Karachi Biscuits in Madhapur, Hitech City Hyderabad

Most of us working/living in the Hitech city area love to take some Hyderabadi souvenir back home to our family & friends. We mostly choose from the Biryani, Haleem or Karachi biscuits. It is difficult to go to Banjara Hills to grab a pack of Karachi biscuits at short notice and it’s too costly to get one from airport outlets. 

My friend Shonita, while exploring the Madhapur area, stumbled across this wonderful supermarket that stocks Karachi biscuits, and they are original. According to Shonita, the supermarket is in the small lane just besides Dominoes Pizza outlet on Madhapur Main road.

So next time you gotta grab a pack of Karachi biscuits, don’t you worry. Just rush to this supermarket near dominoes in Madhapur and ye shall not disappoint thy family.

Thanks Shonita for this useful piece of information!

Jobs in Hyderabad

The jobs in Hyderabad City, especially in the IT industry can be broadly classified into the following:

BPO jobs in Hyderabad: There has been an immense opporutnity and lot of vacancies or jobs have come up in this sector after the Chandrababu Naidu government's special attention and MNC companies finding it favorable to setup their offices here for their back office operations.

Data Entry jobs in Hyderabad: While there are genuine players in the market, a word of caution here, this sector is full of fraudsters. If you are looking to work from home for a data entry job, please give up this idea. Alternatively, I suggest you do not pay any upfront deposits or make any other kind of payments to get the jobs. Do not pay any middlemen also who promise they will direct you to data entry clients or companies. They are all fraud.

HR (recruitment) jobs in Hyderabad: The Human Resources Recruiter is responsible for delivering all facets of recruiting. If you are looking fly high in the corporate corridors, this one is for your. you will need to put in a lot of hardwork, but you will see the results too.

IT jobs in Hyderabad: There a lot of fly by night IT companies that keep opening by the day and are shut by the night. Please do not fall for them. Check the standing of a company before joining it. You are putting your future at stake. Also, jobs in IT sector are specifically categorized as Software Testing jobs, .Net jobs, and PHP jobs.

Call Center jobs in Hyderabad: The call centers have provided a great opportunity to undergraduates to earn while they learn. If you have got good communication skills and would like to make the best of your spare time, you should try applying at some of the reputed MNCs.

Finding part time jobs in Hyderabad in the above sectors while not easy, is not difficult either. 

