Tags
Birla Temple, Charminar, Hussain Sagar Lake, Hyderabad, Laad Bazaar, Lumbini Park, Metro, Paradise biryani, rocket, Secunderabad, Skyroot, Telangana Martyrs Memorial, Telangana State Secretariat, Ujjaini Mahakali Mandir
Hey everyone! 😀 Hope y’all are doing great!
I absolutely loved sharing my divine experiences in Vijayawada and Srisailam with y’all 😀 Now, here’s comes the grand finale of this spiritual journey – my time in Hyderabad, the vibrant City of Pearls and the lively capital of Telangana!
For those joining me for the first time, here are the links to my previous posts from this amazing temple trip:
Discovering Sacred Destinations in India – VI: Vijayawada
Discovering Sacred Destinations in India – VII: Srisailam
Hyderabad is a city of contrasts — grand historical monuments, bustling bazaars, mouth-watering biryani, and a growing reputation as a tech and space hub.
Blessed with rich natural wealth and dramatic ancient rock formations that are over 2.5 billion years old (older than the Himalayas!), the historic city is famed for its magnificent stone statues, intricate artifacts, and those iconic huge balancing boulders that dot the landscape like natural sculptures. These granite wonders, shaped by millions of years of wind, rain, and “onion-peel” weathering, give the city a unique rocky character — especially visible in areas like Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, and along the route from Srisailam.
Hyderabad is equally known for its sparkling artificial diamond jewellery, DRDO labs and booming IT sector with landmarks like Hi-Tech City.
As a passionate space enthusiast, I also knew Hyderabad as the home of Skyroot Aerospace – India’s leading private space company, founded in 2018 by two young former ISRO scientists.
By the way, if you’re new to my blog, let me tell you that I’m a huge fan of Elon Musk and SpaceX ❤️I even wrote a 6-part detailed series on SpaceX back in 2022-23! ❤️Do yourself a favour and check it out for a deep, detailed insight into SpaceX and its groundbreaking space ventures! 😉🚀🧑🚀🛰️
On my way from the MG Bus Stand to the hotel, I saw a striking white rocket standing tall near the entrance gate of a sprawling complex alongside the road. It turned out to be Skyroot’s Infinity Campus – India’s largest private rocket factory, spread across 200,000 sq. ft.
The rocket on display was Vikram-1, India’s first privately built orbital rocket, capable of launching up to 350 kg payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Prime Minister Narendra Modi had virtually inaugurated the campus and unveiled Vikram-1 on 27 November 2025, just the previous day! I learnt this on X where it was trending. The maiden orbital flight is targeted for mid-2026. I immediately tweeted the founder expressing my eagerness to visit the factory, but I guess he didn’t see it.
I absolutely love visiting factories! I realized this during my Chartered Accountancy internship days in the early 1990s while doing factory audits. I also fondly remember my visits to the state-of-the-art factory of Omnilife in Guadalajara, Mexico, where I worked in 2007.
Related posts:
My Diwali Mandap (Altar) in Mexico
Anyway, I can say as a space lover “I got a rocket welcome on my arrival in Hyderabad” 😀 Next time, maybe a factory visit 😀
Alright, here’s my travel story now… happy reading! 😀
Friday, 28th November 2025
Enjoying the lovely landscape on the Srisailam-Hyderabad bus journey, I realized that my destination was less than an hour away when I saw huge rocks, boulders balancing on hills. At the start of the 6-hour journey, there were barely 6-8 passengers in the 34-seater bus. But when the bus rolled into MG Bus Stand around 2 PM, I was the only passenger.
I would have taken the metro from the bus stand. It’s hardly 20 minutes from MGBS metro station to Paradise metro station, which was close to my hotel. But an Uber ride appealed to me as I could get a good glimpse of the city. And I did 😀 Among other iconic landmarks, I saw the newly-inaugurated Skyroot Aerospace factory 😀
I had booked my hotel in the city’s Mahatma Gandhi Road area. I always prefer staying on MG Roads – usually the liveliest area in any Indian city or town. Even in Vijayawada, my hotel was on MG Road.
