The capital of f Andhra Pradesh 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. The gives insights on the booming high-tech city in India that is well-known for its rich historical and cultural architecture, museums and sparkling pearls. Once the largest princely state in India, Hyderabad had its own flag, currency, railway, and postal system before it was included into the Indian nation. Home to the Nizams, reportedly, the world's richest royals, Hyderabad is also home to famous folk arts like shadow puppetry and kuchipudi. Geography and Climate Situated in the north-western part of Andhra Pradesh 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. 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. Hyderabad features a tropical wet and dry climate bordering on a hot semi-arid climate with the annual mean temperature of 26 °C (78.8 °F); monthly mean temperatures are 21–32 °C (70–90 °F). Summers (March–June) are hot and humid, with average highs in the mid 30s Celsius;[46] maximum temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) between April and June. Winter lasts for only about 2 1⁄2 months, during which the lowest temperature occasionally dips to 10 °C (50 °F) in December and January. May is the hottest month, when daily temperatures range from 26 to 38.8 °C (102 °F) (79–102 °F); January, the coldest, has temperatures varying from 14.7 to 28.6 °C (83 °F) (58–83 °F). Temperatures in the evenings and mornings are generally cooler because of the city's moderate elevation. Demographics According to 2011 cencus, Hyderabad has a population of 3,943,323 of which male and female are 2,018,575 and 1,924,748, respectively. Total literates in Hyderabad city are 5,047,705 of which 2,688,111 are males while 2,359,594 are females with an average literacy rate of 82.96% of which male and female literacy was 85.96% and 79.79%, respectively. Mostly refered as "Hyderabadi", residents of Hyderabad are predominantly Telugu and Urdu speaking people, with a minority Tamil, Marathi, Kannada (including Nawayathi), Marwari, Bengali, Malayali, Oriya, Gujarati, Punjabi and Uttar Pradeshi communities. Among the communities of foreigners, Yemeni Arabs form the majority, although African Arabs, Armenians, Abyssinians, Iranians, Pathans and Turkish people are also present. The foreign population declined after Hyderabad State became part of the Indian Union, as it lost the benefaction of the Nizams. History of Hyderabad In 1463 Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk established the fortress of Golconda about 8 km to the west of Hyderabad’s present day old city. However, the history of the city begins with the establishment of the Qutub Shahi dynasty. The city was founded in the year 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, the fifth sultan of Qutb Shahi dynasty and has a historical tradition spanning over 400 years. The Qutb Shahi dynasty lasted till 1687, when the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb defeated the sultanate and took over Hyderabad. He appointed his governor as ruler of the region and granted him the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk. However, Mughal rule was short-lived and in 1724, the Nizam Asaf Jah I gained independence from a declining Mughal empire. In 1798, a subsidiary alliance for military and political cooperation was signed between the Nizam and the British East India Company. Thereafter, an area north of what is now the Hussain Sagar Lake was established as a cantonment. The area was named Secunderabad after the then Nizam, Sikander Jah. Both Hyderabad and Secunderabad grew together and have now merged. An imaginary line drawn across the Tank Bund is still used to distinguish the two cities. When India finally gained its independence in 1947, the Nizam at that time made known his intention to become independent, either by gaining dominion status by the British Empire or as a sovereign ruler. The Nizam signed a Standstill Agreement with the Indian Union which, by this time, had surrounded him on all sides. Breakdown in law and order soon followed, with fights between the supporters of the Nizam and the supporters of Congress. As the violence spiraled out of control, the newly established Indian government initiated a police action called Operation Polo. On September 16, 1948, the Indian army moved in to the state of Hyderabad in five fronts. Five days later, the Nizam’s army surrendered, and the Nizam signed the Instrument of Accession, integrating Hyderabad into the Indian Union as a state. Culture of Hyderabad The culture of Hyderabad is not just a blend of different cultures, Hyderabad boasts of a rich cultural heritage too. It emerged as the foremost centre of culture in India with the decline of the Mughal Empire in Delhi in 1857 AD. 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 setting. 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. Dances such as the Kuchipudi and Kathakali 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. n the past, Hyderabad had received royal patronage for arts, literature and architecture from Qutb Shahi rulers and Nizams attracting artists and men of letters from different parts of the world. The resulting multi-ethnic settlements popularised cultural events such as mushairas. Hyderabadi cuisine comprises a broad repertoire of rice, wheat and meat dishes and the skilled use of various spices and is popular all over the globe. Hyderabadi biryani and Hyderabadi haleem, with their blend of Mughlai and Arab cuisines, have become iconic dishes of India. Hyderabadi cuisine is highly influenced by Mughlai and to some extent by French, Arabic, Turkish, Iranian and native Telugu and Marathwada cuisines. Other popular native dishes include nihari, chakna, baghara baingan and the desserts qubani ka meetha, double ka meetha and kaddu ki kheer. Tourist Destinations in Hyderabad Hyderabad, the city of Charminar has been in the centre of affairs for around 400 years, Hyderabad has many interesting places that attract tourists from all over the world. Some of the prominent attractions are: Golconda Fort Charminar Qutub Shahi Tombs Yadagirigutta Temple Ramoji Film City Paigah Tombs HITEC City Dhola Ri Dhani Shilparamam Birla Planetarium Mir Alam Tank Laad Bazaar Nagarjuna Sagar Dam Osmania University Raymond Tomb Hussain Sagar Lake Chilkur Balaji Temple Transportation Air The Hyderabad Airport is situated at a distance of 8km from the city centre and has air flights to major international destinations especially the Middle East countries. It is also well connected to various parts of India by regular domestic flights. Railways Hyderabad has three main junctions: Kacheguda, Hyderabad (Nampaly) and Secundarabad, and each of these junctions have trains that connect the city to all parts of the country. All the three railway stations have express train services to all the major Indian destinations like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Bangalore and Thiruananthapuram. Road The state roadways and privately owned bus services links the city with all the important towns and cities within the state and to the neighbours around. There are services to even Mumbai, Kolkata and Nagpur. Auto rickshaws, cabs and taxis can be hired for a tour around the city.
