Hyderabad

 

Pop: 5.5 million
Phone Code: 040

Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, was founded by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the Sultan of Golconda, in 1591. It is the fifth largest city in India.

Its twin city, Secunderabad, is located 10km north, and the large Golconda Fort is located about 10km west. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, Hyderabad was ruled by Muslim leaders known as Nizams, even though the Hindu population was predominant.

At one time Hyderabad was a center for some of the greatest jewelry design and art work in all of India. Hyderabad is still famous for its art, jewelry, poetry and architecture. The wealth and grandeur of the collections in Hyderabad’s museums can easily rival some of the greatest museum collections in Europe.

Orientation
Hussain Sagar, a large artificial lake is between Hyderabad (to the south) and Secunderabad (to the north). There are two main railway stations, one north in Secunderabad and the other south in Hyderabad. The main hotel area is in the Abids and Nampally area, which are located between the Hyderabad railway station and the GPO to the east. The river Musi goes through the south part of the city. The bus station is on the other side of the Musi River, in south Hyderabad.

Most of the monuments and museums are located south of Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad. Golconda Fort and the tombs are located 10km west of the city.

Information
The Government of India Tourist Office (2326 1360. 2781 0037) Netaji Bhavan, two flights up, 26 Himayatnagar Rd, is open Mon to Fri 10 am to 6 pm. They give out a good free map of Hyderabad and are informative. There are tourist counters at the Hyderabad and Secun­derabad railway stations.

The Andhra Pradesh Travel and Tourist Development Corporation (APTTDC) has two offices. One is in Hyderabad (2345 3036' Email: apttdc@satyam.net.in) Tankbund Rd. opposite BRK (Mon to Sat 8 am to 7pm). You can book city tours and APTTDC hotels here. The other office (3782 6375) is next to the APTTDC’s Yatri Niwas Hotel on Sardar Patel Rd in Secunderabad (7 am to 7 pm). There are also tourist counters at the airport, Hyderabad railway station and the Secunderabad railway station.

Forest Office 92335 5061), AG;s Office rd, issue permits to wildlife sanctuaries.

There is a good monthly guide, Channel 6 (Rs 20), which list events in Hyderabad. It can be purchased at bookshops and some hotels.

Tours
APTTDC organizes a daily tour (Rs 100) of the city which goes to Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Salar Jung Museum, Buddha Purnima, Mecca Masjid, Nehru Zoo, Charminar and the Birla Temple. It begins at the Yatri Niwas Hotel at 7.45 am and then picks up passengers at the Secunderabad railway station and ends at 5.30 pm. It is a good tour. (Rs 175). They also have a day tour that goes to Ramoji Film City (Rs 375)

APTTDC also has an evening tour (Rs 150 includes a ticket for the Sound and Light Show) that goes to Lumbini Park, Qutb Shahi tombs, Golconda Fort and the Sound and Light Show at the fort. The tour begins at the Yatri Niwas Hotel at 2 pm and ends at 9 pm.

Andhra Pradesh Tourism operates tours around South India. One tour that leaves on Friday afternoon and returns on Monday night provides a nice weekend excursion to Tirupati, Kalahasti, Mangapuram, and Tiruchenur. The bus trip to Tirupati takes 14 hours.

Another tour goes to Srisailam, six hours each way. It departs at noon on Saturday and returns at 9 pm Sunday.

There is a 7-day pilgrimage tour that goes to Bhadra­chalam, Simha­chalam, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Kanchipuram and Srisailam.

Money
Thomas Cook (2329 6521), ,1st floor, Nasi Arcade, AG's Office Rd, just south of Secretariat Rd 1.5km north of the railway station, changes most currencies quickly and efficiently. They charge a Rs 20 fee to change travelers cheques other than their own. Open Mon to Sat 9.30 am to 5.30 pm.

Synergy Forexpress, 62 Sarojini Devi Rd, near Gangaram’s, in Secunderabad, changes most currencies. Open daily 9 am to 7.30 pm.