101 Things To-Do in Hyderabad

1. Discover the acoustics of Golconda fort and Seven Tombs. Find the rooms with whispering walls in Golconda and the Echoing tomb in Seven Tombs complex. Also, explore the hamams in Seven Tombs and the very deep well. 
2. Feel the four hundred years of Charminar, Climb up on the Charminar and try locating High Court, Osmania Hospital, and Golconda Fort from the top. 
3. Count the seven Qutub Shahi tombs from a roof top in the western suburbs or from the Hyderabad Golf Course
4. Climb the steps of Maula Ali and enjoy the view.
5. Spend a day at Salar Jung Museum. Don't miss the Nizam's jewelry collection - it's bound to make heads spin.
6. Listen to the silence of Mecca Masjid in a congregation of hundred thousand. Also, view the Mecca Masjid from the Nizamia Unani Hospital campus right opposite the Masjid. At the entrance courtyard of the mosque, a rectangular, arched and canopied building houses the graves of the Nizams who ruled Hyderabad, aka, Asaf Jahi rulers.
7. Enjoy the cityscape from Birla temple
8. Explore the Osmania University, the vast campus are green-lungs of the city
9. Discover the Paigah tombs
10. Visit the Hyderabad Public School, a school campus fit to be a palace
11. Drive through the Mecca Darwaza, a Qutub Shahi era gate in Golconda fort that is still manned by army jawans. This got its name as it is apparently in the direction of the Mecca City where Muslims face to offer their prayers five times a day.
12. Stroll through the Public Garden and see the Mosque beside Assembly building within the garden, Archaeology Museum, Jubilee Hall and Bal Bhavan
13. Visit the Ramoji Film City. Hyderabad churns out more Tollywood films than Bollywood every year
14. Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar were once retreats outside the city. With rapid urbanization, find remnants of yesteryear holiday spots caught in between new development and ring-roads
15. Drive through Hi-Tec City - an IT hub that could have been so much more - till you find the Durgam Cheruvu
16. Trace the Shaikhpet Sarai built by the Qutub Shahi kings
17. Go for a swim in the Mir Alam Tank and also locate the Nizami Observatory, a Space Observatory established in 1907 in the area.
18. Circumcircle the roller coaster roads around KBR National Park, home to the Chiran Palace
19. Look for the statues of Telugu literature trio Nannayya, Thikkana and Errana on the Tankbund
20. Walk the bridges across Moosi - Purana Pul, Muslim Jun Pul, Naya Pul, Salar Jung Pul, Chaderghat Pul
21. Trace the palaces of Nizams - Chowmahalla Palace (being restored by the grand daughter-in-law and great grandson of Nizam VII), Purani Haveli, King Kothi (now a hospital), Falaknuma Palace (being converted into a Taj hotel), Mahboob Mansion, Chiran Palace (now under Forest Dept), Hill Fort Palace (now Ritz Hotel), Bella Vista (now Administrative Staff College), Basheer Bagh Palace (now dismantled); the palace of Salar Jungs - Dewan Devdi (now houses GHMC); the palaces of Paigah nobles - Paigah Palace (now houses US Embassy; earlier HUDA), Asman Garh Palace (now an archaeology museum) and numerous others
22. Listen to qawwali at Yousufain dargah, walk the almost magical streets around it and taste Chakna at a cheap restaurant
23. Buy Laak ki Choodiyaan in Laad Bazaar
24. Get lost in a black sea of burqas while shopping at Madina on Chaand Raat (eve of Eid-ul-Fitr)
25. Admire the stone buildings of Patherghatti and haggle for some fine pearls in Char Kaman, Gulzar House
26. Catch a cultural program or two at Ravindra Bharti
27. Admire the Nizam era architecture - the High Court, Osmania Hospital, Unani Hospital, City College, City Library, Assembly Building, Jubilee Hall, Osmania Medical College, Osmania Arts College, Moazamjahi Market, Pathergatti
28. Go boating (sailing if you are a pro) in Hussain Sagar lake and catch a glimpse of largest monolith statue of Buddha
29. Walk through the Mahboobia school, Nizam college to All Saints school - educational institutions that are 100 to 150 years old
30. Hunt for books (used) in Abids' roadside book bazaar on Sundays
31. Walk through some neighborhoods - Red Hills has some fading art deco buildings, Humayun Nagar had some decent bunglows and villas now giving way to commercial projects, Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills houses the city's elite
32. Exchange old cut notes and buy attar in the vintage Moazamjahi Market and while you are there, give the kulfi (Rs. 7 only) at Famous Ice Cream a try
33. Discover kahwa, suleimani, harees and football in the Little Arabia of Barkas - erstwhile colony of Nizam's army and a corruption of the word 'barracks'
34. Count mosques and tombs as you pass through the main street in Karwan
35. Walk the bylanes of Hussaini Alam to discover oddities like Deccan Button Factory, surprises like Jamia Nizamia and shockers like Khursheed Jah Palace
36. Drive down to mango farms in Kandi on Bombay Highway in summer for some great mango varieties - Benishaan, Rasaal, Malika, Langda, Dusseri, Shakkar Gutli, Himayat. Enjoy the arid boulders of Deccan plateau of your return drive
37. Get yourself a Sherwani stitched at Silver Jubilee, Abids. The master tailor may be a little fussy but what else do you expect from a guy who's doing Sherwanis for several decades now?
38. Shop for some fine silks at Handloom House, Nampally
39. Catch a movie at Santosh Sapna - a 70mm-35mm combo theatre - before it is torn down to build a multiplex
40. Walk through British era markets - General Bazaar and Tobacco Bazaar - now wholesale cloth markets
41. Meet the city's rich and young on a pub crawl - Ahala, Liquids, Touch, Poison, Dublin, 10D - where the party doesn't stop at 11p
42. Understand the Khada Dupatta, Sharara, Gharara, Laancha and other wedding dresses
43. Climb up to the roof of a 300 year old mosque and listen to five adhaans at a time in the muslim quarters of old city
44. Discover a whole world of spices, herbs and dry fruits in the yellow drawers of Dawasaaz stores
45. Attend a Hyderabadi Muslim wedding and listen to the teen-maar of a marfa band
