear eye-catching uniforms and speak multiple languages from different regions of the world. And somewhere there is not only business class, but also first class. They have a separate entrance, and I don’t know what they do with people there - maybe they offer a bed and a personal masseuse. A real oriental palace of fairy tales.
Where to live there
There is accommodation to suit every taste in Hyderabad. If you want to feel the local flavor, choose a cheaper hotel or even a hostel. If you want to look at the local color from a comfortable room with all amenities, welcome to a more expensive hotel.
We stayed in a hotel called Justa the Residence. It had three stars and some elements of local color. The local flavor was expressed in breakfasts from local cuisine and hyper-helpful staff. Breakfast on the first day caused confusion in the form of “what is it and how do they eat it”; however, we figured it out almost immediately and continued to eat it with pleasure. The employees carried our things, opened the door for us and brought us a newspaper in the morning. We attributed it all to the residual coloniality of consciousness. The rooms are modest, but everything you need is there. The room comes with tea bags, instant coffee and a coffee maker, which can also be used for boiling water. There is a restaurant on the roof of the hotel, which has an indoor and outdoor area. We had breakfast in the closed part of it, and went out into the open part to stare at the lake and the low-rise buildings of the quarter, drowning in the jungle. Tropical downpour and the sour smell of rotten meat are included.
Outdoor terrace of the restaurant
View of the lake from the hotel roof
View from the hotel roof away from the lake
Abstract sculpture in one of the corridors
The conference took place at the five-star Mariott Hotel. The lobby and conference room have luxurious decoration, not inferior to that in similar hotels in Europe. I wasn’t in the rooms, but I assume that everything there is also up to par. The hotel courtyard is well-groomed, with many unusual trees and flowers. The hotel area is surrounded by electrified barbed wire, and there are barriers and metal detectors at the entrance. So that no local color breaks through.
Sculptural group on the territory of Marriott
And both of these hotels manage to be located in a poor neighborhood with pencil case houses, goats and cows. So, alas, you won’t be able to completely avoid the local color even at Marriott.
What to eat there
All Indian cuisine is divided into two categories: spicy and vegetarian. You quickly get used to the spicy food, because you still want meat. The meat is most often chicken, although sometimes there are other options. The side dish is mainly rice and vegetables. It is customary to eat Indian cuisine with your hands, but Europeanized Indians use utensils, and Europeans are also given them.
The food at the conference was such that there was no need to eat anywhere else; perhaps this was also done to protect the delicate psyche of Europeans. We only ate in town once. Then we came across a very nice restaurant with Chinese cuisine. The portions in the restaurant were large; The Indian employee was very surprised at the volume of the order and, in particular, the volume of tea ordered (only a teapot per brother). However, we managed. I think that in the city center you can find restaurants for every taste and budget.
Before eating street food in India, you should think ten times, they write in all guidebooks for Europeans. We tried drinking sugarcane juice once, and we didn't get anything for it. It seems to me that it is best to rely on your gut feeling and common sense.
What to see there
India is a large country, and interesting places are spread across it in a thin, even layer. There are three main attractions in Hyderabad where we were taken: Charminar, Golconda and the complex of tombs of the Qutub Shahi Sultans. Char Minar and the complex of tombs are monuments of Muslim architecture of the 16th-17th centuries. They are not at all well-groomed, but their former beauty emerges from under the dirt and smudges. If someone had restored them, they would have been sweets. Golconda produces a completely different impression: picturesque castle ruins on a green hill. The stone carving there is amazing.
But the main thing worth seeing in India is not even the sights. This is a way of life completely different from what we are used to. This is a completely different culture and a completely different view of the world. In India, looking around, you understand a lot about how different our world is and how much people’s lives can differ from what we see in Europe.
How to move in space
Transport around the country is by planes and trains. And for moving within the city there are several options.
The first thing they try to do is put all foreigners into a taxi and transport them exclusively in it. In addition to the standard option for us, when a taxi simply takes you from point A to point B (Indians call this drop-off), for foreigners there are so-called packages. You can choose a package for 1, 3, 6 hours or another amount of time. And all this time the taxi will give you a ride: take you where you need to go, wait and then take you to the next point. Tourists use this for shopping and sightseeing. A taxi is comfortable and inexpensive by our standards: drop-off is about 100-200 rubles, packages are proportionally more expensive. But this is completely uninteresting.
Much more interesting than a rickshaw. You can catch them from the flow of Indian life and persuade them to take you to the right place for money convenient for you. Their tarantaykas are equipped with meters, but tourists are categorically not recommended to use the meter: the cunning natives will take you to the next block half a city away, just to overcharge it more. It is better to agree on the price with the rickshaw driver in advance. It is also not recommended to agree to the first price offered: it is guaranteed to be three times higher than the actual cost of the trip. Before you go, you need to bargain with the rickshaw and lower the price. You should bargain actively using sign language, since rickshaw pullers usually don’t speak English very well. We had fun with this quite successfully.
There are also buses in Hyderabad, but we avoided these crowded monsters. Walking and riding a rickshaw is still funnier.
Where to shop
For shopping in Hyderabad there is a special quarter called Basheer Bagh. There is a great variety of shops there; we have mastered one of them - Woman’s World, a national women’s clothing store.
Buying national clothes in India is a separate art. The first two floors of the store were entirely occupied by saris. On the third floor other clothes were sold: dresses, shirts, tunics and pants. A special tailor can fit clothes to your figure right in the store, within a couple of hours. Some dresses come with sleeves included separately. You can ask them to sew them on, or you can leave them as is.
The clothes are budget-friendly and at the same time bright and unusual - just how I like them. The quality, however, is not superb - but for such money it’s almost not offensive at all. It's a shame that this beauty is short-lived.
And the main Hyderabad souvenir is considered to be pearls. But we didn’t buy it - somehow we didn’t get around to it.
Unsanitary conditions: our experience
Indian unsanitary conditions are one of the favorite horror stories for tourists. Travel sites write about it and relatives talk about it, advising, following the example of their cousin-diplomat, to definitely take potassium permanganate with you to wash fruits.
Nowadays you can’t find potassium permanganate during the day with fire, but I wanted to somehow protect myself from Indian unsanitary conditions. In addition to the standard traveler's first aid kit, we took with us a whole set of various medications for gastrointestinal disorders, antiseptic wet wipes and hand rub with alcohol.
Fortunately, almost none of this was useful to us. It turned out that in India, in order not to have problems with your health, it is enough to follow the usual rules of hygiene. We washed our hands with soap before eating, and wiped them with napkins or hand sanitizer from time to time throughout the day. We used boiled water to brush our teeth. We drank bottled water, which was distributed to everyone at the conference. The bottles were small, 200 ml, and absolutely charming, for which they were christened bottles. Fruits were also always washed with soap before eating.
Particularly impressionable people should be wary of psychosomatics, multiplied by surrounding aromas. On the first day, after trying the local food, we ate activated carbon - more out of fear than according to indications. Then they stopped being scared, and the need to eat activated carbon also disappeared.
Even in India it is not recommended to swim in fresh water. There sits a guinea worm that crawls under a person’s skin, and it turns out badly.
As you stay in India, there is a gradual weakening of vigilance regarding gastrointestinal matters - apparently in parallel with the body getting used to local conditions. Europeans who have lived in India for a long time write that they were no longer afraid to take tap water into their mouths by the middle of the first month. For me, this moment came the evening before leaving: I thought about it while brushing my teeth. And nothing bad happened to me. It’s like with food: gut instinct and common sense are our best friends.
Basic moments
Hyderabad was founded in 1591 when Mohammed Quli of the Qutb Shahi dynasty decided to move the capital here from nearby Golconda. In 1687, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb overthrew the Qutb dynasty and appointed a viceroy, whose successors, who bore the title of Nizams, ruled Hyderabad until 1949.
He looks like an elderly, gorgeously dressed princess whose time has passed. Today, the spirit of centuries is still alive in the Old Town with its old Islamic monuments and even older charm. In fact, the entire city is a scattering of architectural diamonds: patterned tombs, mosques, palaces and houses from the past are hidden, lurking and enchanting passers-by in every corner of the city. Look around carefully.
In recent decades, with the growth of western Hyderabad - the sexy and popular granddaughter of our elderly princess - a new style has emerged. "Cyberabad", along with Bengaluru (Bangalore) and Pune, is home to India's most powerful software dynasties and generates jobs, wealth and luxury vacation spots.
The main attraction of the city is the famous Charminar (Charminar) (“four minarets”), dating from 1591. It is a majestic square archway supported by four 56-meter towers.
