Hyderabad

Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It covers 650 km² on the Deccan Plateau along the Musi River. With a population of about 6.9 million people in the city and 9.7 million in the surrounding area, it is one of India’s biggest cities.

The city was founded in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. Over time, it became an important center for culture, with unique styles of painting, handicraft, jewellery, and cuisine. Today, the Charminar tower is a famous symbol of Hyderabad.

Hyderabad is also known for its modern industries. Since the 1990s, it has grown into a key place for technology and medicine in India. Many big companies have set up offices in areas like HITEC City, making the city a busy and developing hub.

History

Main article: History of Hyderabad

Toponymy

The name Hyderabad means "Haydar's City" or "Lion City". It comes from the words Haydar (meaning lion) and ābād (meaning city). The city was originally called Baghnagar, which means "city of gardens". Travelers in the 17th century used both names.

A story says that the city's founder named it Bhagya-nagar, meaning "fortunate city", after a local dancer he married. She later adopted a new title, and the city was named Hyderabad in her honor.

In 1597, Hyderabad got the name Farkhunda Bunyad, meaning "Of Auspicious Foundation". Later, a ruler changed the name to Dar-ul-Jihad, meaning "Abode of Holy War". But another ruler brought back the name Farkhunda Bunyad.

Early and medieval history

Old burial sites found near Hyderabad show people lived there since the Stone Age. In 2008, scientists found even older sites that might be from 500 BCE. The area was ruled by the Chalukya dynasty from 624 to 1075 CE. Later, the Kakatiya dynasty ruled from 1158, with their power center at Warangal, about 148 km northeast of Hyderabad. They built Golconda Fort to protect their western lands.

The Kakatiya dynasty became a vassal of the Khalji dynasty in 1310. In 1321, it was taken over completely. During this time, the Koh-i-Noor diamond was taken from the Kollur Mines to Delhi. In 1336, local leaders took control of Warangal and later, in 1347, a new sultanate was formed in the Deccan Plateau.

In 1496, a leader named Sultan Quli became governor of the area. He rebuilt an old fort and named the city Muhammad Nagar. In 1518, he broke away from the sultanate and started the Qutb Shahi dynasty. In 1591, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah founded Hyderabad on the banks of the Musi River to avoid water problems at Golconda. He built important landmarks like Charminar and Mecca Masjid. In 1687, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb took over after a long siege of Golconda Fort. The city was renamed Darul Jihad, and the region became part of the Mughal empire.

Modern history

In 1713, a Mughal emperor appointed Mubariz Khan as governor of Hyderabad. In 1714, he appointed Asaf Jah I as Viceroy of the Deccan. In 1724, Asaf Jah I defeated Mubariz Khan and established control over the Deccan, starting the Asaf Jahi dynasty. Later rulers were called Nizams of Hyderabad. After Asaf Jah I's death in 1748, his descendants fought for power, leading to instability. Asaf Jah II brought stability and signed a treaty with the East India Company in 1768.

In 1769, Hyderabad became the official capital. In 1798, the Nizam allowed the British army to stay in Secunderabad for protection, paying them each year. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Hyderabad grew with new industries, transport, and services.

Post-Independence

After India gained independence, the ruler of Hyderabad wanted to stay independent. In 1948, the Indian Army took control of Hyderabad State. The ruler agreed to join India, and Hyderabad became part of the Indian Union. Between 1946 and 1951, there were uprisings against local rulers in the Telangana region.

In 1956, India's states were reorganized by language. Hyderabad state was split, and the Telugu-speaking parts joined Andhra State to form Andhra Pradesh, with Hyderabad as its capital. Later, in 2014, Telangana state was created, with Hyderabad as its capital as well.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Hyderabad

Hyderabad is a big city in India, located in the southern part of the state of Telangana. It lies along the banks of the Musi River and covers an area of 650 km². The city sits on hilly terrain with many lakes, such as Hussain Sagar, which was built long ago near the city center.

Hyderabad has a warm climate with hot, dry summers and a rainy season from June to October. The city gets most of its rain during this time. It also has many green spaces and protected areas, including national parks and lakes that are home to many animals and birds.

Administration

Main article: Administration of Hyderabad

Common capital status

According to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, Hyderabad is the shared capital city for both the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for up to ten years. After this period, Hyderabad will remain the capital of Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh will choose a new capital city.

Local government

See also: Administrative divisions of Hyderabad

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) manages the city's services and infrastructure. It is divided into six zones: South Zone–(Charminar), East Zone–(L. B. Nagar), West Zone–(Serilingampally), North Zone–(Kukatpally), Northeast Zone–(Secunderabad) and Central Zone–(Khairatabad). These zones include 30 areas, which together have 150 municipal wards. Each ward elects a representative called a corporator. The corporators choose the Mayor to lead the GHMC. The city’s day-to-day services are handled by the Municipal Commissioner, who is appointed by the state government. The GHMC handles roads, drains, parks, waste management, and many other services for the city.

