Hyderabad - City of Nizams

Every tourist visiting India must make a trip to Hyderabad city in India, where you can see an astonishing blend of ancestral heritage with the modern IT sector. Hyderabad, also known as City of Nizams, is a city that was named after a queen Hyder Mahal. Hyderabad literally means the 'city of Hyder'. The city of Hyderabad has its own individual character, which is evident in the beautiful, ancient palaces and the equally modern, and state-of-the-art offices and buildings. The IT sector has made such a deep impact on the ancestral Hyderabad city that the city is often called as 'Cyberabad'. The city of Hyderabad has a co-sister city, which is called as 'Secunderabad'. A man-made lake called the Hussain Sagar Lake divides both the cities.

The city of Hyderabad is the capital of Andhra Pradesh, which is spread over the Deccan Plateau and is the fifth largest metropolitan city in India. If shopping is your passion, you can pick up some distinctive items such as the famous Hyderabadi pearls and other handicrafts, which are unique to the city of Hyderabad and flaunt it with pride.

Hyderabad provides scrumptious delicacies to tease your taste buds. It is high on the spicy content so watch out! Keep some water ready on your side in case you accidentally chew on red hot chilies! The food is authentic and is a culmination of the Mughlai cuisine and the traditional Hyderabadi style. Though the cuisine is predominantly vegetarian, the people on the coast do eat fish and prawns cooked in sesame or coconut. Rice toddy is the locally brewed alcoholic drink.

Culture of Hyderabad
The culture of Hyderabad is a diverse one. Not only does it have an amalgamation of different cultures, Hyderabad boasts of a rich cultural heritage too. Being ruled by the Asaf Jahi dynasty, it came to be known as the "city of Nizams". As this dynasty crumpled, the Mughals took over and brought about sea change in the cultural outlook of the people. Today Hyderabad flourishes in its rich cultural history.

The contemporary world sees this city as a blend of unique cultures with a touch of modern lifestyle. In general, Hyderabadi people are regarded as very friendly and hospitable. As a matter of fact, generosity is the other name of the Hyderabadis. They take immense pleasure and pride in conversing in their local, characteristic and vibrant Hyderabadi language, which is a mix of Urdu, Hindi, and Telugu. The Hyderabadi Urdu is more like city's vernacular of Hindi language. It thrives in a world of its own.

Like the Mumbai 'tapori' language, Hyderabadi lingo too has its own dissimilar resonance and flavor. It is more assorted as it has its own dialects in different parts of the city. If the actual Hyderabadi has a manifestation of Urdu language and is archetypal to the old city, the new city has a fair mix of English and Telugu to it. In Secunderabad Cantonment region, there is a typical Tamil touch to it, due to the proximity of Tamil Nadu to it.

You will find a very surprising element in these people. They wear the latest branded stuff, flaunt attitude and drink gallons of beer in the most happening bar. But when it comes to culture, no one can beat them nor question their traditional beliefs. You will find the prettiest women wearing shorts and tank-tops one day and at a temple in a nice traditional sari the other day! So be prepared to contact the blend of tradition and modernity in the unique city of Hyderabad.

Tourist Attractions
Hyderabad can very well be called a tourists' paradise. The tourist attractions in Hyderabad are worth the visit. There are many places of interest for tourists, in Hyderabad. Not only are the tourist attractions places of historical interest, but also are strikingly picturesque. So if you want to soothe your eyes with the scenic view of an old monument against the backdrop of an evening sky with the flavor of local food tickling your taste buds, come and visit the famous tourist attractions of Hyderabad.

Charminar: It was built in 1591 AD in the heart of the old city of Hyderabad by Muhammad Quli Qutab Shah to commemorate the eradication of plague just after he shifted his capital from Golkunda to Hyderabad. The monument is a square structure with four towers in each of the four corners, each of whose sides is 20 meters in length.

Mecca Masjid: It is one of the oldest mosques in the city which was started by Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah in 1617, but was completed by Aurangzeb in 1694. The mosque is a granite giant and can accommodate about ten thousand worshippers at a time.