Nearby stands one of the largest mosques in India, Mecca Masjid. (Mass Masjid), built of black granite. According to legend, the red bricks of the central aisle are made of clay brought from Mecca. Charminar is surrounded by bazaars - narrow, cobblestone streets lined with rows of shops selling spices, tobacco, grains, essential oils and other goods unique to Hyderabad. There is also a pearl market.
It seems that prosperity is in the genes of this city.
Story
Hyderabad owes its existence to the shortage of water in Golconda at the end of the 16th century. The Kuto Shahs who ruled at that time were forced to move, and therefore Muhammad Quli (Mohammed Quli) and the entire ruling family left the Golconda fortress and headed to the banks of the Musi River. A new city was founded, with a brand new Charminar in the center.
In 1687, the city passed to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and all subsequent rulers of Hyderabad were appointed by the Mughal administration in Delhi.
In 1724, the Viceroy of Hyderabad, Asaf Jah (Asaf Jah) took advantage of the weakening of the Mughal Empire and proclaimed Hyderabad an independent state and himself as its head. Thus began the dynasty of the Nizams of Hyderabad, and with it the flowering of Islamic traditions. Hyderabad became the center of arts, culture, science and Islamic India. And the abundance of rare diamonds and minerals in it - the world famous Kohinoor diamond comes from there - gave the Nizams enormous wealth. (William Dalrymple's White Mughals gives an excellent description of the city at that time.)
When independence came in 1947, the then Nizam, Osman Ali Khan (Osman Ali Khan), chose unification with Pakistan - and then achieved sovereignty. Tensions grew between the Mughulans and the Hindus, and as a result of military intervention, Hyderabad joined the Indian Union in 1948.
Golconda Fortress
Indians/foreigners 5/100 rupees;
9.00-17.00
Although almost the entire fort was built during the reign of Qutub Shah in the 16th century, its origins as a defensive structure go back to the early years of the Yadava and Kakatiya dynasties.
The citadel is built on a 120 m high granite hill and is surrounded by crenellated ramparts built from large stone blocks. The massive ports were equipped with iron spikes to hold back the war elephants. Outside the fortress there is another rampart, the perimeter of which is 11 km, and another wall behind it. To Naya Qila (Naya Quila; new fort), which borders the golf course, you will find a magnificent 400-year-old baobab tree (Hathiyan - “elephant tree”) with a circumference of 25 m, which is said to have been grown from grain brought by African troops from Abyssinia (Abyssia). While exploring the crumbling ramparts in this area you will find cannons scattered throughout (some with beautiful inscriptions) and excellent views of the fortress and burial grounds.
Survival in the fortress also depended on water and audibility. A series of hidden ground clay pipes ensured a reliable water supply, while the Grand Portico's ingenious diamond-shaped ceiling design creates an acoustic system that carries even the smallest echo through the entire fortress to its highest point - used as a security system. Guides can demonstrate the same impressive acoustics in the royal palace, which were designed specifically to catch plotters: whispers in one corner can be clearly heard through the walls in the opposite.
Erudite guides (1.5 hour tour 600 rupees) can be booked from Andhra Pradesh Tourism Department. There are also small guides to the fortress available.
If you want peace and quiet, take a walk there in the morning. Autorickshaw from Abids (Abids) costs about 150 rupees. You can also get there in an hour by bus - from Nampally on route 119 or from Charminar on route 66G.
There is also a cool light and sound show here. (entrance 50 rupees; in English 18.30 from November to February, 19.00 from March to October).
Laad Bazaar
If you want to get lost in Hyderabad, a great place to do so is the crowded Laad Bazaar, located to the west of Charminar. You can find literally everything here, from fine perfumes, clothes and jewelry to second-hand saris and kitchen utensils. The artisans here are skilled in creating jewelry and scented oils, large pots and veils. The lanes in the Charminar area are also the pearl trading hub of India. If you're into it, you can find some really cheap stuff here.
Salar Jung Museum
www.salarjungmuseum.in; Salar Jung Marg; Indians/foreigners 10/150 rupees;
10.00-17.00 Saturday-Thursday
A huge and varied collection, some of whose exhibits date back to the 1st century. AD, put together by Mir Yuzaf Ali Khan (Salar Jung III) and Grand Vizier of the seventh Nizam Osman Ali Khan (reigned 1910-1949). 35,000 exhibits from all corners of the globe, including sculptures, wood carvings, ivory (including a sadly ironic set of elephants), religious paraphernalia, Persian artistic miniatures, illuminated manuscripts, weapons, toys and more than 50,000 books. You can also sometimes see the stunning collection of jewelry of the Nizams. Photo and video filming is prohibited. Avoid Sundays when they are chaotic. From any bus station in the Abids area, take bus along route No. 7, which stops at Afzal Gunj stop (Afzal Gunj), which is located north of the nearest bridge over the Musi River.
West of the bridge is the beautiful Osmania Community Hospital (Osmania General Hospital), on the north and south sides there is a court (High Court) and City College (Government City College), all the buildings were built during the time of the seventh Nizam in the Indo-Saracenic style.
Chowmahalla Palace
www.chowmahalla.com;
Indians/foreigners 30/150 rupees,
photo and video shooting 50 rupees;
10.00-17.00 Sat-Thurs
The Nizam's family sponsored the restoration of this dazzling palace - or, technically speaking, four (char; char) palaces (mahalla; mahalla). Begun in 1750, it continued for the next hundred years, absorbing Persian, Indo-Saracenic, Rajasthani and European styles.
There is a mahal in the southern courtyard (castle), whose rooms have been restored with the best furniture of the Nizams; another mahal gives an insight into life in the zenana (zenana; female part); Also in the southern part you will find antique cars and various interesting things, such as elephant saddles and a Remington Urdu typewriter.
In the northern courtyard is the Khilwat Mubarak, a magnificent reception hall with exhibitions of photographs, weapons and clothing.
His Highness the Nizam Museum
adult/student 70/15 rupees;
10.00-17.00 Saturday-Thursday
In the 16th century, Purani Haveli was the home of the sixth Nizam, Fath Jang Mah-bub Ali Khan (reigned 1869-1911), who was rumored to never wear the same thing twice. Confirming these rumors is its 72-meter, 2-story teak Burmese wardrobe, which will be the first room you enter. In the premises of the former servants of the palace there are personal belongings of the seventh Nizam, Osman Ali Khan (1886-1967) , gifts from his "Silver Jubilee" - luxurious exhibits, including a collection of silver art deco mailboxes.
The remainder of the Purani Haveli is now a school, but you can wander around and explore the administrative buildings that were once the residence of the Nizam.
Nehru Centenary Tribal Museum
Masab Tank (Masab Tank);
Indian/foreigner 10/100 rupees;
10.30-17.00 Mon-Sat
The 33 tribal groups inhabiting mainly northeastern Andhra Pradesh state number several million. The newly renovated museum, maintained and managed by the government's Tribal Welfare Department, features exhibitions of photographs, dioramas of rural life, musical instruments and several exquisite Naikpod tribal masks. You will get a basic idea of the culture of the peoples of this region. There is also an excellent library with a collection of 13,500 books on the tribal groups of India. Nearby, in Girijan, you can buy products produced in tribal communities.
Paigah Tombs
Fisalbanda, Santoshnagar;
10.00-17.00 Saturday-Thursday
Members of the aristocratic Paigah family, supposedly descendants of the second Islamic caliph and ardent supporters of the Nizams, were in their government service, philanthropists and generals, both under their leadership and alongside them. The necropolis of the Paigahs, located in a quiet location four kilometers from Charminar to the southeast, is a small group of exquisite mausoleums built from marble imported from Agra and covered with lime plaster. The main complex contains 27 intricately inlaid tombs, surrounded by exquisitely decorated walls and canopies, stunning filigree window grilles with geometric patterns, and crowned by tall, graceful turrets. The tombs open into a small alley near Owasi Hospital (Owasi). Look for the Preston Junior College sign. Information booklet “Tombs of the Paigahs” (20 rupees) sold in the Andhra Pradesh Museum, but not here.
Buddha statue and Hussain Sagar
Hyderabad has one of the largest free-standing stone structures, which was completed after five years of work in 1990. However, when the monolith, 17.5 meters high and weighing 350 tons, was transported by ferry to its permanent location, the barge sank. Fortunately, in 1992 the old one was recovered from the bottom unharmed, and now it stands on a pedestal in the middle of the lake. The view is especially magnificent when night falls.
Boats often go to the statue (adult/child 50/25 rupees), and within half an hour you can go there and back like with Eat (14.00-20.40) , and from Lumbini Park (entrance 10 rupees; 9.00-21.00). There you can enjoy the sunset and the famous musical fountain. A walk along Tankbud Road (Tankbund Rd) on the eastern bank, Hussain Sagar promises magnificent views of the Buddha statue.