The State Bank of India (Mon to Fri 10.30 am to 2.30 pm, Sat until 12.30 pm), Mahipatram Rd, and the Bank of Baroda by Abids Circle, both change money.

American Express (2323 3689), Chapel Rd.

Andhra Bank, Sultan Bazaar off Nehru Rd, and HDFC Bank, MPM Mall, at MG and SP Roads, gives advances on MasterCard and Visa.

The are ATM machines all over town.

Post, Phone and Internet
The GPO is at Abids Circle, Hyderabad. It is open for poste restante Mon to Fri 10 am to 3 pm, Sat 10 am to 1 pm. Postal Code 500001. The main post office is just south of Sadar Patel Rd, Secunderabad.

Doorshanchar Bhavan, Station Rd, by the Annapurna Hotel, is a good place to make international calls. Open Mon to Sat 8 am to 8 pm.

Yahoo Citi, above the British Airlines office in Abid. In Secunderabd the Chandraloka Complex, SD Rd has severl places for Internet.Keerthi Designers, near to the Residency (Rs 25 per hr)

Bookshops & Cultural Centers
AA Hussain & Co, 5-8-551 Arastu Trust Building, MG Rd, Abids, and Ashah Books, off Mahatma Gandhi Rd, near the Hotel Emerald, are decent. Walden’s, 6-3-871 Greenlands Rd, Begumpet, between Abids and the Airport, has a good selection of books. Gangarams (820-691), 62 Sarojini Devi Rd, Secunderabad.

British Library (2323 0774), Secretariat Rd, has books, and recent British newspapers and magazines (Tue to Sat 11 am to 6 pm). You have to be a British citizen or a member to get in.

Alliançe Francaise (2770 0734) shows weekly French movies. 10-2-9 Rd No 16, West Marredpally, Secunderabad. Hours; Mon-Fri 9 am to 5 pm

Max Mueller Bhavan, Eden Bagh, Ramkote, has German cultural events.

Medical
Tropical Diseases Hopital in Nallakunta (040 2766 7843). CDR Hospital (2322 1221) in Himayatnagar. Gandhi Hospital (2770 2222) in Secunderabad. Apollo Pharmacy (2523 0774) is open 24 hours.

Travel Agencies.
Two travel agencies are Sheriff Travels, Basheer Bagh; and Sita World Travels, Hyderguda and Chapel Rd.

Golconda Fort
This impressive fort, 10km west of Hyderabad, was the capital of the seven Qutb Shahi kings from 1512 to the end of the 16th century, at which time the capital moved to Hyderabad. Its outer walls are as high as 18m. It has 8 huge gates (four still used) with ele­phant spikes and had 87 bastions for cannons. Some of the cannons are still on the walls. In the fort are temples, the Hall of Public Audiences, mosques, the Rani Mahal, and ruined palaces. The perimeter of the fort is over 5km. After two sieges on the fort, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb took the fort, and the kingdom reached its end.

Golconda was famous as the market for the neighboring diamond mines. Some of the famous diamonds that came from here are the Orloff Diamond (Catherine the Great), the Hope Diamond, Kohinoor (British Crown), and the diamonds on the Peacock Throne (Shah of Persia).

You enter the Bala Hissar Gate. It is said that if you clap your hands at the entrance of this gate it can be heard at the Durbar Hall, on top of the hill. So you will hear a lot of clapping. On the right is the mortuary bath, where the bodies of nobles would be bathed before being buried. If you follow the path you come to the residences of the ministers, Madanna and Akkana. You then start walking up to the Durbar Hall.

To reach the Durbar Hall, where you can get a great view of the surrounding area and the fort, is about a 1000-step climb, which takes about 30 minutes. Near the top is the Mosque of Ibrahim Qutub Shah. Nearby, is a temple dedicated to Mahakali (a form of Durga). At the top of the hill you come to the three-storey Durbar Hall. It is said that if you clap your hands at Durbar Hall it will reverberate at 5 places along the fort’s walls. There is also the ruins of the Queen’s Palace.

