▼

Sunday, June 1, 2025

Hyderabad Diaries: Exploring the City of Pearls - Day 2


Rashtrapati Nilayam


Booking was done in advance for Rashtrapati Nilayam. In case you want to book, use the official Rashtrapati Nilayam website. Once booked, you need to reach the location on time; they permit a delay of up to 40 minutes. Showing the ticket on mobile with a matching ID card is good enough for entry. To avoid getting late, we left early in the morning. On the way, there were numerous traffic signals, but they didn’t cost us much time as we were traveling in the morning. Surrounded by military facilities, the area is very quiet. There was ample parking space; we left the vehicle there and walked towards the entrance. There was some confusion about whether cameras were allowed inside. One person at the entrance said it was okay to carry a camera, while an older one standing next to him said no. Finally, they asked me to check with the officer in charge, who was in a building next to the parking area.

I went back and the officer in charge wasn’t came yet; rest of the staff were not very sure about rules regarding camera. Eventually, they mentioned a rule (something made up on the spot?!!) stating that to use a camera, permission must be obtained from Delhi at least one day in advance. As time was passing, I left the camera in the car and returned to the entry gate. It seems photography is permitted everywhere except inside the main building. However, I’m still not sure whether DSLRs are allowed or not.

This 16-room main building was constructed in 1860 by then Nizam Nazir-ud-Dowla. Later, it became the country house for British Residents at Secunderabad. After Hyderabad State joined the Indian Union (post Operation Polo) in 1948, this building became part of the President's retreat. The President of India stays here for at least two weeks during his/her winter visit and conducts official business from here.

Tunnel - Secret package

We kept on walking and entered the first building, which hosted a limousine (and many other things) used by presidents in the past. From there, we walked toward the main building. The President and his family stay here in the main building when they are in Hyderabad. Here, we got a guide, and he explained the use of each room. We stood at the door and viewed inside from there as entry to room was prohibited. Once we came outside, we went to the next building and explored the underground tunnel. This tunnel was originally used as a secret passage. In 2023, the government renovated the passage and painted Telangana's Cheriyal folk art along its entire length. Calm music accompained us throughout the passage. Mom and Divya walked quickly and reached ther other side; me and Niha spent considerable time exploring the art. 


The area around the building is still undergoing renovation. They are building new gardens and planting trees etc. The estate spreads over 90 acres and has six gardens as of now — Nakshatra Garden, Herbal Garden, Rock Garden, Maze Garden, Palmatum, and Fruit Orchards. In addition to that, there are three stepwells — Jai Hind Stepwell, Nakshatra Stepwell, and Chinna Baavi. Step wells are more than hundred years old and are currently undergoing renovation. In buildings adjacent to the stepwells, there were detailed descriptions and drawings on how these were used in the past.

It was indeed quite a long walk. At one end, we finally sat on metal benches placed in one of the gardens. Mom sat there and explained to Divya about some of the old systems used in the past. Niha was tired but became a little happy when we left her in the ground. I started exploring the map to see how to reach our next destination.

Chowmahalla Palace








It's quite far from Rashtrapati Nilayam; here, parking is a bit difficult. After waiting in the queue for some time, we finally got a place to park. Chowmahalla means four palaces and was the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad. Construction began in 1750s under Salabat Jung and was completed under Asaf Jah V. This palace complex contains grand halls, courtyards, etc. There was some kind of party inside the palace in the evening, so we quickly moved to the main building; it was quite beautiful and displays the luxury of the bygone era of the Nawabs.


To read details about the palace, please visit, 

Lumbini Park

By the time we left the palace, it was evening. Next was the light and sound show at Lumbini Park. This park is spread over three hectares and close to Hussain Sagar lake. We reached there on time, booked the tickets, and went for the show. I can't say I liked the show very much, but it was good. After the show, we spent some more time walking around the park and finally went to Paradise Biryani one more time.

Sajeev

No comments:

Post a Comment