Andhra Pradesh State Museum
Public Gardens Road, Nampally;
entry 10 rupees; photo/video shooting 500 rupees;
10.30-17.00 Saturday-Thursday.
The continuously restored government museum houses a rather dusty collection of important archaeological finds from the region, as well as an exhibition on the Buddhist history of Andhra. There are also galleries dedicated to Jainism and bronze sculptures, a decorative arts gallery and a 4,500-year-old Egyptian mummy. The museum, as well as the magnificent Judicial Assembly building down the road (both appeared during the reign of the seventh Nizam) illuminated at night.
Birla Mandir and Planetarium
working hours 7.00-12.00 and 14.00-21.00
Birla Mandir built in 1976 using white Rajasthani marble carved from Kalabahad (Black Mountain), one of the two rocky mountains on the shores of Hussain Sagar Lake. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara and is a popular Hindu pilgrimage center, offering excellent views of the city, especially at sunset. Library (16.00-20.00) The temple is worth a look.
Nearby is Birla Planetarium and Science Museum (museum/planetarium 20/35 rupees, 10.30-20.00, until 15.00 Friday, planetarium shows 11.30, 16.00 and 18.00) and an interesting contemporary art gallery (entrance 10 rupees, 10.30-18.00).
Kitchabad
In the mix of Hyderabad's world attractions, some stand out from the overall picture and provide an opportunity to take a little breath from contemplating “decent and correct” places.
Ramoji Film City
www.ramojifilmcity.com;
adult/child 500/450 rupees;
9.30-17.30
Home to India's resurgent film industry, also known as Tollywood (Tollywood), is the Ramoji Film City, which, without a doubt, should be the first stop on a trip to the “non-spiritual” Hyderabad. This is the largest film studio complex in the world, covering an area of more than 670 hectares. It produces films in various eastern languages - Telu, Tamil, Hindi and so on. While you won't be able to watch the film being made, the four-hour tour will take you through the rickety sets and beautiful fountains, with stops to watch dance performances and stunts. The film studio is located on the outskirts of the city, 20 km from Abids, and you can get there by taking a bus near Koti Women's College on route 205 or 206. The journey there will take you about an hour.
Health Museum
Public Garden Road (Public Gardens Rd), Nampally (Nampally);
admission is free;
10.30-17.00 Saturday-Thursday
It houses a whimsical collection of medical and sanitary supplies, immersing you in the atmosphere of a 1950s classroom. Also here you can see a terrifying exhibit - a giant model of a pubic lice.
Snow world
Lower Tankbund;
entrance 300 rupees;
11.00-20.00
Snow World is a beautiful and, importantly, the coldest place in the city, which will allow you to escape the heat. Suddenly you find yourself in warm, waterproof clothes among people throwing snowballs, sledding and playing snow volleyball. Every hour it snows amidst cheers. The park also has a snow disco and light show.
Suddhi Car Museum
www.sudhacars.net;
Bahadurpura (Bahadurpura);
Indian/foreigner 30/150 rupees;
9.30-18.30
The museum presents the ingenious work of Sudhakar. Here you will find working cars in the shape of a toilet, computer, cricket bat, hamburger, condom and other eccentric shapes. He also owns a world achievement, certified by the Guinness Book of Records - the largest tricycle, the height of which is 12.8 m. You can also look into the workshop and see what the master is currently working on (at the time of writing this was a "car" in the shape of a stiletto heel). The museum is located east of the Nehru Zoo (Nehru Zoologicai Park).
NTR Park
children/adults 10/20 rupees;
14.30-20.30
In this park, everything is done to make it pleasant to walk around - beautiful gardens, attractions, games. And if you want to eat a cake, you can do so in a restaurant with a fancy design in the form of a giant bowl of fruit.
Amurutha Castle
www.bestwesternamruthacastle.com;
Saifabad (Saifabad);
day from 4800 rupees
Always dreamed of staying in a Bavarian castle during your stay in Hyderabad? Maybe not, but if you do, then this massive castle hotel, built on the Schloss Neuschwanstein model, is at your service. Although this pleasure is not cheap.
Drink and have fun in Hyderabad
There are more and more places for such recreation in Hyderabad, but drinking establishments are limited by a curfew and are open until 22.00. Unless otherwise stated, bars are open until 10 p.m. (but don't go before 9 p.m.). On certain evenings they are allowed inside (500-1000 rupees) only pairs, i.e. the guy needs a girl to get in. Beer starts from 150 rupees, cocktails from 300 rupees.
Information
Internet
Anand Internet (hour 15 rupees; 10.30-21.30) Opposite Sekhun Darabad Railway Station.
Net World (Taramandal Complex, Saifabad; hourly 15 rupees; 9.30-19.00 Mon-Sat)
Reliance Internet (Himayathnagar; hour 15 rupees 8.00-22.00)
Reliance Web World (MPM Mall, Abids Circle; for 4 hours 100 rupees; 10.30-21.30 Mon-Sat. 12.30-21.00 Sun)
mass media
Good guidebooks with posters are Channel 6 (www.channel6magazine.com), GO Hyderabad and City Info. The most colorful - “wow Hyderabad” (www.wowhyderabad.com; 25 rupees). The local newspaper Deccan Chronicle is also good; There are also posters in the Hyderabad Chronicle. All newspapers are published in one of the official languages, incl. in English.
Medical services
Apollo Pharmacy;
23431734;
Hyderguda Main Rd;24 hours; Delivery.
Sage Hospital Banjara Hills (30418888; Rd No. 1); Nampally (30417777; Mukarramjahi Rd) A hospital with a good reputation and a 24-hour pharmacy.
Money
The best exchange rate is at banks. ATMs are everywhere. State Bank of India (23231986; HACA Bhavan, Saifabad; 10.30-16.00 Mon-Fri)
Post office (8.00-20.30 Mon-Sat, 10.00-14.00 Sun) Secunderabad (Rashtrapati Rd); Abids (Abids Circle)
Tourist Information
Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC; 24/7 info 23450444; www.aptdc.in; 7.00-20.30) Bashirbagh (Bashirbagh; 23298456; NSF Shakar Bhavan, Opposite Police Post); Secunderabad (27893100; Yatri Nivas Hotel, Sardar Patel Rd); Tankbund Rd (65581555; 10.30-17.00) Organize tours.
India Tourism (Government of India; 23261360, 23260770; Netaji Bhavan, Himayathnagar Rd; 9.30-18.00 Mon-Fri, until 12.00 Sat) Very useful for information about Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh and other areas.
Transport in Hyderabad
To/from the airport
The new airport is magnificent and is a 45 minute drive into the city.
Public buses depart frequently from RTS towards Jubilee and Imlibun stations. You can get there in greater comfort on AC Aeroexress buses (18004192008; 24 hours; 175 rupees), which run every half hour to Charminar, Secunderabad, Begumpet, Mehdipatnam and Hitech City.
For a prepaid taxi, pay at the appropriate counter in the terminal and pick up the car at RTS.
"Radiotaxi" Meru (44224422) and Easy (43434343) stand in line at the exit of the arrival terminal and cost 15 rupees per km, and 18.75 at night. A trip to Abids or Banjara Hills costs no more than 450 rupees. If you are going to the airport, try calling Yellow Taxi (44004400) .
Autorickshaw
The minimum taxi fare is 12 rupees for the first km and 7 rupees for each subsequent km. From 22.00 to 5.00 - 50% surcharge. Unfortunately, new electronic meters do not always work, and drivers do not always use them, so be prepared to bargain.
Bus
Most local buses depart from Kochi station (23443320; Rani Jhansi Rd), so if you come here there is a chance of finding a place. Single pass for 1 day (regular/express 40/50 rupees), which can be purchased directly on the bus from the conductor, gives the right to unlimited travel throughout the city on the day of purchase. Tiny guide to bus routes "City Bus Route Guide" (10 rupees) can be purchased from bookstores in Kochi area.
Automobile
There are several places near Hyderabad railway station where you can rent a car. Links Travels (9348770007) is a reliable company for renting a car both for trips around the city and over long distances.
Train
MMTS trains (www.mmts.co.in) convenient, especially for the three main railway stations. There are two main branches: from Hyderabad (Napmalli) to Lingampally (Lingampalli; northeast Banjara Hills) consists of 11 stops, including Lakdikapul (lakdikapul), Khairatabad (Khairatabad), necleis road (Necklace Rd), Begumpet (Begumpet) and Hitech City (Hitec City); branch from Falaknuma (Falaknuma; south of the Old Town) to Secunderabad passes through Yakutpura (Yakutpura), Dabirpuru (Dabirpura), Malakpet (Malakpet), Kachiguda (Kachiguda) and others. The trains indicate the point of departure and the point of arrival: HL is Hyderabad-Lingampally (Hyderabad-Lingampalli), FS Falaknuma-Secunderabad (Falaknuma-Secunderabad) and so on. Trains are an efficient way to travel, but they run every 30-40 minutes. Tickets cost 3 and 10 rupees.