The fort is open daily 9 am to 6 pm;Admission foreigner/Indian Rs 200/2. Guides cost about Rs 150 for a 1 1/2 hour tour but may start by asking Rs 300 for a tour.

There is a Sound and Light Show every evening: Nov to Feb 6.30 pm, March to Oct 7 pm, 1 hr; Adults Rs 30, children Rs 20. English show is only on Wed and Sun.

To get here you can take buses #119, #142 or #80R from Nampally, near the railway station in Hyderabad. From Secunderabad you take #80D and from Charminar #66G.An autorickshaw from Abids should be around Rs 175 return which includes 1 1/2 waiting time.

You can buy a detailed booklet, which includes a map, at the fort from vendors. It takes 2 to 3 hours to see the fort.

Qutb Shahi Tombs
These elegant tombs, located about 1½ km northwest of the Balahisar Gate of the Golconda Fort, contains the remains of seven of the rulers of the Qutb Shahi kingdom. Each tomb is built on a square base and has a dome on top. They have outstanding stonework and are designed with lotus decorations and leaves. There is an ornamental coffin on top and the real remains are below.

Open daily except Friday 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. Admission Rs 3

Salar Jung Museum
This huge museum has over 35,000 exhibits from all over the world. It has an incredible collection of Chola sculptures, weapons, metal­wares, textiles, ivory, and jade. The exhibits were collected by Mir Yusaf Ali Khan (Salar Jung III), the Prime Minister (wazir) of the Nizam and his son and grandson. It is easily one of the best museums in India.

In the Ivory Room, Room 14, there is a solid ivory chair given to Tipu Sultan by Louis XV. In Room 17, there are some outstanding modern Indian paintings by Abanindranath Tagore, Ravi Varma and K Hebbar. Room 18 has some good miniature paintings. In the Jade Room, there are the swords and clothing of the Mughal emperors and Tipu Sultan. In Room 29, there are some outstanding old manuscripts, including a copy of the Koran signed by Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb. There is an ancient sculpture collection and some great picchwais, temple hangings depicting the pastimes of Krishna.

The museum is located south of the Musi River on Salar Jung Marg, at CI Badari Malakpet (523-211). It is open daily except Fridays and government holidays from 10 am to 5 pm; Admission foreigner/Indian Rs 150/5, children Rs 2. Sundays are best avoided because of heavy crowds. On the right as you enter is an office which gives out a good map of the museum. Free guided tours also start from this office.

Charminar
The Charminar (Four Towers), is a 56m (185 ft) high arch, which has four minarets, nice balconies and a small mosque. Muhammed Quli Qutb Shah built it in 1591 to celebrate the end of an epidemic, which plagued the city. There is not much to see, but the area around it is interesting. There are some interesting bazaars nearby.

Mecca Masjid
Muhammed Quli Qutb Shah also started Mecca Masjid, about 100m down Sardar Patel Rd, in 1614. Aurangzeb finished it in 1687, after the Mughals took over the kingdom. It is the largest mosque in Hyderabad and 10,000 people can worship here at one time. It received its name because there are some bricks from Mecca embedded into its wall above the gate. You pass the tombs of some of the Hyderabad Nizams, on the left, when you enter the mosque.

Falaknuma Palace and Purani Haveli
For those interested in art, precious artifacts, and architecture, some other places of interest are Falaknuma Palace and Purani Haveli. These collections are housed in grand old palaces and mansions, and prior permission is required to visit.

Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple (Birla Mandir)
This is a beautiful, modern, white marble-carved temple built by the Birla foundation. It is located on the highest point in Hyderabad, overlooking Hussain Sagar lake. It is worth the trip just for the spectacular view of the surrounding area. It is near the Birla Planetarium. Open daily 7 am to noon and 3 to 9 pm.

