AIR
Indian Airlines, Air India, Jet Airways, Air Sahara, Deccan Air and Gujarat Airways have flights to Hyderabad. The Begumpet Airport is well connected to all major towns and cities.

Airport
Begumpet Airport is north of the Husain Sagar Lake on the Sardar Patel Road.

RAIL
The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad are connected to all parts of the country. The Rajdhani Express comes in from Delhi, Bombay Express comes in from Mumbai and the Charminar Express from Chennai.

Railway station
There are three railway stations ? Secunderabad, Hyderabad (also known as Nampally) and Kacheguda. Secunderabad is the main station.

ROAD
Buses ply to other towns in the state and to other major cities like Aurangabad and Nagpur. Private bus companies have super deluxe video coach services to Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Tirupati and Nagpur.

Bus terminus
The main bus stand is the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (AP-SRTC).

Population
66 million

Languages
Telugu, Hindi, English, and Urdu

CLIMATE
The temperature ranges from 22°C to 42°C in the summer and from 12°C to 22°C in the winter.

STD CODE
040

Charminar
A masterpiece of the Qutab Shahi dynasty, this monument was built by Muhammad Quli Qutab Shah in 1591 to mark the end of the deadly plague. Its central structure soars to a height of 180 feet. The neighbouring old bazaar pulsates with life as trading of pearls, lac bangles and other accessories continues even now.

Salar Jung Museum
This museum is the largest one-man collection of objects d art in the world. The museum is named after Nawab Mir Yusuf Ali Khan, Prime Minister of the Nizam who held the title of Salar Jung Bahadur III (1853). The objects exhibited here were gathered during the Nawab s travels around the world. The museum showcases 35,000 exhibits that include sculptures, woodcarvings, manuscripts, weaponry, Persian carpets, Chinese porcelain, Japanese lacquer-ware, sculptures and jade. The collections date back to the first century. Open between 10 am and 5 pm on all weekdays, except Fridays and government holidays (Tel: 523 211).

Mecca Masjid
This is one of the biggest mosques in India and can accommodate around 10,000 people at one time. It lies 100 yards southwest of the Charminar. The mosque is built on the lines of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, hence the name. The construction began in 1614 during the reign of Md Quli Qutub Shah and finished in 1697 during Aurangzeb s time. A room in the courtyard is said to house sacred relics. One of the relics on display include the hair of the Prophet. Non-Muslims cannot enter the masjid.

Public Gardens
Situated near the Hyderabad railway station, this is one of the best laid out gardens in the country. It houses grand buildings such as the State Legislature, State Archaeological Museum, Jubilee Hall, Jawahar Bal Bhavan and Telugu Lalitha Kala Thoranam - an open air theatre.

Sri Venkateswara Temple-Birla Mandir
Dedicated to Lord Ventateswara, this temple (constructed with Rajasthani white marble) was built in 1976 on one of the twin rocky hills - Kalabahad. It overlooks the southern end of the Husain Sagar Lake. The main deity is nine and a half feet high and is made of granite brought from Phirangipuram in Guntur District. Open from 7 am to noon and 3 pm to 9 pm.

Birla Planetarium
Built on Naubat Pahar (drum rock), this modern planetarium is adjacent to the Birla Mandir. It has daily sessions in Telugu, Hindi and English (Fee Rs 10). Open from 10.30 am to 8.15 pm daily except the last Thursday of the month.

Buddha Statue
This is the largest stone Buddha in the world with a length of 17.5 m, weighing 350 tons. Work on this statue started in 1985 at Raigir, 50 km from Hyderabad and was completed in 1990. During transportation across the Husain Sagar, it sank into the lake and languished there for two years till 1992 when it was salvaged and placed on a plinth in the middle of the lake.

Nehru Zoological Park
One of the largest zoos in the country, the park is spread over 1.2 sq km. There are almost 3,000 different species of birds and animals here. A lion safari trip, a natural history museum, a pre-historical animals park, a children s park with a toy train are some of its main features. Open everyday except Mondays from 9 am to 5 pm.

Golconda Fort
This 16^th century historic fort lies 10 km west of the city. The name originates from the Telugu words Golla and Konda meaning shepherd s hill. Originally founded by the Kakatiyas in the 13^th century, the structure was expanded by Qutab Shahi. For close to a hundred years, Golconda was the capital of the independent state of Telengana. The fort is famous for its water system and acoustics that guarantee that the smallest sound would echo all across the fort, thus making anonymity impossible. Andhra Pradesh Tourism organises sound and light shows (fee Rs 20 per head) in the evenings, re-enacting the glory and grandeur of the Qutab Shahi dynasty. The fort is open from 8 am to 6.30 pm everyday.

Qutab Shahi Tombs
Close to the Golconda Fort (1.5 km from the Balahisar Gate) are the tombs of the seven Qutab Shahi rulers. The tombs are surrounded by well-laid gardens. They can be visited between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm on all days except Friday.

Shamirpet
A tourist complex developed by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism, it is located in the vicinity of the man-made Jawahar Lake, 27 km away from Secunderabad on the Hyderabad-Karimnagar Road. The complex has 12 cottages and a restaurant. There is also a Deer Park which is managed by the Forest Departments.

Osmansagar
Located about 20 km from Hyderabad, this beautiful lake was formed by constructing a dam on the River Musi. Popularly known as Gandipet, this is an beautiful picnic spot with well-laid gardens.

Shilparamam
Artists and artisans from all over the country participate in annual bazaars at Shilparamam, a craft village set up at Madhapur beyond Jubilee Hills at Hyderabad.

Shopping for art and crafts can be done at the Andhra Pradesh Emporium, Kalanjali, on the Nampally High Road. Check out the rice pearls at Charminar. In case you are worried about being cheated, visit the state emporium. Central Cottage Industries Emporium in the Minerva Complex on the Sarojini Devi Road is also a good place to buy crafts. Lac bangles and various other accessories can be bought near the market at Charminar. A shopping experience unique to Hyderabad is the Khada Dupatta , a salwar kameez with a 4.5 m dupatta!