Road to Hyderabad and back
Airplane
Hyderabad has a large and modern international airport. Rajiv Gandhi (Ra iv Gandhi International Airport; 66546370; www.hyderabad.aero). It is located 22 km southwest, in the city of Shamshabad (Shamshabad).
You can find the best deals yourself online or through travel agencies. Try Neo Globe Tours & Travels (66751786; Saifabad; 10.00-19.30 Mon-Sat. 11.00-14.00 Sun), next to Nizam Club.
Airline offices are usually open from Monday to Friday from 9.30 to 17.30, with a one-hour lunch break, and on Saturdays until 13.30.
National airline offices:
- GoAir (airport 9223222111,1800222111; Rajiv Gandhi International Airport)
- Indian Airlines (23430334, Airport 24255161/2; HACA Bhavan, Saifabad)
- IndiGo (23233590, airport 24255052; Interglobe Air Transport, Chapel Rd) Jet Airways (39893333, airport 39893322; Hill Fort Rd; 9.00-19.00 Mon-Sat) Also booking tickets from JetLite.
- JetLite (30302020; Rajiv Gandhi International Airport)
- Kingfisher Airlines (40328400, Airport 66605603; Balayogi Paryatak Bhavan, Begumpet) SpiceJet (18001803333; Rajiv Gandhi International Airport)
International airlines:
- Air India (1800227722, Airport 66605163; HACA Bhavan, Saifabad)
- AirAsia (66666464, Airport 66605163; HACA Bhavan, Saifabad)
- Emirates (66234444; Rd No 1, Banjara Hills)
- GSA Transworld Travels (3298495; Chapel Rd) For Qantas.
- Lufthansa (4888888; Rajiv Gandhi International Airport)
- Sri Lankan Airlines (23372429/30; Raj Bhavan Rd, Somaji Guda) Opposite Yashoda Hospital (Yashoda Hospital).
- Qatar Airways (1244566000, Airport 66605121; Rd No 1, Banjara Hills)
- Thai Airways (23333030; Rd No 1, Banjara Hills)
Bus
Hyderabad intercity bus station works very efficiently. At the bus station. Mahatma Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi bus station; 24614406), better known as Imbulun (Imlibun), there is a pre-booking ticket office (23434269; 8.00-22.00) . To Karnataka (Karnataka) travel by KSRTC buses (24656430) . For departure times and prices, visit www.apsrtc.co.in.
From Jubilee bus station (Jubilee bus station; 27802203) Volvo buses operate from Secunderabad to the following destinations: Bengaluru (801 rupees, 11 hours, 6 per day), Chennai (844 rupees, 12 hours, daily) and Visakhapatnam (Visakhapatnam; 701 rupees, 13 hours, daily).
Private bus companies (with air-conditioned buses) are located in Nampally on High Road (High Road), near the entrance to the railway station.
Train
Secunderabad, Hyderabad - also known as Nampally - and Kacheguda are the three main railway stations. Most of the passing trains stop at Secunderabad and Kacheguda, from where it is convenient to travel to Abids. Tickets can be booked at Hyderabad and Secunderabad Railway Stations from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm from Monday to Saturday (until 14.00 on Sunday). Both stations have a tourist information desk. General information 139; questions related to booking 135.
Hyderabad
(Hyderabad, 1671 km south of Delhi, 1597 km southwest of Kolkata, 739 km southeast of Mumbai, 704 km north of Chennai, 574 km north of Bangalore)
Telephone code (STD) – 40
1. Purana Haveli, Nizam Museum of Hyderabad
2. Salarjung Museum
3. Badshahi of Ashurkhana
4. Char Minar
5. Mecca Masjid
6. Lad Bazaar
7. Char-Kaman
8. Chaumahalla Palace Complex
9. Falaknuma Palace
10. Residence of the British Viceroy
11. Andhra Pradesh Archaeological Museum
12. Venkateswara/Birla Temple
13. Hussain Sagar Artificial Lake
14. Secundarabad
City landmarks
Hyderabad can be roughly divided into three parts: the Old City, through which the Musi River flows; the new city of Secunderabad north of the Old City, and the Golconda fort west of Hyderabad. The first two parts form a single whole, separated by the artificial lake Hussain Sagar. The city's business center and film studio are located in the southwestern part of Hyderabad. To the west of Hussain Sagar is Hitec City, where the offices of companies working in the field of information technology are concentrated. The main attractions are concentrated in that part of the Old Town, which is located on the southern bank of the Musi River.
Tourist Offices of the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Department
(Andhra Pradesh Tourism Offices)
tel. 23 45 30 36,
daily 7.00–19.00.
Yatri Nivas Hotel, Sardar Patel Road
tel. 27 81 63 75,
daily 7.00–19.00.
Tourist Office of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
(Government of India Tourism Office)
2nd Floor, Netaji Bhavan, Liberty Road, Himayatnagar,
tel. 23 26 13 60, Mon-Fri 9.30–18.00.
Tourist Office of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation
(Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) Central Reservation Office)
Shankar Bhavan, Basheerbagh, Hyderabad,
tel. 23 29 84 56, 7,
How to get there
Airplane
Airport N.T. Ramarao (N.T. Ramarao Airport)
within the city (taxi to the center - Rs 250).
Regular flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Tirupati, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Sharjah, Dubai.
Automobile
Bangalore: via NH7; Chennai: via NH5; Mumbai: Take NH4 to Pune, then take NH9 to Hyderabad.
From the history
Hyderabad (altitude - 600 m above sea level) was founded in 1591 by the Sultan of Golconda, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah (reigned 1580–1612) on the banks of the Musi River, 8 km west of Golconda. He moved the capital here, since by that time the city of Golconda was overpopulated and suffered from a lack of drinking water.
Hyderabad was built as a capital city with palaces, parks and mosques. It was originally called Baghnagar (lit. "City of Gardens"). There is an assumption that the name Hyderabad comes from the name of the beloved wife of Sultan Muhammad Quli - Hyder Mahal or Bhagmati.
The fortress walls around Hyderabad were erected only in 1724–1740. for protection from the Marathas. Previously, the fortress had 14 gates. There is a legend that the city was connected to the Golconda fortress by a secret tunnel, along which dome-shaped buildings were located at a certain distance from each other, where messengers could breathe fresh air. Most of the fortress walls were destroyed during the flood of 1908.
From 1724 to 1950, Hyderabad was the capital of the principality of the same name and the residence of its rulers - the Nizams, then the administrative center of the state of Hyderabad, and since 1956 - the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Thanks to the mining of precious stones, Hyderabad became the richest princely state in India. Diamonds were primarily mined in the Kistna River valley near Golconda. Already at the beginning of the 17th century. Golconda was a major diamond center. The famous diamonds “Koh-i-nor”, “Hope” (“Nadezhda”), “Orlov” and others were discovered here.
In recent decades, software manufacturing has developed in Hyderabad. It rivals Bangalore for the title of tech capital. Residents of Hyderabad proudly call their city Cyberabad.
Attractions
Old city Purana Haveli, Nizam Museum of Hyderabad
(Purana Haveli/Nizam's Museum)
Patthargatti Road, Sat-Thu 10.00–17.00, Rs 50, camera – Rs 50, video camera – Rs 1000.
The museum is located in a complex of buildings built in the 18th–19th centuries. The residence of Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan (reigned 1869–1911) was located here. Tourists are usually shown the giant wooden wardrobe (72 m2) of the Nizam in the eastern wing of the main building - Massarat Mahal. It once held 75 tweed suits that the nizam loved to wear.
Also on display is a collection of Chinese porcelain, silverware, and a selection of historical photographs telling about the life of the Nizam.
Salarjung Museum
(Salarjung Museum)
Salar Jung Marg,
Sat-Thu winter 10.00–17.00, summer 10.00–19.00,
Rs 150, no photography allowed.
The museum houses about 35 thousand items from the huge collection of Salarjung III (1899–1949), the chief minister (vizier) of the Nizam of Hyderabad in the 1st half. XX century Being an extremely rich man, he traveled a lot in the West and East, where he acquired objects of art. Among them were both real works of art and outright kitsch. The collection includes Indian jade pieces, miniatures, furniture, Mughal era frosted glass pieces, textiles, bronzes, Buddhist and Hindu sculpture, manuscripts and weapons. Also on display are examples of Bidri, ornate items made from an alloy of zinc, copper and tin, made in Bidar, northern Karnataka. The Bidri technique was brought to India from Persia in the 16th century.