46. Enjoy Irani chai, Osmania biscuit and Onion samosa in a street-side cafe with bent-wood chairs, marble table tops and open shutters
47. Hog Biryani at Paradise (Paradise Circle); Mandar, Banne Nawab (Salarjung Colony); Nayaab, Shadaab (Madina). Nayaab and Shadaab may have more atmosphere of old city but the taste is as good as it gets at other places too
48. Understand Hyderabad's naan (oval and square shaped). They sell it hot from the earth ovens on most street corners in old city. Uzbeki Naan of ITC Hotels comes closest in bread family to the Hyderabadi Naan
49. Feast on some spicy Boti Kababs from the grill and hot Rumaali Roti tossed directly in your plate
50. Wake up early for some steamy greasy Paaya Nahari and Kulche
51. Enjoy the road side Pani Puri (or Gup Chup as it is sometimes called)
52. Buy dry fruit biscuits at Karachi bakery
53. Savour the fiery Andhra meals (full/plate) and tiffins
54. Find the spicy and tangy Mirchi ke Pakode on roadsides
55. Fill up yourself with the Chicken 65 cooked in red color and seasoned with fried curry leaves. Usually served in brown melamine bowls on roadside Chinese eateries.
56. Indulge yourself with the delicious Hyderabadi cuisine - Biryani, Bagare Baigan, Luqmi, Haleem, Dalcha, Pasinde, Pathar ka Ghost, Khubaani ka Meetha
57. Eat Haleem and Dahi bade from shacks on street corners during the month of Ramadan
58. Offer Eid-ul-Fitr / Eid-uz-Zuha prayers in an eidgah
59. Catch a film festival at the Lalitha Kala Toranam
60. Watch world cinema at Hyderabad Film Club, Sarathi Studios
61. Listen to the city's literati at the annual Urdu Academy mushaira in Numaaish grounds
62. Enjoy the Deccani Urdu. There are fine nuances which make it structurally more similar to Telugu than to Lucknowi Urdu. But what the heck, enjoy "naan ki roti khao ji" and "paani nahane jaaroon"
63. Enjoy the night-view of the City from Dargah Hakeem Shah Baba, Hakeempet (Behind Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills)
64. Try the awesome fruit salad at International Juice Center Mehdipatnam, or Ice N Spice Tolichowki OR Fruit Juice Center on ChowMahalla Palace road near Charminar.
65. Visit the 800 year old Kalpavriksha tree  in Golconda Fort, which is supposedly 80-feet in circumference, hollow in the middle and can accommodate up to 12 people.
66. Try the mutton achar (pickle) at Nampally
67. Trace the ‘overhead canal’ near Shaikpet the brings drinking water from Manjeera river to Hyderabad. 
68. Spot peacocks at Chiran Palace (now, KBR Park) early morning
69. Trace the 105-year old beautiful Spanish Mosque in Begumpet, the one of its kind in India.
70. Spot the Saidanima’s Tomb Near the Hussain Sagar Sailing Club (Towards Mariott Hotel)
71. Explore the Mir Chowk Bazar (after Laad bazaar near Charminar) for antiquities and pets.
72. Hog on some awesome hand-made ice-cream at Famous Ice-Cream Center Moazam Jahi Market (Near Abids)
73. Trace the Aladin Mansion on Begumpet Road (right beside Shopper’s Stop)
74. Hog on awesome beef cuisine like boti kebab, seekh kabab, tala hua gosht, and beef biryani at spots like Alhamdulillah Hotel (Nampally), Prince Hotel (Mehdipatnam) and Rumaan Hotel (Tolichowki)
75. Buy a pair of Saleem Shahi shoes at Chatta Bazar (near Salar Jung Museum on Charminar road)
76. Trace the Central State Library, the biggest library in Asia. The library is located at Afzal Gunj on the bank of the River Musi. It houses 500,000 books and magazines including some rare palmleaf manuscripts. This library is at the apex of the library system in the state.
77. Explore the Begum Bazar market, the hub of wholesale commercial activity in Hyderabad.
78. Explore the Jagadish Market, the hub of Mobile and Electronic stores in Hyderabad
79. Trace the Koti Women’s college. The area's name comes from the word because of Koti Residency. This was later converted to house the British resident James Achilles Kirkpatrick and which was, in 1949, converted into the campus of the Osmania University College for Women. 
80. Explore the Annual Industrial Exhibition aka Numaish held annually for 45 days starting 1st of January every year. 
81. Trace the Taramati-Baramati Baradari on the other side of Golconda fort 
82. Trace the Dargah of Shaik Ji Hali near Gulzar Houze for its unique marble work.
83. Trace the Dargah of Hazrat Shah Mohammed Hassan Qibla (RA) Abul Ullai near Bhoiguda Kaman (near Aghapura) for its amazing architecture. 
84. Trace the Ghode ki khabar (apparently the grave of a warrior’s horse) this again is near Nampally, Aghapura. If traveling by Auto, just tell him to take you to Ghode Ki Khabar Nampally.
85. Explore the Hyderabad Zoological Park.
86. Trace the Lal Bahadur Stadium, aka Fateh Maidan.
87. Trace the house, Golden Threshold, of Sarojini Naidu, which currently houses the Hyderabad Central University’s office at Nampally.
88. Visit the SudhaCar’s Museum, BahadurPura, which has a good collection of modified vehicles which are in different shapes and sizes. It houses the world’s tallest tri-cycle, shortest double-decker bus and the smallest bike, apart from a bedcar etc. 
89. Enjoy the evening breeze at People’s Plaza Necklace road. 
90. Enjoy the awesome North Indian chaats at Sindhi Colony, Behind Paradise Hotel.
91. Trace and count the number of Tombs you will find in Nampally and surrounding areas.
92. Explore the ‘Secret Lake’ and the beautiful rocks in the adjacent park aka Durgam Cheruvu in Jubilee Hills
93.  Try the famous hyderabadi breakfast spread: Kichdi, Khatta, Kheema and Papad at one of the Hotels like Prince, Rumaan or Alhamdulillah.
94. Try the Arabian Cuisine blended with Hyderabadi flavors at Dine Hills Masab Tank.
95. Explore the Khowa/Mawa market near Shah Ali banda Charminar and try some plain khowa with sugar.
96. Try some Chicken Shawarma and Murgh Tabak at Tolichowki Food Courts
97. Explore the imported stuff market at Shahran (Behind Shahran Hotel, near Charminar)
98. Try Camel riding on the Necklace road
99. Trace the Gulzar Houz Fountain near Charminar
100. Trace the grave of the last Nizam, Osman Ali Khan at Judi Mosque in King Kothi area.
101. Explore the Mir Alam Mandi on Pathergatti road near Charminar.

