To my hometown....

"High"derabad!!!!!!! Welcome to my city! A city with a rich cultural history, a city which is now a booming software hub, a city where you get everything from Irani chai to Harley Davidson bikes, and a city that has produced its share of world class software Engineers, industrialists and cricketing greats.

There's a lot to see in Hyderabad, if you have the time. If you have any friends in Hyderabad, you would have certainly heard of Necklace road and Eat street. Necklace road provides a great view of the Hussain Sagar lake with a floating Buddha statue in its centre. Eat street, a collection of eateries on Necklace road, is where you get delectable chat, chai and other snacks. Make sure you notice the famous 'hyderabadi hindi' as you speak to the vendors. "chaat mein pyaaz nako daalo" is what you should be saying if you don't want onions in your chat. Hindi language prudes, have fun for now. We can discuss linguistics and grammar later.

Tank Bund, the bridge between the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad is a scenic walk way with Hussain sagar lake on one side and larger than life statues of eminent Telugu personalities on the other. Read through the transcripts written on each statue to know about the key historical figures who shaped the Telugu culture. Lumbini Park, located on the Hyderabad side of the Tank Bund adds to the beauty of the area.

Cut to Banjara Hills, a posh locality in Hyderabad. Road no 1 Banjara Hills is home to 'Karachi Bakery' a house famous for its biscuits. Don't forget to pick up your pack of favorite biscuits. You may have to wait in a line to make the payment, but once you come out with your pack and taste its contents, you know why there was such a long line in the first place. Bang next door is 'Bikanervala' from Delhi. You may want to step in and check out their 'thali' options for lunch and/or dinner. If you're lucky (like I was once), you may even spot a local celebrity or two binging on the tasty food.

You may now want to hop into an 'auto' and go northwest of Banjara Hills. 'Cos that's where you have the HITEC (Hyderabad Information Technology and Engineering Consulting) city, the ever expanding hub of software servcies and consulting companies from all over the world. I've worked here for several years and have seen this part of the city know no limits when it comes to growth, both literally and figuratively. Don't miss the walk from Cyber Towers to Inorbit mall. That's where you find sprawling IT parks with thousands of Engineers and hundreds of latest cars of every make. This part of the city seems very technical and westernized. Well! they work round the clock servicing clients all over the world. 'Inorbit mall', on the same road, houses top international brands.

Very close to HITEC is 'Shilparamam', an arts and crafts exhibition that models a rural Andhra village. A stark contrast to the 'multinational' surroundings, Shilparamam is where you'd find traditional paintings, craft items, wall hangings, weaves, pottery, and the list can go on. Take your pick, and feel good about it!

Some new express roads that have come up in the recent times make the drive through the city enjoyable. The express way from Masab Tank to the airport, flyover from Begumpet to Banjara hills, flyover from Hitec city to Kukatpally, are a few that provide a smooth driving experience. Make sure you know where you're going. If you check with some passers by about directions to any place, you might get a programmed "seedha chale jao" reply, may not always be correct.

Street shopping time!'Badi-chowdi', located in Kothi is one of the oldest shopping centres of the city. If 'good stuff for less' is your shopping mantra, then Badi chowdi is a place you can't afford (literally) to miss. Colorful clothes, footwear, fancy jewellery, bags, accessories, you name it they have it. Top it up with some street food in the same area and you have an enjoyable evening that even your wallet would love. Pani puri, ragda, bhel puri, pav are perfect post shopping snacks. Wash it down with lime 'goli-soda' or 'ganne ka ras' (sugar cane juice with lime and ginger) and you are set for another shop-a-thon! Apart from Badi chowdi, Monda market and Mozam jahi markets are shopping heavens for fresh and economically priced vegetables, fruits, flowers and grocery. You may have to do some wading through the crowds to get your way. Thats an experience of the real Hyderabad hustle-bustle.

Now, for the world famous Charminar. This four-minaret monument, a cynosure of many photographers and movie makers' eyes, was built sometime in the 16th century and is a must see. In the vicinity of the Charminar lies the 'laad bazar' famous for exclusive lac bangles studded with shiny mock-diamonds. Check them out! Mecca masjid, located nearby is another grand monument. Pearl shops located all over the city provide a rich range of pearl jewellery, all for you....for a price, of course!

Some more interesting places to see are Birla Mandir, Dhola ri Dhani - an ethnic Rajasthani village, Falaknuma palace, Salarjung museum and Golconda fort. A few other interesting eateries are Paradise Biryani, Gokul chat, Famous ice cream, Pista House and Pan Mahal. Irani cafes located all over the city deserve a special mention for their 'cutting-chai'. You could speak in Telugu, Telangana (a dialect of Telugu), Urdu, Hindi, Hyderabadi hindi, Hinglish or Tinglish. You could ride a bicycle, a Hero Honda, an auto, a Maruti car, a Merc, the city bus, MMTS (the local train), a cab or a 'sharing-auto'. Yahaan pe sab chaltaa!

One more thing these days makes Hyderabad more happening. IPL, of course. If you're at IPL, you're really close to Osmania University. This lush green campus spread across acres, is one of the biggest universities in India producing about 300,000 graduates every year. And if you want to catch a glimpse of local teams playing cricket, head straight to 'Parade Grounds'. Scores of cricket teams sweating it out in the sun (its always sunny in Hyderabad) being cheered by equally enthusiastic spectators are a visual treat. Parade Grounds has nurtured several cricketers who went on to achieve dizzying heights in the International arena.

That's our city! Welcome and feel like a Nawab/Begum!!