Tourist Attractions in Secunderabad

Tourist Attractions in Secunderabad
Secunderabad, like its twin city Hyderabad has a number of tourist attractions. The city is small yet has tourist places that are worth visiting. Secunderabad was named after Sikander Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. Secunderabad had its own municipality and city government, until lately when it was merged with Hyderabad. In common vernacular however, Secunderabad is seldom used these days outside the twin cities. Hyderabad is normally used. Secunderabad has interesting places to see. Some popular tourist attractions are given below:

Rashtrapati Nilayam
Rashtrapati Nilayam is considered the equivalent of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. This serves as the office of the President during his yearly stopover in South India. The building virtually transforms into a grand office when the President of India comes here every year.

Trimulgherry Fort
You can also see the Trimulgherry Fort, situated in the cantonment area. The fort was built in 1867. A deep trench surrounds it, which is about 3 miles in length. The fort once comprised of barracks, arsenals, stables, mews, mess houses, and military offices. It has now been transformed to a Military Hospital.

Trinity Church
Among the other noteworthy places a visit to the tranquil Trinity Church is must, which was once famous among the British regiments. The local church community now looks after the maintenance of the church.

Victorian Prison
There is a gloomy Military Prison from Victorian times, thankfully no longer used as a confinement quarters. The prison looks eerily grim and used to be no less than a nightmare for the prisoners.

Sangeet Cinema
The contemporary face of Secunderabad is reflected by Pizza Corner on S.P.Road, Anand and Sangeet cinemas, Elahe's boutique, Minerva Shopping Complex, Foodworld on Prenderghast Road, Sangeet Sagar, the music shop, and the office of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The city is also flanked by multiplexes that are popular hangout joints among the current generation.

Shopping in Secunderabad

Shopping in Secunderabad
Your travel to Secunderabad is not complete till you check out the few but nice shopping places in Secunderabad. You can definitely pick up some fancy item as a souvenir for yourself in Secunderabad shopping. After reading through, you will get a fair idea about what to buy in Secunderabad. Keep atleast an evening free for indulging in shopping in Secunderabad.

The most popular and important center for business and shopping is the Sardar Patel Road, which runs past the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. This is the shopping hub for all of you who are smitten by the exquisite Hyderabadi Pearls. Another important place is the Sarojini Devi Road. It runs through crowded business areas, cinemas halls, hotels, and the office of Deccan Chronicle, the most widely read English newspaper in Andhra Pradesh and the southern region. The Mahatma Gandhi Road in Secunderabad is another important business place. Here you can buy exquisite handicrafts, clothes, knick-knacks, pottery, jewellery etc.

Apart from these, one can go book hunting at Gangaram's, Taj Mahal Hotel for coffee and South Indian snacks, Bulchand's for fabrics and upholstery, and other little shops on the roadside that sell good stuff. A famous shop for buying hand-printed cotton saris is Shafali. It is pretty well-known among locals and most women buy their stuff from the amazing variety they have to offer. The boutique offers top quality stuff.

Eating Out in Secunderabad

Eating Out in Secunderabad
Any journey is incomplete if you haven't tasted the local food while traveling. Eating out in Secunderabad is sure to be a pleasant experience. We give you information on what to eat while in Secunderabad and the frequently visited restaurants. More than eating in a plush restaurant, you must try out the dishes that Secunderabad has to offer in those small roadside stalls. Read on to know more about the delicious food you can have while enjoying your travel around.

The adventurous kinds can drive to the dhabas of Bowenpally. Eating out at the dhabas is highly recommended as it is not only tasty and freshly prepared, but is also easy on the pocket. The dhabas are roadside joints that offer absolutely yummy food, which is heavenly. Some of these dhabas have seating arrangements outside, under the cool blue sky, so you can enjoy the fresh air as well as your fresh food. You will not get to see those mechanical waiters with a smile that seems more like a reflex action. Sit comfortably amid simplicity at its best and be ready to see some genuinely nice people serving you and making sure that you are enjoying yourself.