The Secunderabad Cantonment Board manages a smaller area with military camps, and the Osmania University campus has its own administration.

Utility services

The HMWSSB supplies water and manages sewage in Hyderabad. In 2005, they began using a long pipeline from Nagarjuna Sagar Dam to bring more water to the city. The Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSPDCL) supplies electricity. There are fire stations run by the state government, and both government and private postal services operate in the city.

Healthcare

See also: Healthcare in Hyderabad

The city has many hospitals and clinics, both government-run and private. There are also facilities that use traditional Indian medicine styles like Unani, homoeopathic, and Ayurvedic treatments.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Hyderabad

In 2007, the area of Hyderabad grew from 175 km² (68 sq mi) to 650 km² (250 sq mi). Because of this, the city's population grew by 87%, from about 3.6 million in 2001 to about 6.8 million in 2011. Many people moved to Hyderabad from other parts of India.

As of 2011, there were about 3.5 million males and 3.3 million females, with 83% of people able to read and write. The main groups of people in Hyderabad are Telugu and Urdu speakers, with smaller groups from other parts of India and around the world.

Ethnicity

People in Hyderabad are mainly Telugu and Urdu speakers. There are also smaller groups such as Arabs, Marathi, Marwari, and Pathan people. The Hyderabadi Muslims have a special history tied to the city and its past rulers.

Religion

Most people in Hyderabad are Hindu, but there is also a large Muslim community. There are also Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsis living in the city.

Languages

The main languages in Hyderabad are Telugu (58.2%) and Urdu (29.5%). Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, and other languages are also spoken. Telugu and Urdu are both official languages of the city.

Slums

In 2012, about 13% of Hyderabad's people lived in areas considered poor. Many of these families have lived in these areas for a long time. Some children in these areas do not go to school and some work in jobs that are not safe.

Cityscape

See also: List of neighbourhoods in Hyderabad

Hyderabad has two main parts: the Old City and the New City. The Old City is near the Musi River and has many old buildings and places of history. The New City is on the other side of the river and has grown with lots of new buildings and areas. The two parts are connected by bridges, with the oldest one called Purana Pul, built in 1578.

In Hyderabad, you can find many important places like the Charminar tower, Mecca Masjid mosque, and the Salar Jung Museum. There are also markets, government buildings, and parks. North of the river, there are places to visit such as Hussain Sagar lake and Tank Bund Road. The city has many parks like Sanjeevaiah Park and Lumbini Park. Some rich and busy areas include Jubilee Hills and Gachibowli, where many tall buildings have been built.

Hyderabad has many beautiful old buildings that show a mix of different styles from India and other places. The Charminar is a famous square tower with four big arches and tall minarets at each corner. Other important buildings include the Chowmahalla Palace and Falaknuma Palace, which show many kinds of designs from different times. These buildings help tell the story of Hyderabad’s rich history.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Hyderabad

Hyderabad is a very important city for work and business in India. It helps a lot with the money and jobs in the state of Telangana. Many people work there, especially in jobs that help other people, like computers and services.

The city used to be famous for trading pearls and diamonds, earning it the name "City of Pearls." Today, it is known for making medicines and for technology, often called "Cyberabad." Big companies from around the world, like Microsoft and Amazon, have offices in Hyderabad. The city also has many places where people can buy things, including old markets with special items.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Hyderabad

Hyderabad is a very important city for culture in India. After big changes in the country, many artists moved there. This brought together traditions from both north and south India. People in Hyderabad celebrate many festivals from both Hindu and Muslim traditions, such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Bonalu, Eid ul-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha.

People in Hyderabad wear a mix of traditional clothes. Men might wear a sherwani or a kurta with paijama, while women may wear a khara dupatta or salwar kameez. Many Muslim women also wear a burqa or hijab when they go out. Young people are also seeing more western-style clothes these days.

Literature

Hyderabad has a rich history of literature. Old rulers invited artists and writers from all over the world. This created a mix of cultures and led to beautiful events like mushairas (poetic meetings), Qawwali (devotional songs), and Dholak ke Geet (traditional folk songs). The city has many libraries and organizations that help keep literature alive, including the State Central Library.

Music and films

Hyderabad enjoys many kinds of music, including South Indian styles like Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam, as well as North Indian music. The city has a famous film industry called Tollywood, which makes many popular movies. There are also special music festivals held throughout the year.

