Hyderabad - Baghnagar - City of Gardens - City of Pearls

ATTRACTIONS OF HYDERABAD

Hyderabad is known as The City of Pearls, as once it was the only global centre for trade of large diamonds, emeralds, and natural pearls. Many traditional and historical bazaars are located around the city.

Be it Charminar, Golconda Fort, the Mosques, or even streets with common homes, every place surely has the Nizami effect. That is why this city is given the title of 'City of Nizams'. This is among the most interesting nicknames of Indian cities.

Hyderabad is the capital of the Indian state of Telangana. It is a historic city noted for its many monuments, temples, mosques, and bazaars. A multitude of influences has shaped the character of the city in the last 400 years.

The city of Hyderabad was founded by the Qutb Shahi Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 CE. It was built around the Charminar, which formed the centerpiece of the city. Hyderabad became an important trading center for diamonds and pearls and a center for culture.

After a brief period of Mughal rule, the first Nizam of Hyderabad conquered the city in 1724. The Nizams later signed a subsidiary alliance with the British, and their territory became Hyderabad State, the largest princely state in British India with the city of Hyderabad as its capital. During this period, industry, railways, modern education, and airways developed in Hyderabad.

1. Charminar

The Charminar was established more than four centuries ago by the fifth Sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, namely Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah. He commissioned the construction of this grand mosque in the year 1591 after he shifted his capital from Golconda to Hyderabad, which was a newly formed city. 

Also referred to as the ‘Arc de Triomphe of the East’, Charminar is adorned with four towers in each corner. The minarets on each side are 48.7 m in height, each with four stories. Charminar has a small mosque as well on the top floor. There are 45 prayer spaces that are still visited by people, particularly on Fridays. Lighting in the evening is quite glamorous and makes for a worth-watching site.
It is the most famous building of Hyderabad and also one of the most famous buildings in India. It was built by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shahi to celebrate the end of a deadly plague. The Charminar lies near the bank of the river Musi. It is close to Laad Bazaar and Makkah Masjid.

2. Golconda Fort

The Golconda Fort was built in 1518 by Sultan Quli Qutub-ul-Mulk. It was further strengthened by subsequent Qutub Shahi kings. Golconda was the principal capital of the Qutub Shahi kings. The inner fort contains ruins of palaces, mosques, and a hilltop pavilion, which rises about 130 meters high and gives a bird's eye view of other buildings. Golconda fort is undoubtedly one of the most magnificent fortress complexes in India.

An impressive structure, which once, would have bewitched every onlooker, stands majestically even today. Golconda Fort is sure to impress you not only with the highly advanced techniques were used back then and sturdy structure, but also with an outstanding view of the surrounding city.

The sunset from the top of the fort is awe-inspiring. One of Hyderabad's most popular and supreme monuments, Golconda Fort allures every visitor with its unparalleled beauty and grandeur. A Hyderabad Tour is incomplete without a visit to this fort.

3. Birla Mandir

Birla Mandir is a Hindu temple, built on a 280 feet (85 m) high hillock called Naubath Pahad on a 13 acres (53,000 m²) plot. The construction took 10 years and was opened in 1976 by Swami Ranganathananda of Ramakrishna Mission. The temple was constructed by the Birla Foundation, which has also constructed several similar temples across India, all of which are known as the Birla Mandir.

The temple manifests a blend of Dravidian, Rajasthani, and Utkala architectures. It is constructed of 2000 tons of pure none marble. The granite idol of presiding deity Lord Venkateswara is about 11 ft (3.4 m) tall and a carved lotus forms an umbrella on the top. There is a brass flagstaff in the temple premises which rises to a height of 42 ft (13 m). The temple does not have traditional bells, as Swami Ranganathananda wished that the temple atmosphere should be conducive for meditation.

Apart from the main shrine, the consorts of Lord Venkateswara, Padmavati, and Andal are housed in separate shrines. The temple also has separate shrines for various Deva and Devi including Shiva, Shakti, Ganesh, Hanuman, Brahma, Saraswati, and Lakshmi. Selected because teachings of men and Gurbani are engraved on temple walls. Birla temples are open to all, as identified by Mahatma Gandhi and other Hindu leaders.

4. Jala Vihar

Located at the Necklace Road, Jalavihar, a family entertainment park, enjoys a prime location. Suitable for both kids and adults, it offers an amazing range of water activities. Some of these are River ride, Tilt bucket, Mushroom Umbrella, Family slide, Mini aqua trailers, Float slide, Pendulum, etc.