Pro tip: If you’re travelling through any Indian city or town, I highly recommend hotels in its MG Road area. Reason being it’s usually the prime location — perfect for food, shopping, entertainment and convenience.
Speaking from experience, as I’ve travelled solo to all Indian States and found MG Roads to be almost always either city-centric or convenient as a base.
Read:
Ladakh & North-East India Page
I had visited Hyderabad way back in 1989 with my family. That is, 36 years ago. That time, we had visited the hilltop Birla Temple, Hussain Sagar Lake, Salar Jung Museum, Golconda Fort, Charminar, and Laad Bazaar. A full day each at two prominent city attractions – Golconda Fort and Salar Jung Museum…
Located around 11 Km away from the main city, Golconda Fort is a prominent example of magnificent architecture and brilliant engineering. One of the supreme monuments of the city, it was built in the 12th century by the Hindu Kakatiya dynasty and reconstructed four centuries later by the Qutb Shahi dynasty.
Salar Jung Museum is the country’s third largest museum with total 38 galleries in three buildings. The museum displays an enormous collection of antiques, paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, textiles, carvings, ceramics and artifacts belonging to the Salar Jung Family.
I vividly remember the two places so I didn’t feel the need to revisit them. This time, I was planning to visit Ujjaini Mahakali Temple, Birla Temple, Hussain Sagar Lake, Charminar, Laad Bazaar and its surroundings, and of course… the iconic Paradise restaurant, famous for the legendary Hyderabadi Dum Biryani! For the next time, I would love visiting Ramoji Rao Film City with family. Sprawled across an area of over 2000 acres, it’s the world’s largest integrated film city and studio complex. It requires an entire day to enjoy the various fun activities like toy train rides, adventure sports, live shows, etc.
Having skipped breakfast, I was hungry when I reached my hotel. I quickly ordered lunch in my room — a combo meal of lemon drink, Spicy Paneer, Vegetable Dum Biryani and dessert.
Food arrived piping hot. Despite the bright red food colours, both spicy items were delicious. The quantity of biryani was large enough to serve 3. There was no half portion size. I had enquired before placing the order.
Read my post: My Fussy Food Tales
But I had forgotten the intense fieriness of the local Guntur chilli! The soft red cubes were extremely spicy for me! I set them aside and had two spoonfuls of biryani which was spicy too. The paneer cubes looked so tempting that one by one, I had all of them. A terrible mistake! It was such a bad situation: mouth on fire, face flushed hot, tears pouring down…
Taking a few deep breaths, I dialled room service. That’s when I realized I couldn’t speak! I was gasping like fish out of water! It took me a while to get the message across. A guy came running in an instant with my ordered lassi. The drink didn’t help much. Luckily, I had Xerom Ayurvedic gargle sachets with me. It worked wonders on my inflamed vocal cords. I regained my voice within 15-20 minutes. Such a thing had never happened to me before. My last experience had been milder when I had a spicy mirchi bhajiya in Jodhpur. That time, I had quickly downed a cold lassi and two pieces of Rasmalai.
Read my post: Regal Rajasthan Travelogue (Part II): Jodhpur
Around 4:30 PM, I stepped out for city sightseeing. My first stop was close by – the historic Ujjaini Mahakali Mandir (also called Sri Ujjaini Mahankali Mandir) dedicated to Goddess Mahakali.
Located in Secunderabad’s General Bazaar area, it’s a powerful Shakti temple established about 210 years ago following a severe epidemic which claimed thousands of lives.
A military battalion stationed in Ujjain (in present-day Madhya Pradesh) prayed at the famous Mahakali temple there seeking divine protection for the people of Secunderabad with a vow to install an idol of the Goddess in return. They fulfilled their vow by installing a wooden idol of the Goddess in 1815, hence the name “Ujjaini.” A stone idol was later installed in 1964.
Saturday being the day of Goddess Mahakali, there were many devotees during my visit. Photography is not allowed inside. Mobile phones have to be deposited at the counter.
The temple has a strong Maratha influence in its architecture. Though relatively small, it has intense spiritual energy and draws lakhs of devotees during the Bonalu festival and Ashada Jathara.
