Abhijit Chakraborty

If you are planning to travel to Hyderabad, this post will surely come in handy. Find out about what makes Hyderabad, truly Hyderabad!

Hyderabadi Food!

We all may have heard about Bombay’s vada pao, Lucknow’s Tunday Kabab and Benarasi Paan. Hyderabad has its own unique mascot in Hyderabadi Biryani. Not just this, Hyderabad offers your palate with a flavour of the Andhra cuisine that is spicy and delicious (If you are fond of spicy food, you could check out places like Sarvi, Shadaab, Dine Hill etc).

Affordable Cost of Living

Hyderabad is a city with an extremely reasonable cost of living as compared to other metropolitan cities in the country. You won’t have to shell out a bomb as the basic cost of survival is quite minimal (Don’t we all love things that come at a cheaper price?). Tourists will find awesome stays in comfortable OYO Rooms located in different parts of the city.

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Talking in Hindi

If you are travelling from the northern part of the country and have experienced the language barrier like in many other cities, this city shall bring you some respite as people converse in Hindi here. Not just that, there is an interesting version of Hyderabadi Hindi which is quite popular in the area along with Telugu as another popular language. (Some words that you must know are nakko which means ‘no’, hau which means ‘yes’ and miyaan which means ‘sir’).

Tourist Attractions

Besides being a monument of historic relevance and importance, Charminar and the area around it have the old-world charm of the city with a telescopic view of the city’s culture, heritage and style that one would love to see. In addition to that, it quenches the thirst of photographers who are looking for shots from the old city. Moreover, one can even strike a great deal with good bargaining skills if you are looking to buy local stuff from the city. Other than that, there are tourist places like Salar Jung Museum and Golkonda Fort for the history buffs travelling to this city.

Bangles, Bangles Everywhere

Hyderabad is known to have Asia’s biggest choodi bazaar called the Laad Bazaar. This choodi bazaar is close to the Charminar and serves as an attraction for most tourists as they can find all sorts of bangles in different colours, shapes and sizes right here.

Something For Kids Too

In case you’re travelling with family, Hyderabad has a fantastic zoo that kids would love to go to. One could always take up a cycle-on-rent and ride their way through it. Other than that, there is Ramoji Film City which often has movies being shot there and therefore, serves as a major tourist attraction. While you’re on your way to Ramoji, there are plenty of local dhabas that one can try out for food.

Hanging Out

Hyderabad’s famous malls include InOrbit mall, Forum and GVK that host most international brands of clothes and accessories along with restaurants and cafes. The most popularly known joints in the city are Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills where one can find the majority of the young crowd. Furthermore, there are many multiplexes and people can watch a movie for as less as Rs 100 and ranging to about Rs 250 for a recliner seat (way cheaper than other metropolitan cities).

Sounds exciting? Travel to this wonderful city to experience the magic yourself.

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P.s. You might like these related resources:

• 8 Beaches Near Hyderabad For A Weekend Getaway
• Famous Attractions In Hyderabad
• A Look At Tourist Attractions And The Best Time To Visit Hyderabad
• A walk through the lesser-visited historical places in Hyderabad

Related Blog Posts: Places to visit in Hyderabad

As you might have heard, ‘Mumbai is a city, but Bombay is an emotion’. In a Mumbai that is synonymous with hustle and bustle, there are still havens of Bombay that are calm, relatively people-free, and frequented only by the true-blue Bombay lover. Come walk with us as we uncover some of these places.

1. We begin our journey at the southernmost tip of Bombay, which used to be Little Colaba 250 years ago. There is  no traffic here, except for some army cars whizzing past, sporadic BEST buses and children walking in single files to the Army School via leafy, winding lanes. You can only peep in through the open gates of the Meteorological Department and marvel at the 150 year old building here. Walk on. This is perhaps the only area where you will find names of the roads unchanged from Roberts Lane, Duxbury Lane and Upper Colaba Road.

2. Walk into the University’s Fort Campus. Smile nicely at the watchman and he will let you in. You are not amidst the bustling office goers, as if by magic. Look at the 150 year old Venetian-style inspired buildings. Hear the clock strike the hour. Sit on the lawns till you are shooed away. Observe those who whizz past beyond the railings to catch the 5:47 to Dahisar. Watch the splendour of the convocation hall. Hear the birds chirp.

3. Get off at Sewri Station on the Harbour Line and a short walk will take you to a fishing jetty. Now climb a small hillock, past a small dargah and reach the small, shabbily restored Sewri Fort. It’s no more than 300 meter squares in area. Do venture out to the parapet. What a view! The land drops down dramatically into the mangroves and thence the sea. And if you go between December and March, you will be lucky to watch the migratory flamingos; large moving blobs of pink which you must spend hours looking at, through your binoculars. It would be best to take a tour organized by Bombay Local History Society.

4. In a small corner of the Byculla Zoo, is a piece of heaven for the history buff. A little like Coronation Park in New Delhi’s Burari Road. Poor Queen Victoria sits there, her nose cut off. As does her son Edward VII. All of Mumbai enjoys the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival annually in February, but the man and his horse who gave the area its name must sit in indignity in the corner, like he is punished in a school-room for eternity. Walk around and see the administrators and colonial generals who once gave their names to roads in Bombay which are long since changed.

5. If you thought Chowpatty was the end all and be all of all beaches in Bombay, think again. If you want to be virtually alone, walk on the relatively clean sand, and not bump into anyone for hours, take a Western Railway train to Nalla Sopara. A short bus ride takes you to Rajodi. Walk the last ten minutes to the beach. Facilities here are in the range of non-existent to elementary; so carry your water, sunscreen and a thick book. Walk to the nearly Kalamb Beach for more of the same.

Loved exploring the city through this blog? Why not explore it for real too? Click here for the best stay options and explore to your heart’s content!

(In collaboration with Farrokh Jijina)

P.s. You might like these related resources:

• You Can’t Afford To Miss These Places When Planning a Visit to Mumbai
• Visit Mumbai’s famous places- The City That Never Sleeps
• Visit these unmissable Historical places if you are travelling to Mumbai

Related Blog Posts: Forts in Maharashtra