C M Y K Sxxx,2016-04-10,TR,008,Bs-4C,E1

8 TR THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 2016 36 Hours ,

An increasingly high-tech city steps up efforts to preserve its rich and storied history.

staircase), and admission is a mere 100 ru- By SARAH KHAN pees per person for non-Indians. Hyderabad is fast cementing its reputation as a formidable global tech capital — Ama- zon, Google and Facebook have set up of- •7 6 P.M. GLITTERING GIFTS fices in the south-central Indian city, and a Despite its landlocked location, Hyderabad cutting-edge metro system is in the works. is lovingly referred to as the City of Pearls, But amid this steady march to the future, thanks to its bustling jewelry trade. And the city’s rich past and regal architectural while diamond mines outside the city may legacy sometimes fall by the wayside. For- have unearthed some of the world’s most fa- tunately, a recent wave of attempts at pres- mous diamonds — the Kohinoor and Hope ervation is helping to save and restore some among them — there is bling for every of Hyderabad’s storied heritage before it’s budget on offer in Hyderabad. In one of the too late. To immerse yourself in local tradi- lively arteries off the Charminar, Laad Ba- tions, the best time to visit might be the zaar is famed for its glittery glass bangles in month of Ramadan, which starts in June every conceivable color and pattern; don’t this year. While Muslims fast during day- leave the city without at least an armful, ei- light hours, the streets surrounding the ther for yourself or as an inexpensive gift. Charminar monument in Hyderabad’s Old City come alive after dark, transforming into a vibrant night bazaar — thousands of •8 8 P.M. THROWBACK DINING people pack the lanes to feast on haleem Many Indians lament the decline of the be- and biryani, sip on Irani chai and get a head loved Irani cafe; the team behind the ultra- start on their Eid holiday shopping. hip SodaBottleOpenerWala went ahead and reinvented one. The original Irani cafes were once a mainstay in ’s Parsi community, thanks to their lively ambience Friday and staples like berry pulao (rice with 1 5 P.M. CULINARY CLASSIC vegetables, nuts and berries) and bun- • maska (bread and butter). The playful Variants of biryani, a fragrant dish of rice SodaBottleOpenerWala, a chain with out- layered with meat, fish or vegetables, are a posts in , Hyderabad, Mumbai and staple across much of India and Pakistan; , is a whimsical tribute to retro to those who know a thing or two about food, cafe culture, from the throwback interiors though, Hyderabad’s take on the classic is (checkerboard floors, vintage photographs, the finest you’ll find anywhere in the world. an old jukebox) to the food (eggs kejriwal, Here, basmati rice is steamed in an airtight mutton dhansak, kheema pav). Dinner will pot with chicken or lamb marinated in yo- come to less than 2,000 rupees for two. gurt and spices, and laced generously with PHOTOGRAPHS BY PORAS CHAUDHARY FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES cardamom and cloves. Debates rage across Top, the Qutub Shahi Tombs at sunset; above left, holiday shopping near Charminar just before Eid; Manomay, a luxury boutique. the city about who has the best biryani — Hotel Shadab, Cafe Bahar and Shah Ghouse IF YOU GO Sunday all have fervent followings — but the home- grown chain Paradise might be the most 1 Paradise Food Court, Para- •9 9 A.M. BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS foreigner-friendly. Head to the original Se- dise Circle, S D Road, Secun- Kick off your day with the ultimate South cunderabad flagship, which opened in the derabad; paradisefoodcourt Indian breakfast. The strictly vegetarian 1950s, and take your pick of one of the many .com. Minerva Coffee Shop is perennially packed, spotless dining rooms spanning multiple 2 Lamakaan, lane next to the drawing a loyal following for its behemoth levels. A generous platter of Paradise’s Vengala Rao Park, opposite crispy masala dosa (crepe) with all the fix- melt-in-your-mouth