The above are an improvisation to the original list here

Beautiful Rainbow

This beautiful rainbow was shot today evening by my colleague Navin from our office terrace. It was a beautiful evening after some rains. Its been raining cats and dogs now for over a week. Most of the surrounding districts have been flooded killing over 200 people. Anyways, may their souls rest in peace.

Hyderabad in 1948 (i.e. About 61 years ago)

I recently came across some really old pics on Hyderabad, from about 60 years ago. Sharing it with you all. I will try and post the pictures from current days for the same locations.

1. This pic is of the famous Moazam Jahi Market, a kind of shopping complex at that time.

It was constructed in 1935 during the reign of the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. It was named after his second son Moazzam Jah.

This building is a great landmark of Hyderabad even today and the main landmark is built entirely in stone.

PS: Please click on each pic to get a larger view.

Hyderabad International Auto Show 2009

As the name suggests this happened in Hyderabad, its the first time that an International Auto Show was held at Hyderabad.

The event was the first of its kind in the south India spread over 6,400 sq. mtrs of Air-conditioned facility, where all the major automobile manufactures, finance companies and insurance companies participated. Biggies like Hyundai, Maruti, Ford, Tata Motors, General Motors, Mahindra, Renault, Fiat, Toyota, Honda, Skoda,Mercedes, Volvo, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, Porche, Land Rover and Rolls Royce. Two Wheeler manufacturers like Hero Honda, Honda Motor Cycles, TVS Motors, Bajaj Auto, Yamaha Motors, Kinetic and Suzuki Motors also participated.

Apart from these, there were stalls of selected manufacturers/importers of automobile accessories like Sony, JBL, Panasonic, etc.

My nephews liked the Toys for Big Boys.. where radio controlled airplanes and copters were on display and yea they were affordable in the range of $100 to $1000 :)

I'll post a few pics of the vintage stuff that was on display outta there... I liked them the most.. There were the BSAs, Nortons, Red Indians....wooohoooo

Rockscape of Hyderabad

Hyderabad is blessed with a unique landscape: spectacular ancient rock formations - though almost extinct in the centre of the expanding metropolis - still dot its suburban expanses: Granite ridges and hillocks weathered into picturesque balancing forms, part of the Deccan Shield area. Geologists date these rocks to 2,500 million years back, amongst the oldest and hardest rocks in the world.

