INDIA: Hyderabad Best Heritage City Of India,Chain Snatching From Women,IT Capital,Reckless Drivers,

Hyderabad Financial District
Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana in Southern India, located on the banks of the Musi River and on the Deccan Plateau. Hyderabad and Secunderabad are "twin cities" near Hussain Sagar Lake,also known as Tank Bund in local parlance but both cities have grown so much that now they have become one big metropolis. The city and district of Hyderabad are coterminous. Hyderabad district is entirely contained within the Ranga Reddy district of Telangana. Many of the suburbs of Hyderabad were recently merged into the city, now called Greater Hyderabad.

A city rich with history and tradition, Hyderabad now competes with Bangalore and Chennai for the crown of India's IT capital; Microsoft and Google have their India headquarters there.

Situated in the southern part of Telangana in southeastern India,Hyderabad is 1,566 kilometres (973 mi) south of Delhi, 699 kilometres (434 mi) southeast of Mumbai, and 570 kilometres (350 mi) north of Bangalore by road.It lies on the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of the Deccan Plateau.Greater Hyderabad covers 650 km2 (250 sq mi), making it one of the largest metropolitan areas in India.With an average altitude of 542 metres (1,778 ft), Hyderabad lies on predominantly sloping terrain of grey and pink granite, dotted with small hills, the highest being Banjara Hills at 672 metres (2,205 ft).

The city has numerous lakes referred to as sagar, meaning sea. Examples include artificial lakes created by dams on the Musi, such as Hussain Sagar built in 1562 near the city centre, Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar. As of 1996, the city had 140 lakes and 834 water tanks (ponds).

Hyderabad has a tropical wet and dry climate bordering on a hot semi-arid climate.The annual mean temperature is 26.6 °C (79.9 °F); monthly mean temperatures are 21–33 °C (70–91 °F).Summers (March–June) are hot and humid, with average highs in the mid-to-high 30s Celsius;maximum temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) between April and June.The coolest temperatures occur in December and January, when the lowest temperature occasionally dips to 10 °C (50 °F).May is the hottest month, when daily temperatures range from 26 to 39 °C (79–102 °F); December, the coldest, has temperatures varying from 14.5 to 28 °C (57–82 °F).

Heavy rain from the south-west summer monsoon falls between June and September,supplying Hyderabad with most of its mean annual rainfall.Since records began in November 1891, the heaviest rainfall recorded in a 24-hour period was 241.5 mm (10 in) on 24 August 2000. The highest temperature ever recorded was 45.5 °C (114 °F) on 2 June 1966, and the lowest was 6.1 °C (43 °F) on 8 January 1946.The city receives 2,731 hours of sunshine per year; maximum daily sunlight exposure occurs in February.

Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park
Hyderabad's lakes and the sloping terrain of its low-lying hills provide habitat for an assortment of flora and fauna. As of 2016, the tree cover is 1.66% of total city area, a decrease from 2.71% in 1996.The forest region in and around the city encompasses areas of ecological and biological importance, which are preserved in the form of national parks, zoos, mini-zoos and a wildlife sanctuary.

Nehru Zoological Park, the city's one large zoo, is the first in India to have a lion and tiger safari park. Hyderabad has three national parks (Mrugavani National Park, Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park and Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park), and the Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary is about 50 km (31 mi) from the city.

Hyderabad's other environmental reserves are: Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy Botanical Gardens, Shamirpet Lake, Hussain Sagar, Fox Sagar Lake, Mir Alam Tank and Patancheru Lake, which is home to regional birds and attracts seasonal migratory birds from different parts of the world.Organisations engaged in environmental and wildlife preservation include the Telangana Forest Department,Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the Animal Welfare Board of India, the Blue Cross of Hyderabad and the University of Hyderabad.

Hyderabad produces around 4,500 tonnes of solid waste daily, which is transported from collection units in Imlibun, Yousufguda and Lower Tank Bund to the dumpsite in Jawaharnagar.Disposal is managed by the Integrated Solid Waste Management project which was started by the GHMC in 2010.Rapid urbanisation and increased economic activity has also led to increased industrial waste, air, noise and water pollution, which is regulated by the Telangana Pollution Control Board (TPCB).

The contribution of different sources to air pollution in 2006 was: 20–50% from vehicles, 40–70% from a combination of vehicle discharge and road dust, 10–30% from industrial discharges and 3–10% from the burning of household rubbish.Deaths resulting from atmospheric particulate matter are estimated at 1,700–3,000 each year.Ground water around Hyderabad, which has a hardness of up to 1000 ppm, around three times higher than is desirable,is the main source of drinking water but the increasing population and consequent increase in demand has led to a decline in not only ground water but also river and lake levels.This shortage is further exacerbated by inadequately treated effluent discharged from industrial treatment plants polluting the water sources of the city.

When the GHMC was created in 2007, the area occupied by the municipality increased from 175 km2 (68 sq mi) to 650 km2 (250 sq mi).Consequently, the population increased by 87%, from 3,637,483 in the 2001 census to 6,809,970 in the 2011 census, 24% of which are migrants from elsewhere in India,:2 making Hyderabad the nation's fourth most populous city.As of 2011, the population density is 18,480/km2 (47,900/sq mi).At the same 2011 census, the Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration had a population of 7,749,334, making it the sixth most populous urban agglomeration in the country.

The population of the Hyderabad urban agglomeration has since been estimated by electoral officials to be 9.1 million as of early 2013 but is expected to exceed 10 million by the end of the year.There are 3,500,802 male and 3,309,168 female citizens—a sex ratio of 945 females per 1000 males,higher than the national average of 926 per 1000.Among children aged 0–6 years, 373,794 are boys and 352,022 are girls—a ratio of 942 per 1000.Literacy stands at 82.96% (male 85.96%; female 79.79%), higher than the national average of 74.04%.The socio-economic strata consist of 20% upper class, 50% middle class and 30% working class.

Referred to as "Hyderabadi", the residents of Hyderabad are predominantly Telugu and Urdu speaking people, with minority Bengali, Gujarati including Memon, Kannada including Nawayathi, Malayalam, Marathi, Marwari, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Uttar Pradeshi communities. Hyderabad is home to a unique dialect of Urdu called Hyderabadi Urdu, which is a type of Dakhini, and is the mother tongue of most Hyderabadi Muslims, a unique community who owe much of their history, language, cuisine, and culture to Hyderabad, and the various dynasties who previously ruled. Hadhrami Arabs, African Arabs, Armenians, Abyssinians, Iranians, Pathans and Turkish people are also present; these communities, of which the Hadhrami are the largest, declined after Hyderabad State became part of the Indian Union, as they lost the patronage of the Nizams.

Telugu and Urdu are both official languages of the city, and most Hyderabadis are bilingual.The Telugu dialect spoken in Hyderabad is called Telangana Mandalika, and the Urdu spoken is called Dakhini.English is also used.A significant minority speak other languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Odia, Tamil, Bengali and Kannada.

Hindus are in the majority. Muslims form a very large minority, and are present throughout the city and predominate in and around the Old City. There are also Christian, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Parsi communities and iconic temples, mosques and churches can be seen.According to the 2011 census, the religious make-up of Greater Hyderabad was: Hindus (64.93%), Muslims (30.13%), Christians (2.75%), Jains (0.29%), Sikhs (0.25%) and Buddhists (0.04%); 1.56% did not state any religion.

In the greater metropolitan area, 13% of the population live below the poverty line.According to a 2012 report submitted by GHMC to the World Bank, Hyderabad has 1,476 slums with a total population of 1.7 million, of whom 66% live in 985 slums in the core of the city,the part that formed Hyderabad before the April 2007 expansion and the remaining 34% live in 491 suburban tenements.About 22% of the slum-dwelling households had migrated from different parts of India in the last decade of the 20th century, and 63% claimed to have lived in the slums for more than 10 years.

Overall literacy in the slums is 60–80% and female literacy is 52–73%. A third of the slums have basic service connections, and the remainder depend on general public services provided by the government. There are 405 government schools, 267 government aided schools, 175 private schools and 528 community halls in the slum areas.According to a 2008 survey by the Centre for Good Governance, 87.6% of the slum-dwelling households are nuclear families, 18% are very poor, with an income up to US$310 per annum, 73% live below the poverty line,a standard poverty line recognised by the Andhra Pradesh Government is US$370 per annum), 27% of the chief wage earners (CWE) are casual labour and 38% of the CWE are illiterate.

About 3.72% of the slum children aged 5–14 do not go to school and 3.17% work as child labour, of whom 64% are boys and 36% are girls. The largest employers of child labour are street shops and construction sites. Among the working children, 35% are engaged in hazardous jobs.

The historic city established by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah on the southern side of the Musi River forms the Old City, while the New City encompasses the urbanised area on the northern banks. The two are connected by many bridges across the river, the oldest of which is Purana Pul or old bridge.Hyderabad is twinned with neighbouring Secunderabad, to which it is connected by Hussain Sagar.

Many historic and tourist sites lie in south central Hyderabad, such as the Charminar, the Mecca Masjid, the Salar Jung Museum, the Nizam's Museum, the Falaknuma Palace, and the traditional retail corridor comprising the Pearl Market, Laad Bazaar and Madina Circle. North of the river are hospitals, colleges, major railway stations and business areas such as Begum Bazaar, Koti, Abids, Sultan Bazaar and Moazzam Jahi Market, along with administrative and recreational establishments such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Telangana Secretariat, the India Government Mint, Hyderabad, the Telangana Legislature, the Public Gardens, the Nizam Club, the Ravindra Bharathi, the State Museum, the Birla Temple and the Birla Planetarium.

North of central Hyderabad lie Hussain Sagar, Tank Bund Road, Rani Gunj and the Secunderabad Railway Station.Most of the city's parks and recreational centres, such as Sanjeevaiah Park, Indira Park, Lumbini Park, NTR Gardens, the Buddha statue and Tankbund Park are located here. In the northwest part of the city there are upscale residential and commercial areas such as Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Begumpet, Khairatabad and Miyapur.