From there, I walked all the way to Hussain Sagar Lake, the city’s top tourist hotspot. One of Asia’s largest man-made lakes, it was built by Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah in 1563. The water of this lake is perennially fed by Musi river. There is a three-kilometres-long dam wall that connects Hyderabad with its twin city Secunderabad.
On the Uber ride to my hotel, I had passed by the beautiful lake and was overcome with/by a deep desire to walk its entire stretch right up to the splendorous State Secretariat building, which looked like a former palace. The promenade stroll was magical 😀
Evenings at Hussain Sagar Lake are mesmerizing! It’s one of the most picturesque spots in Hyderabad.
Right in the centre of the lake, there’s a large monolith statue of Lord Buddha on a rock, constructed in 1993.
Watch my video: View of Hussain Sagar Lake -1
Close to the Secunderabad Sailing Club was this captured enemy Patton tank presented by the Bash-On-Regardless Bison Division (54 Infantry Division) to the twin cities of Hyderabad-Secunderabad in November 1973 as a token of esteem and appreciation for their unstinted support since the raising of the division in October 1966.
It was one of the 66 tanks knocked out by the division during the 14 days’ India-Pakistan War of December 1971.
Watch my videos:
Display of captured Pakistani tank from Dec 1971 War
View of Hussain Sagar Lake – 3
View of Hussain Sagar Lake – 4
Yours truly 🙂
After an hourlong walk, I reached the magnificent buildings that had caught my eye in the afternoon. The nearest was a massive, gleaming diya-shaped structure – the Telangana Martyrs Memorial (also called Amara Jyothi) dedicated to the martyrs of the Telangana statehood movement.
Inaugurated in 2023, the gigantic, traditional diya (earthen oil lamp) with an eternal flame on top, symbolizes hope, light, and the undying spirit of the martyrs. It’s claimed to be the world’s largest seamless Stainless-Steel structure — five times bigger than Chicago’s famous Cloud Gate!
Standing 161 feet (about 49 metres) tall, this magnificent memorial is made of over 4,500 mirror-polished Stainless-Steel plates that beautifully reflect the sky, the lake, and the bustling surroundings.
Watch my video: Telangana Martyrs Memorial
Inside, there’s a museum displaying photos and stories of the martyrs, a convention hall, and underground parking.
Watch my video: View of Telangana State Secretariat & Martyrs Memorial
Right opposite the memorial stands the majestic and regal-looking State Secretariat building, fully lit up at night…
I had assumed the fabulous white building with its sprawling lawns and grand domes was a former palace from the Nizam era. But no, it’s actually the brand-new Telangana State Secretariat (officially named Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat), inaugurated in 2023.
Built at a cost of approximately ₹616–650 crore, it replaced the old Secretariat that stood for over 130 years. The new building was designed by renowned architects Ponni and Oscar Concessao in the Indo-Saracenic style — a beautiful blend of Indo-Islamic, Mughal, and traditional Indian temple architecture with grand domes, arches, and courtyards.
Spanning a huge area along Hussain Sagar Lake, it features 635 rooms, 34 domes, bullet-proof windows for the Chief Minister’s office, a sky lounge on the 11th floor for state banquets, and modern facilities throughout.
Watch my video: Telangana State Secretariat building along Hussain Sagar
It’s perfectly located amidst picturesque locales like the beautiful lake and memorial.. and acres of green spaces offering relaxation and amusement alongside the lake. Lumbini Park is right next to the memorial. A bit ahead lies NTR Gardens.
Built in 1994, the small 7.5-acre Lumbini Park is named after Lord Buddha’s birthplace in Nepal. Besides park amenities and joyrides, it’s famous for the evening musical fountain, laser light shows, and scenic boat rides to the giant Buddha Statue in the middle of the lake.
Next to it, beside the lake is the 36-acre NTR Gardens dedicated to legendary leader and actor N.T. Rama Rao. It features lush lawns, colourful flower beds, fountains, walking paths, a grand NTR Memorial, toy train rides and fun attractions for kids.
