SALAAM HYDERABAD - JULY 2012

I had been to Hyderabad on 29th June 2012 to 01st July 2012 with my colleagues Sri Ashok Jivaragi Sir, Sri Shashidhar, Sri Satish (Mysore) and Myself

Last year also exactly the same date i had visited the Hyderabad on an Official visit, exactly this year also on the same days i had been here at Hyd.

I visited the following places

30th June  2012

Salarjung Museum (Clock)-Charminar- Choumahalla-Jaganath Temple

01st July 2012

Golconda Fort, Hussain Sagar Lake, Hypercity (Inorbit)

HYDERABAD-SECUNDERABAD MAP -       Courtesy TTK Maps

Hyderabad  is the capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the Musi River in the Deccan Plateau in southern India. The city has an area of 650 square kilometres (250 sq mi) with a population of 6.8 million, and the metropolitan area contains 7.7 million residents, making it the fourth most populous city and the sixth most populous urban agglomeration in the country. The city was expanded in 2007 to form the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. As a growing metropolitan city in a developing country, Hyderabad confronts substantial urban pollution, traffic congestion, overpopulation and other logistic and socio-economic problems.


Hyderabad was established in 1591 CE by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah and fell under the rule of the Qutb Shahi dynasty until 1687 when Mughal emperor Aurangzeb conquered the sultanate, and the city became part of the Deccan province of the Mughal empire. In 1724 Asif Jah I, a Mughal viceroy, declared his sovereignty and formed the Asif Jahi dynasty, also known as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The Nizams ruled the princely state of Hyderabad for more than two centuries, under subsidiary alliance with the British Raj. The city remained the princely state's capital from 1769 to 1948—when the Nizam signed an Instrument of Accession with the Indian Union following the Operation Polo. The city became capital of Andhra Pradesh following the 1956 State Reorganisation Act. Since 1969, Hyderabad has been a major center of the Telangana movement, which demands a separate state for the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh.


Situated at the crossroads of North and South India, Hyderabad is noted for its unique culture. As the former capital of the largest and richest Princely state of India and with the patronage from Nizams, Hyderabad established local traditions in art, literature, architecture and cuisine. The city is a tourist destination and has many places of interest, including the Chowmahalla Palace, Charminar and Golconda fort. Hyderabad is home to several museums, bazaars, galleries, libraries, sporting and other cultural institutions. The Telugu film industry, known as "Tollywood" is based in the city. Once a global center of the diamond and pearls trade, for which it is known as "City of Pearls", Hyderabad has emerged as a hub for the information technology, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology industries, alongside traditional and service industries since the 1990s. Hyderabad's 13 universities and business schools form a major centre for higher education and research.

Salarjung Museum

The museum houses the largest one-man collection of antiques in the world. Collections includeThe Veiled Rebecca and other huge collection of artifacts dating back to a few centuries. A mere day isn't enough to cover the whole museum. Apart from galleries, there is a reference Library, reading room, publication and education section, chemical conservation lab, sales counter, cafeteria etc.

Charminar

Charminar (Telugu: చార్మినార్, Urdu: چارمینار), built in 1591 AD, is a landmark monument located in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. The English name is a transliteration and combination of the Urdu words Char and Minar, translating to "Four Towers"; the eponymous towers are ornate minarets attached and supported by four grand arches. The landmark has become a global icon of Hyderabad, listed among the most recognized structures of India. The Charminar is on the east bank of Musi river. To the northeast lies the Laad Bazaar and in the west end lies the granite-made richly ornamented Makkah Masjid.

Chowmahalla Palace

General information

Type                    Royal Palace

Architectural style  Modelled on Shah of Iran's palace

Location               Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India

Completed             1880s


Chowmahalla Palace or Chowmahallat (4 Palaces), was a palace belonging to the Nizams of Hyderabad state. It was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and was the official residence of the Nizam

In Persian, Chahar means four and in Arabic Mahalat (plural of Mahal) means places, hence the name Chowmahallat/four places, or four palaces.

All ceremonial functions including the accession of the Nizams and receptions for the Governor-General were held at this palace.

The prestigious UNESCO Asia Pacific Merit award for cultural heritage conservation was presented to Chowmahalla Palace on March 15, 2010. UNESCO representative Takahiko Makino formally handed over the plaque and certificate to Princess Esra, former wife and GPA holder of Prince Mukarram Jah Bahadur.

This is the oldest part of the palace, and has four palaces Afzal Mahal, Mahtab Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal and Aftab Mahal. It was built in the neo-classical style

This part has Bara Imam, A long corridor of rooms on the east side face the central fountain and pool that, once housed the administrative wing. and Shishe-Alat meaning mirror image.

