It was for the love of Bhagmati that the fourth king of Golkonda
Mohammud Quli Qutub Shah founded the city of Bhagyanagar in 1589 on
the southern banks of the river Musi. When the lady joined the Royal
house which got the title 'Hyder Mahal' he renamed the city as
'Hyderabad'. Later during the reign of the famed Nizams, Hyderabad
achieved further renown and on November 1st, 1956 it became the
capital of Andhra Pradesh.
Hyderabad is culturally rich in history, whether it is the splendid
palaces built by Qutab Shahi or the Asaf Jahi Nizams, the pageantry or
the arts, there is some thing to suit everybody's taste. See it in
winter when the flowers bloom in the numerous parks and gardens or
explore the majestic Golconda fort to delve deep into the hoary
history of the medieval Deccan or spend a day sight-seeing the
marvellous Charminar area, riding a double-decker bus. There are
numerous temples and churches; mosques and Dargahs for you to visit.
Theatres, art galleries and Museums are also in good number.
Together with its twin, Secunderabad, Hyderabad - the Budapest of
India, has more than 2.5 million population (1991 census) and is the
fifth largest metropolis in India. The city's rich tradition and
culture is a unique blend of diverse linguistic, religious and ethnic
populations. The pace of life here is serene and leisurely and the
ways of its people gracious. Modern working women can be seen along
with colourfully dressed Banjara gypsies and Muslim women in
black veils.
During the rule of the Asaf Jahi Nizams who ruled from 1728 onwards,
the city expanded north of the river. After 1800, the British
developed a contonment beyond Secunderabad. What is broadly Koti and
Sultan Bazaar today was a seat of British Residency earlier. The
palatial building called the Residency now houses the Osmania
University College of Women.
In fact, Hyderabad can be said to consist of three main areas. The
first area is the old city on the southern banks of the river Musi,
with Charminar at the center, with old
palaces,mosques and minarets,
with its lanes and bylanes where people in unending streams move,
reflecting the typical Hyderabadi culture. The second is that of the
Golconda walled city which once was the seat of the Qutab Shahis. The
third area is that of modern Hyderabad with all its Government
offices, educational institutions, sprawling townships, modern
shopping centers and industrial estates. The old city also has the
Idgah where many Muslims offer Namaz on Ramadan.
Places of interest in and around the 403 year old city
Hyderabad is aptly called the Pearl City of the South. Speaking of which, here is the special attractionfor women.
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