Art and handicrafts

Hyderabad is known for its special painting styles, like Golconda and Hyderabad painting. These styles use bright colors and show local landscapes and culture. The city also has many handmade crafts, such as Wootz steel, Filigree work, Bidriware, Zari, Zardozi, Chintz, and Kalamkari. These crafts can be seen in many museums in the city.

Cuisine

Hyderabadi food is famous for its rice, wheat, and meat dishes, using many different spices. Two special dishes, Hyderabadi biryani and Hyderabadi haleem, have special tags for their unique flavors. The food in Hyderabad mixes influences from French, Arabic, Turkish, Iranian, Telugu, and Marathwada cuisines. Popular dishes include nihari, chakna, baghara baingan, qubani ka meetha, double ka meetha, and kaddu ki kheer.

Media

Main article: Media in Hyderabad

Hyderabad has a long history of media. One of its first newspapers, The Deccan Times, started in the 1780s. Today, the city has many popular newspapers in Telugu, English, and Urdu.

Radio broadcasting began in Hyderabad in 1919, with the first public radio station, Deccan Radio, starting in 1935. Television broadcasting started in 1974 with Doordarshan, and private satellite channels began in 1992. Hyderabad also has many radio stations and offers internet services for people to use.

Education

Main article: Education in Hyderabad

Hyderabad has many schools and universities. Schools in the city follow a plan called "10+2+3" and are run by either the Board of Secondary Education, Telangana or the Central Board of Secondary Education. Students can learn in English, Hindi, Telugu, or Urdu. After finishing secondary school, students can go to junior colleges or universities.

The city has 13 universities, including the University of Hyderabad, Osmania University, and Maulana Azad National Urdu University. There are also special schools for medicine, science, and technology, such as the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research and the International Institute of Information Technology. These schools help students learn many different subjects, from medicine to engineering.

Sports

See also: Sports in Hyderabad

Hyderabad is a great city for sports! It has hosted many big games, like the National Games of India in 2002 and the World Badminton Championships in 2009. The city has special places for sports, such as the Swarnandhra Pradesh Sports Complex for field hockey and the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, where lots of cricket matches happen.

Long ago, during British rule, Secunderabad was famous for sports like polo and horse racing. Today, people in Hyderabad also enjoy motorsports, with exciting events like the Hyderabad ePrix, which was the first FIA Formula E World Championship race in India.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Hyderabad

Stadium metro station, Hyderabad Metro.

An early morning scene at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS).

As of 2018, the most common ways to travel distances in Hyderabad include buses, light railways, taxis, and auto rickshaws. These help 3.5 million people travel each day. Bus services start from the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station in the city centre and have 3800 buses helping 3.3 million passengers.

Hyderabad Metro, a light-rail system, started in November 2017. By 2020, it had 57 stations over 69.2 km (43 mi) and is the third-largest metro in India, after Delhi Metro and Namma Metro. The Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) is a suburban rail with 121 services carrying 180,000 passengers each day. There are also minibus routes run by Setwin. For travel between cities, the main station is Secunderabad railway station, which is the headquarters of Indian Railways' South Central Railway zone. Other big stations in Hyderabad are Hyderabad Deccan, Kacheguda, Begumpet, Malkajgiri and Lingampalli.

By 2018, Hyderabad had over 5.3 million vehicles, with 4.3 million being two-wheelers and 1.04 million being four-wheelers. Because there are many vehicles and not enough road space, traffic can get very busy. To help with this, the city built the Inner Ring Road, the Outer Ring Road, the Hyderabad Elevated Expressway, and many interchanges, overpasses and underpasses. Speed limits in the city are 50 km/h (31 mph) for two-wheelers and cars, 35 km/h (22 mph) for auto rickshaws and 40 km/h (25 mph) for light commercial vehicles and buses.

Hyderabad is where three National Highways meet, connecting it to six other states. NH-44 goes from Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, to Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. NH-65 runs between Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and Pune, Maharashtra. NH-163 links Hyderabad to Bhopalpatnam, Chhattisgarh. NH-765 links Hyderabad to Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh. There are also five state highways starting from or passing through Hyderabad.

Air travel used to happen at Begumpet Airport, but now it is handled by Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), which opened in 2008. It can handle 25 million passengers and 150,000 metric-tonnes of cargo each year. In 2020, it was named the Best Airport in Environment and Ambience and the Best Airport by Size and Region for handling 15-25 million passengers each year.

Sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in India

Hyderabad has friendly connections with these cities around the world:

• Brisbane, Australia
• Ipswich, Australia
• Uberaba, Brazil
• Qingdao, China
• Indianapolis, United States
• Montgomery County, Maryland, United States
• Riverside, California, United States