Welcome to the old city, where time doesn’t stand still, it spirals. Where the aroma of biryani competes with the scent of attar (perfume), and history isn’t something you read about, it’s something you breathe in with every step.
The Old City of Hyderabad is overwhelming and unapologetic. Winding alleys where pedestrians jostle with street carts, honking autos, screeching bikes, chai stalls, jewellery shops, and stray animals are all vying for space. Yes, it’s chaotic but look closer. Behind the clamour lies a city that once rivalled the courts of Isfahan and Istanbul. And nowhere does this heritage shine more brilliantly than around its beating heart - Charminar.
Built in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah to mark the end of a deadly plague, Charminar is a memory in stone. Its four minarets rise like guardians over centuries of culture, trade, and belief. You can climb the narrow spiral steps to the top, where balconies offer a cinematic view of Laad Bazaar, glittering with bangles and bustling with stories.
From here, we begin your heritage walk. Duck into alleyways scented with marinated meat, turmeric, incense, and rose water. Visit the Mecca Masjid, built from black granite stones reportedly brought from Mecca. Its quiet dignity is a foil to the city’s kinetic energy. A few steps away lies the lesser-known but magnificent Badshahi Ashurkhana, where coloured tilework whispers secrets of Shia devotion.
The lanes are like open-air museums, one moment you’re admiring bidriware and pearl sets, and the next you’re haggling for attar in hand-blown bottles. A roadside vendor hands you a lukmi, the flaky meat pastry crumbling into your fingers, while the muezzin’s call for namaaz floats through the air.
And then, the food, and love in Hyderabad is always served with a side of biryani. Step into Nimrah Café, sip on Irani chai and dunk crisp Osmania biscuits while gazing at the Charminar through a fog of steam and nostalgia. Try pathar ka gosht, mutton grilled on hot stone, or Haleem if it’s the season. Don’t leave without a plate of biryani, whether from Shadab or a humble cart, it’s an edible history lesson.
Yes, it’s noisy. Yes, it’s crowded. But in every clang of a bangle, every sizzle of kebabs, and every stucco detail on the Charminar, there’s a story being told. A story of kings and courtesans, traders and travelers, poetry and spice. So come with an open heart, good walking shoes, and a big appetite. Hyderabad’s Old City doesn’t just show you its heritage, it makes you part of it.