Badshahi of Ashurkhana
(Badshahi Ashurkhana)
Afzal Ganj, near Naya Pul bridge,
daily, permission from the trustees must be obtained.
Badshahi of Ashurkhana - lit. "Hall of Sorrow." The building (1592–1596) was built by order of Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah for his family to gather here during the annual Shia festival of Muharram (March-April) in memory of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and his two sons (see about Muslims Shia state of Uttar Pradesh). This is the oldest Imambara in India. Reconstructed during the reign of Nizam Ali Khan (1762–1802).
Persian style enamel tile mosaic (1611) is one of the finest examples of this type of art in India.
Char Minar
in the center of the Old Town,
daily 9.00–17.30, Rs 100, camera – free, video camera – Rs 25.
Char Minar (lit. “Four Towers”) was built by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591. According to one version, the construction was started for the glory of God, who stopped the plague, according to another, the building was erected on the site where the Sultan first saw his beloved - Indian dance performer Bhagmati.
The monument has a square plan, each side is 30.5 m. Four graceful minarets (height - 56.7 m) with internal spiral staircases are attached to the corners. If you're lucky, find an employee with a key: for a reasonable fee, he will allow you to climb one of the minarets.
At the top of the building is the now closed mosque, the oldest in Hyderabad. It is believed that it was built for the children of the sultans. The yellowish color of the building is due to a special plaster made from marble powder, peas and egg yolk.
Mecca Masjid Mosque
southwest of Char Minar.
Attention! Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter.
The mosque was built in 1617–1693. Construction was completed under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who had by then annexed the Sultanate. Small red bricks from Mecca, inserted into the central arch, give the mosque its name. It can accommodate up to 3 thousand believers, another 10 thousand can pray in the courtyard. On the left in the courtyard are the graves of several Nizams of Hyderabad.
Opposite the mosque, on the other side of Shah Ali Danda Road, is the Unani Hospital, built in the 1920s. under Nizam Osman Ali Khan (reigned 1911–1948).
Lad Bazar
Lad Bazaar Road, west of Char Minar.
Lad Bazaar is one of the oldest places in the city. The market square of Mahbub Chowk is home to a mosque (1818, expanded in 1904) and a Victorian clock tower (1892). The clock tower was built by Asman Jah, the chief vizier of the Nizam from 1887 to 1892.
In the bazaar area there are many workshops where a variety of bracelets are made, shops where you can buy rose water, herbs and spices, expensive fabrics and traditional clothes, silver jewelry, antiques, bidri products, as well as boxes, dishes, hookahs and pipes for smoking (huqqah), finely decorated with silver and copper.
Hyderabad is a famous pearl trading center. The Nizams loved pearls so much that they not only wore them, but, as they say, added them in crushed form to their food. Pearl shops are located on Gulzar Hauz Road near the Char Minar Kamaan arch.
Char-Kaman
north of Char Minar.
Char-Kaman - lit. "Four Arches" Four ceremonial arches (kaman) were erected in 1594 and once led to the square in front of the Sultan's palace. The palace was destroyed in 1687 by the army of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
The northern arch, Machhli Kaman (lit. "Ripple Arch", or First Arch), symbolized the prosperity of the Qutub Shah dynasty. The eastern arch was called Nakkar Khana-e-Shahi, lit. "House of the Court Drummers" or Black Arch. The western arch, Doulat Khan-e-Ali or "Gate to the Sultan's Residence", was formerly decorated with precious gold-woven carpets. The southern arch, Char Minar Kamaan, served as the entrance to the mosque located in Char Minar. Next to this arch is the Friday Mosque (Jami Masjid, 1597–1598), reconstructed at the beginning of the 19th century.
In the small streets around the arches these days there are numerous shopping arcades.
Chaumahalla Palace Complex
(Chaumahalla, southeast of Lad Bazaar)
Attention! The palaces are closed to tourists.
The Chaumahalla complex (lit. "Four Palaces") was built during the reign of Nizam Salabat Jung (1751–1762). Under this Nizam, Hyderabad came (1759) under British protectorate. Inside the complex are reception halls, including those of the British Governors General and the Viceroys of India.
Falaknuma Palace
(Falaknuma Palace, 1.6 km south of Char Minar, Kohi-Tur Hill)
The palace was built in 1872 according to the design of a European architect as the private residence of a wealthy court nizam - Nawab Viqar-ul-Umar from the Paigarh clan. In 1897, the palace was purchased by Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan (reigned 1869–1911), who decided to use it as a guest house. In 1906, the future British king George V stayed here. The palace was used until 1911.
There are currently plans to open an expensive hotel here.
Residence of the British Viceroy
(British Residency, Koti, on the northern bank of the Musi River)
The residence of the British governor, which now houses a women's college (Osmania UniveRsity College for Women), was built in 1803–1806. designed by Lieutenant S. Russell. Nizam Sikandar Jah granted it to the British resident at his court, J. Kirkpatrick.
On the pediment of the building you can see the emblem of the British East India Company with a lion and a unicorn. In the garden there are the ruins of a palace that resembles a smaller copy of the residence. It was built by Kirkpatrick for his Hyderabadi lover, Khair-un-Nissa Begum. At one time, this love affair caused a lot of gossip in the city.
In 1857, after the residence was attacked by a detachment of the Afghan Rohilla clan, fortress walls with bastions were erected around it.
In the southwest corner of the complex there is a small British cemetery where, among others, four Englishmen who served in the Nizam's court are buried.
Andhra Pradesh Archaeological Museum
(State Archaeological Museum, 1 km north of the train station, Assembly Road)
Tue-Sun 10.30–17.00.
The museum is located in Nampally Public Gardens. It contains prehistoric tools, a large collection of Buddhist art, Chola bronzes from Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu), deeds of gift on copper tablets, weapons, household utensils, Roman coins and even an Egyptian mummy. The new extension houses a contemporary art gallery.
The park is home to a number of historical buildings, including the State Legislative Assembly complex (1913), built in Rajasthani style for the city municipality.
Venkateswara/Birla Temple
(Birla Venkateshvara Mandir, south of Hussain Sagar Lake, on Kalabahad Hill (lit. "Black Mountain"))
daily 7.00–12.00 and 14.00–19.00.
The Hindu temple, dedicated to the god Vishnu, is open to everyone, regardless of caste, religion and nationality. It was built from Rajasthani white marble in 1976 by the wealthy Birla family of Indian industrialists.
On the neighboring hill, Drum Rock (Nabat Pahar), there is a planetarium they built (Birla Planetarium & Science Museum, daily 10.30–20.15, Rs 10, sessions in English, Mon-Sat 11.30, 16.00 and 18.00).
Vishnu is one of the three supreme deities (trimurti) in Hinduism, along with Brahma (the creator) and Shiva (the destroyer of the universe). Vishnu plays the role of the savior of people in distress and the protector of the universe. The name Vishnu is interpreted as “permeating everything,” “all-encompassing” (from the root vish - literally “enter, penetrate”).
Vishnu is usually depicted as a man with dark blue skin, wearing a wreath, four arms, sitting on a throne and holding symbolic attributes in his hands - a conch shell, a disc, a staff and a lotus. On his neck is a sacred jewel (kaustubha) and on his chest is a tuft of curly hair (srivatsa). His wife Sri Lakshmi, who embodies beauty and prosperity, is often depicted together with Vishnu. He sits on a lotus, his vehicles (vahana) are Garuda, a gigantic eagle with a half-human face, and the thousand-headed serpent Shesha. Repetition of the thousand names of Vishnu is one of the most important Vaishnava prayers.
Followers of Vishnu consider him the supreme deity, the basis and essence of existence. In one version of the flood myth, the sage-rishi Markandeya, saved by Vishnu, penetrates into the womb of the deity and sees the entire Universe there: earth, heaven, people, gods. The world appears as the form of existence of Vishnu. According to another version of the flood myth, Vishnu, at the end of each world cycle, absorbs the entire Universe and falls into sleep, reclining on the serpent Shesha, floating on the primordial ocean. When Vishnu wakes up and plans a new creation, a lotus grows from his navel, and from the lotus Brahma appears, who creates the world.
Vishnu has many names related to his properties or exploits. The most important: Hari ("Tawny-Brown", but interpreted as "Deliverer"), Govinda ("Shepherd"), Keshava ("Fair-haired"), Madhusudana ("Slayer of the demon Madhu"), Murari ("Enemy of the demon Mura") Purushottama (“Best of Men” or “Supreme Soul”).
