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Hyderabad
 Hyderabad
is known as the city of love. It was for the love of Bhagmathi that the fifth
king of Golkonda Mohd. Quli Qutub Shah founded the city of Bhagyanagar in 1589.
When the lady joined the Royal house she got the title "Hyder Mahal",
then he renamed the city as Hyderabad.
Hyderabad
city, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, is a city of oriental glory, reminiscent
of the great days of the Indo-Muslim culture. The beautiful city is situated 536
meters above the sea level on the Southern bank of the river Musi. It is well
known for its hospitality and a visitor to the city finds a pleasant welcome.
Places
to See Golconda Fort The
origin of the Golcon da
Fort can be traced to Yadava dynasty of Deogiri and Kakatiyas of Warangal. The
name originates from the telugu word "Golla Konda" "Shephard's
Hill", Earlier it was a mud fort and existing structure was expanded by Qutub
Shai kings into a massive fort of granite with walls having eight gates and 87
bastions extending upto 7 kms, in circumference over a span of 62 years. The
fort which passed to Bahami dynasty and later to Qutub Shahi who held it from
1518 A.D. and finally fell to Aurangzeb in 1687. It is famous for its acoustic
system, palaces and ingenious water supply system. It
was once famous for Diamond market. The world famous diamond "kohinoor"
is said to have come from here.
A
sound and light show in the evening reenacts the glory and grandeur of Qutub Shahi
dynasty.
Qutub Shahi Tombs Just
half a km. away from Golconda Fort lie the Royal Tombs of Qutub Shahi Kings where
seven of the sultans lie buried in the midst of the Ibrahim Bagh.
Charminar This
is a symbolic monument with its four imposing minarets each 54 meters high, well
decorated with lotus buds and petals. It also houses a mosque. It
was built by Mohd. Quli Qutub Shah in 1591 to commemorate the cessation of plague
in the city. Hyderabad is also known
as "City of Pearls". Also famous for stone studded colored bangles and
other bridal finery is the Lad Bazar which provides a feast for the eyes.
Mecca
Masjid A stone's throw away from
Charminar one can see Mecca Masjid. Its foundation was laid by Sultan Mohd. Qutub
Shah in 1614 and was completed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1694. The mosque
is said to have bricks from Mecca were placed on the top of central arch. hence
it is called Mecca masjid. It is the biggest mosque in South India accommodating
10,000 persons for prayer at a time. In the chamber adjoining Mecca masjid are
the tombs of the Asaf Jahi rulers.
Salarjung
Museum The Salarjung Museum houses
one of the biggest one man collection of priceless antiques in the world, displayed
in 35 rooms. Among them Jade room contains priceless objects belonged to former
Indian rulers like Aurangzeb, Tipu Sultan, Shahjahan and the Asaf Jahis of Hyderabad.
Public
Garden One of the best laid out
gardens in the country, it houses the State Legislature, State Archaeological
Museum, Jublee Hall, Jawahar Bal Bhavan and Telugu Lalitha Kala Thoranaman open
air theater. Sri Venkateshwara Temple
 Popularly
known as 'Birla Mandir', it is built on 280 feet high Kala Pahad over looking
the picturesque, Hussain Sagar lake by the Hindustan Charity Trust on a 13 acre
plot. The temple was built with 2000 tones of white marble. The
magnificent architecture of this temple is synthesis of north and south Indian
style. The main temple is of the North Indian style and RajaGopuram (main entrance
gate) and Garudalaya are of south Indian style of Architecture. The main deity
is 9.5 feet high made of granite brought from Phirangipuram in Guntar District.
Birla
Planetarium Birla planetarium is
India's most modern planetarium and first of it's kind in the country. It is equipped
with the most advanced technology from Japan and built on Naubath Pahad
Osmania
University The University named
after the Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan was established in 1918 and for several years
it was situated in various buildings, finally in 1939 shifted to Arts College.
It is fine piece of Architecture with a blend of Indo-Persian and Arabic style.
Paigah
Tombs Paigahas are the noble family
of Hyderabad, next only to Nizams. They were the only Jagirdars who were permitted
to maintain army. The tombs are situated at Santoshnagar. Each tomb was built
with unique lime and mortar in Indo Sarcenic Architecture well decorated with
flowers, famous jali work and have marble inlay work on them. Nehru
Zoological Park
Sprawling
across 300 lush green acres, the Nehru Zoological park is the biggest Zoo in India
with over 250 species with 2450 Nos, of different kinds of animals and birds kept
in natural environment. The Lion safari park, the first in Asia, Natural History
Museum, pre-historical Animals park, Nocturnal Birds, a children park with a train
ride are other impressive sights.
Hussain
Sagar Hussain Sagar Lake which
links twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad was constructed during the reign
of Ibrahim Qutub Shah, by Hussainshah Wali, in 1562. There are 33 statues of historical
personage of Andhra Desha placed along the bund of the lake. Another major attraction
of Hussain Sagar Lake is the installation of an 18 meter high 350 ton monolithic
statue of Lord Buddha on the rock of Gibraltor in the middle of the Lake. Boat
rides and musical fountain in the Lumbini Park located in Buddha Purnima are popular
attractions.
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