Hyderabad is the capital of the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Attached to the city is its twin town, Secunderabad, separated from it by Hussain Sagar, an artificial lake constructed in 1562. It was ruled by the Kakatiyas, Qutb Shahis and the Nizams which shaped up its history. The city is noted for its monuments which includes the masterpiece of Charminar and the fort of Golconda. There are multitude of temples, churches, masjids, and bazaars in the city.
Hyderabad is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in India with people from all faiths living in it. It has plenty of (Hindu) temples, gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship), Jain temples (Jains are members of one of the oldest religions in India), churches for various denominations of Christians, temples for the Zoroastrians (or Parsis, followers of the prophet Zoroaster; a religion originated in modern Iran). It also has a large Buddhist Vihara.As in all places in India, there is plenty of food to choose in Hyderabad. Hyderabad has developed into one of the major hubs for the IT industry, various bio technology, pharmaceutical companies etc.
In the old part of the city you will find many bazaars that will keep you busy for many hours. The place is known for its pearls and other jewelry, but you can also get good silk, saris (the typical cloth worn by women in India, consisting of a single strip of unstitched cloth of four to nine meters in length, worn with a blouse or choli as upper garment), and other fancy garments. As is common in most of India, you will find good cotton clothes as well. Hyderabad is particularly famous for its pearl craftsmen.
As in all places in India, there is plenty of food to choose from in Hyderabad: samosas (fried patties filled with vegetables or meat), biryani (rice with lamb or chicken), kebabs (minced meat cooked on an open fire) and sweets. Continental food is also widely available in Hyderaba
The 20th International Forging Congress organizing committee wishes you a happy stay in this welcoming Indian city, a fascinating combination of the old and the new.
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Shopping
The historic city of Hyderabad is a shopper's delight! From the world famous pearls to traditional arts & crafts, from textiles of all modern brand names to ethnic wear, the city offers an astounding variety of shopping. And what's more unlike many other cities, shopping is not confines to a particular area in Hyderabad. If you want to take home the delights of Hyderabad, take a stroll in many markets in the evening. The city is bound to charm you with its warm touch and hearty glitter.
The main shopping areas include Basheerbagh, Abids and Nampally. You can find everything in the biggest showrooms form jewellary, textiles, handicrafts to footwear, ready-mades and general goods in the markets. Other favored places are Begum Bazaar (brassware), Laad Bazaar (diamonds, pearls and precious metals) and Mahatma Gandhi Rd. The other areas in the City, which are turning into hubs for shoppers, include Ameerpet, Himayatnagar, Begumpet, Somajiguda and Punjagutta. The City also offers mega malls, these malls bring everything under one roof from shopping to entertainment and food, giving the shoppers a unique experience.
Pearls Jewellery
Over 400 years old, Hyderabad is the hub of India’s most famous pearls. The most famous concentration of pearl market is clustered in and around Charminar area. Cultured pearls studded in gold and silver jewellery of exquisite design are a specialty of Hyderabadi jewellery. Pearls comes in many shapes and of particular interest is the ‘rice-pearl’ – a tiny variety, available in great depth in Char Kaman, Gulzar Houz and General Bazaar. People from across the world flock to these areas to purchase ornaments with rice pearls. Another famous pearl is the precious "Basra"- a pearl unmatched in luster, color and price that is available in selected stores. Then there is an entire street consisting of pearl shops named - Patther Gatti. Jewellers in this famous pearl market have combined pearls with the shimmer of gold, the rich rubies and the exquisite emeralds for centuries.
The natural grace and beauty of women is a treasure to behold.
Handloom & Sarees
Hyderabad has innumerable showrooms that showcase the most distinctive heritages of the city - Handlooms. Dharmavaram silk saris, with their broad borders & woven brocaded gold patterns. Narayanpet saris blend the native tradition with the art of the classical weavers of Varanasi, Venkatagiri saris, with graceful strains of gold. Pochampally saris, woven using the exclusive lkat technique, Gorgeous Gadwal that typifies Andhra traditional style.
Handicrafts and toys are among the most sought-after pieces for the shopper in Hyderabad. There is the Bidriware or inlaying of sliver on black metalware that makes lovely decorative pieces. The art is a Persian one that became popular in Hyderabad.
