By: Simar Preet Kaur
Noted media house National Geographic has listed Hyderabad as a top destination under the Best Trips of 2015. Read the full article below:
Stories of Hyderabad’s poetic past weave amid strings of programming code in this southeastern India city that was home to one of the richest men in the world, Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last ruling nizam of Hyderabad. Now a seedbed for many global IT brands, Cyberabad (as it’s dubbed) is where you can hear the muezzin’s call above the trafffic din generated by aging Urdu scholars and young software engineers alike. Here, ancient boulders guard the peripheries of HITEC City, while new rooftop bars hem in lakes and gardens. The opulent Taj Falaknuma Palace hotel perches atop a hill overlooking the Old City, where Irani cafés thrive alongside fifth-generation pearl merchants and the finest fountain pen makers. Prone to exaggeration, the Hyderabadis’ conversations within these cafés often linger over three cups of chai and four hours.
A good Muslim ruler was expected to be an expert with the pen as well as the sword; the city’s founder, Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, is credited with the first published anthology of Urdu poetry. The later ruling dynasty, the Nizams, provided patronage to poets within their court. Attend a mushaira (poetry symposium) for a good introduction to the city’s literary legacy. There’s also the Hyderabad Literary Festival in January, followed by February’s Deccan Festival, during which the most passionate performances involve qawwali, an 800-year-old form of Sufi music. Another evocative setting to witness qawwali is Chowmahalla Palace, the recently restored residence of the Nizams. “Dakhan—Hyderabad—is the diamond, the world is the ring,” says historian Narendra Luther, quoting the court poet Mulla Vajahi. “The ring’s splendor lies in the diamond.” —Simar Preet Kaur
Travel Tips
When to Go: November-March (dry season) for relatively mild temperatures (about 85º to 95°F); January 23-26, Hyderabad Literary Festival; February 25-March 1, Deccan Festival celebrating the varied cultures of the Deccan, a vast area stretching from the Maharashtra in the north to Karnataka in the south, Goa in the west, and Andhra Pradesh in the east.
How to Get Around: Hyderabad is just over a two-hour flight from New Delhi or about a one-and-a-half-hour flight from Mumbai. Many large hotels offer airport transfers, and taxis are readily available. Hiring a private car and driver or booking custom day tours with a local company like Detours India are convenient ways to visit historic sites. Travel around the Old City on foot. For short trips, use the yellow auto rickshaws (three-wheeled mini-taxis). Before getting in, ask about any preset fees and insist that the driver turn on the meter.
Where to Stay: The regal treatment at the sumptuous Taj Falaknuma Palace includes airport transfers for guests in the Grand Presidential and Grand Royal suites (nightly rates starting at about $2,000). For a more budget-friendly Taj Group option, stay at the sleek wood-and-glass Vivanta by Taj-Begumpet, Hyderabad (from $120 per night). The nine-story hotel has 181 rooms and suites, an outdoor pool, and four restaurants.
What to Eat or Drink: Try the ubiquitous Hyderabad street food biryani (fragrant rice with meat, egg, or vegetables) at no-frills restaurants like Hotel Shadab in Ghansi Bazaar and Grand Hotel in Abids. And although Tata Starbucks (the joint venture between Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Global Beverages Ltd.) was scheduled to open its first Hyderabad location in late 2014, the city’s signature brew remains Irani chai, a sweet, milky tea typically served with Osmania biskoot (sweet and salty biscuits).
What to Buy: At the open-air markets and bazaars around Charminar, shop for Hyderabad’s famous pearl jewelry (necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and pendants) and handcrafted bangles. Jewel-studded, enamel-covered, and glittery gold bangle bracelets are stacked floor-to-ceiling in the Laad, or Chudi, Bazaar.
Cultural Tip: While English is widely spoken in Hyderabad and throughout the state of Telangana, Telugu is the official and most commonly spoken language, followed by Urdu.
What to Read Before You Go: Samina Ali’s Madras on Rainy Days: A Novel (Picador, 2004) is set in modern-day Hyderabad, where the Indian-American protagonist is preparing for an arranged Muslim marriage to a near-total stranger.
Fun Fact: Hyderabad is home to Ramoji Film City, which, according to Guinness World Records, is the largest film studio complex in the world. The 1,666-acre site has 47 sound stages, with permanent sets that include replica railway stations and temples. In addition to the working movie and television production facilities, Ramoji Film City includes a Disneyesque theme park.
Insider Tip From Simar Preet Kaur: Hyderabad takes its culinary pursuits seriously. Try biryani at Paradise Restaurant, haleem during Ramadan, and a cup of Irani chai with native Osmania biscuits in the Old City.
Source: Travel National Geographic