The cosmopolitan city of Hyderabad located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India has in recent years become one of the most important destinations for tourists as well as for business travelers. Once known as the Pearl City, the city is now popularly known as Cyberabad or the Hi-Tech City thanks to its recent foray in Information Technology.
The city of Hyderabad along with its twin city Secunderabad represent a fine amalgamation of both Hindu and Muslim influences, though it is the Muslim influence that is more prominent as compared to the rest of the state since it was the capital of the Muslim rulers –the Qutb Shahis, who founded Golconda and built most of the monuments and the Nizams, who are more popularly associated with the world famous Kohinoor diamond and Nizam’s Diamond.
 Once known as Bhagnagar or the ‘city of gardens’, the history of Hyderabad begins with the establishment of the Qutb Shahi dynasty by Quli Qutbul Mulk in 1518. He founded the fortress city of Golconda which however, was abandoned due to a perennial water shortage. The city of Hyderabad, with the Charminar at its center and four great roads fanning out in the four cardinal directions was founded by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah the fifth Qutb Shahi ruler, alongside the banks of River Musi. The Qutb Shahis, whose rule lasted for 171 years were great builders as well as great patrons of learning. They not only patronized the Indo-Persian and Indo-Islamic literature and culture but also the regional culture of the Deccan, symbolized by the development of Telugu language and the newly developed Deccani idiom. Over the years, the city’s fame, strategic location and Golconda's legendary wealth attracted Aurangzeb who captured Golconda after a long siege in 1687 and put it under the stewardship/governorship of Asaf Jah I, popularly known as Nizam-ul-Mulk.
The death of Aurangzeb in 1707 and the subsequent waning of the Mughal power led Asaf Jah I in 1724 to declare the city of Hyderabad as an independent state with him as the ruler. Hence began the rule of the Nizams of Hyderabad under whom the rich traditions and customs of Islam once again flourished.
The city of Hyderabad continued to be ruled by the Nizams till its integration in the Indian Union in 1948. In between, the city entered into a subsidiary alliance for military and political cooperation with the British East India Company. The British then established a military barrack at Secunderabad, named after the then Nizam Sikandar Jah with an imaginary line drawn across the Hussain Sagar Lake (Tank Bund) to distinguish the two cities.
Also known as Cyber city, Hyderabad is constantly on the move. Here centuries old Islamic monuments exist alongside the modern buildings. The royal patronage of the Qutb Shahis and the Nizams led to a burgeoning growth of arts, crafts and cuisine and Hyderabad in course of time became an important center of Islamic center rivaling the imperial Mughal splendor of Delhi and Agra.
Under the rule of the Qutb Shahis and the Nizams, Hyderabad developed into an important center of art and learning whose fame spread far and wide. The peace provided by the rulers further led to prosperity and to the development of trade and the city in course of time came to be associated with pearls. Infact, there is an entire street- Patther Gatti comprising only of pearl shops. This peace and prosperity coupled with the patronage provided by the rulers led to the immigration of craftsmen who not only made Hyderabad their home and also created such beautiful monuments like the Charminar, Mecca Masjid, Toli Masjid etc.
Besides, monuments the city also has a great deal of other attractions like the Hussain Sagar Lake, the Mir Alam, Tank Bund, Nawabat Pahad, the Salarjung Museum, Birla Mandir and Planetarium, Archaeological Museum, the Paigah tombs, the Qutb Shahi Tomb complex etc. All this together combine to make Hyderabad an attractive tourist destination.
| Facts and Figures about Hyderabad |
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| Altitude: |
536 meters above sea level |
| Area: |
260 Sq. Km |
| Language: |
English, Hindi, Telegu and Urdu |
| STD Code |
040 |
| Population: |
4.2 million people (Approx.) |
Weather
Situated at an altitude of 536 meters above sea level, Hyderabad has a mean summer temperature of 40 deg centigrade. Winters are warm with temperature ranging from 22 deg centigrade to 14 deg centigrade. The monsoon season normally occurs from June to December with the annual rainfall being somewhere around about 89 cms.
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