Myths about the numerous incarnations (avatars) of Vishnu are set out in the ancient Indian epic poems “Mahabharata” and “Ramayana”, as well as in the Purana legends. Avatar in Hindu mythology is the descent of a deity to earth, his incarnation into a mortal being for the sake of saving the world, restoring the law (dharma) or protecting his followers. Deities and heroes, in whose image Vishnu appears, by the 11th century. were combined into the doctrine of his avatars. Scholars believe that the Vaishnava idea of incarnations arose under the influence of the Buddhist doctrine of pre-existing Buddhas and the Jain doctrine of the Tirthankaras.
Avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu
Matsya
(lit. "fish"). According to the Mahabharata, having embodied in a fish, Vishnu warns the ancestor of people Manu about the impending flood, and then, on a ship tied to the horn on the head of the fish, carries Manu, his family and seven sage rishis out of the water.
Kurma
(lit. “turtle”). Many divine treasures were lost during the flood. Vishnu, in the form of a huge turtle, dives to the bottom of the cosmic ocean to save them. The gods and asura demons install Mount Mandara on the turtle, wrap them in the serpent Vasuki (Shesha) and, using them as a whorl, begin to churn the ocean. From the foam appear a vessel (kumbha) with the drink of immortality amrita, the goddess Lakshmi, the wish-fulfilling cow Kamadhenu, the elephant Airavata, the heavenly tree Parijata, the sun horse Uchchaikhshravas.
Varaha
(lit. “boar”). To save the earth, which the demon Hiranyaksha has again sunk into the depths of the cosmic ocean, Vishnu incarnates into a giant boar, kills the demon in a duel lasting 1000 years, and lifts the earth on his tusk.
Narasimha
(lit. "lion man") In this avatar, Vishnu rids the earth of the tyranny of the demon Hiranyakasipu, who received from Brahma a wonderful gift - the ability to become invulnerable. Neither beast, nor man, nor god could kill him, day or night. The demon began to persecute people, gods and even his pious son Prahlada. At sunset (neither day nor night), Vishnu emerges from a pillar in the demon's palace in the guise of a half-lion, half-man and kills Hiranyakasipu.
Vamana
(lit. "dwarf"). King Bali, thanks to ascetic deeds, gained power over triloka - the three worlds (heaven, earth, underworld) and subjugated the gods. The mother of the gods, Aditi, appealed to Vishnu for help. He, in the guise of a dwarf, appeared before Bali and asked him for as much land as he could measure in three steps. Having received consent, Vishnu covered the sky and earth with the first two steps, but refrained from the third step, leaving Bali the underworld - patala.
Parashurama
(lit. "Frame with an axe"). Vishnu took human form and was born as the son of the brahman Jamadagni, Parashurama. He never leaves his battle axe. At this time, the thousand-armed king of the Haihayas, Arjuna Kartavirya, who had seized power over the world, cruelly oppressed the Brahmins. Avenging the death of his father, killed by the kshatriyas - relatives of Kartavirya, Parashurama 21 times exterminates the newly emerging generations of kshatriyas, whose blood fills 5 lakes on Kurukshetra. Having then transferred power over the earth to the Brahmins, he throws his iron ax into the Brahmaputra River and retires forever to the caves of Mount Mahendra.
Frame.
Vishnu incarnated as the prince of Ayodhya (the hero of the Ramayana poem) to save the world from the oppression of the ruler of Lanka, the demon Ravana (see Uttar Pradesh).
Krishna. The most significant of the incarnations of Vishnu (see Uttar Pradesh).
Buddha.
Vishnu incarnated in the form of Buddha in order to mislead sinners, induce them to deny the Vedas and thereby prepare for them curse and death. According to the Sanskrit poem "Gitagovinda" by Jayadeva (late 12th - early 13th centuries), Vishnu became Buddha out of compassion for animals in order to put an end to blood sacrifices.
Kalkin
(lit. “The one on the white horse”). The future incarnation of Vishnu in the form of a man riding a white horse, with a flaming sword in his hand. Born into a Brahmin family, Kalkin witnesses the degradation of humanity during the Kali Yuga period. He sees the depravity of people, the violation of age-old traditions, institutions and rituals, the migration of the population under the threat of hunger and oppression, the onset of unrest caused by “low” newcomers (Dasyu) and Shudras. Kalkin rebels against this and destroys the barbarians and the “low”. With the help of royal rites (ashvamedha and digvijaya), he restores the limits of the power of the chakravartin (ruler of the world) and revives the social order, which prescribes certain duties to each class (varna) at the corresponding stage of life (ashram). Many people take the prediction about Culkin seriously and are waiting for his appearance.
Legend about the origin of the Vishnu shrine on Tirumala Hill
One day, the divine sage Rishi Narada came to the bank of the sacred river Ganga, where other sages had gathered to perform a sacrifice. Narada asked which of the three supreme gods - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - they were going to make an offering to. The sages, who found it difficult to answer, instructed Bhrig, the mentor of gods and asuras (demons), to solve this problem. Bhrigu first went to the "world of Brahma" (Brahmaloka, the highest of the six heavens rising above the earth), but Brahma did not pay attention to him. Then Bhrigu visited the abode of Shiva on Mount Kailasa, but he was so carried away by his wife Parvati that he also ignored the appearance of the divine sage.
Finally, Bhrigu went to Vishnu's abode - Vaikuntha. Vishnu was also absorbed in communication with his wife Lakshmi and did not notice the appearance of the sage. Angry, Bhrigu hit Vishnu on the chest where Lakshmi was sitting, but Vishnu remained calm and even asked the sage if he had hurt himself. Surprised by Vishnu's complacency, Bhrigu returned to the other sages and said that Vishnu most deserves to be sacrificed to him.
Lakshmi did not forgive Vishnu for his generosity towards the sage and left God in anger, going to Kolhapur (Maharashtra state). Vishnu, for whom separation from Lakshmi was unbearable, searched for her for a long time. Eventually he ended up on Mount Venkatadri Hill near the Swamipushkarni River, where he sat on an anthill and sank into meditation. Gradually, a whole hill grew above Vishnu, called Tirumala.
After many years, Vishnu married Padmavati, the daughter of the local king Akashaya. Since Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, had abandoned him, Vishnu had no funds for his own wedding, so he borrowed them from Kubera, the deity of wealth. Since then, pilgrims from all over India began to come to Mount Tirumala to, like the sages, make an offering to Vishnu. They believe that by doing this they are helping Vishnu pay off his debts and hope that God will also help them.
Artificial Lake Hussain Sagar
(Hussain Sagar/Tankbund, between Hyderabad and Secunderabad)
1-hour cruise on APTDC Bhageerathi and Bhagmati boats
11.00–15.00, Rs 50, 18.00–20.00, Rs 75.
The lake was created in the 16th century. and named after Hussein Shah Wali, who helped the Sultan of Golconda Ibrahim (ruled 1550–1580) recover from a serious illness. According to another version, Hussein Shah was the Sultan's son-in-law and was responsible for the earthworks.
In the middle of the lake, on a rock, stands a huge 17.5-meter statue (350 tons) of Purnima Buddha, or Full Moon Buddha. The statue was made in Raigir (50 km from Hyderabad) in early 1990. The barge transporting the idol to the installation site sank, and the Buddha lay at the bottom of the lake for 2 years. In 1992, a Goan company lifted the statue from the bottom and installed it on a pedestal.
Boats regularly ply to the statue from Lumbini Park (Tue-Sun 9.00–21.00, Rs 5), located near Secretariat Road. A 30-minute round trip (daily 9.00–21.00) costs Rs 25 per person.
The appeal of Hyderabad lies in its amazing history. One of India's largest cities, it is well known for its palaces, tombs, Islamic minarets, Hindu temples, British colonial architecture and centuries-old diamond trade. Essentially, the entire city is riddled with architectural pearls (just as in the old days the clothes of their rulers were strewn with gold and pearls). Once an important center of Islamic culture, Hyderabad's architectural heritage is quite comparable to Delhi, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. Here, in the old city, was one of the Islamic cultural centers of India. The Nizams (title of ruler) of Hyderabad in the past were the richest people on the planet, and the historical monuments they built are a clear confirmation of this. The time of the Nizams has passed, but the legacy they left behind still exudes the splendor of ancient Hyderabad. Its low attendance by foreign tourists is surprising, given the many historical monuments and rich culture.