BM Birla Science Centre and Archaeological Museum
In the archaeological section there are excavations from Vaddamanu which date from 100 BC to 200 AD, stone and wood sculptures and miniature paintings. There are optical illusions in the science center.

 It is located on top of Naubat Pahar Hill (241-067). Open daily 10.30 am to 8.30 pm. Admission Rs 14.

Birla Planetarium
There is a show on the existence of aliens. It is located on top of Naubat Pahar Hill. There are English shows Mon to Saturday 11.30 am, 4 pm and 6 pm; Sunday 11 am, 3.45 pm and 6 pm. Closed last Tuesday of the month. Admission Rs 10.

Hussain Sagar Lake
It is a 6½ km by 4km artificial lake, which was made during the time of the Golconda Empire. There is a 17.5m high, 350 tons monolithic Buddha statue on a platform in the middle of the lake. While being transported on a barge to be put on one of the dam’s wall, it sank into the water. In 1992 it was raised from the bottom of the lake and was found to be totally intact.

Next to the lake is the pleasant Lumbini Park (9 am to 9 pm Admssioun Rs 5), north of Secretariat Rd. Boats depart to the statue from the park for Rs 25 per person (half-hour). There are good views of the lake from Tankbund, which is on the eastern bank of the lake.

Hyderabad Archaeological Museum
It has a collection of archaeological objects that were found in the local area. There are also copies of the paintings in the Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra. Open daily except Fri 10.30 am to 5 pm. Admsssion Rs 5.

The museum is in the Public Gardens, which is located just north of the Hyderabad railway station. There is also an Aquarium in the Park, which is open daily except Sun 10.30 am to 5 pm.

Nehru Zoological Park
This large zoo, set in nice gardens, has a good collection of animals. It has a lion safari and a toy-train that goes around the zoo. Open daily except Mon 9 am to 5 pm. Admission Rs 2. An autorickshaw to here from Abids is around Rs 30.

Swimming
You can swim at the Ritz Hotel (233-570), Hill Fort St, Basheer Bagh, from 3 to 7 pm for Rs 40 an hour; and Taj Residency (399-999), No 1 Banjara Hills, for Rs 150 an hour.

Where to Stay—Lower
The budget hotels are in the Abids area between Hyderabad railway station and Abids Circle.

The Royal Lodge and Gee Royal Lodge, opposite the railway station, are nothing fancy, but provide the basic necessities with attached bathrooms. These places cost about Rs 125/185.
Hotel Rajmata (2666 5555), opposite the station, has rooms for Rs 225/250 with common bath and Rs 300/350 with bath. The cheaper rooms are in the rear building and are rather dumpy. I had to climb over someone to get to the room. The newer building in the front, however, has deluxe rooms with TV and hot water for Rs 600/70, which are fairly reasonable and comfortable.
Hotel Imperial, (2857 3840) on the corner of Station Rd and Public Gardens Rd (Nampally High Road), has basic rooms for Rs 350/400. A three-minute walk from the station.
Apsara Hotel, Station Rd, has rooms with bath (bucket hot water in the morning) for Rs 250/300.
Hotel Suhail (2461 0299) is a good value, having rooms with bath, hot water and TV for Rs 180/30 and Rs 350/400 with A/C. Some of the rooms have a balcony. This hotel is behind the GPO, in a quiet location.
Hotel Sri Brindavan (2320-3970), Station Rd, near Abids Circle, has rooms with bath for Rs 450/500. Hot water is available in a bucket until 7.30 am. It is a good value.

