The old city of Hyderabad is overwhelming and unapologetic: Winding alleys where pedestrians battle street carts and hawkers, the relentless honking of vehicles, perspiring bodies, piles of stinking rubbish, stray animals, and more chaos than you can imagine. But look closer and you’ll find yourself in a cabinet of curiosities where behind the chaos of modern India looms the grandeur of the land’s golden past. The area is rife for “historical and heritage” immersion and the best way to explore it is on foot. Either DIY or join a guided Hyderabad heritage walk that will show you around the bustling bazaars and grand old neighbourhoods around the pièce de résistance of Hyderabad, the Charminar.

The Charminar from the Mecca Masjid

Hyderabad Old City Heritage Walk: Charminar to Badshahi Ashurkhana

In the heart of Hyderabad, magnificent palaces and lofty gateways coexist with contemporary businesses and poverty. The bazaars are colourful but extremely busy. Storefronts showcasing modern electronics, Hyderabadi pearls, and Western fashion jostle with shops selling antiques and relics from the past: perfumes in glass vials, lacquer bangles, bidri craft, traditional weaves, and gold jewellery. Eateries that boast of royal patronage and hawkers selling an array of mouth-watering dishes from carts both find pride of place here. A walk through the narrow alleys is a sensory indulgence. The aroma of Hyderabad’s most famous dish, the biriyani, lingers in the streets. Skewers with juicy kebabs hang from hooks on food carts. Sometimes the stink of sewers and rotting produce assails your nose. Sometimes you walk into a cloud of unforgivingly sweet attar. Honking and screeching of tires, the cries of hawkers, the excited chatter of locals and tourists, the puttering of two-wheelers, and the noisy pigeons create a relentless cacophony.

If you don’t manage to join a guided Heritage Walk then fret not, we have for you the Guide to Exploring Old Hyderabad on Foot!

Charminar

The Charminar is where Hyderabad begins and ends. It was around this magnificent edifice that Quli Qutub Shah planned his new capital, Hyderabad, in 1591. An excellent example of the Indo-Saracenic style, this charming monument— also a mosque— with its four, char, minarets was built to commemorate the end of an epidemic that had devastated the kingdom. Besides the mosque, the structure also houses a now-defunct madrasa and 45 prayer spaces. The Charminar, sometimes called the Arc de Triomphe of the East, is Hyderabad’s most iconic symbol and thus it is fitting that a heritage walk of old Hyderabad begins at its foot. For INR 5 (INR 100 for foreigners), you can enter the structure and climb the 149 winding steps to the top of the minarets. Beautiful stucco work and a profusion of balustrades and balconies adorn the Charminar. The verandahs offer sweeping views of the bustling Laad Bazaar which is known for its lacquer bangles. Our guide informs that egg white was used to fortify the mortar and also about the famed Golkonde ka Surang, a tunnel said to run from the Charminar to the Golconda Fort. There is no end to the symbolism and the legends attached to the monument. Some of it has been lost; some persist in pages of tattered books, and some can only be found if you listen carefully.

Inside the Charminar, Hyderabad
Inside the Charminar

Nimrah Café & Bakery*

A stone’s throw away from the Charminar, this Irani café serves coffee, freshly baked bread and biscuits, and four types of tea. Order a cup of frothy Irani Chai with some salty Osmania biscuits. Surprisingly, the Osmania biscuits which is one of Hyderabad’s most loved souvenirs were originally made for the inmates of Osmania Hospital, a must-visit building if only to gawk at the architecture.

*Not a part of the guided walk.

Nimrah Cafe & Bakery, Hyderabad
Bread & Cookies at Nimrah Cafe & Bakery

Jama Masjid

Though older than the famous Mecca Masjid— it was constructed in 1597— Hyderabad’s Jama Masjid is surprisingly low-key. Once upon a time, you could behold the Charminar from the courtyard of the Jama Masjid. Not so much anymore; massive hoardings asking you to change your telecom operator shamelessly block the view. Hidden behind shops selling prayer caps, rugs, and tapestries embroidered with Persian letters, this beautiful mosque with its interesting mix of Islāmic, Mughal, and Rajasthani architectural styles reveals itself only to those who actively seek it. Inside, were a madrasa and a Turkish hammam. A serai was also attached to the mosque to accommodate traders travelling on the Machilipatnam-Golkonda trade route.