Golconda Fort: It is one of the most magnificent fortress complexes which are situated about 11 km from Hyderabad. The fort is now in its ruins is one of the most impressive among the tourist locations.

Salar Jung Museum: It is the third largest museum in India and is well known for its prized collections belonging to different civilizations dating back to the 1st century.

Other important tourist destinations in Hyderabad include the Hussain Sagar, Jama Masjid, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, St. Mary’s Church, Birla Mandir, Qutb Shahi tombs, and the Nehru Zoological Park.

Cuisine of Hyderabad
While in Hyderabad, one must make it a point to try out the famous cuisine the city has to offer. Hyderabad boasts of a wide range of traditional vegetarian dishes, which are tempting to the core. They also have an assortment of typical non-vegetarian cuisines. Both the categories are rich in spice content and you need to be careful if you are not used to spicy and tangy food. Though spicy, it is extremely tasty and delicious and is definitely worth a try.

The prominent mouthwatering vegetarian dishes of Hyderabad are the Dahi Vada, Mirch-ka-sabu and Bagaara Baingan. The Dahi Vada essentially contains spicy and creamy curd in which round pieces of ground lentils have been immersed after being fried. The mirch-ka-sabu is a delicious vegetarian dish of Hyderabad consisting of hot chilies, which are immersed in cream gravy.

For all of you who have an active sweet tooth, pamper yourself with yummy sweet dishes like double-ka-meetha (bread pudding), Gajar-ka-halwa (carrot sweet dish) and Qubani-ka-meetha (apricot pudding). After relishing on the yummy Hyderabadi dishes one should have a sip of the Iranian chai or tea. This hot drink has a distinct flavor and you can easily find it in the street side cafes where you can just laze around and enjoy this famous Hyderabadi beverage.

The cuisine of Hyderabad is highly influenced by the Mughals who ruled here. Hence, the cuisine also has some elements of the Mughlai cuisine. The most famous of all is Mutton Biryani & Chicken Biryani, which is an aromatic assortment of rice, meat and seasonal vegetables. There is also a wide range of Kebabs to choose from which include Chicken korma, Sheer korma, Sheekh Kebab, Shammi Kebab etc. These special vegetarian and non-vegetarian Hyderabadi dishes are best enjoyed in the traditional Shahi Dastarkhana or the Royal Dining Hall. It is a conventional dining place where the ancient royal families relaxed and relished on the Hyderabadi cuisine. It is a 'low chowki ' or wooden bed, on which cotton mattresses are spread. They are bordered with relaxing supports and soft cushions on the edges. All you have to do is make yourself comfortable and feel like a Nizam! No meal is complete without the traditional paan, which is betel leaf stuffed with a mixture of betel nuts and spices which is folded in the betel leaf and held together with a clove.

Some of the ingredients of the traditional recipes are kept secret and are only known to the subsequent generations of the royal cooks. The royal cooks of the traditional Hyderabadi families are known, as 'Khansas' and are held in high esteem in these families.

How to Reach Hyderabad
By Air: Hyderabad is connected to the rest of the world by both national and international flights. The Hyderabad airport is divided into both domestic and international terminals. The domestic terminal is called the N.T. Rama Rao Domestic Terminal. Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Air Sahara, Deccan Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and Spice Jet are the major domestic flights that operate here. The international terminal is called the Rajiv Gandhi International Terminal. Major international flights operating here are Lufthansa Airlines, SilkAir Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Saudi Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines and Qatar Airlines. The airport is located at Begumpet.

By Rail: Secunderabad, which is the co-sister city of Hyderabad, is the head office of Southern and Central railways. Besides the Secunderabad railway station there are two other railway stations namely, the Hyderabad railway station (also known as Nampally) and Kacheguda railway station. All the trains leaving from Hyderabad and Kacheguda railway station have a stoppage at the Secunderabad railway station.

By Road: Hyderabad city is well connected to all the major states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Orissa. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has maintained a well laid out system of roadways, which connect Hyderabad to almost every city and town. Its head office is at Secunderabad. Some major national highways that pass through Hyderabad are NH - 4, NH - 5, NH - 7, NH - 9, NH - 16, NH - 18, etc.