India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (218 page)
Outside the Citadel’s walls, near the edge of the city, is
Ibrahim Rouza
, the gorgeously proportioned and heavily decorated mausoleum of Ibrahim Adil Shah II and his wife, Taj Sultana (admission Rs 90; daily 6am–6pm; leave shoes outside). Ignore the garbage dump near the entrance and admire what is considered the most beautiful Muslim structure in the Deccan, featuring richly engraved walls and inscribed ornamental stone windows. Move on to
Gol Gumbaz, the
world’s second-largest dome (after St. Peter’s in Rome), atop the mausoleum of 17th-century sultan Muhammad Adil Shah (Mahatma Gandhi Rd.; admission Rs 220, video cameras Rs 2,200; leave shoes outside; daily 6am–6pm). Renowned for its remarkable engineering and stereophonic acoustics, the Gol Gumbaz can get noisy as visitors test the echo effect created by the massive dome—multiple distinct echoes are said to be produced for each sound uttered in the whispering gallery upstairs. Most visitors don’t bother to whisper, however, which may leave you with an experience akin to an auditory hallucination. As is the case with the Taj, try to arrive as soon as the gates open for the most atmospheric visit. It’s worth scaling the 115 steps to reach the dome’s terrace for the excellent views of the formal gardens and tombs.
Jami Masjid
(free admission; daily 6am–6pm), close to Gol Gumbaz, is the city’s other major attraction. Also incomplete, this is the largest mosque in the region, dating back to
A.D.
1576, when Ali Adil Shah I reigned. Consisting of a large dome and gorgeous white arcaded bays, this impressive mosque is spread over some 10,000 sq. m (107,639 sq. ft.).
Where to Stay & Dine in Bijapur
Hotel Madhuvan International
Bijapur’s “top” business hotel doesn’t offer the luxuries you might expect in cities catering to substantial numbers of Western visitors (hence also the low price). Accommodations are comfortable enough, however, and some rooms have views of Gol Gumbaz. You can organize your sightseeing through the hotel, and take meals in the relaxing garden restaurant (which serves only vegetarian food, by the way).
Station Rd., Bijapur 586 104.
08352/25-5571
through -5573. Fax 08352/25-6201.
www.hotelmadhuvan.com
. 36 units. Rs 2,025 non-A/C double; Rs 2,475 A/C double. Taxes extra. MC, V.
Amenities:
Restaurant; doctor-on-call; room service. In room: AC, TV.
6 Hyderabad
490km (304 miles) N of Bengaluru
Named after Hyder Mahal, wife of Muhammad Quli, a 16th-century ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, Hyderabad was one of the largest and wealthiest of India’s former princely states. The city built its fortune on the trade of pearls, gold, steel, fabric, and, above all, diamonds, which some believe remain hidden beneath the foundations of
Golconda Fort,
precursor to the city some 10km (6 1⁄4 miles) away. Once the most famous diamond mining area in the world, Golconda was where the 108-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond (not to mention the Orloff, Regent, and Hope diamonds) was excavated. It was in fact Golconda’s legendary wealth that attracted the attention of the voracious Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and with the aid of an inside agent he captured the fortress in 1687. Aurangzeb’s invasion marked the temporary decline of the city, but when the Mughal empire began to fade, the enterprising local viceroy, Asaf Jah I, promptly proclaimed himself
Nizam,
and established independent rule over the Deccan state. Under the notoriously opulent Nizams of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, their power cemented by an alliance forged in 1798 with the British East India Company, Hyderabad again became a major influence, and even contributed to the British military campaigns against the recalcitrant Tipu Sultan of Mysore.
Hyderabad is more than 400 years old, but today the state capital of Andhra Pradesh is as famous for its burgeoning information technology and biotech research industries as it is for its minarets, and it is precisely this stark contrast that makes it such an appealing destination. Like Bengaluru, this is one of India’s fastest-growing cities, with a projected population of 7.5 million by 2015, and a substantial part of the city is the almost overnight growth of the vast suburb of
Cyberabad,
where Microsoft and Oracle are but two major players in the development also known as Hi-Tech City, responsible for the city’s economic upswing. Yet, despite its newfound attractiveness as a business destination, the city remains steeped in history, and you’re just as likely to share the road with camels and bullock carts, and haggle alongside Muslim women covered from head to toe in black
burkhas,
as you are to converse with cellphone-wielding yuppies. There may not be much by way of specific sights to see in Hyderabad, but it has a vibrant culture, excellent-value luxury hotels, and a heavenly cuisine—perhaps the most enduring legacy of the decadent tastes and patronage of the cultured
Nizams
who first put the city on the map.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Hyderabad is pretty much smack-dab in the middle of very little else, so you’re best off flying in.
In fact, you might want to kick off your South India trip from here, with British Air flying direct to Hyderabad from Heathrow, and plenty of connecting flights to Hyderabad available through European hubs such as Amsterdam and Frankfurt, and also through Middle Eastern cities such as Dubai and Doha. There are also plenty of domestic flights connecting the city with every major destination in India including a number of daily (2-hr.) flights from and to Delhi as well as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Tirupati (see Tamil Nadu). The
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
(Shamshabad; www.hyderabad.aero;040-66546370
airport;
1407
for Indian Airlines inquiries,
142
for recorded flight information) is 35km (22 miles) north of the city; a taxi into town should cost between Rs 500 and Rs 650.
Trains
to and from Bengaluru, Tirupati, Chennai, and Mumbai take at least 14 hours; book an overnight journey, and make it several days in advance (As a rule, air-conditioned coaches are preferable to the ordinary in terms of cleanliness and food but the latter are far more entertaining, if you can bear the smell). There are two main stations: Nampally (also known as Hyderabad Deccan) and Secunderabad, with most longer-distance trains arriving at the latter. Call1345
for specific information about outbound services.
VISITOR INFORMATION
For the lowdown on sights, tours, and events, visit
Andhra Pradesh Travel & Tourism Development Corporation
(040/2329-8456;
open 24 hr.),
on the corner where Secretariat Road becomes Tank Bund. Avoid
Andhra Pradesh Tourism
right next door; the stench that hangs in the air from the fish market nearby competes with the staff’s incompetence; you could fare better by calling their 24/7 help line (040/2345-0444
). The railway stations also have information counters.
Big Hyderabad
(Rs 30) is a monthly booklet listing a wealth of information about the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
CityInfo
(
www.hyderabadcityinfo.com
) appears every 2 weeks and provides extensive information about hotels, restaurants, and current events, as does
Go Hyderabad
(monthly; Rs 15).