Uncontrolled quarrying and destruction for the sake of building material and more building space threatens to make these rocks a thing of the past. But do we have to destroy a unique asset that other cities would be proud to possess? We should realise that our rocky hillocks lend themselves to great nature and adventure parks. Nature is recreation for the body and the soul - and we are sorely in need of more recreation areas for the increasing millions of our city.

Hyderabad is growing its concrete monuments at a crazy pace. But every visitor to Hyderabad admires the balancing boulders of our landscapes with awe. The indiscriminate cutting down of the rocks is seen with dismay. We need to protect rock formations as natural monuments. They cannot be reproduced by man. They are simply priceless!!!

Rockscape pics from Hyderabad!

Hyderabad's favorite Irani Chai

There are a few things which can be called quintessentially Hyderabadi and of those is the Irani chai. In fact, it is so popular that even film songs have a mention of it.

Tea cafes became a part of the Indian culture when Persian traders visited the country. The Irani Chai that came with it is known to be a great blend of brewed tea leaves, boiled milk and sweetened condensed milk.

This kind of tea is available at small and old cafes and is usually served with tempting sweet and salty Osmania biscuits (see pic). And the price surprisingly still ranges from Rs. 2.5 to Rs. 5 per cup. Do not forget to ask for the Khade Chammach ki chai if you have a sweet tooth. It is so named because the cup has so much sugar that the spoon stands upright when inserted to mix!

Hyderabadi Pearls

The famous Hyderabadi pearls at a pearl store near Charminar. (it's my friend's, feel free to contact me if you need any)

Kill Time - signboard :)

Charminar at Night

Antiquities in a bylane

The Royal Dining Table

Furniture inside Chowmahalla Palace Hyderabad

A ceiling fan in the Palace - Hyderabad

Gigantic 500 year old tree in Hyderabad Fort

Chandelier in Hyderabad Palace

Hyderabad: How and where to spend 24 hours

Hyderabad the 450-year-old historical city founded by the Qutub Shahi dynasty is a great city to visit for a day; there's a lot you can do within the span of 24 hours, from visiting historical sights to sitting by the Hussain Sagar lake and dining on delicious Hyderabadi biryani.

Sightseeing

Wake up early in the morning and head to Golconda Fort and Seven Tombs -- spend some time soaking in the local culture and climb to the top for a view of the bustling city if you're feeling adventurous.

Then you can set off for Charminar, Mecca Masjid, and Salar Jung Museum for a glimpse of the Veiled Rebecca, a sculpture by Italian artist Giovanni Maria Benzoni -- it's a must-see. Then finish off with a visit to the Hussain Sagar in the evening before hitting those bars. It's also worthwhile to get a sense of Tollywood by either visiting Ramoji Film City or catching a Telugu flick in the city's posh multiplexes.

Eating Out

Truly a food lover's paradise, Hyderabad has something for every palate and wallet. The city's local cuisine is a blend of Persian and Mughlai culinary styles. Try the legendary Paradise Hotel that is said to serve the best Hyderabadi biryani in the city or the consistently good Hyderabad House. There's also the Three Cheers Restaurant behind Amrutha Castle at Saifabad. Not to miss the authentic hyderabadi restaurant Shadab at Charminar. If you're up for a bit of adventure, stroll down the streets of the Old City, especially the Charminar area and settle down at one of the eateries there.

Shopping

If you have some time on your hands, I would recommend the markets around Charminar for cheap steals. This is also where you will find the famous bangles and pearls of Hyderabad. Or, for a less local experience, you could head for the expensive malls around the Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills areas. If it's value for money you want, you should visit the Ameerpet, Abids and General Bazaar areas.

Nightlife

When the sun sets and its time to clink those glasses, remember that Hyderabadis change their loyalties every two weeks. This is not just because of the city's limited and interconnected social circuit but also the constant influx of new clubs in town.

Currently, the most happening spots in town are Excess (Hotel Novotel), On Lounge, Touch, 360 Degrees and Ahala (Taj Krishna), subject to change depending on the number of new clubs launching this weekend!

Popular old-time favourites are Bottles & Chimney, 10 Downing Street and Firangi Paani which offer more of a pub experience, one that is greatly lacking in an otherwise party-loving city.

Getting around

To get around the city, I would suggest you use the auto rickshaws, since public transport (except for the local metro) is undependable, not well-connected and is always jam-packed. You can usually ask for the metre rates, but sometimes it is worthwhile to pay 5 or 10 bucks over and above.