It has Mughal domes and arches and many Persian elements like the ornate stucco work that adorn the Khilwat Mubarak. These were characteristic of buildings built in Hyderabad at the time.

Opposite to the Bara Imam is a building that is its shishe or mirror image. The rooms were once the used as guest rooms for officials accompanying visiting dignitaries.

Khilwat Mubarak : This is heart of Chowmahalla Palace. It is held in high esteem by the people of Hyderabad, as it was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. The grand pillared Durbar Hall has a pure marble platform on which the Takht-e-Nishan or the royal seat was laid. Here the Nizams held their durbar and other religious and symbolic ceremonies. The 19 spectacular Chandeliers of Belgian crystal recently reinstalled to recreate the lost splendor of this regal hall.

Council Hall

This building housed a rare collection of manuscripts and priceless books.The Nizam often met important officials and dignitaries here.Today it is venue for temporary exhibitions from the treasures of the Chowmahalla Palace Collection that of a bygone era.

CLock Tower : The clock above the main gate to Chowmahalla Palace is affectionately called as Khilwat Clock. It has been ticking away for around 250 years. An expert family of clock repairers winds the mechanical clock every week.

Roshan Bangla

The sixth Nizam is believed the have lived here and the building was named after his mother Roshan Begum.

The present Nizam (Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah, Pretender) and his family decided to restore the Chowmahalla Palace and open it to the public in January 2005. It took over 5 years to document and restore the palaces of the first courtyard to its former glory.

Jagannath Temple

The Jagannath Temple in Hyderabad, India is a modern temple built by the Oriya community of hyderabad dedicated to the Hindu God Jagannath. The temple located near Banjara hills Road no.12 (twelve) in Hyderabad is famous for its annual Rathyatra festival. Jagannath means Lord of the Universe. The temple which was constructed during 2009 recently lies in Chandrayangutta.

It is said that this is a replica of original Jagannath Temple of Puri (Orissa) in context of design. The most attracting portion of this temple is its "Shikhara" (the peak/top) measuring around 70 feet in height. The red color of the temple is due to the usage of sand stone (around 600 tonnes were brought from Orissa which is being used to build this whole architecture) and around 60 stone carvers got the blessing to carve this temple. There are shrines dedicated to Lakshmi, along with Shiva, Ganesh, Hanuman and Navagrahas. The amorous sculptures are also found to represent the innermost feelings of human being and this explains to keep them outside the temple always while entering. The sanctum sanctorum houses Jagannath along with his siblings.
Birla Mandir - a Hindu temple made of white marble located on top of a hill overlooking the city.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birla_Mandir_(Hyderabad,_Andhra_Pradesh)

Next day morning i woke up at 5 am me along with Jivaragi Sir and Mysore Satish went for an morning walk, nearby there was a park, nicely done for joggers, the park name was KBR National Park

KBR National Park - A sanctuary for Peacocks and Anteaters along with many other species including Monkeys and Snakes, the sanctuary is the green spot of the richest area of the city, Jubilee Hills.

Golkonda 

Golkonda or Golla konda (shepherd's hill) a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda (c.1518–1687), is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad.

The most important builder of Golkonda was Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah Wali, the fourth Qutub king of the Qutub Shahi Dynasty. Ibrahim was following in the spirit of his ancestors, the Qutub Shahi kings, a great family of builders who had ruled the kingdom of Golkonda from 1512. Their first capital, the fortress citadel of Golkonda, was rebuilt for defense from invading Mughals from the north. They laid out Golkonda's splendid monuments, now in ruins, and designed a perfect acoustical system by which a hand clap sounded at the fort's main gates, the grand portico, was heard at the top of the citadel, situated on a 300-foot (91 m)-high granite hill. This is one of the fascinating features of the fort.

They ruled over most of present day Andhra Pradesh before the British Raj. After transferring Northern Circars to British, they ruled the Telangana region and some parts of present day Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Golkonda consists of four distinct forts with a 10 km long outer wall with 87 semicircular bastions (some still mounted with cannons), eight gateways, and four drawbridges, with a number of royal apartments ; halls, temples, mosques, magazines, stables, etc. inside. The lowest of these is the outermost enclosure into which we enter by the "Fateh Darwaza" (Victory gate, so called after Aurangzeb’s triumphant army marched in through this gate) studded with giant iron spikes (to prevent elephants from battering them down) near the south-eastern corner. At Fateh Darwaza can be experienced a fantastic acoustic effect, characteristic of the engineering marvels at Golkonda. A hand clap at a certain point below the dome at the entrance reverberates and can be heard clearly at the 'Bala Hisar' pavilion, the highest point almost a kilometre away. This worked as a warning note to the royals in case of an attack.