I visited the nearest Lumbini Park, which was brimming with evening crowds. There was an entry ticket of 20 rupees for adults and 10 rupees for children. Behind me in the queue were two burqa-clad women with a boy who looked about 10 years old. I was turning to leave, ticket in hand and heard one of them ask for two tickets. It was followed by a loud shout from the boy behind them “Uncle, mujhe bhi ek ticket!” (Uncle, even I want a ticket!) I was literally going to burst out laughing at the sight of the two women instantly turning around in anger and admonishing the small child. Obviously, the two wanted him to pass through free of cost 😀 The cute innocence of the kid made me smile 😀
Watch my videos:
Hussain Sagar Boating Point inside Lumbini Park
Rodeo joyride inside Lumbini Park
I badly wanted to try the rodeo ride and would have definitely done it if I had company 😀
Hearing the announcement of a 7 PM laser show, I proceeded in that direction. It turned out to be the biggest evening highlights at the park – a spectacular combination of multimedia laser show and musical fountain.
The laser show uses colourful beams to create stunning 3D visuals and narrates the history of Hyderabad in a mesmerizing 30–40 minute display.
Right before or around it, the musical fountain comes alive with water jets dancing rhythmically to popular music and lights.
Watch my videos:
Multimedia Laser and Fountain Show in Lumbini Park -I
Multimedia Laser and Fountain Show in Lumbini Park -II
After the show, I hurried towards Birla temple, which closes at 9 PM.
Crossing the busy roads at night was challenging. Having walked a long way from my hotel, I didn’t want to take an autorickshaw for the short distance to the foothill. It was a walkable distance, and I could see the beautifully illuminated white marble temple, dedicated to Lord Venkateswara (Lord Balaji of Tirumala Tirupati Temple), perched on the 280-feet-high hill – Naubat Pahad (Kala Pahad).
Built in 1976 by the industrialist Birla family, this architectural gem (constructed with over 2000 tonnes of white marble from Rajasthan) offers panoramic views of Hyderabad, the lake, and the city skyline — especially magical when illuminated in the evening.
The bright headlights of speeding vehicles were irritating so I considered taking an autorickshaw. But they were shamelessly overcharging for the short distance up to the foothill — some even said 150 rupees.
After a few minutes of debating whether to cross or not, I spotted my chance to at least reach the side of the Secretariat. A decent, middle-aged guy was waiting to cross in that direction. The moment he stepped in the traffic, I grabbed his arm and made it to the other side. He was obviously surprised but didn’t say anything 😀
Over 10 years ago, in 2013, I had a terrifying experience in Mangalore… I was in the middle of the busy road with two huge speeding buses literally sandwiching me. Phew, that was a very narrow escape! 😀 Read it here:
My Adventures in Coffee Land (Part V): Udupi to Mangalore & Mumbai
From there, I still had to cross the main road. Somehow, I managed it half way on my own. Counting on the traffic signal, I thought it was going to be just a short wait until it turned green for walk. But no, it stayed red forever. Time ticked by, one by one locals were waltzing through the continuous flow of vehicles. Their experience showed!
I waited impatiently for almost 10 minutes but the signal refused to change. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and marched straight towards a small group of traffic policemen standing below the flyover post. “Hum kabse khade hain yahan peh! Yeh signal green hi nahi ho raha!” (I’ve been waiting since such a long time but this signal hasn’t turned green yet!) I complained to the nearest one. “Lo abhi green karwa dete hain,” he said. (I’ll make it green right away!) I instantly recognized the North Indian accent. Not knowing what he meant, I tagged along nevertheless.
To my horror, he walked straight into the speeding incoming traffic! Wait… I quickly grabbed his iron-like arm. He was a tall guy, but taking leisurely steps, he literally walked me through the traffic… it felt as though he had thrown a safety net between us and the fast-approaching vehicles. A nice gentleman in uniform 😀
The climb to the hilltop temple took 10-15 minutes as I stopped for window shopping from time to time. The narrow pedestrian path is lined with shops selling pooja items, souvenirs, and jewellery. Mobile phones aren’t allowed inside — there’s a special counter to deposit them next to the shoe stand stall.