After a hearty meal, get set to enjoy and savor piping hot snacks and "chaat" items served at Emerald Chat Bhandar, on the corner of the Park Lane crossroad. To savor eating the spicy chaat items, you stand surrounding the cart off which it is sold out. The chaat items are usually eaten as snacks followed by hot tea or coffee to wash it down. It is said that if you have tea or coffee after a snack item, it sobers down the process of any damage done your digestion.

Secunderabad also has modern hotels and restaurants that are definitely worth a visit. Two commendable watering holes are 'The Outswinger' at Hotel Basera and 'Spanish Fly' at Hotel Asrani, where you get a variety of drinks, cocktails and mocktails to suit your tastes. Alcohol is served in licensed bars attached to popular hotels.

Location of Hyderabad

Location of Hyderabad
The city of Hyderabad in India is located on the Deccan Plateau in the southern part of India. Hyderabad is the capital of Andhra Pradesh, which is the largest state in the south of India. The geographical location of Hyderabad is 17.20 N Latitude and 78.30 E Longitude. It is situated at an altitude of 536 meters above sea level. Located on the East coast of India, the state of Andhra Pradesh stretches along the coast of Bay of Bengal.

The tour to South India usually begins from this part and proceeds further down south. Hyderabad and Secunderabad are called as 'Twin cities' as they are closely linked with each other. A man made lake, known as the Hussain Sagar Lake, separates the two cities. The city is a developed one though it maintains its traditional essence. The Hyderabad city has a population of almost 4 million.

Festivals in Hyderabad

Festivals in Hyderabad
Hyderabad has a rich tradition and culture. All major festivals are celebrated with much gusto in the city. Some festivals are celebrated all over India while others are specific to only Hyderabad. The festivals are celebrated with much splendor and joy by one and all irrespective of their caste and religion. Some of the famous festivals of the Hyderabad city are given below:

Deccan Festival
Deccan Festival is celebrated in Hyderabad on 25th February every year. This festival lasts five days. It reflects the culture of the Deccan and highlights Hyderabad's culture, arts and crafts, and the famous lip smacking Nawabi cuisine. Many cultural programs are organized which include Ghazals, Qawalis, Poetry etc. typical of the Hyderabad city. It is a must see for every tourist visiting Hyderabad in the month of February. This exclusive festival is conducted by the Department of Tourism. This festival also includes Pearls and Bangles fair, exhibiting gorgeous creations of the famous radiant pearls and multi-hued bangles that are local specialties. There is also a Food Fair that offers delicious items exclusive of both Andhra and Hyderabadi cuisine.

Lumbini Festival
This festival is celebrated to honor the Buddhist Heritage of Andhra Pradesh. The festival is celebrated in Nagarjuna Sagar and Hyderabad for three days from 2nd Friday of December every year. The festival provides an insight into the rich Buddhist heritage and takes you back in time almost 2000 years back, to a different world all together.

Makara Sankranti
This harvest festival is celebrated for 3 days in mid January. The first day is Bhogi that is celebrated with utmost gaiety. The second day is Sankranti and it is believed that the Sun enters the Makara Rasi (the zodiac sign of Capricorn). Conventionally, this is considered to be an auspicious day. Many families arrange a doll show and invite their friends and give alms to the poor. The third day is Kanuma. The community being agrarian in majority acknowledges their gratitude to the animals that help them in their work. They decorate their bulls and conduct fun games like cockfights, bullfights and ram fights.

Moharrum
Moharrum is celebrated with much fervor and joy in Hyderabad, as the state has a significant Muslim population. Moharrum is observed by the Shia community of Muslims in honor of the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Hussain, who was killed in a battle in 680 AD. The prophet's son-in-law Ali and Ali's elder son Hassan are also remembered during this period as they had suffered and died for honorable causes. Moharrum, or the sacred month, marks the beginning of the Muslim New Year. Muslims also celebrate Milad-un-Nabi in which numerous people assemble in the holy Mecca Masjid and at Dar-us-Salaam.