The whole of the Golkonda Fort complex and its surrounding spreads across 11 km of total area, and discovering its every nook is an arduous task. A visit to the fort reveals the architectural beauty in many of the pavilions, gates, entrances and domes. Divided into four district forts, the architectural valour still gleams in each of the apartments, halls, temples, mosques, and even stables. The graceful gardens of the fort may have lost their fragrance, for which they were known 400 years ago, yet a walk in these former gardens should be in your schedule when exploring the past glories of Golkonda Fort.

Bala Hissar Gate is the main entrance to the fort located on the eastern side. It has a pointed arch bordered by rows of scroll work. The spandrels have yalis and decorated roundels. The area above the door has peacocks with ornate tails flanking an ornamental arched niche. The granite block lintel below has sculpted yalis flanking a disc. The design of peacocks and lions is a blend of Hindu – Muslim architecture.  Toli Masjid, situated at Karwan, about 2 km from the Golkonda fort, was built in 1671 by Mir Musa Khan Mahaldar, royal architect of Abdullah Qutb Shah. The facade consists of five arches, each with lotus medallions in the spandrels. The central arch is slightly wider and more ornate. The mosque inside is divided into two halls, a transverse outer hall and an inner hall entered through triple arches. 

The fort of Golkonda is known for its magical acoustic system. The highest point of the fort is the "Bala Hissar", which is located a kilometer away. The palaces, factories, water supply system and the famous "Rahban" cannon, within the fort are some of the major attractions.

It is believed that there is a secret underground tunnel that leads from the "Durbar Hall" and ends in one of the palaces at the foot of the hill. The fort also contains the tombs of the Qutub Shahi kings. These tombs have Islamic architecture and are located about 1 km north of the outer wall of Golkonda. 


They are encircled by beautiful gardens and numerous exquisitely carved stones. It is also believed that there was a secret tunnel to Charminar.


The two individual pavilions on the outer side of Golkonda are also major attractions of the fort. It is built on a point which is quite rocky. The "Kala Mandir" is also located in the fort. It can be seen from the king's durbar (king's court) which was on top of the Golkonda Fort.

The wonderful acoustic system of Golkonda fort speaks volumes about the architecture of the fort. This majestic structure has beautiful palaces and an ingenious water supply system. Sadly, the unique architecture of the fort is now losing its charm.

The ventilation of the fort is absolutely fabulous having exotic designs. They were so intricately designed that cool breeze could reach the interiors of the fort, providing a respite from the heat of summer.

The Huge gates of the fort are decorated with large pointed iron spikes. These spikes prevented Elephants from damaging the fort. The fort of Golkonda is encircled by a 11-km-long outer wall. This was built in order to fortify the fort.

Aged Vendor near Golconda Fort

Teen Aged Vendor near Golconda Fort

Buddha Statue- Hussain Sagar Lake


Hussain Sagar - It is a man-made lake famous for the 19-metre tall Buddha statue present in the middle of the lake. Located on its banks is Tank Bund which consists of beautiful gardens and statues of famous personalities. Boating and water sports are a regular feature at the lake.

We had a nice stay at Fort Villa Apartment, near Film Nagar, Jubli Hills

Film Nagar, Jubilee Hills. (Hyderabad) 

Home to industrialists, film directors and government officials. Also the headquarters of the Film Nagar Club and the Indian Heart Association.

Jubli Hills-Filmnagar
Jubilee Hills (Telugu: జూబిలీ హిల్స్) is a suburban neighbourhood in west Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. It is presently one of the most expensive residential locations in India with prime land prices fetching up to Rs. 200,000 (USD 4,000) per square yard. A 6-acre (24,000 m2) tract of land in the city was sold for nearly Rs. 3,340,000,000 (USD 66,800,000) in 2005. Rental prices on Road Numbers 36 and 37 range from 100-200 rupees per square foot, among the top commercial rental locales in India.

This suburb is sandwiched between the wealthy commercial district of Banjara Hills and is located within two kilometers of the IT central hub of HITEC City. The natural terrain is mostly rocky and settlements here are of relatively new construction.

To its south-east is the KBR National Park, the erstwhile Chiran palace, which is one of the urban national parks in India covering an area of 1.58 km².

Finally lastly we visited the Hi Tec City Mall 

Inorbit (Hypercity)