Abul Hasan Tana Shah, the last king of Golconda, was imprisoned at Daulatabad, where he died after twelve years in captivity. With the conquest of the Deccan and the South, Aurangzeb succeeded in expanding the Mughal Empire to cover the entire sub-continent. However, after his death in 1707, the Empire rapidly declined. At that time , the Deccan was administered by a Subedar or viceroy of the Mughal Emperor. Mir Quamaruddin, the Governor of the Deccan, who bore the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk Feroze Jung Asif Jah, declared his independence from Mughal rule in 1724.
He thus became the first Nizam and the founder of the Asif Jahi dynasty. Asif Jah I continued to maintain Aruangabad, which had been founded by the Mughal rulers as the capital of his new state. In 1769, Nizam Ali Khan Asif Jah II, shifted the capital to Hyderabad. The seven Nizam's of the Asif Jahi dynasty ruled the Deccan for nearly 224 years, right up to 1948. During the Asif Jahi period, Persian, Urdu, Telgu and Marathi developed simultaneously. The highest official positions were given to deserving persons irrespective of their religion. |
Persian was the official language up to 1893 and then Urdu up to 1948. When the British and the French spread their hold over the country, the Nizam soon won their friendship without bequeathing his power. The title "Faithful. Ally of the British Government" was bestowed on Nizam VII. The British stationed a Resident at Hyderabad, but the state continued to be ruled by the Nizam.
The title "Faithful. Ally of the British Government" was bestowed on Nizam VII. The British stationed a Resident at Hyderabad, but the state continued to be ruled by the Nizam. The rule of the seven Nizam's saw the growth of Hyderabad both culturally and economically. Huge reservoirs, like the Nizam Sagar, Tungabadra, Osman Sagar, Himayath Sagar, and others were built. Survey work on Nagarjuna Sagar had also begun during this time. Hyderabad, under the Nizam's, was the largest princely state in India. Area wise it was as big as England and Scotland put together. The State had its own currency, mint, railways, and postal system.There was no income tax. Soon afterIndia gained independence, Hyderabad State merged with the Union of India. On November 1, 1956 the map of India was redrawn into linguistic states, and Hyderabad became the capital of Andhra Pradesh.
The seven Nizam's of the Asif Jahi dynasty ruled the Deccan for nearly 224 years, right up to 1948. During the Asif Jahi period, Persian, Urdu, Telgu and Marathi developed simultaneously. The highest official positions were given to deserving persons irrespective of their religion. Persian was the official language up to 1893 and then Urdu up to 1948. When the British and the French spread their hold over the country, the Nizam soon won their friendship without bequeathing his power.
Hyderabad Airport
India is considered one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world. With rapid liberalization of the Indian aviation policy, growth in air travel per capita and boom in the business/tourism sectors, the need for internationally benchmarked airports is greater than ever.
The city of Hyderabad is a natural aviation hub, owing to its strategic location on the map of India. It is connected to all major Indian airports within two hours flying time. Internationally too, Hyderabad makes an ideal halt over or transit point for flights from west to east and vice versa.
Taking advantage of the rapidly expanding Indian aviation sector and leveraging Hyderabad's strategic location, this new airport is positioned to become an important hub on the global aviation map.
Shopping At HyderaBad
The historic city of Hyderabad is a shopper's delight! From the world famous pearls to traditional arts & crafts, from textiles of all modern brand names to ethnic wear, the city offers an astounding variety of shopping. And what's more unlike many other cities, shopping is not confines to a particular area in Hyderabad. If you want to take home the delights of Hyderabad, take a stroll in many markets in the evening... the city is bound to charm you with its warm touch and hearty glitter.
The main shopping areas include Basheerbagh, Abids and Nampally. You can find everything in the biggest showrooms form jewellery, textiles, handicrafts to footwear, ready-mades and general goods in the markets. Other favoured places are Begum Bazaar (brassware), Laad Bazaar (diamonds, pearls and precious metals) and Mahatma Gandhi Road.
The other areas in the City, which are turning into hubs for shoppers include Ameerpet, Himayatnagar, Begumpet, Somajiguda and Punjagutta. The City also offers mega malls, these malls bring everything under one roof from shopping to entertainment and food, giving the shoppers a unique experience.
Pearls & Jewellery
Carrying on the ancient prosperous pearl trade, of the expensive, the exclusive, and the rarest in the world, Hyderabad still remains the pearl capital. Artisans have over the centuries become experts in segregating, categorizing and polishing pearls to give them various attractive hues. Hyderabad is today a world leader in the pearl trade.
Hyderabad itself is known for its bangles made of glass and lacquer and studded with stones. In recent times, manufacturers have started giving varieties fancy names akin to those of popular Hindi movies. The place to shop for bangles of the largest variety and at reasonable prices is the Laad Bazaar adjacent to the historic Charminar. The markets around the Charminar are as old as the city itself, 400 years and more.