Mecca Masjid

Hyderabad’s most famous mosque was constructed with bricks made of soil brought from Mecca and thus named Mecca (or, Makkah) Masjid. The three-arch facades were carved from a single piece of granite which took five years to be quarried and when Jean-Baptiste Tavernier visited Quli Qutub Shah’s capital, he noted that “It is about 50 years since they began to build a splendid pagoda in the town which will be the grandest in all India when it is completed.” Thousands of workers worked for a greater part of the century to give shape to the Shah’s vision. Exquisite floral motifs and friezes in the Qutub Shahi style and verses from the Qur’an adorn the structure and inside, Belgian crystal chandeliers add a touch of royalty. The Mecca Masjid has stood the test of time, sheltered thousands and thousands of daily prayer-goers, and has even remained undaunted in the face of a terrorist attack in 2007. Besides the enticing architecture, two other things made my visit to this mosque memorable: First, the nonagenarian Mr. Nasreem chided our guide wherever he felt the information and the stories were not being shared in a more profound and poetic way and second, the pigeons. Living in the cornices and ornate friezes were hundreds of pigeons playing, cooing, eating, and shitting without a care. It is their masjid too; their home.

Mecca Masjid from the Charminar
Mecca Masjid from the Charminar
Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad
Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad

Char Kaman

In 1592, Quli Qutub Shah furthered his dream of making Hyderabad the grandest city in the world by commissioning a piazza of four arches known as Char Kaman. They are equidistant from each other and at the centre is Gulzar Hauz, originally called Char-Su-Ka-Hauz. Close your eyes and imagine the erstwhile grandeur of this city: From the fountain flows four streams in four directions. They flow under the lofty gates, with shutters made of ivory and sandalwood and studded with gold and precious stones, and divide the road into two halves. From one of the kamans, floats the sweet sound of the shehnai. Open your eyes and you are back in the chaos. The lofty gates still stand but shops selling trinkets, pearls, kebabs, even sanitary ware have encroached upon the space. The Jilu Khana, the open space between the four gates, is long gone. Unsustainable urbanization and apathy for heritage have wiped away the poetic grandeur. Today, the four gates, the Charminar Kaman, Kali Kaman, Sehr-e-Batil Kaman, and Macchi Kaman stand in various stages of decay and it has become pretty much impossible to admire, in peace, Quli Qutub Shah’s vision to make Hyderabad “a replica of paradise, unequalled in the world.”

All the four kamans have interesting stories. Beneath the Macchi Kaman, a big piñata resembling a fish was hung every lunar year to usher in prosperity. The Charminar Kaman led to the Charminar. To the east is the Kali Kaman from where the royal musicians would play the shehnai and beat the drums five times a day. The grandest of all four, the Sehr-e-Batil Kaman, originally Kaman-e-Sehar-Batil or the arch of the magic breaker, lead to the royal palaces of Dad Mahal, Kudadad Mahal, Lal Mahal, Chandan Mahal, Sajan Mahal, Nadi Mahal, and Jinan Mahal. None of these palaces exists today. A cloth spun of gold covered the opening of the gateway to offer privacy to the royal residences. According to our guide, spells were cast on the Sehr-e-Batil Kaman to keep evil spirits and charms intended to cause harm from entering the city.

Nizamia General Hospital, Hyderabad
Nizamia General Hospital

Pattherghatti Market

Called Pattherghatti because the arcade it occupies was made of rocks and not traditional brick and mortar, this market stretches from the Charminar to the Madina Building. Built by the Nizam Mir Osman Ali in 1911, a flea market is held here every Sunday. What we found: Perfumeries, bangle shops, pearl shops, and numerous clothing shops. It is a strange mix of the contemporary and the historic. In the Sunday market, one can find chandeliers, bronze figurines, and other treasures at great bargains.

