best places to visit in Hyderabad

Lack of space for expansion in Golconda fort city made the Sultan called up his best of advisers to search for a new virgin wooded elevated land site near a river void of any man-made structures or monuments In1589, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the ruler of Qutb Shahi dynasty, selected the present site of the city and named it "Bhaganagar" or "Bhāgyanagar"after Bhagamathi, a localnautch (dancing) girl with whom he had fallen in love. She converted to Islam and adopted the title Hyder Mahal. The city was renamed Hyderabad in her honour.Andrew Petersen, a scholar of Islamic architecture, says the city was originally called Baghnagar (city of gardens).

The discovery of an early revenue record, dated in 1626, which mentions the name of the city as Bhaganagar, would substantiate the evidence for earlier name of Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar. A number of Qutb Shahi miniature paintings also mention the name of the city as Bhaganagar.

According to another source, the city was named after Haidar, the son of Quli Qutb Shah. Hyderabad was named as the City of Hyder after the title of the Fourth Caliph Ali. Many people though, commonly believe that the city of "Hyderabad" was named after the people as their residence as "City of the Brave" from the Persian words "Hyder/Haider" (Persian and Urdu meaning lion or brave) and "Abad/Abaad" (Persian and Urdu meaning abode or populated) after surviving the plaque epidemic that ravaged Golkonda.

Hyderabad, the pearl city of India, is the capital of Telagana in Southern India It sits on the banks of the Musi River and on the Deccan Plateau. Hyderabad and Secunderabad are "twin cities" near Hussain Sagar Lake (also known as Tank Bund in local parlance) but both cities have grown so much that now they have become one big metropolis. The city and district of Hyderabad are coterminous. Hyderabad district is entirely contained within the Ranga Reddy (formerly "Hyderabad Rural") district of Telangana. Many of the suburbs of Hyderabad have been merged into the city, now called Greater Hyderabad.

1. Char Minar

Hyderabad’s principal landmark and city symbol was built by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 to commemorate the founding of Hyderabad and the end of epidemics caused by Golconda’s water shortage. The gargantuan four-column, 56m-high structure has four arches facing the cardinal points, with minarets atop each column (hence the name Charminar, 'four minarets'). It's certainly an impressive sight, though the relentless traffic that swirls around the structure, crowds and queues make it somewhat less rewarding to visit.

The Charminar stands at the heart of Hyderabad's main bazaar area (also known as Charminar), a labyrinth of lanes crowded with shops, stalls, markets and shoppers. You can climb to the 1st floor for a view of the district. The 2nd floor, home to Hyderabad’s oldest mosque, and the upper columns, are not open to the public. The structure is illuminated from 7pm to 9pm.

2. Chilkoor Balaji Temple

The temple is also reputed for being the oldest one in Telangana and is believed to have been built half a millennium ago during the time of Madanna and Akkanna, the uncles of Bhakta Ramadas. The architecture of the temple is also extraordinarily pleasing and never fails to fascinate the onlooker.A visit to the Chilkur Balaji Temple is considered to be a substitute for a visit to the Tirupati. This is because of a legend that surrounds the construction of this temple. According to popular belief, the temple was built by a devotee who could not visit the Tirupati Temple due to serious health issues. Lord Venkateshwara was moved by his devotion and instructed the devotee to find his idol in the nearby forest, following which the temple was built.

It may sound strange but there is a popular belief that those who aspire to go abroad should visit the Chilkur Balaji and he will be granted with a visa. Since then he has been popularized as the visa god.

3. Shri Jagannath Temple

Shri Jagannath means the lord of the universe, the supreme solace and a savior for countless devotees across the globe. Since times immemorial, the powerful god’s magnificent and monumental shrine in Orissa draws lakhs of devotees. Jagannath Temple is dedicated to revered God Shri Krishna. Jagan means Universe and Nath is the Lord. He is one of the incarnations of Vishnu. 

This temple is a replica of the original Jagannath Temple of Puri. However, this temple is much smaller and its design resembles the one in Puri, Orissa. The Hyderabad version of Puri’s temple was built on 3000-square yard area. It is located adjacent to the Telangana Bhavan in the posh suburbs of Banjara Hills. This temple is so captivating that it is tagged as one of the must-visit places of Hyderabad. The most appealing portion of the temple is its “Shikaram” (the peak or the top). It is about 70 feet in height. Sand stones brought from Orissa have been used in the construction of this temple, and that justifies its red colour and around 60 sculptors were employed to carve this awe-inspiring temple.

The main idols of the temple are Lord Krishna along with his brother BalaRama and sister Subhadra. It also houses five small temples in the premises, that are dedicated to Lord Ganesh (which is to the left of main entrance), Lord Shiva (in the front), Goddess Bhimala ( to the the left on back side), Goddess Lakshmi ( to the right) and two shrines for Navagraha and Shri Hanuman. The temple has three entrances while the main entrance opens right in front of the main temple. One cannot miss noticing the intricately done exterior carving which is considered iconic. The exteriors of the temple are completely made of sand stone while the sanctum sanctorum is done in plain brick wall from the inside. It is considered as one of the modern architectural marvels of Hyderabad city and draws hundreds of visitors every day. It is a place where the city’s Oriya community bond together.

4. Buddha Statue – Pride of Hyderabad

The buddha statue statue at hussain sagar is 58 feet (18 m) and weighs 350 tons. It is built using a single rock, making it the world's tallest monolithic statue of the Buddha. The Chief architect was Ganapathi. 