The northern end contains industrial areas such as Sanathnagar, Moosapet, Balanagar, Patancheru and Chanda Nagar. The northeast end is dotted with residential areas.In the eastern part of the city lie many defence research centres and Ramoji Film City. The Cyberabad area in the southwest and west of the city has grown rapidly since the 1990s. It is home to information technology and bio-pharmaceutical companies and to landmarks such as Hyderabad Airport, Osman Sagar, Himayath Sagar and Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park.

Heritage buildings constructed during the Qutb Shahi and Nizam eras showcase Indo-Islamic architecture influenced by Medieval, Mughal and European styles.After the 1908 flooding of the Musi River, the city was expanded and civic monuments constructed, particularly during the rule of Mir Osman Ali Khan (the VIIth Nizam), whose patronage of architecture led to him being referred to as the maker of modern Hyderabad.In 2012, the government of India declared Hyderabad the first Best heritage city of India.

Qutb Shahi architecture of the 16th and early 17th centuries followed classical Persian architecture featuring domes and colossal arches. The oldest surviving Qutb Shahi structure in Hyderabad is the ruins of Golconda fort built in the 16th century. Most of the historical bazaars that still exist were constructed on the street north of Charminar towards the fort. The Charminar has become an icon of the city; located in the centre of old Hyderabad, it is a square structure with sides 20 m (66 ft) long and four grand arches each facing a road. At each corner stands a 56 m (184 ft)-high minaret. The Charminar, Golconda fort and the Qutb Shahi tombs are considered to be monuments of national importance in India; in 2010 the Indian government proposed that the sites be listed for UNESCO World Heritage status.

Among the oldest surviving examples of Nizam architecture in Hyderabad is the Chowmahalla Palace, which was the seat of royal power. It showcases a diverse array of architectural styles, from the Baroque Harem to its Neoclassical royal court. The other palaces include Falaknuma Palace inspired by the style of Andrea Palladio, Purani Haveli, King Kothi and Bella Vista Palace all of which were built at the peak of Nizam rule in the 19th century.

During Mir Osman Ali Khan's rule, European styles, along with Indo-Islamic, became prominent. These styles are reflected in the Falaknuma Palace and many civic monuments such as the Hyderabad High Court, Osmania Hospital, Osmania University, the State Central Library, City College, the Telangana Legislature, the State Archaeology Museum, Jubilee Hall, and Hyderabad and Kachiguda railway stations.Other landmarks of note are Paigah Palace, Asman Garh Palace, Basheer Bagh Palace, Errum Manzil and the Spanish Mosque, all constructed by the Paigah family.

Recent estimates of the economy of Hyderabad's metropolitan area have ranged from $40 billion to $74 billion (PPP GDP), and have ranked it either fifth- or sixth- most productive metro area of India.Hyderabad is the largest contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP), tax and other revenues, of Telangana, and the sixth largest deposit centre and fourth largest credit centre nationwide, as ranked by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in June 2012.Its per capita annual income in 2011 was US$690.As of 2006, the largest employers in the city were the governments of Andhra Pradesh (113,098 employees) and India (85,155).According to a 2005 survey, 77% of males and 19% of females in the city were employed.The service industry remains dominant in the city, and 90% of the employed workforce is engaged in this sector.

Hyderabad's role in the pearl trade has given it the name "City of Pearls" and up until the 18th century, the city was the only global trading centre for Diamonds known as Golconda Diamonds.Industrialisation began under the Nizams in the late 19th century, helped by railway expansion that connected the city with major ports.From the 1950s to the 1970s, Indian enterprises, such as Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), Bharat Electronics (BEL), Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH) and Andhra Bank (AB)were established in the city.

The city is home to Hyderabad Securities formerly known as Hyderabad Stock Exchange (HSE),and houses the regional office of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).In 2013, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) facility in Hyderabad was forecast to provide operations and transactions services to BSE-Mumbai by the end of 2014.The growth of the financial services sector has helped Hyderabad evolve from a traditional manufacturing city to a cosmopolitan industrial service centre.Since the 1990s, the growth of information technology (IT), IT-enabled services (ITES), insurance and financial institutions has expanded the service sector, and these primary economic activities have boosted the ancillary sectors of trade and commerce, transport, storage, communication, real estate and retail.

Hyderabad's commercial markets are divided into four sectors: central business districts,sub-central business centres, neighbourhood business centres and local business centres.Many traditional and historic bazaars are located throughout the city, Laad Bazaar being the prominent among all is popular for selling a variety of traditional and cultural antique wares, along with gems and pearls.

The establishment of Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited (IDPL), a public sector undertaking, in 1961 was followed over the decades by many national and global companies opening manufacturing and research facilities in the city.As of 2010, the city manufactured one third of India's bulk drugs and 16% of biotechnology products,contributing to its reputation as "India's pharmaceutical capital" and the "Genome Valley of India".

Hyderabad is a global centre of information technology, for which it is known as Cyberabad (Cyber City).As of 2013, it contributed 15% of India's and 98% of Andhra Pradesh's exports in IT and ITES sectors and 22% of NASSCOM's total membership is from the city.The development of HITEC City, a township with extensive technological infrastructure, prompted multinational companies to establish facilities in Hyderabad.The city is home to more than 1300 IT and ITES firms that provide employment for 407,000 individuals; the global conglomerates include Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Google, IBM, Yahoo!, Oracle Corporation, Dell, Facebook, CISCO,and major Indian firms including Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Polaris, Cyient and Wipro.

In 2009 the World Bank Group ranked the city as the second best Indian city for doing business.The city and its suburbs contain the highest number of special economic zones of any Indian city.

Like the rest of India, Hyderabad has a large informal economy that employs 30% of the labour force.According to a survey published in 2007, it had 40–50,000 street vendors, and their numbers were increasing.Among the street vendors, 84% are male and 16% female,and four fifths are "stationary vendors" operating from a fixed pitch, often with their own stall.Most are financed through personal savings; only 8% borrow from moneylenders.Vendor earnings vary from ₹50 (78¢ US) to ₹800 (US$12) per day.Other unorganised economic sectors include dairy, poultry farming, brick manufacturing, casual labour and domestic help. Those involved in the informal economy constitute a major portion of urban poor.

Hyderabad emerged as the foremost centre of culture in India with the decline of the Mughal Empire. After the fall of Delhi in 1857, the migration of performing artists to the city particularly from the north and west of the Indian sub continent, under the patronage of the Nizam, enriched the cultural milieu.This migration resulted in a mingling of North and South Indian languages, cultures and religions, which has since led to a co-existence of Hindu and Muslim traditions, for which the city has become noted.

A further consequence of this north–south mix is that both Telugu and Urdu are official languages of Telangana.The mixing of religions has also resulted in many festivals being celebrated in Hyderabad such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali and Bonalu of Hindu tradition and Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha by Muslims.

Traditional Hyderabadi garb also reveals a mix of Muslim and South Asian influences with men wearing sherwani and kurta–paijama and women wearing khara dupatta and salwar kameez.Most Muslim women wear burqa and hijab outdoors.In addition to the traditional Indian and Muslim garments, increasing exposure to western cultures has led to a rise in the wearing of western style clothing among youths.

South Indian music and dances such as the Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam styles are popular in the Deccan region. As a result of their culture policies, North Indian music and dance gained popularity during the rule of the Mughals and Nizams,and it was also during their reign that it became a tradition among the nobility to associate themselves with tawaif ,courtesans. These courtesans were revered as the epitome of etiquette and culture, and were appointed to teach singing, poetry and classical dance to many children of the aristocracy.

This gave rise to certain styles of court music, dance and poetry. Besides western and Indian popular music genres such as filmi music, the residents of Hyderabad play city-based marfa music, dholak ke geet or household songs based on local Folklore, and qawwali, especially at weddings, festivals and other celebratory events.The state government organises the Golconda Music and Dance Festival, the Taramati Music Festival and the Premavathi Dance Festival to further encourage the development of music.

Although the city is not particularly noted for theatre and drama,the state government promotes theatre with multiple programmes and festivals in such venues as the Ravindra Bharati, Shilpakala Vedika and Lalithakala Thoranam. Although not a purely music oriented event, Numaish, a popular annual exhibition of local and national consumer products, does feature some musical performances.The city is home to the Telugu film industry, popularly known as Tollywood and as of 2012, produces the second largest number of films in India behind Bollywood.

Films in the local Hyderabadi dialect are also produced and have been gaining popularity since 2005.The city has also hosted international film festivals such as the International Children's Film Festival and the Hyderabad International Film Festival.In 2005, Guinness World Records declared Ramoji Film City to be the world's largest film studio.

The region is well known for its Golconda and Hyderabad painting styles which are branches of Deccani painting.Developed during the 16th century, the Golconda style is a native style blending foreign techniques and bears some similarity to the Vijayanagara paintings of neighbouring Mysore. A significant use of luminous gold and white colours is generally found in the Golconda style.The Hyderabad style originated in the 17th century under the Nizams. Highly influenced by Mughal painting, this style makes use of bright colours and mostly depicts regional landscape, culture, costumes and jewellery.

Although not a centre for handicrafts itself, the patronage of the arts by the Mughals and Nizams attracted artisans from the region to Hyderabad. Such crafts include: Bidriware, a metalwork handicraft from neighbouring Karnataka, which was popularised during the 18th century and has since been granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag under the auspices of the WTO act;and Zari and Zardozi, embroidery works on textile that involve making elaborate designs using gold, silver and other metal threads.

Another example of a handicraft drawn to Hyderabad is Kalamkari, a hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile that comes from cities in Andhra Pradesh. This craft is distinguished in having both a Hindu style, known as Srikalahasti and entirely done by hand, and an Islamic style, known as Machilipatnam that uses both hand and block techniques.