Hyderabad - general information
The city with a 400-year history was named after the wife of ruler Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah. He planned Hyderabad after the example of the legendary city of Isfahan in Persia, “which has no analogues in the world and was a heavenly city on Earth.” The wealth and prosperity of Hyderabad was based on the trade of pearls, gold, textiles, but most of all, diamonds, which some believe still remain hidden under the foundations of the Golconda fortress, 11 km from the city. It was once the most famous diamond mining area in the world, producing 105 carats of Kohinoor, 189.62 carats of Orlov, 140.64 carats of Regent and 45.54 carats of Hope. Golconda's legendary wealth attracted the attention of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who captured the fortress in 1687. As the Mughal Empire began to collapse, the enterprising local governor Asaf Jah I quickly proclaimed himself Nizam and established his rule over the princely state of Hyderabad. Consolidating its power with an alliance with the British East India Company in 1798. Hyderabad became an influential princely state within British India.
The last, seventh Nizam of Hyderabad was Asaf Jah VII in 1911. He headed the largest of the principalities in British India. The territory of 223,000 km² was approximately equal to the area of modern Great Britain. Its ruler was the highest-ranking prince in India, and one of the five princes who, according to the protocol of visits, was entitled to a 21-gun salute. For his significant financial contribution to the British Empire's war effort, he was given the unique title of "His Exalted Highness" and "Loyal Ally of the British Crown."
On February 22, 1937, Time magazine named Asaf Jah VII the richest man in the world. His fortune was estimated at $2 billion in early 1940, or 2% of the US economy at the time. For comparison, the budget of the newly formed state of India was $1 billion. The Nizam was considered the richest man in South Asia until his death in 1967, although his fortune had dropped to US$1 billion by then. His enormous wealth was accumulated by earning income from mineral rights. It is worth noting that his principality of Hyderabad was the monopoly supplier of diamonds to the world market until the 19th century.
Asaf Jah VII was a generous ruler who patronized education, sciences, and crafts. The period of his 37-year reign was marked by the beginning of the use of electricity, the construction of railways and roads, the development of air transport, and irrigation projects. The Nizam spent up to 11% of the principality's budget on education. Primary education became compulsory and was provided free of charge to all poor people. Under him, the Osmania University in Hyderabad was founded, marking a new era in the history of British education policy in India. Almost all the major public buildings in Hyderabad, and many other monuments were built during his reign.
Hyderabad was the only native princely state in British India where the ruler had the right to have his own currency. In 1941, the Nizam received the right to establish the State Bank of the principality.
After India declared independence in 1947, the country was divided into two parts: India and Pakistan. When British troops left India in 1947, the Nizam refused to join India or Pakistan, preferring to form a separate state within the British Commonwealth of Nations. But most of Asaf Jah VII's subjects were Hindus, and his principality was surrounded on all sides by Indian territory. Indian government troops invaded Hyderabad in 1948 and after 5 days of fighting the Nizam capitulated.
Asaf Jah VII died on February 24, 1967. The death of the Nizam marked the end of the princely era. His funeral procession was one of the largest in Indian history.
Hyderabad once served as the residence of the Nizams, who became rich in the diamond trade, and has now turned into a high-tech city, concentrating electronic and computer industry companies, research and educational centers on its territory. Hyderabad has become a leading hub for the development of the IT industry in India. Many software and consulting companies, including several multinational corporations, have established their offices and production facilities in the city, including Microsoft, Oracle, Infosys, Dell. Thanks to the active development of information technology, Hyderabad is the second exporter of software in India, and the city itself is called the second Silicon Valley in India after Bangalore (and ahead of Chennai).
Despite the development of modern business, the city is immersed in history: carts pulled by camels and oxen rumble on the roads, you will meet Muslim women dressed in black burqas on the streets, and in the center of the metropolis you will get acquainted with the rich historical heritage left behind by the Nizams.
Hyderabad sightseeing tour
Hyderabad - City of Pearls
Hyderabad is well known in the world as the City of Pearls. Interestingly, Hyderabad is located far from the sea, but is called the City of Pearls! The Nizams were passionate admirers of pearls and diamonds and patronized their trade in every possible way. They not only wore clothes decorated with pearls and diamonds, but also used crushed pearls as a cosmetic. The patronage and wealthy lifestyle of the Nizams attracted skilled craftsmen from all over the world to the city. Since that time, the art of pearl processing has been passed down from generation to generation.
High craftsmanship and low labor costs have made Hyderabad the largest pearl trading center in India, and one of the largest in the world. Raw pearls are imported from China and Japan. On the outskirts of the city there are villages where almost the entire population is involved in the delicate process of processing pearls and then sorting them according to shape, size, luster and uniformity. Jewelers decorate pearls with gold, rubies and emeralds. Processed pearls are exported to the markets of Europe and the USA.
Hyderabad attracts tourists and connoisseurs of pearl jewelry. Patter Gatti Street consists mainly of shops selling pearl products, some shops have been selling pearls for over a hundred years. Good selection of pearls in the Charminar Mosque area. A visit to Hyderabad is not complete without purchasing pearl jewelry.
Charminar
Charminar literally means Four Minarets. Quli Qutb Shah built this famous structure in 1591 to commemorate the end of the plague in the city. It is said that he prayed at this place and vowed to build a mosque on this very spot. The Charminar has long become a symbol of Hyderabad and is one of the most recognizable buildings in India. The towers rise to a height of 48.7 m above the ground. There is a mosque on the top floor, and a Hindu temple is located at the base of one of the towers. Unlike the Taj Mahal, the four fluted minarets of the Charminar are built into the main building. 149 steps inside the minarets lead to the top floor, which offers panoramic views of the city.
Charminar looks especially beautiful at night. It is located in the center of a road with heavy traffic, but a project to transform the surrounding area into a pedestrian zone is already in full swing.
Golconda
Located 11 km west of Hyderabad, the fortified city of Golconda currently lies in ruins. The city was built in the 13th century by the rulers of the Kakatiya dynasty. It is located on a granite hill 120 meters high and is surrounded by massive crenellated ramparts. The fort is a gigantic defense complex; the length of the outer walls is about 10 km. During the Qutb Shahi dynasty (1518–1687), the city was the nucleus of one of the most powerful Muslim sultanates in the region and the center of a thriving diamond trade. In 1687, the fortress withstood a nine-month siege by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and fell through betrayal. Having captured the fortress and the diamonds, Aurangzeb became the richest monarch in the world. After the siege, the fort fell into disrepair.
One of the interesting features of the fort was its excellent acoustic system, thanks to which the clapping of hands near the main gate of the fort could be heard at the top of the citadel, located on a high granite hill.
In the 16th century, Golconda became the center of a thriving trade in diamonds and precious stones, mined from nearby mines. At that time it was the only diamond mine in the world. Many famous diamonds were recovered from these mines. The famous Kohinoor, Hope, Regent and many others diamonds were kept in the dungeon of the fort. During the Renaissance and later periods, the name "Golconda" acquired a legendary aura and became synonymous with immense wealth. The mines served as a source of wealth for the Nizams of Hyderabad until the inclusion of the principality in independent India.
After sunset there is a show during which the fort is illuminated and the history of the fort is told. Near the fort there are many narrow streets with numerous shops.
Chowmahalla Palace
Chahar in Persian means four, Mahalat in Arabic means places, hence the name Chowmahalla can be translated as four places, or four palaces. The Chowmahalla Palace in Hyderabad served as the official residence of the Nizams of the Asaf Jah dynasty.
All official ceremonial functions, including the inauguration of the Nizams, receptions of the Governor General took place in this palace.
Construction of the palace began in the second half of the 18th century and was completed between 1857 and 1869. Over the decades, it has absorbed a synthesis of many architectural styles and influences. The palace is unique in its style and elegance.
Chowmahalla consists of two courtyards, southern and northern, an Audience Hall, fountains and gardens. It originally occupied an area of 180,000 m2; only 57,000 m2 have survived to this day.
On March 15, 2010, Chowmahalla Palace received the prestigious UNESCO Prize for its services to the protection and restoration of cultural monuments of the Asia-Pacific region.
Falaknuma Palace
Falaknuma Palace is one of the best palaces in Hyderabad. At first it belonged to the noble Paigah family, but later it was acquired by the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad.
The design was designed by an English architect, construction began in 1884, and was completed 9 years later. The palace is shaped like a scorpion and is a rare combination of Italian and English Tudor architecture.
The Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad suffered the same fate as many other magnificent forts, palaces and mansions after Indian independence. Deprived of funds for maintenance, they slowly fell into decay.
In 2000, renovation and restoration of the palace began. After the restoration was completed (November 2010), the palace was opened as an elite hotel. It has 220 luxuriously decorated rooms and 22 spacious halls. The interiors include Venetian chandeliers and intricate frescoes, outdoor terraces, and rare valuable objects, including paintings, statues, furniture, and handwritten books. The palace has a famous dining hall that can accommodate 100 guests and is considered the largest in the world. The reception hall is furnished with walnut furniture, handmade mirrors, and the ceilings are decorated with intricate decorative carvings. The halls of the palace are decorated with a rich collection of Venetian chandeliers.