Not just water rides, families can have fun-filled moments at games like Mini train, Super-Jet, Battery bikes, Mini Coarsely, Battery cars, Mini rainbow wheel, Air hockey, Water shooter, Basketball, Bungy Trampoline, etc. The party zone here is perfect for all kinds of family functions. It also houses an amphitheater and the Aesthetic Vedhika.

The 18,000-square-foot (1,700 m²) wave pool, the largest in the country, can accommodate about 1,000 people at a time. The constructed area comprised only 10% of the total area of the park. Proper fencing was provided along the park to prevent littering around the Hussain Sagar lake. The park consists of two main zones – entertainment and party. The entertainment zone has water sports, a wave pool, dry rides, a mini train, and food courts. The party zone contains open lawns that can accommodate about 2,000 people.

5. Chowmahalla Palace

Chowmahalla Palace or Chowmahallat ( is the palace of the Nizams of Hyderabad State in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and was the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad while they ruled their state. The palace was built by Nizam Salabat Jung. The palace remains the property of Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah, heir of the Nizams. Other members of the Hyderabadi Nizam family have also wed here.

The word chār or chahār, and its variation chow, means "four" and the word mahal means "palace" in Urdu, Hindi, and Persian. All ceremonial functions including the accession of the Nizams and receptions for the Governor-General were held at this palace.

The UNESCO Asia Pacific Merit award for cultural heritage conservation was presented to Chowmahalla Palace on 15 March 2010. UNESCO representative Takahiko Makino formally handed over the plaque and certificate to Princess Esra, former wife and GPA holder of Prince Mukarram Jah Bahadur.

6. Lumbini Park

One of the main attractions of Lumbini Park is the giant clock at the entrance of the park which has been designed using various kinds of colorful flowering plants. Along with seasonal flowering plants, wide variety of cacti and rocks, the park also has many options to keep kids entertained.

Lumbini Park, officially T. Anjaiah Lumbini Park, is a small public, urban park of 3 hectares (7.5 acres) adjacent to Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad, India. Since it is located in the center of the city and is in close proximity to other tourist attractions, such as Birla Mandir and Necklace Road, it attracts many visitors throughout the year. Boating is one of the best parts and people go to the Buddha idol placed in the middle of the tank band in the boats. Constructed in 1994, the park is named after the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh T. Anjaiah. The park is maintained by the Buddha Purnima Project Authority that functions under the directives of the Government of Telangana. In 2007, it was one of the targets of the 25 August 2007 Hyderabad bombings that killed 44 people.

7. Qutub Shahi Tombs

The Qutub Shahi Tombs are located in the Ibrahim Bagh (garden precinct), close to the famous Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, India. They contain the tombs and mosques built by the various kings of the Qutub Shahi dynasty. The galleries of the smaller tombs are of a single story while the larger ones are two-storied. In the center of each tomb is a sarcophagus that overlies the actual burial vault in a crypt below. The domes were originally overlaid with blue and green tiles, of which only a few pieces now remain.

The tombs form a large cluster and stand on a raised platform. They are domed structures built on a square base surrounded by pointed arches, a distinctive style that blends Persian and Indian forms. The tombs are structures with intricately carved stonework and are surrounded by landscaped gardens.

The tombs were once furnished with carpets, chandeliers, and velvet canopies on silver poles. Copies of the Quran were kept on pedestals and readers recited verses from the holy book at regular intervals. Golden spires were fitted over the tombs of the sultans to distinguish their tombs from those of other members of the royal families.

8. Birla Planetarium

More than forty-three people contributed to the narration and which were taken out after several thousand pages of information and data collected over the span of almost two years by the curator Pranav Sharma. Satyajit Tuljapurkar was the architect of the place and digital artwork was done by Arjun Kota.

Birla Planetarium. The Planetarium, since its inception, has designed and presented to the public and students more than 300 astronomical projects dealing with many facets of astronomy, astrophysics, celestial mechanics, space science, history of astronomy as well as mythology concerning stars and planets.

It has an astronomy gallery that maintains a huge collection of fine paintings and celestial models of renowned astronomers. The Planetarium also has an astronomical observatory equipped with a Celestron C-14 Telescope with accessories such as an ST6 CCD camera and solar filter.