Where to Stay—Middle
Hotel Saptagiri (2460-3601), just off Nampally Station Rd, around the corner from the Annapurna Hotel, has clean rooms with a balcony and bath with hot water for Rs 300/350 and Rs 650 with A/C. Being on a side road, it is not too noisy. Most rickshaw drivers do not know it, so ask for the Annapurna Hotel. Recommended.
Hotel Jaya International (2475-2929; Email: hoteljaya@hotmail.com), just off Bank St, has good, comfortable rooms for Rs 700/800 and with A/C and a TV for Rs 900/1000. 24-hour checkout. Popular place.
Hotel Siddhartha, Bank St, is a nice, quiet place with rooms for Rs 450/500 and Rs 500/600 with A/C.
Hotel Aahwaanam, by JN Rd, near the Ramakrishan Cinema, has good rooms with attached bath, hot water and a TV for Rs 350/450 and Rs 550/600 with A/C.
Taj Mahal Hotel (2651 2211), at the junction of King Kothi Rd and MG Rd (Abids Rd), is a grand old place with a pleasant atmosphere. It has large, clean rooms with bath, hot water in the morning and TV for Rs 350/500 and Rs 500/650 with A/C. It has a vegetarian restaurant. 24 hour checkout. Popular. The rooms vary so it is a good idea to see a few.
Annapurna Hotel (2473-2612), Nampally Station Rd, is an Indian-style hotel with very big rooms for Rs 350/425 and Rs 450/650 with A/C. The maintenance of this hotel leaves something to be desired.
Ashoka (2323 0105; fax 230-088), Lakdi-ka-pul, is a good place with rooms with TV for Rs 650/700 and Rs 750/800 with A/C. It has a vegetarian restaurant.
The popular Hotel Sai Prakash (2461-1726; fax 461-3355), Nampally Station Rd, near the railway station, is a nice place with comfortable modern rooms for Rs 550/650 and Rs 650/750 with A/C. It is a good value. Popular. It has the excellent Woodland vegetarian restaurant.
Central Court Hotel, Lakdi-ka-Pul, two km north of the station, is an upper end, mid-range hotel with rooms for Rs 1300/1500. It has a good restaurant with a buffet lunch. It is a good place.
Hotel Emerald (202-836; fax 203-902), off Mahatma Gandhi Rd (Abids Rd), is a good value with rooms for Rs 800900 and deluxe rooms for Rs 1000/1050.

Where to Stay—High
The luxury hotels charge a 20% tax extra over the prices listed below.

Amrutha Castle, (5663 3888; Email: amruthacastle@pol.net) Secretariat Rd, has modern, very comfortable rooms for Rs 1500/2000 and suites go up to Rs 4000. Rooms have a fax machine. It has a restaurant, a rooftop pool and a health club. It has an unusually castle design. Part of Best Western chain.
The new three-star Residency (2320 4060; Email reservations@theresidency-hyd.com), Public Gardens Rd, opposite the Hyderabad railway station, has comfortable rooms for Rs 1000/1250 and a suite for Rs 1500, which includes breakfast. Belongs to Quality Inn group.
Hotel Viceroy (2753-8383; fax 753-8797), Tank Bund Rd, overlooking Hussain Sagar, has comfortable rooms for Rs 3000/3600 and deluxe doubles for Rs 340000/4000. It is fully A/C and has a pool. The rate includes a buffet breakfast.
Holiday Inn Krishna, Banjara Hills, has luxury rooms for $80/100.
The Taj Residency (2666 3939; Email: residency.hyderabd@tajhotels), Banjara Hills 4 km from the center of Hyderabad, is a first-class place with rooms for $110/130. Has marlbe floors, a fountain, nice garden and excellent furniture..
The five-star Krishna Oberoi (2339-2323; fax 2339-3079), Road No 1, Banjara Hills, has rooms for $125/140. It has a pool, tennis court, boating and nine acres of beautiful gardens overlooking a lake. It has a first class restaurant.