Pattharghatti Market Arcade
Pattharghatti Market Arcade
Trinkets at Pattharghatti Market
Trinkets at Pattharghatti Market

Dewan Devdi

Dewan Devdi, or the mansions of the dewans is situated close to the Pattherghatti Bazaar and the Chowmahalla Palace. The 78-room mansion once sat in a sprawling garden and commanded splendid views of the river. Pillared porticos, sweeping marble stairways, arched halls, galleries, and verandahs added opulence to the structure. Bilgrami and Wilmot write:

The palace has two entrances, the one generally used for the reception of visitors being styled the Aina Khanah (glass house). It is a large courtyard with a cistern and fountain, with apartments on three sides. The fourth side consists of a verandah with doorways leading to the reception rooms and private apartment above. The walls and ceilings of the east and west sides of the courtyard are covered with colored glass and mirrors. Here there is also the Sili [silah] Khana containing many curious specimens of old weapons and coats of mail, and also the valuable sword presented to Sir Salar Jung by Earl Canning. Close to the Sili Khana is a curious room called the Chini Khanah, and is covered with china cups, saucers, bowls, plates, etc. of various designs cemented to the wall. Some of the china is very valuable, and altogether a most curious place.

Historical and Descriptive Sketch of His Highness the Nizam’s Dominions. (1884). India: Printed at the Times of India Steam Press.

Before being moved to its current location, the Salar Jung Museum was housed in this building. We noticed that there were two gates to enter/exit the Dewan Devdi: One in European style meant exclusively for the sahibs and the other in traditional Islāmic style for the commoners. Interesting, how even architecture can facilitate segregation!

European Gate at Dewan Devdi, Hyderabad
European Gate at Dewan Devdi

Kaman Chatta Bazaar

The Kaman Chatta Bazaar housed the Nawbat Khana from where drums were beaten to signal the entry or exit of dignitaries in the Qutub Shahi and Nizam eras. This was the briefest, and in hindsight, the most lacklustre stop in our walk. The sprawling bazaar has crept upon this lofty arch and there is no way to admire the structure. Displayed in the congested shops all around are wedding invitation cards decorated with calligraphy and traditional hand-drawn Urdu paintings and motifs.

Badshahi Ashurkhana

The last point in our walk was also the grandest. On the 10th day of Muharram, mourners converge in an ashurkhana, also called an imambara, to commemorate the end of the mourning period. Not only is the Badshahi Asurkhana Hyderabad’s most famous and revered ashurkhana but also one of the best-preserved buildings in the city. In its heyday, immaculate cut-enamel Persian tiles adorned the niches. Most of them are gone but the ones on the western wall still show their vibrant colours. Tiles in shades of aubergine, blue, green, yellow, black and white have been used to create opulent botanical patterns. It is said that the Shah lit one lakh lamps on the night of Muharram and the entire building glittered like a diamond. Despite its splendour, not many tourists visit the Badshahi Ashurkhana, and so if you are looking for an alcove of calm in the chaotic old city, spend some time admiring the blue tile work here.

Inside the Badshahi Ashurkhana
Heritage Building outside the Ashurkhana
Heritage Building outside the Ashurkhana

Hyderabad Heritage Walks by Telangana Tourism

The Heritage Walks are meant to enlighten interested travellers about the architectural heritage of the old city of Hyderabad. Born under the tutelage of Madhu Vottery along with patronage from the state government, walks take place every Sunday and on every second Saturday of the month. There are four routes:

  • Charminar to Chowmahalla Palace
  • Charminar to Badshahi Ashurkhana — this is the walk we did!
  • Charminar to Purani Haveli
  • State Central Library to the City College.

Mr. Nasreem, whose last name was quite difficult to decipher through his gentle mumbling, was an Economics graduate in British India and worked for 40 years under the governance of both countries, Britain and India, then retired and worked for 40 years as an official guide for the state tourism board before retiring from that too. At 90+, he stills joins the walk every Sunday and fondly, but humbly, talks of his home city and reminisces its golden history! Salient Points of the Telangana Tourism Heritage Walk:

  • You can either use the telephone number on the Telangana Tourism website to intimate your interest or could just turn up at the Charminar at around 7.30 in the morning and find the group.
  • The tickets are priced at INR 50 each. This does include a very hearty breakfast of idli and vada!
  • Even though some of the walks start straight out of the Charminar, the ticket does not cover the daytime Charminar visit passes which you need to climb to the top of the structure.
  • Walk 1 (Charminar to Chowmahallah Palace) is conducted on every second Saturday of every month. The other 3 walks are rotated weekly every Sunday. However, if you have a large group (or, exceptional persuasion skills) Walk 1 can be arranged on a Sunday too!
  • Be a sensible individual and be respectful towards the monuments and as well as to the sentiments of the Heritage Interpreters and the locals alike. And please do not litter.

