It is rare to come across a place that welcomes the 21st century with an 'adaab'. Hyderabad is one such place. There is so much here to awe the senses. From the magnificent food to the majestic monuments, from its terrific landscapes to a populace steeped in respect and tradition. Consisting of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, Hyderabad is also the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Once the largest princely state in India, Hyderabad had its own flag, currency, railway, and postal system, before being incorporated into the Indian nation. Hyderabad boasts of some fine examples of Qutab Shahi architecture - the Jami Masjid, the Mecca Masjid, Toli Masjid and of course, the impressive symbol of Hyderabad, the Charminar. Home to the Nizams, reportedly, the world's richest royals, Hyderabad is also home to famous folk arts like shadow puppetry and kuchipudi. A unique feature of the city is that it is the only city in the south, where the major language spoken is Urdu.

Has four wide roads radiating in the four cardinal directions. The structure is square, each side measuring 100 feet, with a central pointed high arch at the center. The whole edifice contains numerous small decorative arches arranged both vertically and horizontally. The projected canopy, ornamental brackets and decoration in stucco plaster add graceful elegance to the structure. The upper courtyard was used as a school and for prayers at the mosque. The minarets, their domed finials, rise to 180 feet from the ground.

There are two galleries in it, one over another, and all over a terrace that serves for a roof, bordered with a stone balcony. In its heyday, the Charminar market had some 14,000 shops, a unique conglomeration of a grand oriental bazaar. The whole market around the Charminar is crowded with shops of glass bangles in rainbow colors - Red, blue, green, yellow, orange, mauve and pink-and many more.

Near the Charminar stands the Mecca Masjid, whose construction started by Muhammad Qutb Shah in 1617 and completed by Quranzeb in 1693. It is a grand edifice with a huge courtyard, which can accommodate nearly ten thousand men at prayer. The other two mosques--the Jami Masjid and the Toli Masjid-are small and modest structures in the city. The Falakuma palace, the Chowmukha palace, the Regency Mansion, built in 1803, the Husain Sagar Lake, Naubat Pahad, a hilltop crowned by the Birla temple, Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, the Nehru Zoological Park the Salar Jung museum are some other tourist places.

Visiting Time:
Heyderabad can be visited throughout the year, but one must avoid the extreme hot summers (April-June). The most suitable time is in winters.

How to Reach:

By Air: Indian Airlines connect Mumbai, Delhi and other major cities. Hyderabad is also an international airport.

By Bus: The city also has a good road network with good network of National and State Highways.

By Train: Heyderabad is well connected by Super fast & daily express trains to almost all parts of North, East and Western India.