Ugadi
This native New Year comes soon after the celebration of 'Holi' in March - April. Spring is considered as the first season of this native New Year of Andhra. Ugadi is a festival celebrated throughout Andhra Pradesh state. The festival marks the New Year for Andhra Pradesh and is celebrated with much splendor and gaiety in Hyderabad.

Vinayak Chaturthi
The day when Lord Ganesha or Vinayak was born is celebrated as Vinayak Chaturthi. The festival is celebrated with pious devotion and passion throughout the country. Every year the largest Ganesha idol is set up at Khairatabad in Hyderabad. The idol sometimes reaches to a height of thirty feet. On the 11th day of celebration, processions from all through the state congregate at Hussain Sager Lake. The ten-day Ganesha festival winds up with the submerging of Ganesha idols in the lake.

Diwali
The 'festival of lights' known as Diwali or Deepawali is celebrated all through the country with much passion and zest. The festival is celebrated to mark the returning of Lord Rama of the Hindu mythology to his city after a 14 year-long exile. People in Hyderabad worship the lord along with the Goddess of wealth Lakshmi. The most enthusiastic are the children who wait for the festival to explode crackers and decorate their houses with colorful festoons and streamers.

Culture of Hyderabad

Culture of Hyderabad
The culture of Hyderabad is a diverse one. Not only does it have an amalgamation of different cultures, Hyderabad boasts of a rich cultural heritage too. Being ruled by the Asaf Jahi dynasty, it came to be known as the "city of Nizams". As this dynasty crumpled, the Mughals took over and brought about sea change in the cultural outlook of the people. Today Hyderabad flourishes in its rich cultural history.

The contemporary world sees this city as a blend of unique cultures with a touch of modern lifestyle. In general, Hyderabadi people are regarded as very friendly and hospitable. As a matter of fact, generosity is the other name of the Hyderabadis. They take immense pleasure and pride in conversing in their local, characteristic and vibrant Hyderabadi language, which is a mix of Urdu, Hindi, and Telugu. The Hyderabadi Urdu is more like city's vernacular of Hindi language. It thrives in a world of its own.

Like the Mumbai 'tapori' language, Hyderabadi lingo too has its own dissimilar resonance and flavor. It is more assorted as it has its own dialects in different parts of the city. If the actual Hyderabadi has a manifestation of Urdu language and is archetypal to the old city, the new city has a fair mix of English and Telugu to it. In Secunderabad Cantonment region, there is a typical Tamil touch to it, due to the proximity of Tamil Nadu to it.

You will find a very surprising element in these people. They wear the latest branded stuff, flaunt attitude and drink gallons of beer in the most happening bar. But when it comes to culture, no one can beat them nor question their traditional beliefs. You will find the most pretty women wearing shorts and tank-tops one day and at a temple in a nice traditional saree the other day! So be prepared to contact the blend of tradition and modernity in the unique city of Hyderabad.

Information on Hyderabad City

Information on Hyderabad City
Before traveling to Hyderabad city it is better to get an over all picture of the city so that you can enjoy the tour of the city to its full. These details of Hyderabad will help you in understanding the sights and places, which you will visit as soon as you step in the city. You can relate your recent past learning with the variegated glances that you view all around the city of Hyderabad.

In our related sections you will get information on the location of Hyderabad city, which may not seem to be important to some people but some may find it interesting when they travel to the city practically. The information on climate is of course necessary so that you can experience a pleasant journey. A brief reading of the history of Hyderabad is necessary so that you get a clear picture of the political turmoil of Hyderabad city.

To know the socio-cultural and religious facts of Hyderabad read the chapter on festivals of Hyderabad. The Hyderabadis celebrate some typical festivals besides the general Indian ones. Another interesting part of this section is the delicious cuisines and the extended shopping which anyone visiting to Hyderabad even for one day in sure to do. These delicious traditional cuisines described here should be enjoyed on the conventional 'nawabi' 'Dastarkhan'.

And while picking up those endless unique Hyderabadi or in a whole Andhra Pradesh items be careful that you don't miss out the equally interesting sightseeing schedule of Hyderabad city.