Continued from Part 5 Like most parts of India, the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Hyderabad too, are very grand each year. Attractive idols of Lord Ganesha are installed, and pujas are performed, in elaborately decorated ‘Ganesh Pandals’ all over the city. And, as per tradition, the idols are taken out in a procession and immersed Continue reading

Continued from Part 4 The holy month of Ramzan is something that Hyderabadis await eagerly every year. While Ramzan is observed as the month of fasting by the followers of Islam, Hyderabadis look forward to it as that part of the year when the hugely popular Hyderabadi Haleem would be available to feast on. Haleem Continue reading

Continued from Part 3 Every year, during July-August, Hyderabad wears a festive look, celebrating Bonalu. Bonalu festivities are spread over 4 weeks, with major celebrations being on the Sundays and Mondays. While the celebrations on the first Sunday is special in the Golconda area, the second Sunday is celebrated very grandly at Secunderabad, the most Continue reading

Continued from Part 2 ‘Numaish’ translates to Exhibition. In Hyderabad context, it refers to the All India Industrial Exhibition, an annual feature of Hyderabad. It’s a 46 day long exhibition, from Jan 1 – Feb 15 of every year, hosted in the center of the city at Nampally Exhibition Grounds. Hyderabadis look forward to this Continue reading

Continued from Part 1 Hyderabad is popularly known as the city of pearls. To me, it is also the city of Irani cafes. From the famous Alpha, Garden, Paradise, Blue Sea, Café Bahar, Bawarchi, Madina, City Light, to my personal favourites Mezbaan, Ramser, G N Tea Point, Rambo, Sangeeth café and more. Describing an Irani Continue reading

Cities, like life forms, keep changing, growing and evolving. History also has records of cities that have decayed. While change is unavoidable, the rate at which the changes take place differ from city to city, from period to period. Viewed in this context, the transformation of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, in the last two decades, has Continue reading