A Day in Hyderabad

Hyderabad had a humble beginning in a mud fortress built by the Kakatiyas of Warangal on the hill of Golconda, in the 11th century AD. In the 14th century, Golconda went to the Bahamani kings. From the 15th century onwards, and till the time the province of Hyderabad was surrendered to the British Empire, Hyderabad was under the rule of different Muslim kingdoms, the Qutub Shahi kings, Aurangzeb’s empire and Nizam II of the Asaf Jahi kingdom. The city was brought into the Indian union after the country’s independence, and, in 1956, it became the capital of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh now Telangana.

The strong influence of Muslim culture and civilization is visible in the city’s many beautiful mosques, minarets and gardens. The city is also famous for its Hyderabadi cuisine, popularized under the rule of Nizam II, its handicrafts, textiles, gems and jewellerry, especially pearls.

08:30 AM

Tour Starts

09:00 AM – 09:30 AM – Jagannath Temple

A must visit if not for religious inclinations, then for its architectural magnificence, Temple replicates the architecture of the Jagannath temple in Puri. The temple complex is tinted in the shade of burnt brick, because of the use of sandstone brought from Orissa. More than 600 tons of sandstone was used to build the entire temple and around 60 stone carvers were brought in to work on it.

10:00 AM – 11:15 AM – Chowmahalla Palace

Once seen as the center of Hyderabad, the sublime Chowmahalla Palace was the seat of the Asaf Jahi line where the Nizams entertained their Royal guests and majestic visitors. Chowmahalla is prestigious for its exceptional style and class. A union of various building styles and effects, the Palace Complex has been exactly restored.

11:30 AM – 12:10 PM – Charminar

We reach the famous Charminar. The massive and impressive structure with four minarets. The fifth ruler of the Qutub Shahi dynasty Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah built the Charminar in 1591. After shifting his capital from Golconda to Hyderabad he built the Charminar which is the global icon of Hyderabad.

It is a square structure with each side 20 meters long, with four grand arches each facing a fundamental point that open into four streets. At each corner stands an exquisitely shaped minaret, 56 meters (approximately 184 feet) high, with a double balcony. Each minaret is crowned by a bulbous dome with dainty petal-like designs at the base.

12:15 PM – 12:45 PM – Tea Break

12:45 PM – 01:30 PM – Laad Bazaar

After the tea we start the walking tour of Laad Bazaar. You may shop for the specialties of Hyderabad here. Laad Bazaar is the main market for bangles, semi-precious stones,  pearls, jewellery, products such as silverware,Nirmal,  Kalamkari paintings,  Bidriware,  lacquer  bangles studded with stones,  saris and hand-woven materials of silk, cotton.  brocade,  velvet and  gold embroidered fabrics, traditional  Khara  Dupattas, lacquer bangles and perfumes.

02:00 PM – 03:00 PM – Lunch

03:30 PM – 04:30 PM – Golconda Fort

The Golconda Fort used to have a vault where once the famous  Koh-I-Noor and  Hope  diamonds  were stored along with other diamonds.

The Golconda Fort, originally built by the Kakatiya Rulers, has amazingly advanced acoustics systems that were used for signaling approaching enemy as well as for detecting conspiracies being hatched in palace corners! The Fort is also unique in the use of the natural boulders (that date back to a billion years), distinctive of the Deccan plateau, as foundation stones for the structure. This detour will trace the history of the Qutub Shahi dynasty who ruled Hyderabad between 1518 and 1687 AD.

04:30 – 05:00 PM: Hi Tea

06:10 PM – 07:30 PM – Shilparamam

Stop at Shilparamam, a crafts village, conceived in the year 1992. Sprawling over 65 acres (260, 000 m²) of land in the technological hub of India, Shilparamam gives a scenic ambience of Tradition and cultural heritage.

The lush and serene environment of Shilparamam is sculpted with woodwork, jewellery, clothes and local crafts of each region of the country .Showcasing a plethora of artistic ethos, Shilparamam is set Amidst gardens, cascading waterfalls and natural rock heights.

Drive On route – Hi-tech city

Now that you have experienced the much talked about old Hyderabad, we will take you through the new developing Hyderabad which is almost 17kms away from the old city. Most commonly called as “Cyberabad” and Hi-tech City, it’s a new world developed by IT companies. Here you will experience the sky-high buildings and modernity.

08:00 PM – 09:00 PM – Dinner

Drop back to the city center.

                                                                                                         TOUR ENDS