By Bader al Kiyumi –

Travelling is very worrisome to me. Before I set out for any trip I do maximum research and make plans well in advance. I make notes, search Google for every place of my destination, including restaurants, hotels, which have discounts, parks and other centres of attraction.
It is only once in a while it happens that I take an unprepared trip. It was one trip like this when I took off to Hyderabad, India last summer.

Hyderabad is the capital of the southern Indian state of Andrah Pradesh and the fifth largest city in India which boasts of ancient civilization and culture.

The city has an ancient past and a unique culture; it is known for its natural beauty, mosques and minarets, bazaars and bridges, hills, lakes and monuments. What more can you expect from Hyderabad which is perched on the top of plateau 1,776 feet, above sea level, and spreads over an area of 100 square miles?

Hyderabad, a city nearly 400 years old, was founded on the Moosi River five miles east of Golconda, in 1591-92 by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah.
Ever since, multitude of influences has shaped the character of the city. Hyderabad is truly a city of enchantment as many building have more than 50 floors, ancient style of houses and mosques, beautiful gardens with multi-colour flowers and streets have architectural value of their own. The regime of Hyderabad is known to be home to some of the wealthiest royals of the past. The elegant buildings, temples and monuments speak volumes about the regimes which once reigned there.
There are several places to see in Hyderabad one of them is Charminar. Built by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the Charimar is beautiful even post 418 odd years. The four minarets with its delicate small arches (typical Mughal style architecture), looks very picturesque, and no wonder is the most identifiable structure of Hyderabad.
One unique aspect of the Charminar (out of the many), which caught my attention, was the lotus design on the ceiling. One can view it better, when one is on the first storey.
A visit to Hyderabad can never be complete, without having visited the Salar Jung Museum. Situated next to the Moosi River, Salar Jung is one of the largest museums in the country.

The city is land of unity of diversity, the religions, languages, lifestyles, cultures, habits and geography different but still they live together. I came from Hyderabad with this image of men in black suits, cigarettes dangling from the corner of their mouth.

When I opened my room window, I saw women and children playing cricket between houses and on corridors.
On the streets, there are big crowds on bicycles, and people walking without a pin drop of space.
Although, there is a speed limit clamped on cars, people are seen driving at their own whims and will. Overtaking without proper signals and driving on incorrect tracks are common.
On the pedestrian paths, vendors were seen selling grilled fish, kabab and mushkak. Fish biriyani is one of the famous foods in Hyderabad. Early morning, I like to go to stand on a queue to buy a cup of fresh milk, which was tasty. Because I was foreigner most of the people there give respect to me and give me a chance to buy first.
For many of my friends, Hyderabad is synonym for biriyani, pearls, nizams, palaces and forts. Not necessarily in the order mentioned of course! If you are thinking you will require an extended period of time to savour all things Hyderabad, well I can personally assure you that we were able to appreciate quite a bit of the city even on our 3 day visit.
I was not expecting the landscapes that I saw, that drop the jaw. There were exotic flowers on the streets and other feasts for the eyes. Scenic beauty and deep blue lakes will linger on in my memory.
The pearl city has a beautiful coastline. It is distinguished by a refreshing sea breeze and it is frequented by people during early morning hours or evening. It is considered ideal for sunbathing and all forms of beach entertainment.

source: http://www.main.omanobserver.om / Oman Daily Observer / by Bader al Kiyani / Wednesday – October 31st, 2013