Laad Bazaar
(Near Charminar) World famous for artificial stone bangles. Adorn yourself with the most scintillating melange of Lac bangles, richly studded with precious and semi-precious stones, pearls and glass beads in different colours and shades.
Handlooms & Sarees
Hyderabad has innumerable showrooms that showcase the most distinctive heritages of the city - Handlooms. Dharmavaram silk saris, with their broad borders & woven brocaded gold patterns. Narayanpet saris blend the native tradition with the art of the classical weavers of Varanasi, Venkatagiri saris, with graceful strains of gold. Pochampalli saris, woven using the exclusive lkat technique, Gorgeous Gadwal that typifies Andhra traditional style.
Handicrafts - the magic of the hands
Handicrafts and toys are among the most sought-after pieces for the shopper in Hyderabad. There is the Bidriware or inlaying of sliver on black metalware that makes lovely decorative pieces. The art is a Persian one that became popular in Hyderabad.
Another art that was also influenced by Persian culture was 'Kalamkari' where a quill is used to paint on fabric. There are two types of Kalamkari in Andhra Pradesh. One is the decorative and wall-hanging pieces of Srikalahasti in Chittoor district while the other is block printing on fabrics for dress material and furnishing at Machilipatnam.
Paintings from Cheriyaland brass metalware from Pembarti, both in Warangal district, are the legacy of the benign Kakatiya rulers. The paintings in Cheriyal are done on scrolls to depict scenes from mythology while the sheet metalware is for decorative pieces.
Shilparamam: An ethnic art and craft village. Try some of the spectacular objects of art, crafts, beautiful and decorative knick-knacks of all kinds, traditional handloom textiles, carpets, durries and bed linen made here.
Kondapalli toys: Colourful representations of mythological figures from Hindu epics, birds, animals and occupations of daily life, these toys have a distinct and unique style, making it one of the most popular souvenirs for tourists.
Bidriware: Bidri, an ancient art, has been aptly made to suit contemporary taste such as cufflinks, vases, ashtrays, ornaments, knick-knacks, nameplates and more. Famed for the stunning contrasts provided by the shining silver and brass inlay work, the unique charm of Bidriware cannot be claimed by any other metalware.
Nirmal Art: Working with plain embossed designs, Nirmal paintings and exquisite in style and theme with softwood as the prime media with indigenous colours.
Brass ware: You can get marvelous brassware, from the famous master craftmen of Pembarty. Painstakingly created, these breathtakingly beautiful statuettes, figurines, and decorative panels make wonderful gifts.
Gnapika Souvenir Shop
AP Tourism has created an additional facility for visiting tourists by opening souvenir and handicraft shops. Christened 'Gnapika', they will showcase handicrafts and handlooms of Andhra Pradesh. To begin with, they have been opened at Ravindra Bharati and Mahtaab Restaurant in Hyderabad, Punnami Hotel at Visakhapatnam, Punnami Beach Resort at Rishikonda, Punnami Hotel at Araku and Punnami Hotel at Srisailam.
Hyderabad is the one answer to the large number of wishes of discerning travelers, out to enjoy themselves in a grandeur meant for 'Nawabs'(Kings).
Transportation at Hyderabad
Railways Transportation
Hyderabad city provides several means of transportation including roads, railways and airways. For long distance travel, say from Hyderabad city to some other destination located hundreds of kilometres from it, the convenient means happen to be by air or rails.
There are three main railway stations located in Hyderabad city which are Hyderabad Railway Station, Secunderabad Railway Station and Kachiguda Railway Station. The Hyderabad Railway Station is the central one for the core city area. This railway station is located closed to the city center. The railway terminal is situated in Nampally suburbs, off the Nampally Station Road. This Railway Station exists as the headquarters of the South Central Railways. Trains for and from almost all major cities stop here. One can avail the opportunity of travelling to the cities around or states beyond Andhra Pradesh by boarding a train at this station. Some important trains that check in at the station include Hussain Sagar Express, Hyderbad-Mumbai, Hyderabad-New Delhi, Hyderabad-Chennai, Hyderabad-Pune, etc.
Bus Transportation
Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, is provided with a number of transport options. The city is linked with other cities in the subcontinent and beyond by extensive network of roads, railways and airways. The road transportation is convenient for smaller distances like while travelling within the city or to neighbouring cities. Present in the city are two major stands, Afzal Gunj Stand and the Jubilee Bus Stand. The Afzal Gunj Stand provides services primarily within the city. The Jubilee Bus Stand is meant for longer distances and provides service to the neighbouring districts and states of Hyderabad city.
The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transportation Corporation (APSRTC) is one of the largest of its kind in the world. The APSRTC provides for standard buses, deluxe coaches and air conditioned coaches. The public transport is inexpensive and convenient, except for some routes, near city center that witness great traffic flow and the buses are sometimes over crowded, which is intolerable. Beside major bus stations there are stands located in many city area.
