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Places to Visit in India

Uncover Hidden Gems Near Hyderabad on Your Next Trip

The city of Hyderabad has many nicknames – City of Pearls and City of Nizams. The capital of the youngest state of India, Telangana, is full of incredible tourist attractions but there are also several excellent tourist attractions near this city. This article will discuss the best tourist attractions near the city of Hyderabad. Here is the list of places to visit near Hyderabad within 300 kms – some of them are only half an hour’s ride away.

Find Your Next Adventure Near Hyderabad

Let us get started:

1. Osman Sagar Lake

The first and one of the best tourist attractions near Hyderabad is Osman Sagar Lake which is located at a distance of mere 22 kilometers from the city of Nawabs. Also known as Gandipet, this beautiful lake is spread over 46 square kilometers. The lake is also surrounded by beautiful gardens. A lake is a perfect place for Hyderabad residents. One can also try boating and stunning. One must note that the pristine lake is best visited during day hours and one may want to spend at least a couple of hours a day.

2. Sanghi Temple

Sanghi attempted is one of the most magnificent temples of Telangana. Located at a distance of mere thirty-two kilometers, it is built in Chola – Chalukya style of architecture. The temple complex sits on a hillock called Paramanand Giri Nad is fifteen feet tall. It has several minor temples dedicated to several minor deities. It is only thirty kilometers from Hyderabad.

3. Ramoji Film City

Another excellent must-see tourist spot near Hyderabad is Ramoji Film City. The city is the largest film studio complex in the world and has several lush gardens. There are several excellent sites where some of the best movies have been shot.

4. Pillalamarri

This attraction is an eight hundred old tree located about a hundred kilometers from Hyderabad. The temple is a Pilgrimage destination. An important tourist attraction nearby is the Sri Rajarajeshwara temple

5. Bhongir Fort

Built by the Chaulakya ruler, Bhongir Fort is built on a single monolith. Besides the oval-shaped fort, which is in almost ruins, there is an excellent trekking opportunity. The fort is only seventy-three kilometers from the city of Pearls.

6. Wargal Saraswati Temple

Situated at a distance of merely fifty-three kilometers, the temple is in a village named Wargal. Dedicated to the goddess Saraswati, the temple has Aksharabyasam for kids. Popularly known as Sri Vidya Saraswati Temple, its construction was started in 1989. There are also Sri Lakshmi Ganpati Temple and Lord Shiva temple nearby.

6. Rachakonda Fort

Rachakonda Fort is located at a distance of about sixty kilometers. The two-story structure is built in medieval Hindu architecture. It is home to a number of temples dedicated to Hanuman, Lord Shiva, and Manimandapam. It also has eight feet tall temple.

7. Yadagirigutta Temple

Situated at a distance of mere sixty-two kilometers, Yadagirigutta Temple is the abode of Narasimha Swamy. It is located in a pilgrimage town of the same name. According to a popular legend, this is the place where Lord Vishnu stored Vedas, thus giving it the name Yadarigutta Temple. That gives it the name Vedagiri. This temple is also known as Vedagiri.

8. Kolanupaka Temple

Located at a distance of about a hundred kilometers from Hyderabad, Kolanupaka Temple is a Jain temple. The two-thousand-year-old temple is also known as kulpakji. There are some incredible idols here of Lord Mahavira, Lord Rishabhanatha, and Lord Neminatha along with eight others.

9. Anantagiri Hills

Anantagiri Hills is situated in Vikarbad of Rana Reddy district and just about eighty kilometers from the city of Nawabs. The Hills are an off-beat tourist attraction and make for an excellent vacation, especially during winter.

10. Medak Fort

Last but not least in this list of tourist attractions, Medak Fort is about ninety-five kilometers from Hyderabad. The fort was built during the reign of Pratap Rudra around the twelfth century

FAQs

There are several questions relating to tourist attractions in the vicinity of Hyderabad. The following are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.s) :

Question: What are some of the other tourist spots near Hyderabad?

Answer: The above list contains only some of the most prominent historical spots including the following:

  • Nalgonda – Prehistoric settlements located at a distance of about 115 kilometers from Hyderabad.
  • Domakonda Fort – The granite fort is built in Mauryan style and is stituqt3d at a distance of 115 kilometers.
  • Sri Edupayala Vana Durga Bhavani – A temple and a pilgrimage destination dedicated to goddess Durga which is situated at a distance of about 120 kilometers from Hyderabad.

Question: How can these tourist spots be best explored?

Answer: These tourist Spots can be explored on personal vehicles, by hiring a cab, or through bus and train rides. They can be explored in a single day.

If the reader has any other questions, they should feel free to ask them here.

The Bottom Line

One can easily wrap up the above discussion by concluding that there are several excellent tourist attractions near Hyderabad and one must explore them as much as possible.

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Architectural

Gol Gumbad, the Islamic structure that wows all the visitors

Having its name imprinted in the record books for being the second largest dome in the whole world; Gol Gumbad is one monument in Bijapur district of Karnataka which attracts thousands of visitors every year. The monument is about 124 feet in diameter, and the only other dome which has managed to surpass it on the bases of the area occupied is St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

The construction

The Gol Gumbad was built by the mogul ruler Muhammad Adil Shah in 1696 and he incorporated the best architectures from all over the nation to do the jobA large number, and the result is for all us to see. He ordered the construction of the unique monument right before his death, and the grand piece of architecture was built taking in miles of the total area of Bijapur all around it.

Architecture

The architectural schemes used in the construction are unique on their own as four minarets  act as staircases and they all lead to the topmost dome at the elevation. The monument stands unsupported by the pillars or any other sort of support which is quite a thrilling reminiscent of the medieval Indian architectural supremacy. Although the major attraction of the dome has indeed become a plaything for the children, it’s quite a huge feat that its creators had achieved. The monument from inside is acoustically significant as even a very hushed whisper that you produce with your mouth will echo for several seconds. This aspect of the monument has led the researchers to be amazed in disbelief about how could the architectures from that era be this advanced?