After a beautiful darshan, I basked in the breathtaking panoramic city views. Besides amazing spiritual vibes, each nook and corner in the temple offers fabulous picture-perfect viewpoints. The night view of the lake and the illuminated Secretariat is simply ethereal. It was nearing closing time so I could spend just 15-20 minutes there.
Watch my video: Birla Temple entrance
At the temple entrance, there’s a jewellery shopping area housing wonderful collections of gems and jewellery. It’s a great place to stop after temple darshan. There’s a food and refreshment facility next to it. Thirsty after the long walk, I downed half a litre of water in one go, followed by two glasses of lassi, one after another.
My plan was to return to my hotel by metro. Online guides mentioned Khairatabad as the nearest metro station to Birla Temple. Being a late hour, I stopped a passing autorickshaw. The driver – a North Indian – told me Khairatabad was in another direction. I told him I wanted to go there as it’s said to be the nearest metro station. He told me to get in, but when I consulted Google Map, it showed me going in the opposite direction. By the way, Khairatabad is not at all the nearest station to Birla Temple! The driver told me Lakdi-ka-Pul was the nearest and within walking distance. He should have told me that in the first place! He reminded me that I had told him that my legs were tired and I wanted to go by autorickshaw so Assembly was convenient. Haha…I was furious by the time we reached Assembly metro station.
Image credit: Hyderabad Metro
From Assembly, Khairatabad was the second stop after Lakdi-ka-Pul. Moreover, I thought he had overcharged me. When I handed him the fare, a stray rubber band got attached to a note. Annoyed, I told him to keep it or give it to his folks – it may come handy! Maybe my angry Hindi words were cute because he changed his mind and sweetly told me not get angry and to pay whatever I felt appropriate. I told him to keep it. After the ridiculous prices that autorickshaw drivers had told for the short distance from Lumbini Park to Birla Temple, I didn’t know what to expect at this hour. The autorickshaw driver was all smiles and laughs when I got down. Of course, I returned a smile too 😀 People easily come to know that I’m not a local. My Mumbai-slang Hindi charms everyone – even angry words! 😀
My first ride in Hyderabad metro was fun 😀 Travelling by metro is not only the fastest but also the cheapest and most convenient way to move around and explore the city in the least amount of time. The city traffic is so bad.
Read my post: Discovering Kolkata
The previous day, on arrival, the Uber fare from MG Bus Stand to my hotel near Paradise metro station was around 400 rupees. It took more than 45 minutes to reach the destination. By metro, the entire journey from taking the Green Line at MGBS station and switching to Blue Line to reach Paradise is 52 rupees… and takes just 20 minutes!
Boarding at Assembly, I switched from Red Line to Blue Line at Ameerpet, and reached Paradise in 20 minutes. The metro fare for the entire journey was 56 rupees.
Exiting Paradise station, I consulted Google Map. The surroundings looked different so perhaps I had taken the wrong exit. While I was looking around for road crossing, a guy waiting on bike offered his help. He said he was from Rapido. Wary of strangers, I told him that my destination was just around the corner and I only needed to cross the busy road, which looked more problematic than earlier with vehicles coming from all directions.
He said he was going in that direction and it was convenient to drop me off on the way. Since I had Google Map, I thought – heck, why not? Once aboard, I found the displayed directions for MG Road confusing. Moreover, the guy wasn’t focussing ahead while talking to me and vehicles were speeding past on both sides. Irritated, I told him to look ahead 😀 The surroundings felt completely unfamiliar as we were moving farther from my destination. Exasperated, I told him I would pay for the ride… and thought I might as well enjoy the night tour. We passed some sports grounds and a stadium on the way!
When I entered my hotel address, things started going smoothly. What was supposed to be a free short ride turned into a 200-rupee night tour in the wrong direction! Reaching my destination, I asked for the fare and the guy said I could pay how much ever I found suitable. When I took out a 100-rupee note, I sensed his disappointment and added another note which too must have been less for him considering the kilometres we had travelled. But he was the one who had volunteered to help with a free ride in the first place so I didn’t care. The night ride had been crazy fun… definitely not advisable for solo female travellers as it might have turned ugly with a different kind of person. Having a long experience of solo travelling far and wide, and being dangerous to mess with, I know how to handle such situations.