The work of installing a statue was started during the period when N.T. Rama rao was serving as the chief minister of the then Andhra pradesh. He wanted to install a statue of a great personality after he visited and got inspired by the statue of liberty. He was inspired to build something which would at a single look can represent the prosperity of our culture and the distinction of heritage. No wonder he chose to install a statue of Gauthama buddha. The staue was ready by 1989. 

But in 1990 when the statue was being installed, an accident struck when the statue tipped and fell into the lake due to human error killing 10 engineers working on the project.A two-year salvation mission was performed to pull the statue out of the lake and finally in the year 1992 it was installed at its present place. 

5. Golconda Fort

Hyderabad's most impressive sight, this monumental fort lies on the western edge of town. In the 16th century the Qutb Shahs made Golconda a fortified citadel, built atop a 120m-high granite hill surrounded by mighty ramparts, all ringed by further necklaces of crenellated fortifications, 11km in perimeter. From the summit there are stunning vistas across dusty Deccan foothills and the crumbling outer ramparts, over the domed tombs of Qutb Shahs, past distant shanty towns to the horizon haze of the inner city. 

By the time of the Qutb Shahs, Golconda Fort had already existed for at least three centuries under the Kakatiyas and Bahmani sultanate, and was already famed for its diamonds, which were mostly mined in the Krishna River valley, but cut and traded here. The Qutb Shahs moved to their new city of Hyderabad in 1591, but maintained Golconda as a citadel until the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb took it in 1687 after a year-long siege, ending Qutb Shahi rule. Golconda's massive gates were studded with iron spikes to obstruct war elephants. Within the fort, a series of concealed glazed earthenware pipes ensured a reliable water supply, while the ingenious acoustics guaranteed that even the smallest sound from the entrance would echo across the fort complex.

6.Ramoji Film City

 The city encompasses massive buildings, gardens and other sets suitable for filming movies. Fans of Indian movies will find many locations where scenes from their favourite films were shot. Inside the city are complete facilities for pre-production, production and post-production work on movies. In addition, there are theme parks, rides and other attractions, opportunities for shopping and dining. There are three hotels inside the city catering to various budgets. Visitors can easily spend a weekend or more with their families and not tire of the place.

7. Chowmahalla Palace

the magnificent Chowmahalla Palace was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty where the Nizams entertained their official guests and royal visitors. Built over 200 years ago, Chowmahalla Palace is renowned for its unique style and elegance.A synthesis of many architectural styles and influences, the Palace Complex has been meticulously restored.

8.Snow World

On 28 January 2004, the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu of Inaugurated the facility. Though it was not intended to be open for visitors on that day, some of them ventured into the facility. They experienced giddiness from inhaling excess nitrogen in the air, which is used to produce snow. Two-hundred tonnes of artificial snow was laid on the layered flooring which was specially prepared to avoid seepage or melting. Every day, the top layer of snow is cleaned and an additional two to three tonnes of snow, which is generated within the facility, is used to top the snow spread. The artificial snow is made using a patented technology from Australia. The snow is made from water that is filtered four times so it won't harm children if they consume it. 

The park can accommodate a total of 2,400 visitors in a day. Every visitor gets acclimatised to lower temperatures in a step-wise manner, 20 °C (68 °F), then 0 °C, and then a sub zero temperature. This method is approved internationally. In addition, visitors are given protective clothing and a steaming cup of soup to help them acclimatise to the temperature change. The internal area, also called as the Cryo Zone, maintains a constant temperature of – 5 °C. For 1 hour, a maximum of 300 visitors at a time can explore the different facilities such as kids snow play area, snow wars, snow tube slide, sleigh slide, ice-bumping cars, merry-go-round and an ice skating rink.

9.KBR National Park

Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park otherwise called Chiran Fort Palace is a national park situated in Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The recreation center has an inexact territory of 390-section of land (1.6 km2). The whole park was pronounced as a National park by the Andhra Pradesh state government subsequent to getting endorsement from the focal government in the year 1998. It is found halfway in Jubilee Hills and is portrayed as a wilderness in the midst of the solid wilderness. It has peacocks and different creatures. 

10.Birla Science Museum

The Birla Planetarium and Science Museum in Hyderabad is housed in a dome shaped building that reflects admirable architectural skills. This modern museum is emblematic of the progress made in the field of science and technology by Indians. 

Every day sky shows are held in the Birla Planetarium and Science Museum in Hyderabad both in Telegu and English. These shows are thoroughly enjoyed by children. Several mysteries of the Universe are unraveled before them. They come to know about the Comets, the Cosmos, the Eclipses and several other scientific phenomenons. It serves to educate these young minds who are also familiarized with the Hubble Space telescope and the Unidentified Flying Objects. 

The sound effect of the shows is also startling. One really gets the feeling of being in outer space. It is indeed a very thrilling and exciting experience to be witnessing these special shows at the Birla Planetarium and Science Museum in Hyderabad. The canopy of the star lit sky exhilarates each visitor irrespective of the age group he or she belongs to. Their knowledge also increases manifold. 

The most recent attraction of the Birla Planetarium and Science Museum in Hyderabad is the Dinosaur. The highlight of the Dinosaur is the fossil of the 160 million year old “Kotasaurus Yamanpalliensis” excavated in the Adilabad district which was presented to the Birla Planetarium and Science Museum in Hyderabad by the Geological Survey of India. Among the other exhibits of the Dinosaur at the Birla Planetarium and Science Museum in Hyderabad are smaller fossils of Dinosaur eggs, marine shells and fossilized tree trunks.