Spanish mosque
The Spanish mosque was built in 1906, following the example of the Cathedral Mosque of Cordoba in Spain. The exterior and interior of the mosque are largely reminiscent of the cathedral-mosque in Cordoba. This is the only mosque of its kind in India in the Moorish style of architecture, the main feature of which is the spiers instead of the usual minarets and domes, giving this mosque-church a special appearance.
Tombs of the Sultans of the Qutub Shahi Dynasty
The famous seven tombs of the rulers of the Qutub Shahi dynasty are located 10 km from Hyderabad near the Golconda fort. All tombs are one-story buildings with the exception of the mausoleum of the fifth sultan of the dynasty. In the center of each tomb there is a sarcophagus covering the top of the tomb.
The tombs of the Qutb Shahi Sultans, the founders and rulers of Hyderabad, have stood the test of time and are beautifully preserved. At the beginning of the 19th century they underwent restoration, and a beautiful garden was laid out nearby. All but the last of the sultans of the Qutub Shahi dynasty are buried here.
Mecca Masjid
Mecca Masjid is one of the oldest mosques in Hyderabad, and one of the largest in India. Muhammad Qutb Shah began construction in 1617 and Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb completed it in 1694. The main hall of the mosque can accommodate ten thousand worshipers at a time. It is believed that Muhammad Qutb Shah ordered the delivery of bricks from Mecca for the construction of the central arch, hence the name of the mosque.
Ramoji Film Studio
Ramoji Film Studios, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the largest film complex in the world: more than 800 hectares of film sets, artificial cityscapes, sound stages, warehouses, editing studios, hotels, restaurants and a huge theme park. The complex was opened in 1996 and is located approximately 25 km from the city of Hyderabad.
The Ramoji Film Studios complex has over 500 film locations. Several dozen films can be filmed simultaneously on its territory. It attracts not only filmmakers from India but also from all over the world, including Hollywood.
At first, the film studio simply made films. But two years after its founding, it began to accept tourists, and now it is visited by over a million tourists a year. Tourists can visit an entertainment theme park, a Japanese garden, artificial waterfalls, caves, an airport terminal, a hospital, a railway station, churches, mosques, temples, shopping areas, palace interiors, castles, rural complexes, urban dwellings, and visit the streets of cities during the Mauryan Empire. , the Great Mughals or the American Wild West. On the premises of the film studio, media tycoon Ramoji Rao lives in the only house that is not a set. When visiting Hyderabad, don't miss the opportunity to visit the largest film studio complex in the world.
Pradesh has one of the richest and most colorful histories. The city is known for its magnificent architecture and rich culture. A variety of influences have shaped the city's character over the past 400 years.
Ancient history
Before the actual historical rise of the city, the area on which Hyderabad was eventually founded was under the rule of several kingdoms, including Buddhist and Hindu.
The area was ruled by an Indian dynasty, whose feudal chiefs, the Kakatiyas, declared and established their kingdom around Warangal. Fall of Warangal to the forces of Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Sultanate in 1321 AD. brought anarchy to the region.
Over the next few decades, the Bahmani Deccan Sultanate fought with Masunuri Niyakas in the north and Rayas in the south. By the mid-15th century, this confrontation ended with the transfer of control over the territory to the Bahmani Sultanate.
History of Hyderabad in the Middle Ages
Qutub Shahi Dynasty Hyderabad's history as a city began in 1518 when Sultan Quli "QutulMulk" declared independence from the Bahmani Sultanate and founded the city of Golconda, declaring himself Sultan Quli Qutub Shah. Decades earlier, Sultan Muhammad Shah Bahmani had assigned Quli Qutul Mulk to suppress rebels and unrest in the region, which the future ruler did very well. By that time, he founded the Golconda Sultanate under the title of Sultan Quli Qutub Shah. From that moment on, the reign of the Shahi Qutub dynasty began, and the Bah Mani Sultanate completely disintegrated, splitting into five separate kingdoms.
In 1589, the city of Hyderabad was finally built on the Musi River by the fifth sultan of the dynasty, five miles east of Golconda. Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah dedicated it to his wife Bhagyamathi, and in 1591 he ordered the construction of a monument in the city, which over time became his symbol - the Charminar Mosque. It is said that he thus decided to thank God for suppressing the plague before it destroyed his newly built city.
From this time until the 17th century, Hyderabad's wealth and prosperity was based on the successful diamond trade. All the Sultanates of Qutub, being great thinkers and builders, made a huge contribution to the culture and wealth of Hyderab, attracting countless streams of tourists from other countries who compared it with the most beautiful city of Iran - Isfahan.
Mughal Empire
The glory of Hyderabad attracted the attention of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who stormed Golconda in 1686. Aurangzeb spent most of his time in the Deccan, establishing Mughal supremacy and sovereignty there. In 1666, when Shah Jahan died, Aurangzeb consolidated his power as emperor and tried to expand his empire even further than his predecessor, the great Akbar. His target was Hydara Bad, at that time considered one of the richest cities in the region, and reportedly impregnable due to the defense of the Golconda fort. Aurangzeb's initial campaigns were unsuccessful and he fell into despair. However, in 1687, the fortress withstood a nine-month siege by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, but fell through betrayal.
says that if Aurangzeb's bribed saboteur had not opened the door at night, the city would not have been captured. Sultan Abul Hasan Tana Shah, the seventh and last king of the Qutub Shahi dynasty, was imprisoned soon after Golconda was stormed. Hyderabad's importance declined, its diamond prosperity was destroyed, and the city fell into ruins. Aurangzeb's attention was focused on other parts of the Deccan, especially as the Marathas were slowly but steadily gaining strength in opposition to the Mughal ruler.
Hyderabad is now the capital of the Indian state of Telangana and formally the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The city covers an area of 625 km2 (241 sq mi) along the banks of the Musi, with a population of about 6.8 million and a metropolitan area of about 7.75 million, making Hyderabad the fourth most populous city and the sixth most populous urban agglomeration in India. With an average altitude of 542 meters (1,778 feet), most of Hyderabad lies in a hilly landscape around man-made lakes, including Hussain - which predates the city's founding - to the north of the centre.
Sights of Hyderabad
Charminar
Charminar is a symbol of Hyderabad, like Agra or the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the founder of Hyderab, built the Charminar in 1591 at the center of the city's original layout. It is said that the building was built to prevent the deadly plague that was raging at the time. Four graceful minarets rise to a height of 48.7 m above the ground. The Charminar has 45 prayer rooms and a mosque on the top floor. Visitors can view the architectural splendor inside the Charminar Mosque. Charminar looks especially beautiful at night. It is located in the center of a road with heavy traffic, but a project to transform the surrounding area into a pedestrian zone is already in full swing.
Golconda is one of the most famous forts in India. The name of the fort comes from the Telugu combination GollaKonda, which means "Shepherd's Hill". The origin of the fort can be traced back to the Yadava dynasty of Deogiri and Kakatiyas of Warangal. Golconda was originally a mud fort which passed to the Bahmani dynasty and was later ruled by the Qutb Shahis from 1518 to 1687 AD. The first three Qutub Shahi rulers rebuilt Golconda over a period of 62 years. The fort is famous for its acoustics, palaces, ingenious water supply system and the famous Fateh Rahben weapon, one of the weapons used in Aurangzeb's final siege of Golconda, which ultimately saw the fort fall.
Monolithic Buddha statue
The world's largest monolithic Buddha statue in the center of Hussain Sagar Lake In 1992, the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N.T. Ram Rao made it a reality. The monolithic figure of Buddha, 18 meters high and weighing 450 tons, which was created by about two hundred sculptors over two years, stands on a small island in the center of Hussain Sagar Lake and is its main attraction for tourists and most visitors to the city.
Chowmahalla Palace
This opulent 18th and 19th century palace served as the official residence of several Nizams (the title of rulers of Hyderabad) and includes four courtyards with gardens arranged in a north-south line. The most magnificent reception hall, the Khilwat Mubarak, is located at the end of the first courtyard, where the Nizams held ceremonies under 19 huge Belgian crystal chandeliers. Today, its side rooms also house historical exhibits extolling the virtues of the Nizams. Its balcony once served as a royal living room for women who took part in collective meetings in burqas. Several other rooms house interesting exhibits of the Nizams: personal items, arts and crafts, costumes, and in the south courtyard you will find 1911 yellow Rolls Royce, which were saved for special occasions and have traveled only 356 miles in more than a century.
Indian Herald
