Why visit Hyderabad
- A city offering a compelling combination of monuments, museums and lively bazaars
- The city houses the Salarjung Museum which has a collection of over 40,000 artifacts
- A centre for pearls and traditional forms of textiles
- Famed for its Nawabi cuisine
Situated on the banks of Musi river, Hyderabad was founded by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, Sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty as a solution to the water shortage the dynasty had experienced at their old headquarters at Golconda. Planned as a grid with the Charminar in the heart of the old city, it is the hub of a busy commercial area, where the grand mosques and palaces of the erstwhile rulers are surrounded by lively bazaars selling everything from pearls and perfumes to cabbages and computers. With its minarets soaring to a height of 54 meters, the Charminar framed by grand arches on four sides houses the city's oldest mosque on its top floor. On the side is the Mecca Masjid, a huge mosque which has bricks from Mecca embedded in its central hub. The Salarjung Museum has an eclectic collection of over 40,000 objects. The most opulent of the Nizams palaces is the Falaknuma palace built in 1872. The front facade is in Palladial style with the rear a jumble of Indo-Saracenic domes and cupolas. Situated at a distance of approx 11 kilometres from Hyderabad is the Golconda Fort, once the citadel of the Qutb Shahi dynasty who ruled the region from 1507 to 1687. The beginning of the fort dates back to 1143, when the Hindu Kakatiya dynasty ruled the area. The fortress city within the walls was famous for its diamond trade, and many famed diamonds including the Koh-i-noor, the Regent Diamond and the Hope. The cosmopolitan tradition set by Sultan Quli Qutb Shah and the culture of courtly etiquette, continued with the next dynasty, that of the Nizams. As a result Hyderabad has a uniquely composite culture, a mélange of Hindu and Muslim customs, mingled with Arab, Persian and Turkish influences which is evident in its language, cuisine, manners and arts. Its distinctive handicraft include beautifully woven ikat textiles, pearl and inlaid metal bidri work.
 |