Trivia

From the gallery of the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur, you can enjoy the best view of the city. From the top of Gumbaz, the spectacular view of the entire Bijapur city will just amaze you. The dome of the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur is not just the largest in the world; it is really a beautiful piece of art to behold.

The total floor area that the dome covers is 1700 sq feet, 51 meters of height and a diameter of about 37 meters. The walls are quite robust and thick at 3 meters and the mortar used in those walls was researched to be the strongest mortar available in those times.

-The dome contains the tombs of Muhammad Adil Shah, his mistress, his two wives, his grandson, and daughter. Keeping the historical significance of the place in mind, the area in front of the monument has been developed into a museum where the tourists could see the reminiscent back from the era. There are other important structures in the large area covered by the dome such as a mosque, a nakkar khana, a dharmshala and a gateway.

Conclusion

The Gol Gumbaz is a fantastic piece of architecture and has made its way into world’s most amazing buildings ever constructed. The large number of researchers and the number of foreign tourists are a great reminder of what the monument stands for.

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Uncategorized

Hyderabad, the City Of Pearls promises to be a rich mix of cultural and historical tradition

Hyderabad is the state capital of the newly formed South Indian state of Telangana. The city, although is visited majorly for the business operations, but there is no dearth of some great places to check in from a tourist’s point of view. Located on the Deccan Plateau, the city is located on the banks of Musi River.

How to reach

Being one of the most important business hubs of South India, the city is well connected with rest of the country via airways, railways and buses. The nearest airport is the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport which is well-connected with major cities across the globe. The airport also owns a domestic terminal called NT Rama Rao which is connected to most of the Indian cities. The airport is located in the Begumpet area, approximately 20 kilometres away from the city, The city has three major railway stations namely Hyderabad railway station, Secunderabad railway station and Kachiguda railway station. The massive interstate bus terminal enables easy connectivity to its neighbouring towns like Aurangabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Tirupati and Panaji.

Sightseeing

The city is quite rooted in the ancient and medieval Indian history. Moguls are believed to have the biggest influence on the architectural space of the city and hence, most of the monuments you will witness in your sightseeing tours, will be a strong reminiscent of mogul era architecture. The city happens to be divided into two parts now, old city and the new city.

Charminar- The word literally translates to four minarets and the monument was built at the very spot where a leader prayed at the end of the plague epidemic. The towers are more than 48 meters above the ground and over the years, the monument has become the icon for the city.

Mecca Masjid- This is one of the oldest mosques in the city and was built around 1617. However, Quli Qutub shah left the construction midways, which was later finished by Aurangzeb in 1694.

Chowmahalla place- The seat of Asaf Jahi dynasty back in the days, the place served for the Nizam as a guest house. The palace is located near Charminaar and is a beautiful building which is architecturally significant.

Falaknuma Palace- Built by Nawaz Viqar in the early years of 17th century, the palace is one of the most beautiful creations of the mogul era when speaking architecturally. Although, the palace has now been bought by the Taj group and closed for public visiting.

Golconda fort- The fort was known to be the capital of Qutb Shahi kingdom back in the centuries. The outer walls of the fort measures about 10 kilometres and the the grand monument is known as the largest fort in the country. Situated 11 kilometres from Hyderabad, Golconda fort is undoubtedly one of most glorious fortress complexes in India. The fortress rests on a granite hill 120 meters high. With huge cenellated ramparts surrounding this structure, it is one of India’s most magnificent fortress complexes.

Birla Mandir- The majestic marble temple located in the new Hyderabad is a Hindu pilgrim. The temple is dedicated to lord Vankateshwar and happens to be located on the Naubat hills. The cameras and mobiles are banned for the security reasons.

What to eat

No trip to Hyderabad is complete without having a taste of the delicious Mughlai cuisines, especially the Hyderabadi Biriyani laced with rich ingredients along and Dum Pukht which is cooked with steam. Places like Paradise, Hyderabad House and Bawarchi sell the best Biryani. Also try out the famous cutting chai served with buttery nankhatai and the flaky puff pastry called khari. The hot and spicy Hyderabadi street food is not be missed. Pragati Gully is one of the famous streets for breakfast which serves items like idlis, dosas, upama, medu vada and pongal. Some places where you can eat are Bawarchi, Durga Mess, Hyderabad House and Kholani’s kitchen.

Shopping

Hyderabad is a place to rejoice when it comes to shopping as it has centuries-old bazaars that delight the shoppers with exquisite crafts like bidri and local products such as ittar. One can also find chic boutiques and designer stores for ethnic wear. Situated next to the Charminar, there is Laad Bazaar packed with shops selling perfumes, textiles and jewellery. Other places famous for shopping are Elahe which offers Indian ethnic wear, the popular perfume market and Abids, the perfect place for saree lovers. While you stroll at the jewelry shops and Laad Bazaar, do not miss out the pearls which Hyderabad is famously known for.

Where to stay

Dwarka Heritage, Ashoka Hotel, and Parklane are some of the budget hotels where you can spend your nights comfortably.

How to get around

Hyderabad has good bus and autorickshaw services. It also has well developed Radio taxi services and new app based services such as Uber and Ola. There is a local train service too called MMTS but it is grossly inadequate.

Tips

Travellers using smartphones are advised to download the apps Hyderabad Police and Hyderabad Traffic Police apps from the app store, as these apps come with some safety features such as SOS button to the control room, and they also provide options to lodge complaints.

Other than the delicious foods, the place is also a history enthusiast’s paradise, do check it out.

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