!! Travel to Hyderabad!!

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, HyderabadGolconda 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.