Another art that was also influenced by Persian culture was 'Kalamkari' where a quill is used to paint on fabric. There are two types of Kalamkari in Andhra Pradesh. One is the decorative and wall-hanging pieces of Srikalahasti in Chittoor district while the other is block printing on fabrics for dress material and furnishing at Machilipatnam.
Paintings from Cheriyaland brass metalware from Pembarti, both in Warangal district, are the legacy of the benign Kakatiya rulers. The paintings in Cheriyal are done on scrolls to depict scenes from mythology while the sheet metalware isfordecorativepieces.
Shilparamam: An ethnic art and craft village. Try some of the spectacular objects of art, crafts, beautiful and decorative knick-knacks of all kinds, traditional handloom textiles, carpets, durries and bed linen madehere.
Kondapalli toys: Colourful representations of mythological figures from Hindu epics, birds, animals and occupations of daily life, these toys have a distinct and unique style, making it one of the most popular souvenirs for tourists.
Bidriware: Bidri, an ancient art, has been aptly made to suit contemporary taste such as cufflinks, vases, ashtrays, ornaments, knick-knacks, nameplates and more. Famed for the stunning contrasts provided by the shining silver and brass inlay work, the unique charm of Bidriware cannot be claimed by any other metalware.
Nirmal Art: Working with plain embossed designs, Nirmal paintings and exquisite in style and theme with softwood as the prime media with indigenous colours.
Brass ware: You can get marvelous brassware, from the famous master craftmen of Pembarty. Painstakingly created, these breathtakingly beautiful statuettes, figurines, and decorative panels make wonderful gifts.
Gnapika Souvenir Shop: AP Tourism has created an additional facility for visiting tourists by opening souvenir and handicraft shops. Christened 'Gnapika', they will showcase handicrafts and handlooms of Andhra Pradesh. To begin with, they have been opened at Ravindra Bharati and Mahtaab Restaurant in Hyderabad, Haritha Hotel at Visakhapatnam, Haritha Beach Resort at Rishikonda, Haritha Hotel at Araku and Haritha Hotel at Srisailam.
Hyderabad is the one answer to the large number of wishes of discerning travelers, out to enjoy themselves in a grandeur meant for 'Nawabs'(Kings).
Direct International Flights to Hyderabad
| The newly constructed Rajiv Gandhi International airport at Shamshabad, Hyderabad is served by following international airlines - |
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| Air India (Official Airline) Air Arabia British Airways Emirates Lufthansa Malaysia Airlines Oman Air Qatar Airways Singapore Airlines Thai Airways More airlines are expected to start their services to Hyderabad in near future. Please watch this space for updates or contact CIM or your travel agent for updated information. |
Hyderabad Via Indian Metro Cities
The airports at the major metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai are well-connected with international destinations and offer convenient onward connections to Hyderabad. Bangalore also has international flights and is well connected with Hyderabad.
12 Indian cities have international airports that are served by major airlines of the world.
1. Ahmedabad (AMD)
2. Amritsar (ATQ)
3. Bangaluru (BLR)
4. Chennai (MAA)
5. Delhi (DEL)
6. Goa (GOI)
7. Guwahati (GAU)
8. Hyderabad (HYD)
9. Kolkata (CCU)
10. Kochi (COK)
11. Mumbai (BOM)
12. Trivandrum (TRV)
(The names in brackets are the three-digit IATA codes of the cities).
For those who are planning to take pre or post congress tours to other parts of India, it may make more sense to use Delhi or Mumbai as gateway cities. Please contact your travel agent or the official Destination Management Company - ICE to help you with planning your travel.
At both terminals (domestic & international) of the Hyderabad airport you will be received by welcome staff, and escorted to the transfer vehicles to go to the Conference hotels, provided we receive advance information of your arrival details. Special facilitation counters at airports at Delhi & Mumbai will also be put up to help delegates entering India via these two major gateway cities.
The international airports in the metro cities extend services ensuring that the traveler on business can continue working even during his wait for boarding an international connection, or when transferring between international flights. These facilities include restaurants, business centers, rest rooms and telephone booths. Business centers are furnished with state-of-the-art equipment including word-processors and telefax. Airports also offer tourist duty-free & handicrafts shopping, snack bars, nursery and baby care rooms and an art gallery too for art lovers. Duty-free prices in the airport shops are very competitive, giving one good bargain on international merchandise
Read more about Hyderabad from Wikipedia ››
List of tourist attractions in Hyderabad ››
Google Maps ››