Sometimes I passionately dislike walking tours if the experience does not provide me with enough fodder for my satisfaction. But the walk I took that August day is something I can do every single morning. It was informative, interactive, interesting and helped me to get to know, get a feel of the city I had travelled to. The Heritage Walks exist as the storyteller’s bridge between the once mighty monuments and the present where, trapped in a relentlessly busy society, we feel justified in neglecting the past. Highly recommended, there might not be a better shortcut of knowing a foreign city better than this!

Disclaimer: All views expressed in this post are our own. We were not sponsored by Telangana Tourism.


Mohana & Aninda

Mohana and Aninda are travellers and advocates for car-free travel. Two-together is their travel blog where they document their travels to encourage and inspire readers to seek solace in new places, savour local cuisines, and relish both unique and everyday experiences. When they are not travelling, they are actively researching trip ideas and itineraries, obsessing over public transport timetables, reviewing travel budgets, and developing content for their blog. They are currently based in Edinburgh and exploring Scotland and beyond by public transport.

35 responses to “Walkin’ It: Charminar to Badshahi Ashurkhana, Hyderabad”

  1. Charlotte Swinnerton Avatar
    Charlotte Swinnerton

    Thank you for giving me some interesting information about cities I wouldn’t otherwise have heard of, looking forward to visiting India next year.

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      The best way to explore a city is on foot. Or, settle down on a bench at a roadside stall and indulge in some people watching!

  2. Rakesh Kumar Avatar
    Rakesh Kumar

    nice informative article, keep it up

  3. Arunima Dey Avatar
    Arunima Dey

    Very detailed post! I never knew Telengana tourism actually organised heritage walks! And yes, Nimrah Cafe is to die for!

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      Plus they have really good guides!

  4. Navita Avatar
    Navita

    I have been to Hyderabad twice and sadly, both the times, could not explore the city.. one time was for a wedding and second one for work! This post makes me want to plan a trip only to experience the place! Would love to go on these heritage walks as its clear that the exploration is amazing.

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      It was totally worth our time! The guides were knowledgeable and eager to share their city and its stories.

  5. Su Bha Sun Avatar
    Su Bha Sun

    This post reminded my short visit to this Heritage city. You rightly said the market near Charminar is full of noise and chaos of hawkers but that is the charm of the city. Good detailed post about heart of the city.

  6. sinjanag Avatar
    sinjanag

    We’ve never been to Hyderabad and my dather in law keeps telling us to. I can totally understand the charm of the old city from your heritage walk. I love the finesse of the Islamic artistry

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      Lucknow is another city I keep planning to visit if only to gape at its architecture!

  7. Maria Avatar
    Maria

    That’s a very informative article, thank you! Your photos are amazing. They manage to take us to those places without even moving!

  8. The Passport Symphony Avatar
    The Passport Symphony

    This was one awesome, informative article. I didn’t realize the Telengana tourism has organised heritage walks. Thank you for sharing! PS. your pictures are amazing

  9. Richa Avatar
    Richa

    I have been to Hyderabad before and I wish I had either read this post or had taken a similar Heritage Walk. I enjoyed the write up esp about the four kamans with their interesting stories.

  10. cheerfultrails Avatar
    cheerfultrails

    I had visited Hyderabad when I was a kid and I still clearly remember charminar and the nearby market. After reading your article I would really love to visit their again and go for the heritage walk around the old city. Thanks for recommeding nimrah bakery, would have the irani chai there for sure.

  11. wohlnoagmailcom Avatar
    wohlnoagmailcom

    I came across this post right on time. Im starting to plan my next trip to India and now i can include
    Hyderabad on my wish list. I didnt think of Hyderabad before as a city that i would like to visit but your post captured the charms of the city Thank you!

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      If you are into architecture and excellent food, Hyderabad is a must on the itinerary! Two days are enough, in my opinion, to explore the old city.