Secunderabad and Airport
Sun Lodge (2770-5572), half a km from the Secunderabad railway station, has clean basic rooms for Rs 125/175.
Hotel Sitara (2770-0308), SPG Church Complex, straight and to the left from the Secunderabad railway station, has clean spacious rooms for Rs 250/300 and with air-cooling Rs 500. It is a friendly place.
The YMCA, Station Rd in Secunderabad, has rooms for Rs 200/250. It takes men and women.
APTTDC’s Yatri Niwas, Sardar Patel Rd, Secunderabad, has rooms with bath, hot water and a balcony for Rs 600.
Hotel Ramakrishna (2783 4567; fax 27842 0933), across from the railway reservation office, a five minute walk from the railway station, has clean rooms with hot water for Rs 350/450 and A/C rooms for Rs 450/50. It has a good restaurant and is a good value. Nicest place near in the area.
Deccan Continental, Sir R Ross Rd, near the airport, is a Central A/C higher mid-range place with a pool. Rooms are Rs 750/900 and Rs 1200/1500 with A/C.
Green Park (Quality Inn) (2373 7373; fax 2373 1900), Begumpet, 2½ km from the airport, is a good higher-class place with rooms for Rs 2000/2500.
Grand Kakatiya, Begumpet, 1½ km from airport, is a luxury business hotel.

Where to Eat
The Residency Hotel, opposite the railway station, has a very good vegetarian restaurant (not cheap).
Palace Heights), 8th floor of Triveni Complex, MG Rd, near the GPO, is a popular place with good views of the city. It has paintings of the Nizams on the wall and a Mughal design. It has good Indian, Chinese, and Continental food. Open noon to 3 pm and 7 to 11 pm. Around Rs 200 per person. Reservations are recommended.
Golden Deer, MG Rd, near Abids Circle, is an A/C place which has good Chinese and Indian food.
Chinese Garden, 6-3-349 Rd No 1, Banjara Hill, is a good Chinese restaurant that has good steamed rice and veg preparations. Open 12.30 to 3.30 pm and 7 to 11 pm.
Paradise Garden Restaurant, near the corner of MG Rd and Sardar Patel Rd in Secunderabad, has very good traditional Hyderabad cuisine. It is not too expensive.
Shalimar Restaurant, in the Hotel Sri Brindavan, Station Rd, is a good place with main dishes around Rs 40.
Grand Hotel, Abids Circle, left of the GPO, is a popular place.
Minerva Coffee Shop, 3-6-199/1 Himayat Nagar, is a fairly high-class place which has good dosas and Minerva Special Ice Cream. South and North Indian thalis are served 11 am to 2.30 pm and 7 to 9.30 pm.
Firdaus at the Krishna Oberoi is a very good place (Rs 500 per person).
Dakhni at the Taj Residency is excellent.
Paradise Persis Restaurant, near the junction of MG Rd and Sardar Patel Rd in Secunderabad, is known for it authentic Hyderabad cuisine. It is reasonably priced and is recommended.

Where to Eat—Pure Vegetarian
There is a good restaurant at the Hotel Annapurna, Nampally Station Road, Abids area. It is well known for good ice cream.
Kamat Hotel, a famous South Indian restaurant chain known for reasonable prices and good food, can be found on Nampally Station Road. There are also branches near the public gardens and in Secunderabad.
The restaurant at the Taj Mahal Hotel, King Kothi Rd, off MG Rd, has fairly cheap, good South Indian and North Indian food. It has a regular and A/C section, which is slightly more expensive. Open 11 am to 3.30 pm and 7 to 10.30 pm.
The best place I found was the Woodlands Restaurant at the Hotel Sai Prakash, not far from the railway station. This is a well-known name in South Indian restaurants and is recommended.

Getting Around
I found the rickshaw drivers to be difficult to deal with. After 10 pm you have to pay the price on the meter, plus 50% of the return fare. A taxi to Golconda Fort return, plus waiting time is around Rs 200.

You can hire a tourist taxi from AP Tourism (557-531), Gagan Vihar, 1st Fl, MG Rd; and Ashok Travels (230-766), Lal Bahadur Stadium. A taxi is around Rs 500 for 6 hours.