Examples of Hyderabad's arts and crafts are housed in various museums including the Salar Jung Museum housing one of the largest one-man-collections in the world, the AP State Archaeology Museum, the Nizam Museum, the City Museum and the Birla Science Museum.

Hyderabadi Biryani
Hyderabadi cuisine comprises a broad repertoire of rice, wheat and meat dishes and the skilled use of various spices.Hyderabadi biryani and Hyderabadi haleem, with their blend of Mughlai and Arab cuisines,carry the national Geographical Indications tag.Hyderabadi cuisine is influenced to some extent by French,but more by Arabic, Turkish, Iranian and native Telugu and Marathwada cuisines.Popular native dishes include nihari, chakna, baghara baingan and the desserts qubani ka meetha, double ka meetha and kaddu ki kheer (a sweet porridge made with sweet gourd).

No visit to Hyderabad would be complete without sampling its unique cuisine - a rich blend of royal Mughlai flavours, Nizams special, and spice-up culinary traditions of South India such as: Hyderabadi biryani, pathar-ka-ghosht, nahari, haleem, double-ka-meetha, khubani-ka-meetha, seviyon-ka-meetha and kheer.

A popular dish of Hyderabad is biryani. Ask anybody about their favorite dish of Hyderabad, and they will definitely tell you Hyderabadi biryani. It is prepared with a blending of Mughal kitchen and the style of cooking practiced by the Nizams. Hyderabadi biryani has a distinct aroma. Beautifully garnished with pudina, fried onion & boiled eggs. Mostly it is served with dahi-ki-chutney and mirchi-ka-salan. Biryani has many variants like mutton biryani, chicken biryani, biryani khaam, biryani zard or zafrani or the most exotic of all joban malti biryani in which mutton, partridges and quails were cooked with rice.

Hyderabadi dum biryani, is where dum refers to the baking process and basmati rice and meat or vegetables are mixed in a pot and heated for a long time. During the Nizam's time, the biryani was made with lamb carefully cooked with rice. Culinary delicacies of Hyderabad include:

Gosht, which is made from a buck/billy/young goat, and is associated with the Hyderabadi cuisine. Hyderabadis prize the meat of a male goat.

Kachchi gosht ki biriyani, of Hyderabad, where raw meat is stir fried with spices (masala) for a couple of minutes and then covered with rice and put on dum. Today, Biryani is also made using vegetables, chicken, seafood and beef. The beef Biryani is known as Kalyani Biryani, available at many small eateries in the city. Although any Irani cafe might serve this delectable dish, there are a few places better known for tasteful food than their hygiene.

Hyderabadi Haleem, is another dish which is available only in the month of Ramadaan (Ramzan).

Mirchi ka salan, served with spicy chilly gravy, is another dish that serves as a tasty accompaniment to any rice item.

Khubani ka meetha, is Hyderabad's preferred dessert sweet. It is made from apricots boiled in sugar syrup till they achieve a thick consistency. It looks similar to, but tastes different from gajar ka halwa (carrot halwa). It is often topped with ice-cream or cream.

Double Ka Meetha, is a dessert made from bread, milk and dry fruits.

Falooda, is a favourite drink of Hyderabad.

Irani chai is the tea of Hyderabad, available at any of the ubiquitous "Chai" shops. Although, not all of them have the best hygiene and it is best to go with a local. The crowd at the stalls is composed mainly of blue collared workers and college students so expect a noisy environment with conversational topics that range from movies to politics.

Street food, in Hyderabad is better than most other cities in India and it is cheap. Gokul Chaat in Koti is a well known and pretty popular joint for snacks like Samosa Chaat, Dahi Puri and Sev Puri. Amazingly tasty Rajasthani street food (Kachori, Samosa and Aloo Mirch) is served by Rajasthan Namkeen Bhandar, also located in Koti (diagonally opposite Womens College bus-stop).

Malai Plate, nampally-public garden road (below the tree). 6am-7pm. A milk bar that is located near the hyderabad railway station offers something really special apart from its famous milk and bun and that is fresh cream with a spoonful of sugar. A plate of fresh cream scooped from the boiling milk with a dash of sugar is truly a rare,warm and childhood reminder treat 30.

In recent times, there has been an explosion in the number of restaurants in Hyderabad, fueled by demand from young professionals with money to spend. Quality and variety of food, however, has not kept pace. There is a disproportionately large number of restaurants that aspire to be called fine-dining restaurants, but the food they serve is usually indifferent. In general, keep away from restaurants that call themselves multi-cuisine or if you see multiple cuisines on the menu, as the chances are that they are attempting to serve every kind of palate and will not satisfy any.

The older areas of Hyderabad are better places to find good and cheap food. Places close to Hi tec city, such as Madhapur and Kondapur, tend to have expensive and bad food, while in Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills you will find restaurants that are expensive, but which sometimes serve good food. Those misled by the fact that Hyderabad is in South India and expecting South Indian food may be disappointed. While there are excellent South Indian restaurants in some of the older areas like Koti and Abids, the average South Indian food served here is quite bad.

Two of the biggest names in Hyderabad's restaurant business are Ohri's and the BJN Group. It will seem as if every second restaurant in the city is run by either one or the other. BJN generally runs upscale restaurants, while Ohri's runs both upscale and mid-range restaurants. It also runs numerous fast food places all over the city, including at Prasad's Imax, Banjara Hills, Somajiguda, EatStreet, Hyderabad Central & Basheer Bagh.

Hyderabad has a large number of outlets that are positioned as bakeries. These are primarily takeaway places, where one can buy sandwiches, burgers, biscuits and puffs to go,called parcel in local parlance. Usually, there are a few chairs and tables thrown in as an afterthought.

Many Western chains have set up shop in the posh areas of Hyderabad. Among these are Texas Chicken, McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Dominos and Subway. Most of these have multiple outlets and all of them have Indianised their fare to varying extents. The Indian pizza chain Pizza Corner also has many outlets. Barista, Cafe Coffee Day and Java Green outlets are good places to have coffee and conversations.

There is plenty to do at night in Hyderabad, though local regulations have most places serving last drinks by 11PM. On weekdays, drinks in the some of the pubs have best offers, as most clubs are empty until Thursday or Friday nights, when the clubbers emerge. But the sheer number of nightlife spots makes it hard to choose which ones to list. As a general rule they tend to be clustered around Begumpet and Road No.1, Banjara Hills.

Alcohol is available easily from numerous Liquor Shops, known as wine shops in local parlance, spread across the twin cities, in restaurants with bars attached,includes most upscale ones and in pubs.

Drunken driving is not tolerated and police enforce the rule strictly. After 11PM almost all the roads have police patrols and check drunk driving. If caught you may end up paying fines, apart from vehicle being seized and couple of rounds to police station in worst scenarios.

Some of the good pubs and bars are part of hotels, and they have been covered along with their hotel listing under Sleep.

Accommodation in Hyderabad is unlikely to bust your budget, especially when compared to cities like Mumbai or Bangalore, and rooms are usually easily available. However, because the city sprawls so much, you need to be careful about the hotel location if you want to avoid a long commute and traffic bottlenecks.

Plenty of options are available with online booking facilities, with web based aggregator services like OYO rooms, Stayzilla, makemytrip, etc. providing good deals for advance bookings.

Plentiful budget accommodation is to be found around the Nampally railway station and in Abids, Koti and other new city areas for a few hundred rupees a day, and tourist attractions aren't very far off. However the facilities tend to be basic, the towels aren't necessarily clean and air-conditioning tends to be extra. It might make sense to pay a little more and choose mid-range accommodation. The area around Hussain Sagar Lake, Begumpet, Punjagutta, Somajiguda, Banjara Hills and Lakdi-ka-Pul are close to both tourist attractions of the old city and the business areas of the new city. Hotels in Secunderabad might be slightly far for the tourist, but may still work for the business traveller.

Unfortunately, hotel rooms tend to be expensive and scarce closer to Hi tec city, and commuting from any of the above areas, except perhaps Banjara Hills, is not a good option because of the traffic. Areas around Hi tec city are Madhapur, Kondapur and Gachibowli. For longer term stays, you might want to consider serviced apartments.

There are plenty of Budget hotels at Kachiguda Near Venkutramana Theater. The price generally ranges from Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1500 for A/c Rooms. Kindly bargain at the hotels to get better price.

Hyderabad's first dial-up internet access became available in the early 1990s and was limited to software development companies.The first public internet access service began in 1995, with the first private sector internet service provider (ISP) starting operations in 1998.In 2015, high-speed public WiFi was introduced in parts of the city.

The most commonly used forms of medium distance transport in Hyderabad include government owned services such as light railways and buses, as well as privately operated taxis and auto rickshaws.Bus services operate from the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station in the city centre and carry over 130 million passengers daily across the entire network.Hyderabad's light rail transportation system, the Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS), is a three line suburban rail service used by over 160,000 passengers daily.Complementing these government services are minibus routes operated by Setwin (Society for Employment Promotion & Training in Twin Cities).

Intercity rail services also operate from Hyderabad; the main, and largest, station is Secunderabad Railway Station, which serves as Indian Railways' South Central Railway zone headquarters and a hub for both buses and MMTS light rail services connecting Secunderabad and Hyderabad. Other major railway stations in Hyderabad are Hyderabad Deccan Station, Kacheguda Railway Station, Begumpet Railway Station, Malkajgiri Railway Station and Lingampally Railway Station.The Hyderabad Metro, a new rapid transit system, is to be added to the existing public transport infrastructure and is scheduled to operate by 2018.