  12. WanderlustBeautyDreams Avatar
    WanderlustBeautyDreams

    Never heard of this place but looks like a wonderful place to visit. The bakery looks delicious and wouldn’t mind eating all those goods!

  13. Yen Avatar
    Yen

    Your article is packed full of useful information! It’s hard to find an article like this anymore. Thanks for sharing!

  14. Claire Avatar
    Claire

    What a fascinating place! The architecture of the Charminar is beautiful. Also may I say your photographs are amazing!

  15. Ženja Šabanova Avatar
    Ženja Šabanova

    It sounds so intriguing! And I would love to try local biriyani – I only had Singaporean version, and pretty sure the original one must be even better! Thanks for the interesting read 😊

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      Biriyani varies regionally in India. You have Hyderabadi Biriyani, Kolkata Biriyani, Dindigul Biriyani, Awadhi Biriyani, Lucknowi Biriyani, Thalassery Biriyani, and many more variants. ScoopWhoop lists 15 types in this post: https://www.scoopwhoop.com/inothernews/mouthwatering-indian-biryanis. You’ve got to try it all to pick a favourite!

  16. Louise Allonby Avatar
    Louise Allonby

    I could sit and read posts about India all day! I really enjoyed this one because you really set the scene well/ You described everything beautifully and it was like I was transported there through your words. Great post

  17. Joy Generoso Avatar
    Joy Generoso

    It is quite a long read but the information here are very useful, especially to those who would love to explore historical and heritage places such as these. In my case I’m interested in trying the food. The pastries and bread looks good, I want to have those.

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      You should join a street food walk! Your guide can show you to places like Govind ki Bandi where you can get delicious dosas. In the old city, you can find numerous stalls selling biriyani, kebab, and Hyderabad’s famous haleem. You can also opt for high tea at the Falaknuma Palace if your budget allows.

      1. Joy Generoso Avatar
        Joy Generoso

        That sounds great! Thank you!

  18. Nancie Avatar
    Nancie

    I like to join a walking tour the first day I’m in any city. That gives me a feel for the city, and then I explore what interests me on my own. Good to read that Hyderabad is a walking city. What is the best time of the year to visit?

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      In the winter, I’d say. It’s milder then. Summers are insufferably hot. If you’re a foodie, I’d suggest come during Ramzan when you can taste Hyderabad’s famous haleem.

  19. Suzy Avatar
    Suzy

    Hyberbad looks like such a fascinating city. I love all the history and grand architecture. I’ll be trying those Heritage Walks when we visit one day 🙂

  20. Flying Fluskey Avatar
    Flying Fluskey

    I have wanted to visit Hyderabad for quite some time now an this has made me want to even more! I love the tiles in the Badshahi Ashurkhana. It is a shame that those four Mahals are no longer there. I’d like to see the giant fish pinata 🙂
    I have to say, I have never read such an evocative description of India than yours. I really took me back to walking around other Indian cities. A beautiful post!

  21. Federica Provolenti Avatar
    Federica Provolenti

    The Charminar, the mecca and Badshahi Ashurkhana look amazing spots worth a trip to Hyderabad. I love your informative and complete guide to this Indian city as well as your beautiful pics.

  22. Suzannah Avatar
    Suzannah

    Such beautiful architecture, and a nice bakery to grab an energising snack along the way. Thanks for sharing this!

  23. Nicky Avatar
    Nicky

    Ah memories of India. Whats hard to get across in a blog post is the impact on the senses – the noise, the smells, the overwhelming busyness everywhere you go. I can just imagine these places in real life. Wonderful post thank you for sharing.

  24. Sherrie Avatar
    Sherrie

    Sounds like a major assault to the senses, but exactly the type of thing I like to soak in when I visit new places. I love how you’ve captured it all: the beautiful, the smelly, the crush of crowds, the true voice of the place. Great historical notes, too.

  25. antipodeanjen Avatar
    antipodeanjen

    I will have to give that bakery a visit, it looks amazing!

  26. Ada Avatar
    Ada

    I love exploring places by foot when I travel! this one you know for sure you wont miss all those hidden gems! I cant wait to visit India one day and explore this beautiful country!

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