Some useful local buses are #8–Hyderabad to Secunderabad railway stations; #7– Secunderabad station to the Abids area via the GPO; #2–Secunderabad station to Charminar; and #119 and #142–Nampally High Rd to Golconda Fort.

Travel
Air There are Indian Airlines flights from Hyderabad to points all over India.

Indian Airlines (2631 2340, 2323 6902) is near the Secretariat building on Secretariat Rd (10 am to 5 pm).

The Air India office (2338 9711, 2323 2747;).5-9-193 HACA Bhavan, near the State Assembly on Assembly Rd (Hours: 9 am to 5 pm). They have flights to Mumbai and Internationsal flights to there Middle East.

There are flights to Mumbai (3 daily, $125), Kolkata (1 daily, $235), Delhi (2 daily, $230), Chennai (2 daily, $130), Bangalore (110), and three flights a week to Bhubaneswar ($165), Tirupati ($110) and Visakhapatnam ($115).

Jet Airways (2340-1222; Airport 842-817) 6-3-1109 Nav Bharat Chambers, Raj Bhavan Rd, Somajiguda, has daily flights to Mumba, Bangalore, Chennai, Tirupathi, Deljo and Kolkata (Calcutta).

British Airways (2324 1661) 5-9-88/4 Ainulaman Fateh Madien Rd
Qantas (2321 0947) Chapel Rd..

The airport is at Begumpet, Secunderabad, 8km north of the Hyderabad railway station. By the meter it costs about Rs 50 to the airport by auto-rickshaw, but most drivers will not use the meter. A taxi is around Rs 150. There is a prepaid taxi stand at the airport. There is no airport bus.

Train There are two train stations—Hyderabad railway station (also called Nampally) and Secunderabad. Trains leave daily from both stations for almost all parts of India.

Some trains from Hyderabad Railway Station are: Chennai Charminar Exp #2760 (7 pm, 15 hr), Hyderabad-Chennai Exp #7054 (3.50 pm, 30 hr); Kolkata (Calcutta) East Coast Exp #7046 (7 am, 31 hr); Delhi Nizamuddin-Hyderabad Dakshin Exp #7021 (9.30 pm, 33½ hr); Mumbai Hyderabad-Mumbai Exp #7032 (8.40 pm, 17½ hr); Vijayawada Godavari Exp #7008 (5.15 pm, 6½ hr).

From the Hyderabad station the Rayasaleena Exp #7429 (5.30 pm, 16½ hr) and Krishna Exp #7406 (5.30 am, 16½ hr) go to Tirupati. From Secunderabad the Venkatadri (3.30 pm, 18 hr) goes to Tirupati.

From Secunderabad Station to Aurangabad there is the Secunderabad-Aurangabad Exp #7664 (6 pm 14½ hr). There is a day train from Aurangabad to Hyderabad. Bangalore Secunderabad-Bangalore Exp #7085 to (7.30 pm, 17 hr); New Delhi Andhra Pradesh Exp #2723 (6.40 am, 26 hr). To get to Hospet and Hampi you take the Venkatadri Exp to Guntakal (3.30 pm, 9 hr) and then connect with the Vasco Exp (3 am, 2½ hr).

You can book train tickets at the Hyderabad station for trains leaving from the Secunderabad station as well. When you purchase a train ticket you should ask what station the train departs from, as the two stations are about a half-hour apart and this can sometimes cause confusion.

The booking office is open 8 am to 2 pm and 2.30 to 8 pm, Mon to Sat, and Sun 8 am to 2 pm. Both stations have tourist quotas. The Reservation Office is to the left as you enter the station. Counter #123, next to enquiry, is for tourist reservations (also lost and group tickets). Foreign tourists can book their tickets with the Chief Reservation Inspector’s Office on platform 1, daily from 9 am to 5 pm.

For reservations call 1345. For general inquiries call 1331 (English), 1332 (Telugu), 1333 (Hindi).