As of 2012, there are over 3.5 million vehicles operating in the city, of which 74% are two-wheelers, 15% cars and 3% three-wheelers. The remaining 8% include buses, goods vehicles and taxis.The large number of vehicles coupled with relatively low road coverage—roads occupy only 9.5% of the total city area has led to widespread traffic congestion especially since 80% of passengers and 60% of freight are transported by road.The Inner Ring Road, the Outer Ring Road, the Hyderabad Elevated Expressway, the longest flyover in India,and various interchanges, overpasses and underpasses were built to ease the congestion. Maximum speed limits within the city are 50 km/h (31 mph) for two-wheelers and cars, 35 km/h (22 mph) for auto rickshaws and 40 km/h (25 mph) for light commercial vehicles and buses.

Hyderabad sits at the junction of three National Highways linking it to six other states: NH-7 runs 2,369 km (1,472 mi) from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, in the north to Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, in the south; NH-65, runs 841 km (523 mi) east-west between Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and Suryapet, Pune, Maharashtra; and the 280 km (174 mi) NH-163 links Hyderabad to Bhopalpatnam, Chhattisgarh NH-765 links Hyderabad to Srisailam. Five state highways, SH-1, SH-2, SH-4, SH-5 and SH-6, either start from, or pass through, Hyderabad.

Air traffic was previously handled via Begumpet Airport, but this was replaced by Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) (IATA: HYD, ICAO: VOHS) in 2008,with the capacity of handling 12 million passengers and 100,000 tonnes of cargo per annum. In 2011, Airports Council International, an autonomous body representing the world's airports, judged RGIA the world's best airport in the 5–15 million passenger category and the world's fifth best airport for service quality.

Many visitors never make it past the attractions in Old City, but you haven't truly seen Hyderabad until you have ventured out into the neighborhoods. The city is split into north, west, east and south of the central district. There are differences in culture visible throughout the city.

Central Zone (King Kothi, Abids, Lakdikapul, Mehdipatnam, Tolichowki, Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Ameerpet, Punjagutta, Himayat Nagar, Kacheguda, Narayanguda, Chikkadpally and Nallakunta.)
The center of Hyderabad has upscale neighbourhoods along with several venues of entertainment and dining. There is lots to see and do as well.

South Zone (Charminar, Patthargatti, Afzalgunj, Shalibanda, Falaknuma, Dabirpura,Yakutpura and Purani Haveli.)
This is where most of Hyderabad's famous historical sights are. Also called Old City or Purana Shahr, the South Zone is home to Hyderabad's most lively and authentic shopping experience. The Taj Falaknuma, an erstwhile palace now converted into a luxury hotel, is in the South Zone.

North Zone (Begumpet,Secunderabad,Malkajgiri, Trimulghery, Alwal and Kundanbagh.)
The North Zone is the erstwhile British Cantonment area of Secunderabad. Completely different from the South Zone, this zone is far more cleaner and organised than the former.

West Zone (Kukkatpally, Miyapur, Bharat Nagar, Gacchibowli, Nanakramguda and HITEC City.)
This is home to the newer CBD of Hyderabad. If you're in Hyderabad for a business trip, you are most likely to end up here.

East Zone (Uppal, Kapra, Dilsukhnagar, LB Nagar, Gaddiannaram and Saroornagar.)
Home to a lot of educational institutes, this region will be the first to see a Metro line run through.

If you are traveling to Hyderabad on business as is increasingly the case now it is easy to miss the 400-year-old Hyderabad. The city that immediately hits the eye is a sprawling metropolis of shopping malls and office buildings with glass facades. The whole of the city seems to be under construction or renovation and the roads are jammed because flyovers are being constructed. It is a magnificent city in many senses.

The old city that was once the seat of the Nizam, the ruler of the largest and the most opulent princely state, and the twin city of Secunderabad where the British maintained a cantonment to keep the army within striking distance of the Nizam can be seen only if you take the time out to see them.

Hyderabad's many epithets include the City of Pearls, the City of Nawabs, the Biryani City and, because of its high-tech draw, Cyberabad.

The best way to orient yourself to Hyderabad is to think with reference to two water bodies - the Musi river and the Hussain Sagar Lake. The Musi river flows from the west to the east, a few kilometers south of Hussain Sagar Lake.

- The Old city lies mostly on the south bank of the Musi, though this guide will treat the Golkonda, which lies on the north bank, as part of the old city. Most historical attractions, including the Charminar lie on this bank.

- Secunderabad lies to the north-east of Hussain Sagar lake. This has historically been a military cantonment, which means that the roads are better maintained and broader. It has nice parks, open spaces and some excellent restaurants.

- The New city, which contains the administrative offices of Andhra Pradesh lies on the north bank of the Musi, to the east and south-east of Hussain Sagar.

- Punjagutta to Gachibowli is a vast region to the west and north-west of Hussain Sagar, on the north bank of the Musi. This has developed in the past twenty years. Areas of interest here are Punjagutta and Ameerpet, which are enormous shopping areas. Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills is where Hyderabad's swish set lives, and contain some good parks and restaurants. The newly developed "Hi tec city" and Gachibowli are 9 km to the west of the new city. This is where most technology and business process outsourcing (BPO) firms have their campuses.

In many senses, Hyderabad is the meeting ground between North and South India. The city has a culture that is distinct from the rest of Andhra Pradesh, showing Islamic influences and a courtly presence imparted from its period as the capital of the Nizamate. This is more evident in the old city. The new city resembles many provincial state capitals in India. Secunderabad is more cosmopolitan, as the Cantonment area is located in this part of the city.

Due to a recent influx of young men and women from various parts of the country for better job opportunities, Hyderabad's culture and attitudes have taken a turn towards modernity. However, it is good to keep in mind that the city is still a deeply conservative place and to dress appropriately, especially in the old city.

Note that people have a very indifferent attitude towards time and a very laid back attitude.

Like many Indian cities Hyderabad has a tropical climate. The best time to visit the city is from mid-November to mid-February.Temperatures are mild with abundant sunshine during this time and average temperature range from a low of 15°C (59°F) to a high of 29°C (85°F). March to June is hot and dry with occasional thunderstorms. Highs can reach 45°C (113°F) or more and lack of air-conditioning can make it feel very uncomfortable. July, August, September and October can be quite warm and humid and low pressure systems from the Bay of Bengal during the monsoon season can cause heavy rain for days.

Telugu the state language of Andhra Pradesh and one of India's six living classical languages and Urdu are widely spoken in Hyderabad, and most educated people speak Telugu, Urdu, Hindi and/or English.

English signs are common.

The city is one of the main places where Urdu developed, and the dialect spoken primarily by the large Muslim population is known as “Deccani Urdu” or Dakhani Urdu” (which both translate to Urdu of the Deccan). Because of the influence of Urdu, a dialect of Hindi is also spoken in the city and your Hindi phrasebook may still be useful.

Hyderabad is well connected to all parts of the country by air, rail and road.

Hyderabad's new Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (IATA: HYD) is located 22 km (14 mi) from the city. Note that the old airport at Begumpet is now closed, except for use by VIPs. The sleek and well-organized airport is one of the best aviation facilities in India. The elevated expressway to the airport is now open and takes 20 minutes. Direct international connectivity from Hyderabad is available for many countries. International carriers operating from Hyderabad are Air India, British Airways, Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Air Asia, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Silk Air, Etihad Airways and Thai Airways.

Domestic connectivity is excellent with Indian airlines operating from here including Air India, Air India Express, Indian Airlines, Indigo Airlines, Jet Airways, JetLite, Trujet and SpiceJet,Trujet is new.

Once you arrive at Hyderabad airport, one option is to take the air-conditioned buses run by the airport (Pushpak) to various designated points in the city such as (1) Begumpet (Paryatak Bhavan) (2) Secunderabad (Keyes High School) (3) Hi-Tec City (Opposite Shilparamam) at prices varying between Rs 150 and Rs. 250 based on the distance of travel, and two designated points in the city (4) Charminar (City College) (5) Mehdipatnam (Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital). The buses have a frequency of a bus every 30 min from 3:30AM-11PM and every hour at midnight, 1AM, 2AM and 3AM and travel time varies from 45 mins to 2 hrs depending on time of the day and traffic conditions. You can reach the designated points and then take an auto or metered cab from there.

Alternatively, you can hire metered air-conditioned radio cabs starting from Rs 40 for the first 2 km Skycabs and Meru are approved by the airport @ 21 Rs/km and are available just after exiting the terminal building. For the rest, you need to call and book with a lead time of 15 minutes to 1 hour. These cabs charge 25% surcharge in the night ie, Rs 26.25 per km between 2300 hours and 0500 hours. Hyderabad traffic police counter is on the ground floor with prepaid taxis.

Beware of taxi soliciting tours at the airport greeting area; they might try to scam you into exorbitant rates,especially so in case of non- locals. The Hyderabad Traffic Police has partnered with the Airport authorities to run a counter for prepaid taxis. This is a safe option with all taxis being registered with the police. The police also runs a SHE cab service now, especially for women travellers, with female drivers and safety equipment such as a GPS connected to the Police Control Room.

One can also hire a cab from many app- based services such as Uber or Ola, whose fares are available in the apps and their websites.Please keep in mind that while these services are substantially cheaper than the radio cabs, they will charge Rs. 200 in addition to the fare as parking charges levied on them by the airport. This option is the best while travelling to the airport, as the parking charges do not apply for departures.

Hired cars are also available from a booth just before walking outside of the airport. This gives you the advantage of paying in advance, thereby avoiding any disagreements over price.

Indian Railways has service to Hyderabad from all over India.

There are three major railway stations serving the twin cities: Secunderabad, Hyderabad , and Kachiguda and a minor station at Begumpet. Most of the trains bound for South India and North India originate from Hyderabad,and leave via Secunderabad. Hyderabad Deccan Station is popularly known as Nampally Station.

Hyderabad is well connected to other major Metros by road. Bangalore is connected by NH7 and is at a distance of 560 km. The city is 752 km from Chennai using highways NH9 and NH5 and 800 km from Mumbai NH9 till Pune and the expressway to Mumbai. The Bangalore Hyderabad section is part of the North South corridor which is being upgraded to a four-lane divided highway.

