Hyderabad is the pearl of India, both literally and figuratively. This is not only a huge metropolis in which more than six million people live, but also an ancient city in which Muslim and Indian cultures are intertwined. The dynasty of the Nizams – the medieval rulers of the city – entered Indian history thanks to an unbridled love for diamonds, gold and pearls, from which not only jewelry, but even cosmetics were made. Since then, Hyderabad has been the largest jewelry center in India. Finally, this city is the cradle of modern Indian cinema, because it is where the world’s largest film studio is located. However, first things first. Check liuxers for customs and traditions of India.
How to get there
Hyderabad International Airport is located 22 km from Hyderabad. Rajiv Gandhi. After arrival, you can use the services of taxi drivers (from 600 INR) or take a bus.
In Mayapur, the largest bus terminal in the Asian region, Inter City Bus Terminal, is located, and in the center of the city itself there is a bus station named after. Mahatma Gandhi. The city can also be reached by rail. The city has two railway stations (Nampally or Hyderabad Deccan, and Secunderabad) that receive trains from Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore and other cities. Tickets for night trains (that is, with the ability to sleep on the train, and not shake 14 hours during the day) are best booked 1-2 days in advance.
The thread of history: from ancient times to the present day
The history of Hyderabad is amazing. One of the largest cities in India, it is famous for its palaces, Islamic minarets, tombs, Hindu temples and, of course, the centuries-old diamond trade. The city also gained its wealth thanks to the trade in expensive fabrics, gold and pearls. In the past, the Nizams – the rulers of the city – were considered the richest people in the world. For example, in 1937, the fortune of Nizam Asaf Jahi VII was estimated at 2 billion dollars, while the budget of India at that time was half that – only one billion dollars.
Today Hyderabad is India’s Silicon Valley, with a huge number of IT companies located in the city, including representative offices of Microsoft, Dell, Oracle and Ifosys.
Hotels
There are plenty of hotels in the city, we will only advise a couple of the most, in our opinion, convenient hotels in terms of price / service / geographical location. The Marriott 5 * hotel is located just 10 minutes from the airport, it has a swimming pool, a luxurious restaurant and a spa. Also not far from the airport is the Peppermint 4 * hotel. This option is suitable for those who want to save money and not spend too much on housing during their holidays.
Luxurious interiors are promised by the palace, and now the Falaknuma Palace Hotel (Tank Bund Rd.), where King George V even stayed at one time. The Green Park Hotel is also popular (doubles from 6000 INR).
3 things to do in Hyderabad
- Buy pearl jewelry for beautiful ladies on Patther Gatti Street, where there is a huge number of jewelry stores, at a 40-60% discount compared to European stores.
- Look for diamonds in the ancient fortress of Golconda. Even if you don’t find them there, you shouldn’t leave everything in frustration and leave. Wait until the sun goes down and enjoy a colorful illuminated show that tells the history of the fort.
- Take a “world tour” at the Ramoji Film Studio.
Pearls from Hyderabad
Thanks to its unsurpassed craftsmanship and low cost jewelry, Hyderabad is the largest center of pearl trade in India and one of the largest in the world. This, by the way, is surprising, because the city is located far from the sea, and raw materials have to be imported from China and Japan. On the outskirts of the city there are entire villages wholly occupied in the process of processing sea pearls and sorting them according to size, shape, luster and uniformity.
If you want to buy high-quality jewelry without a markup of 40-60% (namely, with such a surcharge, jewelry is sold in Russian and European stores), then you should definitely look at Patther Gatti Street, where there are a huge number of jewelry stores, as well as at the Charminar Mosque.
In addition, it is worth stopping by the Lad Bazaar, where you can buy bright bracelets, saris, turbans, henna and a whole scattering of bright, typically Indian things that are so necessary for a woman’s wardrobe.
Entertainment and attractions of Hyderabad
The Charminar Mosque, which was mentioned above, by the way, is not just a pearl shop, but a grandiose mosque, whose name translates as “Four Minarets”. According to legend, it was built in 1591 in honor of the deliverance of the city from the plague. If you climb the 149 steps to the top of the mosque, then you will have a panoramic view of the entire city, and believe me, this spectacle is worth it! It is best to observe the city at night, when the entire metropolis is illuminated by night lights.
Golconda fortress
Even after many centuries, the historical monuments left after the ancient rulers only “nourish” the myths and legends that have grown into the legendary diamond treasury of Indian princes. There are still legends among the population that most of the gems of the ancient dynasty remained in the catacombs and cellars of the Golconda (“Shepherd’s Hill”) fortress, 11 km from the city. Local residents and enterprising tourists, of course, would have dismantled the fortress brick by brick long ago, but the state does its best to protect the historical monument from selfish vandals and gullible Indians. However, no one will forbid you to visit the fortress and try your luck (without fanaticism, of course: if you arrive in Golconda with a bunch of dynamite and a pick, then your enthusiasm is unlikely to be appreciated).
From the ancient fortress, once the center of the diamond trade and the personal treasury of the ancient princes, now only picturesque ruins remain, which are located on a hill 120 meters high.
Ramoji Film Studio
If you’ve always dreamed of a chic Bollywood-style Indian wedding, Ramoji Film Studio is here for you. According to the Guinness Book of Records, this is the largest film complex in the world, with more than 800 hectares of film sets, urban landscapes, sound recording pavilions, editing studios, warehouses, etc. More than 500 films can be shot in the studio at the same time, and therefore among the guests studios – directors and film crews from Hollywood.
Hyderabad is India’s Silicon Valley, home to the largest IT monsters in the world, including Microsoft, Dell, Oracle and Ifosys.
However, that’s not all. Ramoji is also a mecca for tourists, with over 1 million visitors a year. Passing through the filming stages one by one, you can find yourself in an amusement theme park, a Japanese garden, an artificial waterfall, caves, airport terminals, hospitals, railway stations, churches, mosques, shopping areas, palace interiors, a castle, as well as to visit the cities of Ancient India, the Great Mughals or the American Wild West. And that, it seems, is not all!
Other attractions
The mid-19th century neoclassical Purani Haveli complex was once the main residence of Mahbub Ali Pasha. In the east wing (Masarat Mahal) there are preserved interiors that tell about the life of the owners, including a giant wardrobe of 73 m2, where bunk wardrobes with a mechanical lift are hung with identical tweed suits (they say there are exactly 75 of them, and all of them were purchased in Scottish factory). Other must-sees: porcelain collection, photographs, silverware.
Museum buffs should also visit Salarjang, which houses an eclectic collection of 40,000 items that belonged to the prime minister of Hyderabad in the early 20th century. Pride of the exposition – Mughal jade, ivory screen, Koran of the 13th century
Hospital buildings are also notable in Hyderabad – Osmania (1925), opposite which are the buildings of the High School of Boys and the Supreme Court of pink granite and red sandstone, as well as the Unani Hospital (1920s), where the methods of traditional Greek-Arabic medicine were previously used..
Finally, do not miss the ancient building of the Royal Morning House (Ashurkhana). Erected in 1595, today it houses a collection of women’s best friends – diamonds, as well as amazingly elegant jewelry made of gold and silver.