Bus The APSRIC bus station, Gowliguda, has semi-deluxe and super-deluxe buses going to places all over the state. There is a computerized booking office (2780 2203) open daily from 8 am to 9 pm.

There are two bus stations—the old and the new. More than likely you will want to go to the new bus station (3km southeast of the railway station), and you should make this clear to the rickshaw driver, as it is further than the old bus stand. Otherwise they will drive you to the old bus stand and then ask for more money to get you to the new bus station.

There are buses departing to Tirupati (10 daily, 9 hr), Vijayawada, Aurangabad, Chennai (1 daily, 16 hr), Mumbai (8 daily, 17 hr), Bangalore (10 daily, 13 hr), Hospet (8 hr, 4 daily) and many other places. There is a 10 am luxury bus to Srisailam, which cannot be booked in advance.

There are private bus companies that have super-deluxe video buses to major cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Tirupati and Chennai. Their main offices are on Nampally High Rd (Public Gardens Rd) by the railway station.

Noble Travels and Asian Travels both seem to be reliable. Most of these buses leave in the late afternoon and travel overnight.

If you know of a vegetarian restaurant that is not listed here, or if you would like to help update our listings, please e-mail us at: vrupdate@hotmail.com

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Vegan Shampoos
Vegan Hair Spays
Vegan Toothpaste
Tongue Cleaners
Neti Pots
Vegan Perfumes
Vegan Sun Care
Lip Balm
Contact Len Cleaner
Skin Treatments
Men's Products
Dental Floss
Natural Mouthwashes
Vegan Hair Removal System

INCENSE & OILS
Incenses
Essential Oil
Vegan Candles

VEGAN BELTS & WALLETS
Vegan Wallets
Hemp Belts
Vegan Belts
Hemp Guitar Straps

VEGETARIAN & VEGAN BOOKS
Vegan Books
Vegetarian Books
Vegan Cookbooks
Vegetarian Cookbooks
Restaurant Cookbooks
Raw Food Book

VEG COSMETIC
Eyeshadows & Liners
Nail Polish
Blush
Lip Stick
Mascara
Powders
Nail Polish

VEDIC & SPIRITUAL
Mandala Publishers
OM Jewelry
Krishna Photos
Radha & Krishna Dolls

JEWELRY
Anklets
OM Jewelry
Nose Rings & Studs
Toe Rings
Astrological Gems
Earrings
Pendants
Silver Tulasi Beads
Neckbeads
Necklaces
Silver Jewelry
Gold Jewelry

BUTTONS STICKER
Animal Rights Buttons
Vegan Patch
Jam Bands Stickers
Jam Band Stickers (20 stickers for $5)

SPIRITUAL BOOKS
All Books
Holy Places
Vedic Scriptures
Mandala Publishing
Art Books
Kurma Cook Books
Bhagavat Gita
Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Children
Srimad Bhagvatam
Spiritual Biography
Vedic Coloring Books

SPIRITUAL MUCIC
Bhajans
S. Prabhupada Bhajans
Kirtana
New Age
Musical Instruments
Spiritual Lessons
Audio Vedic Books

VEGETARIAN VIDEO
Vegetarian Cooking
Vegetarian

SPIRTUAL VIDEO
Devotional Movies
Interactive CDs
Vedic Puppet Shows
Vedic Art & Culture
Indian Music Lessons
Bhativedanta Swami Prabhupada

Spiritual Photos & Art
Krishna Posters
Krishna Pictures
Vedic Gods Photos
Vedic Gods Posters

OTHER PRODUCTS
Putumayo World Music
Pet Products
Outdoor Neem
Air Garcia T-shirt

Bob Marley Reggae
Hats
Shirts
Key Chains
License Plates
Scarves
Books

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Please check out our Natural Nirvana Store, which we started to help pay for the maintenance of this Website. Natural Nirvana is dedicated to selling vegetarian, spiritual and alternative products. We sell only animal-friendly and cruelty-free clothing, gifts, health foods, books and beauty products.