Hyderabad is well-connected to all parts of the Telangana and most parts of South and Western India. Both state government and private buses operate large number of luxury and ordinary services across the state and neighboring states.

JBS, (Jubilee Bus station), is in Secunderabad. TSRTC runs direct A/C coaches to Mumbai, Bengaluru (Bangalore) and Chennai. Telangana tourism runs A/C coaches to, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru. You have to book the tickets in advance. There are many online bus ticketing portals to book bus tickets. Mybustickets is one such portal.

MGBS or Imliban, is said to be the largest bus station in the world with around 84 bus bays side by side. TSRTC has pickup and drop points from various points in the city. In addition, government-run bus services of neighboring states also run buses to Hyderabad, as do various private companies.

Private Buses. South India is largely well served by organised private bus operators. They run luxury buses like Volvo, Mercedes, Kinglong Cerita buses including multi axle buses. These are air-conditioned, semi sleeper or sleeper services with online ticket booking facilities. Important private travel hubs are KPHB Colony, Lakdi-Ka-Pool, Paradise centre in Secunderabad and Dilsukh nagar. Luxury services run to many cities from these places. Non-metropolitan areas and towns are often connected by non-A/C buses but are still provided with comfortable seating.
It may be difficult to find direct buses from North India due large size of that part of the country.

There are many ways to get around in Hyderabad. It has good bus service, good autorickshaw service,although they never charge by meter and always overprice, making cabs cheaper and well developed Radio taxi services as well as new app based services such as Uber and Ola. There is a local train service too, but it is grossly inadequate and unreliable. It is advisable that travelers using smartphones download the Hyderabad Police and Hyderabad Traffic Police apps from the app store, as these have some safety features such as and SOS button to the control room, as well as options to lodge complaints.

Hyderabad has good local bus connectivity and is run by TSRTC , a state-government owned corporation. Most intercity buses start and end at the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Terminus more commonly known as Imlibun, and there are numerous depots where city service buses start and end. One can use Google maps to plan travel by bus. There are five categories of buses Ordinary, Metro Express, Metro Deluxe, AC, Volvo AC. The Volvo Buses are the most comfortable, with fares starting from Rs. 35. There are also monthly passes of Rs. 2100 that allow one to travel anywhere any number of times by any service across the city. Other buses tend to get extremely overcrowded and traveling on the footboard of a bus is very common.

The routes displayed on buses are normally shown in at least two languages, one of which is English. The best way to get to a location by bus would be to get to a bus stop and ask people waiting there. You could also get into a bus going in your direction and ask the conductor for help.

Autorickshaws in Hyderabad should be metered, though it can be difficult for non-locals and locals alike to find an autorickshaw driver who ever agrees to a metered fare. This is especially true when hailing an auto in front of a 5 star hotel, near bus stands, railway stations and near Hi-Tech area. However, Traffic police are very helpful and will help engage an Auto with metered fare. Autos can carry a maximum of 3 passengers excluding the driver, but it is common to find them being overloaded to carry up to six passengers when one .

The minimum fare is Rs 20 which covers the first 1.6 km. Each additional km is another Rs 11. The waiting charges are for Rs. 30 per hour. There are also shared 4 seater and 8 seater Maxi Vans available to and fro from the suburbs to a main location of the city in that direction. Fares are mostly 2 rupees more than bus fares, but are far more comfortable and fast for short distances up to 5 km. Fix the fare before you step into the autorickshaw.

Auto Drivers in Hyderabad are a nightmare and are absolutely uncooperative. Finding a needle in a haystack is easier than finding an auto driver who agrees to go by the metered rate with a common excuse that their meter is not functioning. They always demand a much higher fare even though the fare has been increased from time to time. It is advised to keep extra change with you since most of the auto drivers will claim that they don't have change, even if they have. If you have a choice then always opt for a Prepaid Cab.

Reckless driving and accidents are very common here, as is the case with most cities in this part of the world.

Most of the auto drivers want you to checkout pearls shop,which they claim are authorized by the Govt, in exchange of less fare however they are okay if you don't buy anything from these shops, just sit there for 10 minutes. They are encouraged with incentives to bring customers into these shops. The pearl shops are notorious for persuasive sales tactics and they won't let you out easily. So pay the complete fare to auto drivers instead of being diverted to a pearl shop.

Auto drivers get some percent of the entry fees if they take you to the places like Chowmoholla Palace or Salarjung museum for free. If you are around these areas get into some auto instead of walking down and ask them to drop you there.

Also in many parts of the city it is easy to find a shared auto running, just reach the nearest bus stop and ask the locals for a shared auto, they should readily guide you. If u see an over loaded auto-rikshaw, it is a shared one and you just need to wave at the next less-populated one.

Auto Drivers in Hyderabad are especially reckless drivers. Better book a cab than take an Auto, even at a higher price, for the air conditioned comfort and protection from pollution, as well as for relief from the antics of the 'Auto wallahs'. There are exemplary auto drivers too, but unfortunately the others outnumber them by far.

It is best to use new app based cabs such as Ola and Uber, which assure service and courteous drivers. However, there have been cases of misbehavior by Cabdrivers although few and it is advised to us the Hyderabad Police app and enter the details of the cab you are getting into, to be safe. Fares for these start at Rs. 6 per km and Rs. 1 per minute of ride time. (Ola Micro). Availability is very good at busy locales, and most apps have tracking features as well as SOS features.

Metered Radio taxis are available, but they cannot be hailed off the street. One needs to call their centralised call centre and book the service. Service is very good, especially if you are booking for longer distances. It can be next to impossible to be able to get a Radio cab without prior booking since demand far outstrips the supply. All metered cabs have digital meters that show the distance and fare.

Operators offering metered taxis at Rs 10 per km,Most of them are now charging Rs 12 per km for an Indica, Rs 10 continues in case of Maruti Omni with a minimum charge is Rs 80 in most cases. Many taxi services prefer not to book trips that are only a short distance.

However covering the entire city with so many sightseeing locations, will be costly on a CAB, whereas hiring a Full Day Taxi / Car is suggested, which normally charge on 8 hrs or 80 kms basis

Local trains called MMTS are available, albeit only for a few places in Hyderabad, The frequency ranges from 10 to 30 minutes, except during day time and Sundays, when there are fewer trains. It is a fast way of travel to the few stations it covers, and the cheapest option as well. If you plan to travel through MMTS check out the schedule on the website MMTS Train Timings.

If you are foreign traveler it is advisable to take first class. General class tend to get overcrowded and you can never find a seat at intermediate stations. If you have to catch a train do not rely on the MMTS schedule, as it is rarely followed and usually late; Trains may also get cancelled without prior notice. Daily and monthly passes are also available at the MMTS stations.

Hyderabad lacks an expressway system, leading to traffic jams during rush hours. However, an 160 km Ring Road Expressway is currently under construction.

Driving is exciting in Hyderabad not unlike in the rest of India. You find cycles, motor cycles, rickshaws, hand carts, autos, share autos, mini trucks, buses, vestibule buses, double deckers, Volvos jostling along. There are long stretches of roads passing through thickly populated areas that have no median breaks, so vehicles, including motorbikes and cars, simply drive on the wrong side of the road. Several modern flyovers now link the arterial roads.

Several car rental agencies are available at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport as well in the following locations.

In Hyderabad you can rent motorcycles and scooters to get around city and outstation trips.

You can rent two wheelers (motorcycles and scooters) on hourly rental basis from roadpanda.

The Telangana Tourism department runs a hop- on hop- off bus service that takes one around the city.

Hyderabad's interesting districts are fairly spread out, but are enjoyable to explore by foot on their own. The Old City is composed of a maze of disorienting alleyways that expand outward from the Charminar. Getting lost in the markets,where you can buy anything from hand-sequined saris to freshly slaughtered goats and alleyways in the Old City can make for a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. The famous Chudi Bazaar (Lad Bazaar) across from the Charminar is a chaotic tumble of goods, people, animals and vehicles are navigated quickly on foot.

The Chowmahalla palace and the Mecca Masjid are both easily accessed from the Charminar. Necklace Road, Sultan Bazar (Koti) and Abids are worth taking some time to wander around. Please note that walking can be hazardous in Hyderabad. It is common for roads to be missing pavement, or simply unpaved, and bikes and autorickshaws may go to right up to the edge of the road and climb any barrier to get ahead in traffic. Walking alongside and crossing the road can be very dangerous and it is important to stay alert for erratic driving. It is always advisable to use the foot-over bridge if there is one available.

Old city is the historical region of Hyderabad. Most of the historical attractions are situated in the old city.

Charminar. M-Sa 9AM-5PM, closed on F 1PM-2PM for prayers. Literally "Four minarets", this structure was built at the very spot at which Quli Qutb Shah prayed for the end to the plague epidemic. The Charminar has long been the icon of Hyderabad. The towers rise to a height of 48.7 m above the ground. It has 140 steps.

Graffiti on the walls have diminished the beauty of the Charminar. There is a mosque with 45 prayer spaces located inside in the upper storeys. The structure stands in the middle of a busy road with vehicular traffic, but a pedestrianization project is under way. Atop the minarets, you get a panoramic view of Hyderabad city. At the very bottom of one of the minar is a Hindu temple. The traffic is less than ideal. Plan an early morning trip around 9 a.m. if shopping is not on your to-do list. Rs 5, Children below 11 free (for Indians), Rs 100 (for foreigners), Video cameras are charged Rs 25 extra.

Mecca Masjid,Mecca Masjid is one of the oldest mosques in the city and easily the biggest. Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah began building it in 1617 under the supervision of Mir Faizullah Baig and Rangiah Choudhary. Mughal emperor Aurangzeb completed the construction in 1694. The mosque is a granite giant with awe-inspiring innards. The main hall of the mosque is 75 feet high, 220 feet wide and 180 feet long, big enough to accommodate ten thousand worshipers at a time.