Read my post: My unforgettable moments in Madrid
Saturday, 29th November 2025
The next morning, after breakfast, I left for Paradise metro station. It was barely 200 metres from my hotel. And to think, I had a bike tour of more than 15 minutes the previous night all because of a wrong exit. Hilarious 😀
The metro ride on the Blue Line to the next station – Parade Grounds – for a switch to the Green Line until the final stop – MGBS station – took 20 minutes.
The previous afternoon, while waiting for my Uber ride to the hotel, an autorickshaw driver had asked me if I wanted to visit Charminar. Only 100 rupees, he said. Now, at the autorickshaw stand, they were overcharging so I ignored them and walked towards the main road. A passing autorickshaw stopped and I asked the driver for the fare to Charminar. He replied, 120 rupees. It was the least of all fares quoted to me. But I said, 100 rupees. He was like – 100 rupees? It’s so far. Still, he told me to hop in. That was nice of him. On reaching the heart of the old city of Hyderabad, he told me the direction to follow to reach Charminar. In return, I surprised him with 120 rupees. The road to Charminar is indeed long, I smiled. Haha… I left him not only wide-eyed but also tongue-tied 😀 He was an honest guy. In the city centre, autorickshaws charge the same fare for a short distance of 1 km.
(Methinks, Mumbai is by far the best and most tourist friendly metropolitan city in the country 😀 Autorickshaws follow the metre system. The most that you can complain of is a fast metre. But at least, you don’t have to negotiate the fare each time.)
Charminar, the iconic landmark of old Hyderabad…
Constructed in 1591 by Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, who was the 5th Sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, this 435-year-old Indo-Islamic monument is graced by four minarets that are about 50 feet in height.
It is situated amidst vibrant, bustling markets and local eateries.
Watch my video: Charminar
At 11:30 AM, it was an early hour in Laad Bazaar, which surrounds Charminar. The shops had just opened. Laad Bazaar is famous for bangles, pearls, artificial diamonds and wedding shopping.
Way back in 1989, there were narrow dusty lanes with cycle rickshaws everywhere. Today, the cycle rickshaws are gone, the roads are wide and smooth… only the colourful, lively hustle-bustle has remained unchanged.
Watch my video: Colourful bangles at Laad Bazaar near Charminar
In the vicinity is one of the country’s largest mosques – Mecca (or Makkah) Masjid. Its construction was started by Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah in 1617 and completed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1694. It’s said that the central arch of this mosque was built using the soil of Mecca. The main hall is spacious enough to accommodate 10,000 devotees at a time.
After exploring the markets, I walked towards Chowmahalla Palace – the former seat of the Nizams of Hyderabad, located a kilometre away.
The sprawling 18th–19th century royal complex (the official residence of the Nizams) comprises palaces built in Indo-Saracenic architectural style with vintage décor housing royal artifacts such as premium furniture, portraits and paintings.
Yours truly😎
Watch my videos:
Durbar Hall (Throne Hall) at Chowmahalla Palace
The main highlight is the lovely marble Durbar Hall with Belgian chandeliers, and the sprawling gardens.
Palace Clock Tower…
Vintage car collection…
By the time I was back at Charminar, the entire area was brimming with tourists and shoppers.
I wandered around back and forth, getting to know each and every area. At one place, there was a guy waving a wad of 50-rupee notes at me “Ma’am, foreign exchange?” Haha… who even falls for that?! 😀
Thirsty, I stopped for a water bottle at a restaurant. At its entrance was a refreshment stall selling falooda, lassi, etc. I thought of having a falooda. The vendor told me it comes without vermicelli but with a dollop of thick cream in addition to ice-cream. I placed my order and then began wondering if it was hygienic. Haha…I actually asked him if the glass was washed clean! He laughed and assured me that he wanted customers to flow in so not to worry. Later, the thick cream had me wondering if it was genuine cream or maybe lard 😀 Still, he was a nice kind. One of the must dos for tourists in the area is a visit to one of the many Irani cafés for chai and sweet goodies. He suggested the close-by Nimrah Café, which I had passed by earlier. The café was crowded with tourists placing large number of orders to carry home. I went for the popular Irani chai and Osmania biscuit.
