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 The
city of pearls, the seat of the mighty Vijaynagar dynasty
and the birthplace of the legendary Nizams, travel to
Hyderabad is like revisiting the glorious past amidst
the luxury of modern day amenities. Centuries old narrow
lanes intersect with highways; invaluable monuments
tower over competing modern buildings.
Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, like
the other great civilizations such as Indus or Mesopotamian
civilizations, was found on the banks of Musi River
by Mohammad Quli of Qutb Shahi dynasty that lead to
the abandonment of the Golconda Fort. The city
of Nizams was born after the Hyderabad Viceroy Asaf
Jah declared independence from the ruling Mughal Empire.
Travel to Hyderabad, thus, is marked with a return to
Islamic traditions influenced to a large extent by Hindu
culture. It may well be termed as the 'cultural city
of South India' with its focus on the revival and flourishing
of arts in both pure and fusion forms. Besides the fusion
architecture, the city of Hyderabad is also rich in
precious stones and minerals. The world famous Kohinoor
diamond is a product of Hyderabad mines.
Replete with Islamic culture in a predominantly Hindu
state, Hyderabad is South India's answer to the Mughal
architecture of Delhi, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. Famous
for the spicy Hyderabadi biryani, it hosts several festivals
that enrich your travel to Hyderabad with its vibrant
colors and soul stirring music.
Samkranti Harvest Festival celebrates the end
of rice harvest season with the flying of kites. The
Telugu New Year is celebrated as Ugadi. The festival
of Mahankali Jatra honoring the Goddess Kali
is marked by colorful processions on the bustling streets
of Hyderabad. Birla Mandir Temple, a structure
in Rajasthani white marble, it is a popular Hindu pilgrimage
center that offers breathtaking views of the sunsets
over the artificial lake Hussain Sagar.
Past the independence related Hindu-Muslim turmoil over
allegiance to Pakistan or India, the city of Hyderabad
is swiftly edging towards becoming the technology capital
of India with the Hitec City.
Places to visit on your travel to Hyderabad:
Charminar - The landmark
monument of Hyderabad, it stands tall at 56m in the
center of the old city on its 30m wide base. The minarets
atop the four-columned structure facing north, south,
east and west guide the locals and the visitors on their
way through the meandering streets of Hyderabad.
Laad Bazaar - Along
the Charminar lanes buzzes the pearl trade center of
India. A haven for the die-hard bargainers, the bazaar
is stacked with trivial daily use items to finest perfumes,
jewels and bidri (inlaid silverware).
Mecca Masjid - Fashioned
from the holy soil of Mecca, built from 1614 to 1687
by Qutb Shah dynasty, it has the capacity to house over
a 10,000 worshippers.
Salar Jung Museum - The 35,000 exhibits dating back
to the first century and collected from all over the
world include sculptures, Persian miniature paintings,
rare manuscripts among other artifacts. A bridge away,
the stunning examples of Indo-Saracenic architectural
styles stand across the river - High Court and
Osmania General Hospital.
 Golconda
Fort - This 16th century fortress was once the
capital of the independent state of Telengana. Today
the colossal citadel still stands gracefully atop a
granite hill 120 m high and surrounded by masonry ramparts
and huge gates with iron spike to disable war elephants.
Visit this historic structure on your visit to Hyderabad
and stand atop the fortress to understand bits significance
in the evolution of India.
Tombs of Qutb Shahi Kings -
Domed tombs amidst landscaped gardens are the finally
resting place of the mighty Qutb Shahi dynasty. It is
just five minutes away from the Golconda Fort's Balahisar
Gate.
Buddha Statue and Hussain Sagar
- The artificial lake, separating Hyderabad from
its twin city of Secunderabad, is a perfect place for
picnics, boat rides and sightseeing. You can marvel
at one of the world's largest freestanding Buddha Statue
set on support in the middle of the lake.
Indira Gandhi Park -
A great resting place after a day's traveling, away
from the fast life of the city. It is spacious, houses
an artificial lake with boats for rent and big old trees
for cover.
Nehru Zoological Park -
One of the largest zoos in India, it provides shelter
to nearly 3000 animals. Apart from the usual animal
gazing, it also boasts of toy-train rides, lion safari
and prehistoric animal section.
Ramoji Film City - Popular
with the Indian filmmaking industries as with Hollywood
independent production houses for its reasonable pricing,
it offers a comprehensive wealth of knowledge on the
filmmaking business. It offers tours of its sprawling
grounds and extensive interiors with live shooting and
rehearsals. Not to be missed if you are an avid Bollywood
fan.
SouthIndiaTravelTourism.com offers destinations to the following South Indian cities :
 Alappuzha
Bangalore
Chennai
Hyderabad
Kochi
Mangalore
Mysore
Pondicherry
Trivandrum
Explore the Islamic culture on your travel to Hyderabad
with the tour bookings, and travel packages offered
by SouthIndiaTravelTourism.com. To book your tour, or
for more information, please fill the form below.
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