It is believed that Muhammed Quli commissioned bricks to be made with the soil brought from Mecca and inducted them into the construction of the central arch of the mosque, which explains the name of the mosque. It is mandatory for women to have a dupatta / shawl in order to be granted entry into the premises.

Chowmahalla Palace, Khilwat, 20-4-236, Motigalli. Sa-Th 10AM-5PM, closed on National Holidays. Situated near Charminar, it was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty where the Nizam entertained his official guests and royal visitors. Rs 40 (for Indians), Rs 150 (for foreigners), camera permit Rs 50.

Falaknuma Palace. Built by Nawab Viqar al-Umra in 1872, Falaknuma is a stunning piece of architecture and the most opulent of the Nizam's palaces. The interior is particularly impressive and features the works of Florentine sculptors and a 100-seater Dining Table. The palace has been converted into a hotel run by the Taj group and is no longer accessible to general public.

Golconda Fort. 7AM-8PM. The Golconda Fort was the capital of the Qutb Shahi kingdom. Set aside a minimum of 2 hr to do justice to your visit the outer wall measures 10 km. Learning a little about the fort ahead of time is recommended as it is easy to get confused or lost in the massive space. If you accept one of the local guides - who hustle you at the entrance gate,try to pick one who actually knows his stuff Rs 500 per tour and the guide would also ask you for tips in the end, however it is entirely up to you whether to give tips or not, rather than someone who was actually just passing by, spotted you and will tell you bits he once read in a guidebook.

The genuine old Muslim guide who gained his encyclopedic knowledge of Golconda as an infant from his 118 year old grandmother knows the history of every inch of the place and will show you with expertise the echo/architecture system built into the fort that the ruler used as a communication/spying system. There is also a light and sound show, the story of Golkonda for an hour, which could be a little boring,(price for foreigners Rs 50/100 for normal/executive ticket) after sunset lasting ~1h that tells you the story of the fort and is worth seeing.

The English show runs Nov-Feb 6:30PM daily and Mar-Oct until 7PM daily. Hindi and Telugu shows are run afterwards in certain days. Afterwards, have a wander through the tiny streets and shops surrounding the fort. The beautiful scruffy old shops and houses will sell you everything from naan bread to bangles, and the fading and gaudy old painted gates and houses are a delight, as are the friendly locals. Rs 100 all.

Qutb Shahi Tombs,1 km north of Golconda fort, approached via Banjara Darwaza). Sa-Th 9:30AM-5:30PM. The Qutubshahi mosques in Hyderabad are so named because they were built by the Qutubshahi dynasty. Most of them were built by Quli Qutb Shah, the founder. Sadly in May 2010 local newspapers revealed that shoddy restoration work allegedly using unskilled labour with road drills bought in by one government department that didn't bother to seek professional advice or inform the local archaeological or environment departments, has been damaging these beautiful buildings.

Qutub Shahi Tombs Site Museum, Hyderabad-8.
H.E.H The Nizam's Museum, Purani Haveli, Hyderabad-2,Behind Princess Durru Shehvar Children's Hospital. Sa-Th 10AM-5PM. Home to the famous wardrobe of Mahbub Ali Pasha, who is said never to have worn the same thing twice. It is the world's longest wardrobe, built in two levels with a hand-cranked wooden lift elevator in place. This occupies the entire length of one wing of the palace. Hard to find, take small road next to Princess Durru Shehwar Hospital, entrance gate at N17 22.002 E78 28.975 Rs 50, students & children Rs 15.

Hussain Shah Wali Dargah.

Moula Ali Dargah. 400 stairs brings you to a place of worship built by the Asif Jahis. The Moula Ali Dargah was built in the memory of Hazrat Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. Legend has it that Yakoob, a eunuch in the court of Ibrahim Quli, went to the hill after he saw Hazrat Ali seated on it. To his surprise, he saw the impression of Ali's palm on a stone, which he had dreamt. He had the impression cut out and installed in a shrine. Ibrahim Shah later built a mosque beside the dargah. A Ashurkhana , a Baradari (pavilion) and an Nqqar khana (place for beating drums) were built during the Qutb Shahi period.

Osmania Arts College. Built during the period of the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. The imposing facade of the building is a great sight.

Paigah Tombs, Santoshnagar (Pisal Banda). daytime. These tombs belong to the Paigah nobles,tied by blood and marriage to the Nizams and are about 200 years old. These unique lime and mortar tombs are beautifully carved and have marble inlay work on them. Relaxing environment with bird singing. N17 20.639 E78 30.248 seems free.

Purani Haveli, Dewandevdi (SE of Afzalganj Bridge). Sa-Th 10:30AM-5PM. Originally, the palace of the Nizam's Prime Minister, later it was renovated and became the quarters of the Nizam's son. It is a U-shaped complex with a single-storeyed building in the European style.

Raymond Tomb, Dilsukh Nagar, Asmaan Gadh. Michel Raymond, a French mercenary, was a military commander in the service of the second Nizam and also his close friend. His tomb is located at Saroornagar, and is made of black granite with beautiful sky view of the area

Salar Jung Museum, Naya Pul, Afzalgunj,Turn left once you reach the south bank of Musi using the Nayapul. Sa-Th 10AM-5PM, ticketing closes at 4:15PM. This collection belonged to the Salar Jungs, Prime Minsters of Hyderabad, but has been augmented since. The collection includes articles mostly from medieval and modern times, with a concentration of articles from the Islamic era. The western wing on the second floor is interesting. It contains paintings, furniture and other objects that the Salar Jung got from the West.

The collection of Nizam jewellery is displayed only on special occasions. It is one of the best private collections and museums in India. Free guided tours lasting two hours each are available at scheduled times, four times a day. Inquire at the entrance. Cameras, bags and liquids are not allowed, but mobile cameras are winked at. Deposit your contraband at the free lockers available near the ticketing area. Rs 10 for Indians and Rs 150 for foreigners.

Toli Masjid, Karwan. 300 years old. Known for its splendid architecture.

Archival Museum T.S. State Archives and Research Institute, Tarnaka, Hyderabad-7.

TS State Museum. Displays a stunning array of artifacts dating back to the 1st century to the 20th Century. Ranging from the Lotus Medallion of the 1st century to the Amazing Kalankari work that adorned the bed-spreads of the Nizams to a period room that displays the typical living room of the Nizam time to the Jain sculptures and Statues - this place has it all.

Birla Mandir, Adarsh Nagar, Naubat Pahad,Two different routes depending on whether you want to drive right to the top or climb the stairs. 10AM-noon, 2PM-8PM. The industrial house of the Birlas have the tradition of building magnificent marble temples in cities of India. This one is one of the best. Located on top of Naubat Pahad (mountain), this clean, sparkling white temple dedicated to Venkateshwara has viewing areas that afford a great view of the city.

Sadly, cameras and camera mobiles are banned; your bags are checked at the entrance. Shoes are not allowed, so come early in the morning so the ground will not be too hot. There is a free cloakroom available for both electronics and shoes.Nowadays it is filled with tourists,who come to marvel at its architecture rather than for spiritual purposes. One should observe the intricate carvings on the marble walls and dome of the temple. Free.

B.M. Birla Planetarium and Science & Technological Museum, Adarshnagar, Hyderabad -63 (Very close to Birla Temple, Naubat Pahad). Museum 10:30AM-8PM, Planetarium English shows 11:30AM, 4PM, 6PM, More shows in Telugu and one show in Hindi. F-W. The show at the planetarium lasts 35 min and is moderately interesting. The technological museum, on the other hand, is poorly maintained. The Dinosaurium at the upper level is interesting. It contains a complete skeleton of a dinosaur Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis discovered in the village of Yemanapalli in 1988. The lower level displays the personal collection of Nirmala Birla, also quite interesting Museum Rs 40, Planetarium Rs 40, combined admission Rs 70, Parking Rs 20.

The High Court of Telangana, Nayapul.

The Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet. Formerly a Nizam's palace and the Jagirdar's College. This Institution was founded in 1923 and is currently one of the oldest and largest public schools in the country. The campus is also an internationally recognised heritage site.

Kala Bhavan, Ravindra Bharathi complex, Saifabad, Lakdikapul. An art gallery

The Kothi Residency (Womens College, Kothi).

Nehru Zoological park. Has some rare and interesting exhibits.There is a Lion safari and a Tiger Safari. Adult -Rs 20.

Exhibition, Nampally (Vanitha College). An exhibition that runs in the months of January & February every year. It showcases various items made across India. It runs every year starting 1 Jan-15 Feb in the Exhibition grounds.

Punjagutta to Gachibowli

Alankrita Art Gallery, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur.

Gallery Space, Rd No.12, Banjara Hills.

Kalahita Art Foundation, Lakshmi Towers, Nagarjuna Hills.

Le Cafe De Art, Rd No.1 Banjara Hills.

Pegasus Art Gallery, Road No.72 Jubilee Hills.

Shilparamam, Hi tec city, Madhapur. 11AM-8PM. Designed as a contrast to the futuristic Cyber tower that lies across the road, the crafts village of Shilparamam ("sculpture village") guards the entrance road to Hi tec city. The intent is to showcase and preserve the old. There is a bazaar where you can buy assorted handicrafts and art work. There is also an entire village where you can find realistic -looking sculptures of villagers carrying out their traditional crafts.

You can also find a rock museum which contains natural rock formations that allegedly look life-like. Make sure you carry cash to buy anything you like - credit cards are not accepted by most shops.You can bargain the price up to 1/3 of the quoted price.If you are a foreigner they try to fleece you,you need to bargain even more for a fair price. Also next to Shilpa Ramam is Shilpa Sandhya Vedika, a location for eating and shopping. Rs 40.

State Gallery Of Art (Chitramayee), Road No. 1, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur, Jubilee Hills, ☎ +91 40 2311 3308.