At 3 PM, I wrapped up my walking tour (along with a bit of shopping and lots of window shopping) of more than 3.5 hours in and around Charminar.
Exiting the gate, I saw a Shiva temple, but it was closed for afternoon break. I hopped into a waiting autorickshaw, when the driver replied – 120 rupees – to my fare enquiry for MGBS metro station.
In the morning, while changing metro lines at JBS Parade Ground station, I had sighted a beautiful temple.
I had planned to visit it on my return journey so I exited at Parade Ground station. Unfortunately, the temple was closed for afternoon break.
Since Paradise was the next metro station, I thought I would reach my hotel soon by road rather than waste time in taking the stairs, buying the ticket and proceeding to catch the metro. So I got into an autorickshaw. Bad decision! It cost me more than ten times the time and money than the metro – 30 minutes in traffic and 150 rupees! The metro would have reached me in 2 minutes at just 12 rupees.
Tired, I was back in my room by 4:30 PM. Half an hour later, I was out again… for shopping 😀
I returned with three bags full of style wear for my mom and sisters. The problem was fitting it all in one bag. I discarded all the packaging, squeezed the pieces tightly together and called room service for a weighing machine to check whether it was within non-payable limit for air travel. Being a light traveller, the additional shopping had the bag weighing 10 kg and a little more – way below the airline limit.
Relieved, I was out once again… this time, to have something that I had set my heart upon since my arrival in the city – the legendary Paradise Biryani – a Hyderabad institution since 1953!
The iconic flagship restaurant was just two minutes away from my hotel. Founded in 1953, it’s the original Paradise restaurant in Secunderabad, which gave the entire area its name. Paradise Circle. Even the metro station, which is two minutes away, is named after it.
Famous worldwide for authentic Hyderabadi Dum Biryani (mutton/chicken/veg), it’s a must-visit for every foodie in the city. Starting as a small place, it achieved tremendous success to become the city’s iconic food haunt today. There are multiple branches of Paradise across the city, but this place is a city legend.
It’s a multi-level complex with a café, bakery and takeaway counter on the ground floor. The upper floors house the main biryani restaurants and the top level is an Open Air Garden Restaurant.
Inside, the story of the restaurant’s worldwide reputation is shared through the many photos decorating the walls. Not just national but even international VIPS from all areas including politics and business have been here.
Being a Saturday, I expected a full house so I had reached there at 7 PM. Even at that hour, most of the tables were occupied.
They had a unique menu…
The combo meal for 1 appealed to me. Chicken biryani, chicken tikka and a cola drink for 329 rupees. But instead of chicken biryani, I wanted mutton. And a fresh lime soda instead of cola. My request was readily complied at no extra cost 😀 Biryani arrived accompanied by dahi kachumber. Like the previous day, the portion size for 1 looked enough to serve 3. I thought I would eat half of it and leave the rest. But the biryani was so very delicious, fragrant and devoid of food colours… almost tasted homemade! Slowly, I polished off the entire portion and finished with a falooda 😀 Pure bliss! This was the perfect way to end my wonderful journey in the city.
Downstairs, I bought a box of sweet and salty Osmania biscuits as souvenir.
One of the city’s most treasured tea-time snacks, it’s served in almost every café in the city along with Irani chai.
Next afternoon, I headed to the airport for my Indigo flight back home to Mumbai.
So guys, that’s it! 😀 Thank you for travelling along with me through these posts! 😀 This trip reminded me once again why I love exploring India’s sacred destinations so much. From a truly memorable temple trail, blessed with divine energy and powerful spiritual vibes of Vijayawada and Srisailam… to the vibrant charm, rich history, and mouth-watering flavours of Hyderabad.
What an unforgettable adventure it had been! Until the next adventure… take care and keep exploring! 😀
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