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The Palace of Purani Haveli

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Purani Haveli, or the Old Quarters, may perhaps be the more modest of Hyderabad’s many palaces.  Certainly, when compared to the imposing sprawl of Golconda Fort or the extravagant grandeur of the Chowmahalla Palace Complex, it is easy to see why there are fewer mentions made of it in the more mainstream tours in the city.  That having been said, this is still a place that many tourists should consider seeing, especially as it still hosted quite a few of the city’s historic figures and events, besides remaining one of its most beautiful old structures.

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The Palace of Purani Haveli

The structure was actually built to be the abode of the prime minister of Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, Mir Momin.  A little over a …

The Patton Tank in Hyderabad

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Those passing by the Tank Bund of Hyderabad may spot an old tank alongside the road at some point: this is the Patton Tank of Hyderabad, one of the minor memorials of the city that tourists love to check out in particular.  Enthusiasts of army tanks shall note that the model is an M47, notable for having been the last of the tanks from the United States to sport the type of machine gun setup it has on its hull.  To those who know the history behind the Patton Tank, though, there is far more to it than its mere model or make: there is also a triumph for India and an important war.

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M47 Patton Tank

To understand the history of the Patton Tank of Hyderabad, one first has to take a look at the history of the country with its neighbour, Pakistan. The two countries have long had a rather friction-filled relationship, and that friction sparked off a full fire in 1971, with the …

Hyderabad Birla Mandir

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Anyone from India is likely to be familiar with the term “Birla Mandir”, or “Birla Temple”. It can actually be quite misleading to ask an Indian about “the Birla Temple” without specifying a location (such as, say, the Hyderabad Birla Mandir), though, given that there are so many of them in existence. All of these temples, regardless of the city in which they are situated, have been erected by the famous Birla family, which was founded by Shiv Narain Birla, a businessman who originated from Rajasthan.

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The Hyderabad Birla Mandir

Through the years, the Birla family has put up over 10 temples throughout the country, all of them constructed out of precious and rather marvellously distinctive white marble. Although many of these have been dedicated to specific Hindu deities, the temples …

Critical Notes on Health in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

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Keeping your health in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh is much like keeping your health in any other city of India. The common-sense rules apply: you have to prepare all and any medications that you might have been prescribed by your personal doctor before leaving for your trip, just in case there are no local chemists that carry the prescription in Hyderabad; you have to check which immunisations may be required by official agencies or advised; and you need to ensure that you get a map of the city that has the major hospitals or health centres highlighted, just in case an emergency does happen once you get to the metropolis.

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Apollo hospital in Hyderabad

One major issue that might compromise your health in Hyderabad is that of unsanitary practices in food preparation. Hyderabad is a place of rich, delectable cuisines, and these can be found both on the streets and in high-end restaurants. For most tourists, the …

The Chilkur Balaji Temple: The Temple of the God of Visas

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One of the must-see attractions in Hyderabad is an intriguing study in contrasting themes. The Chilkur Balaji Temple is most definitely one of the oldest structures of its kind in the area, being dated to the late 1600’s, yet it is also a temple with powerful relations to the modern world, being called Visa Balaji or the temple for the “God of Visas”. Yes, you read aright: visas, as in the formal documents that serve as authorisation for a traveller to enter a particular territory.

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The Chilkur Balaji Temple

The Balaji Temple came by this name because of the vast majority of the people visiting it being ones pursuing their dreams of travel. For years upon years now, many of the people coming here have been ones praying to Lord Venkateshwara or Balaji, who shall …

Visiting the Falaknuma Palace of Hyderabad

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The name of Falaknuma Palace is supposed to mean that is a mirror of the sky, and looking at it now, one can certainly see where heavenly connotations would enter the picture. Falaknuma is among the most beautiful buildings not just in Hyderabad—which also holds such beauties as the well-known Charminar and the famed Chowmahalla Palace (a UNESCO Heritage Site)—but also in the country. It rather departs from its neighbours, Charminar and Chowmahalla, however, in that many of its architectural leanings are not so much Islamic or Indo-Saracen as they are European.

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Beautiful Falaknuma Palace

Falaknuma Palace has quite a foundational history. While it is true that the Nizams later had ownership of the palace, it was not …