Vishwakarma arts gallery, Banjara Hills, Panjagutta,Dwarakapuri colony, Esteem House, Backside of Model House

Birla Mandir. Birla Mandir on the Naubath Pahad is a magnificent Hindu temple of Lord Venkateshwara, entirely built in white marble located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The Birla Foundation has constructed several similar temples in India, all of which are known as Birla Mandir. The temple manifests a blend of South Indian, Rajasthani and Utkala temple architectures. In its entirety, it is made of 2,000 tons of pure Rajasthani white marble. The granite of the presiding deity is about 3.4 m (11 ft). tall and a carved lotus forms an umbrella on the roof. The consorts of Lord Venkateswara, Padmavati and Andal are housed in separate shrines. There is a brass flagstaff in the temple premises which rises to a height of 13 m (42 ft). Free.

Balaji Temple (Visa Balaji), Chilkur. 5AM-8PM. Chilkur is an important pilgrim center in Hyderabad, Telangana (India). The Lord here is Sri Venkateswara Swamy in a standing posture, beside whom is Goddess Sridevi and Goddess Bhudevi. People with wishes, take 11 rounds a round the core of the temple. Once their wish as been fulfilled they return to perform 108 more rounds. You will find people ticking away at the pieces of paper with the numbers to track the count.The god here is also referred as Visa Balaji because,people usually come here wishing for their US Visas to be approved. Free.

Sanghi Temple, Hayat Nagar. Free.

Karmanghat hanuman temple, karmanghat. Free.

Iskcon Temple, Sri Sri Radha Madanmohan Mandir, Nampally Station Road, Abids.

Mahankali Temple, Laldarwaza. Site of the main annual Bonalu procession. Free.

Ujjaini Mahankali Temple, Secunderabad. Free.

Peddamma Temple, Jubilee Hills. Free.

Ashtalaksmi temple, dilsukhnagar. Free.

Puri Jagannath Temple

Hyderabad has many historical mosques and churches.

Mecca Masjid.

Charminar Masjid.

Toli Masjid.

Jama Masjid Darushafa.

Badshai Masjid.

Jama Masjid Mushirabad.

St Joseph's Cathedral, Gun Foundry Area. Established in 1820, this is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hyderabad.

St. George's Church, Abid Road. St. George's Church is one of the oldest churches in the city of Hyderabad, India. It was built in the year 1844 AD. The church was originally an Anglican church but is now under the auspices of the Church of South India.

Lakes found in Hyderabad

Hussain Sagar Lake.
Hussain Sagar Lake (Tank Bund), Necklace Rd. 24 hrs. The artificial lake is a historical landmark, built during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah in 1562 by damming the Musi. This forms the boundary between Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Surrounding the lake are various parks, temples, statues and historical buildings. This is one of the few walkable places in the city. At the centre of the lake stands a famous statue of the Buddha installed in 1992. Boat rides to Budha Statue are available from Eat Street and Lumbini Park, and fares are low. Speedboats, however, do not stop at the Buddha statue.

Osman Sagar Gandipet

Himayat Sagar

Durgam Cheruvu (Secret Lake) - this is quite close to Hi-Tec City area and now hosts various parties and events. It used to be a real hidden gem in the busy city but it is still a nice lake to sit around.
Shamirpet 24 km away to the north of Secunderabad, Shamirpet has a beautiful lake and a deer park. The peaceful environs make it a great picnic spot. TS Tourism offers comfortable cottages facilities for accommodation under private management while the forest lodge can be booked with the TS Forest Department office at Saifabad.

Saroornagar - this lake is very famous as it has been lined by a solid strong wall on one side recently. A two lane undivided road is laid over this wall. The road is neat and exciting to drive. It has abundant lighting during nighttime and large pedestrian space provided. A problem is 'eutrophication' which is caused due to water hyacinth. A pleasant space for young couples to spend their evening. Smells sometimes, but that is the nature of any waterbody in a metropolis. Another important event that takes place is 'vinayakachaturthy', (a festival for Hindus in which Lord Vinayaka's statues are immersed (and thereby dissolved) in water). All roads lead to saroor nagar lake on the day of the Lord Ganesh's nimajjanam.

Parks

Public Gardens. Known as the Bagh-e-aam (Garden for the commoners), it has well laid out gardens and is surrounded by the imposing State Legislative Assembly building, the Jubilee Hall, the Jawahar Bal Bhavan, the Health Museum and the State Archaeological Museum. This was the old zoo and now is a beautiful place for both children and adults. Free.

Necklace Road. The Chaupati of Hyderabad.

Indira Park. A sprawling 76 acre park located near Tank Bund with a nice little pond and boating.

Sanjeeviah Park

Krishna Kanth Park

Lotus Pond (Jubilee Hills)

Botanical Garden (Madapur)

Nehru Zoological Park almost natural habitat for a great collection of animals.drive in + Safari

KBR National Park (Chiraan Palace)

Chilkur Wildlife Park

Jalavihar Family Water Park (Necklace Rd)

Mahaveer Vanasthali Wildlife park

Lumbini Park - It also offers nice Laser Shows in the evening which is first in India.

Chacha Nehru Park (Masab Tank) for pleasant morning walks with kids

Jalagam Vengal Rao Park (JVR Park, Banjara Hills)

NTR (Nandamoori Taraka Ramarao) Gardens (Necklace Rd)

The wild life parks, botanical garden and zoo have several educational programs including lectures with live snakes

The bad news is this has been almost occupied by some people and there is no surprise if you don't see this.

Recently, there has been a great rise in the number of complaints about harassment of innocent tourists in various destinations around the country. The Ministry of Tourism has adopted a strategy of introducing Audio Guide Devices at various places of interest around the country such as the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, etc. to provide reliable and factual information to tourists.

It is wise to hire such devices as you can avoid being ripped off or ambushed by desperate touts itching to make a buck. The Ministry of Tourism has also announced its partnership with AudioCompass, a company specializing in creating Audio Tours of all places of interest in the country including Hyderbad, Golconda Fort, etc in the form of Audio Devices available at the monuments and Smartphone apps that can be download from the App Store.

Heritage walk, Char Minar. 7AM-9AM every Sunday and 2nd Saturday. They are organized by the TS tourism department and led by a knowledgeable guide and Tourist Police. There are two flavors of walks so far, one that ends at Chowmohalla palace, and the other that ends at Badshahi Ashoorkhana.Bonus - breakfast served too! It's probably better to call up at beforehand and confirm which walk is on. Ticket price is Rs 50 per head and can be bought at char minar on the spot.

NTR Gardens, NTR Marg (West of Hussain Sagar lake). 2 PM-8:30PM. Built in memory of N T Rama Rao, ex-Chief Minister, this is an amusement park which houses some nice attractions like a mini-train, a haunted house, a boat ride, etc. There is a cafe where the seating is in the shape of vintage cars. You can either spend money on the rides or generally stroll around and gape at the fountains and the giant insects. For rides, the Rs 45 combo you can buy at the entrance is a good deal. Rs 15 for entry, rides extra.

Lumbini Park, NTR Marg (West of Hussain Sagar lake). 9 AM-9 PM. See water cascades, go on guided car rides. Go on a boat ride and see the Buddha statue at the centre of the lake. Rs 10, rides extra.

Hyderabad Adventure & Trekker’s club HAT’s. Hyderabad Adventure & Trekker’s club is an active and well organized Trekker’s group out of the Hyderabad area. It make an effort to be as inclusive as possible by offering Adventure Treks at all levels, from bouldering to trekking Exploring Wilderness.

Dhola ri Dhani, Kompally, Medchal Rd (11 km from Secunderabad at Kompally on Medchal Highway). Ethnic Rajasthani village. A unit of Gupta's Hotel & Motels and is recognized by Telangana Government as a Theme Restaurant and Tourist Attraction. In the evening, the whole village is lit up with 2,000 lanterns and a village fair is staged.

High View Swimming Pool, Maula Ali.

Runway 9. This park offers archery, air rifle (BB gun) target practice, and go-cart racing on a track with tight corners.

Treasure Island, Gandipet

Ramoji Film City holds the record for the world's largest film studio, though most of the shooting takes place outdoors. Many Telugu and Hindi films are produced here. Tourists can tour the studios and there are two hotels. It's a 1 hour drive east of the city.

GoGoa Acquarium is an exhibition of rare Sea water animals including Star Fish and Quran Angel and showcase of the Goan Marine/Aquatic life. Entry is Rs 100 for adults and Rs 50 for children. This place is on the Vijayawada Highway, 3 km from Ramoji Film City.

Ocean Park, Gandipet. A water-theme park

Snow World, Asia's largest Snow Theme Park. Entry ticket Rs 450, children Rs 250 if under 4 ft tall. Telephonic reservations

Diginet Digital Experience Zone, Gamecentre. WiFi hotspot, coffee shop, shopping.

Friends of Snakes Society, For reptile conservation work and field trips.

Great Hyderabad Adventure Club (GHAC), Inside A.K Enclave, Road No 3, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad (Lane Next to Meena Bazar). 9:30 am to 6:30 pm. Hyderabad's own non profit community based adventure club. Here you can meet local adventure professionals, amateurs and participate in many adventure activities like trekking, rock climbing, rappelling and adventure sports conducted in and around Hyderabad and rest of India.

Rent a bicycle and enjoy the ride (Hitech City Bike Station), Lumbini Avenue, Gachibowli, Hyderabad (Near Bio-diversity park). 5 AM to 10 AM, 5 PM to 8 PM, Closed on Mondays. Hi tech City Bike Station is a popular place on weekend mornings for renting a bicycle for up to 4 hours. The bicycles are decent enough for a 50km ride but not great. Most people take the service road of Outer Ring Road and ride the scenic Gandipet lake route.

For an insight into the contemporary cultural landscape of the city, do visit Lamakaan where various theater group perform in Telugu, English and Urdu/Hindi languages. This is also a good place to meet localities.

Hyderabad has a number of options for weekend getaways. Places like Hampi, Bidar and resorts around Hyderabad are in close proximity for weekend getaways but if you're willing to travel a little more you can explore options like Dandeli, Gokarna and Badami. There are several companies that connect all of these places with individual travelers and corporate travelers from Hyderabad.

LifeIsOutside is one of India's leading short break and weekend getaway portal with a pan India coverage. LifeIsOutside provides an end to end solution for corporate getaways and outings.

Golf courses

EmaarMGF Boulder Hills Golf and Country Club, Manikonda Village, Gachibowli Mr. Sanjay Pan.

Hyderabad Golf Club, Satham Cheruvu, Beside Nadeem Colony, Golconda.

ACS Golf Course 4, 214 KPHB Colony, Kukatpally.

Army Golf Course Club, Risala Bazar, Bolarum, Secunderabad.

Bolarum Golf Club, Risala Bazar, Bolarum.

Tennis courts

Park View Enclave Tennis Centre, Boinpally Secunderabad.

Ace Tennis Academy, Begumpet.

Buddhism

Bodhi Sampanna. The centre, whose name means 'an abode endowed with Bodhi', is a centre for the study and practice of Mahayana Buddhism following the lineage and example of Lord Buddha. Bodhi Sampanna was founded in 2009 and is a part of Dharma Megha Foundation The Centre offers courses in various Buddhist meditation techniques and teachings on different aspects of Buddhism. Teachings are offered free to the public and are conducted in English or in Tibetan with translation in English.

Jewellery

Jagdamba Pearls, Gupta Estate, Basheer Bagh. Jagdamba Pearls, is one of the oldest and the largest pearl companies in India.

C. Krishniah Chetty & Sons-The Flagship Boutique, Taj Deccan. -1PM, on Sun 11-8PM.

Lilac Boutique, Liberty Rd, Himayathnagar (near TTD, opposite Dadu Sweets). Designer and made to order & customised heavy suits, sarees and fancy blouses.

Pearls of Hyderabad, (Abids and Somajiguda Jewellery shops). Choose from 3 varieties, natural pearls, cultured, and imitation.

Mohal Jewells. On the Golden Mile Somajiguda for Pearls, Silver, Gold.

Ghanshyamdas Jewellers (opp Abids Police Station). Genuine pearls

Ornaments ∓ jewellery (Punjagutta, Abids and Somajiguda)

Imitation Jewellery. From Charminar.

The Golden Mile of Hyderabad for shopping, consisting of shopping plazas, Malls, Designer Boutiques and upmarket shops - Starting from Lifestyle near the Begumpet Flyover and extending all the way till Road No.1 Banjara Hills.

Ladida-lingerie store (lingerie, ladies wear, nightwear), #2,R,K.Plaza, Opp.Joyalukkas Jewelers, Greenlands Rd, Panjagutta. 11AM-9PM. Exclusive lingerie store where you can for shop lingerie and lounge wear. Rs 300-2,500.

Handicrafts

Lepakshi,(Gunfoundry, Abids).

KalanjaliMargadarsi House, 5-10-195, Fathemaidan Raod, Opp: Ploice Control Room, Nampally, Hyderabad.

Bidri Crafts, (Gunfoundry, Abids).

Vishwakarmarts gallery. Esteemhouse opposite to model house in Punjagutta Dwarakarapuri colony

Shilparamam. Also Known As Night Bazaaz, Madhapur. Exhibitions of handicrafts.

United Designers, Banjara Hills Rd#4. Designs by a new wave of young Hyderabadi fashion designers, they also have natural hand-made soaps for body and hair. Mon- Sat 10:30AM-8PM.

India Post, a govt-owned enterprise, has its headquarters at Abids known as GPO. And its second biggest centre is located in Secunderabad.

The dialing code for Hyderabad is 040. When calling from overseas, dial +91 40 XXXX XXXX. If you have a non-working phone number with only 7 digits try to add "2" in front of it. There are public booths scattered around the city.

One can get a mobile with a calling rate of 1 paise/second for a local/national call. It is very easy to get a Prepaid mobile, which is very cheap to get and for calls. One needs to give a Photo ID proof and a photograph for prepaid as well as postpaid connection as per the Govt. regulations.

- Cell One - GSM 900, 1800

- Airtel - GSM 900, 1800

- Vodafone - GSM 900, 1800

- Idea - GSM 900, 1800

- Reliance Com - CDMA, GSM 900,1800

- Tata Indicom - CDMA.

- Aircel - GSM 900, 1800

- Uninor - GSM 900, 1800

- Tata Docomo - GSM 900, 1800

- Virgin Mobile - CDMA, GSM 900, 1800

- MTS - CDMA

Internet cafes are spread around town and most easily found in the city and residential areas. Charges vary between Rs 5-15/hr. Reliance WebWorld provides Broadband internet centres. Indian Railways is offering free WiFi to passengers for a half an hour duration at Secunderabad Railway Station per day. 17 WiFi locations have been set up between the Cyber Towers - Madhapur Police Station area, the Cyber Towers - Kothaguda junction area, and the Cyber Towers – Raheja Mindspace Circle areas. After selecting the public Wi-Fi network, a one time password (OTP) password will be sent to the mobile user, who can enjoy internet services of up to 750 mega bytes (MB) per day.

For a longer stays with a laptop, it's better to get a Data plan either from Tata Indicom or Reliance Mobile, which are around Rs 1,000 a month or if you have WLAN (Wireless lan or WiFi) enabled laptops. There are many wireless public WiFi networks available in Hyderabad for free access to high-speed internet.

Hyderabad has remained safe from terrorism of late, although an explosion suspected to be by the Indian Mujahideen happened in 2013, killing 17 and injuring over a hundred people. In 2007 and 2008, Hyderabad has been victim to multiple terrorist outrages in the form of bombings. These blasts have taken place at Mecca Masjid, Lumbini park and at Koti, places often frequented by travellers.

Though the chance that you will be in danger is quite low, you should obviously make your own risk assessment. Rather than physical danger, it is more likely that the intrusive security will dampen your enjoyment of your Hyderabad vacation. Every shopping mall, cinema theatre and palace has metal detectors and security guards patting you down.

The old city area was historically known as a communally sensitive zone and a venue for religious riots between Hindus and Muslims. It was common for the police to impose a curfew in that area while the rest of the city went about life without any problems. Old city continues to be at the heart of Hyderabad's crime wave and though many tourist attractions including Charminar are in this area, it is best to avoid late night visits, especially for single females or foreigners traveling alone.

While there were fears of law and order issues before the formation of the Telangana State, such fears have been put to rest by the exemplary police forces here, who are both well equipped and citizen friendly, even taking complaints via Whatsapp, mobile app, and Facebook, and keeping complainants updated on the status of their complaints via the same media. Hyderabad also has an extensive network of CCTV cameras whose feed is used very frequently to swiftly solve crimes.

Outside of these, Hyderabad is a rather safe metropolis. Muggings and violent crime are uncommon, most crimes involve thefts. Avoid staying out late at night, especially if you are a single woman.

The usual tourist-oriented scams in India are not as bad in Hyderabad as they are in other places. However, foreigners will be hounded for money at tourist sites like the old city. Just ignore the beggars and they will go away.

Recently chain snatching incidents where miscreants on motorcycles zoom past unsuspecting women wearing Gold jewellery and snatch the chain away, have become common in the city. One has to be watchful while going into crowded areas.

Should tourists run into any kind of problem they should immediately contact police at "100" or the emergency services at "108". The police personnel are extremely helpful and for foreign tourists it is even better. Traffic police can be found nearly at all major junctions and can be more effective than "108".

- Toll Free Number for Medical, Police and Fire 108

- Police Control Room 100 (The response is very swift.)

- Child Line Facility 1098

Many hotels will change money for you at the front desk. However, they may not offer the best rates.

It is best to change money at the city-based money changers than the ones located at the airports. You'll find many money-changing operations located in Saifabad, some with door-step service. It's also possible to call them and agree on a rate before the transaction.

Eenadu is the most popular local language (Telugu) newspaper and as is Andhra Jyothy. The Deccan Chronicle is Hyderabad's oldest newspaper, and indispensable if you need to look up classifieds for, say, renting a house. The Times of India with its new office in Hyderabad has good local content and is increasingly widely read. For events, business listings and movie listings, fullhyderabad.com is popular. Siasat and Munsif are the main Urdu newspapers for the urdu speaking population.

- Eenadu

- Namaste Telangana

- Andhra Jyothy

- Sakshi

- Vaarttha

- Deccan Chronicle

- The Times of India

- Indian Express

- Full Hyderabad

- The Hindu

- Siasat

- Munsif

- Hello Hyderabad

- cvr news

One of Hyderabad's earliest newspapers, The Deccan Times, was established in the 1780s.In modern times, the major Telugu dailies published in Hyderabad are Eenadu, Andhra Jyothy, Sakshi and Namaste Telangana, while the major English papers are The Times of India, The Hindu, and The Deccan Chronicle. The major Urdu papers include The Siasat Daily, The Munsif Daily and Etemaad. Many coffee table magazines, professional magazines and research journals are also regularly published.

The Secunderabad Cantonment Board established the first radio station in Hyderabad State around 1919. Deccan Radio was the first radio public broadcast station in the city starting on 3 February 1935,with FM broadcasting beginning in 2000.The available channels in Hyderabad include All India Radio, Radio Mirchi, Radio City, Red FM, Big FM and Fever FM.

Television broadcasting in Hyderabad began in 1974 with the launch of Doordarshan, the Government of India's public service broadcaster,which transmits two free-to-air terrestrial television channels and one satellite channel. Private satellite channels started in July 1992 with the launch of Star TV.Satellite TV channels are accessible via cable subscription, direct-broadcast satellite services or internet-based television.