mutton biryani will set GVK One Mall, off Road No. 1, ings — sambar, curried potatoes, and coco- you back 254 rupees (about $3.80). Banjara Hills; lamakaan.com. nut, ginger and tomato chutneys. If you come after 11:30, it’s also worth considering 3 Kalakriti Art Gallery and 2 8 P.M. CULTURE BREAK the idli, vada or traditional South Indian • Gallery Café, Plot No. 468, thali, a round tray dressed with a banana A former home in a quiet Banjara Hills lane Road No. 10, opposite Ofen leaf laden with puris, rasam and lentils, was converted into a refuge for Hyderabadi Bakery, Gaffar Khan Colony, curd and more. Try them all for less than creative types back in 2010. Lamakaan Banjara Hills; gallerycafe.in. 500 rupees, and wash it all down with a buzzes throughout the day with young 4 Almari, 8-2-686/B/1, first strong filter coffee. thinkers brainstorming new ideas over floor, above Oma Home Décor chai, and on any given weekend, the space store, Road No. 12, Banjara plays host to theatrical productions, com- 10 11 A.M. CEMETERY OF THE SULTANS Hills; facebook.com • edy shows, concerts, Pecha Kucha presen- While the sprawling Golconda Fort and the /Almari-173476069481263. tation evenings and literary festivals. nearby Qutub Shahi Tombs are best visited Check the schedule online to see what’s run- Manomay, 8-2-596 Road in the same trip, if time is an issue, choose ning; recent events have included cooking No. 10, Banjara Hills; the atmospheric tombs. The 106-acre classes, a quiz night and a Hindi play. facebook.com spread is dotted with dozens of domed /manomayindiastore. mausoleums housing the remains of the 5 Taj Falaknuma Palace, Qutub Shahi dynasty’s sultans and their Engine Bowli, Falaknuma; families, dating back to the 16th and 17th Saturday taj.tajhotels.com/en-in centuries. Even if you’ve visited the necrop- olis before, it’s well worth a return: The 3 11 A.M. ART AND COFFEE /taj-falaknuma-palace • tombs are in the midst of a huge restoration Curious about the artistic talent emerging -hyderabad. project undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust from this region of India? Then a visit to the 6 Charminar. for Culture, and the gleaming white domes Kalakriti Art Gallery at Banjara Hills Road 7 Laad Bazaar, Khilwat, of the refreshed structures stand in stark No. 10 is a requisite. Here, you’ll browse Charminar. contrast to the weatherworn buildings works by B. Srinivas Reddy, Kauser Qure- 8 SodaBottleOpenerWala, awaiting their turn for a face-lift. In fact, the shi, Balaji Ponna and Muktinath Mondal — Unit 4, Ground Floor, Niharika makeover might render the tombs unrecog- but first, brunch. At the adjacent Gallery THE NEW YORK TIMES Jubilee One, Road No. 1, Jubilee nizable to most Hyderabadis, who’ve long Café, choose from ice cream waffles (150 ru- thoughtfully conceived: An antique palan- dome. Choose from an English high tea with Hills; facebook.com/sbow.hyd. loved their distinctive sepia tint. And speak- pees), a corn-and-spinach focaccia sand- ing of love: Be prepared to dodge plenty of quin serves as a showcase; an intricately sandwiches and biscuits or a Nizami ver- 9 Minerva Coffee Shop, 3-6- wich (160 rupees) or a paneer-paratha-torti- couples who duck behind the colonnades for carved bookshelf doubles as a shoe rack. sion with samosas and pakoras; either re- 199/1, Himayath Nagar; lla wrap (180 rupees). Just be sure to have past is fit for a king. Visitors need a reserva- romantic interludes. Admission, 10 rupees. minervacoffeeshop.in. your cappuccino (90 rupees) with a slice of tion for tea or for a meal at one of the restau- cardamom-spiced carrot cake (80 rupees). 5 3 P.M. ROYAL REPRIEVE 10 Qutub Shahi Tombs, Fort • rants to make it past the gates. 11 2 P.M. SNACKS AND SOUVENIRS From a faux palace, make your way to a real Road, Toli Chowki. • 4 1 P.M. FASHION FINDS one. The late-19th-century Falaknuma Pal- 11 Bakery, opposite On your way out of Hyderabad, stop by the 6 5 P.M. A VIEW WORTH THE CLIMB • ace stands high atop a hill overlooking Hy- Hotel Taj Banjara, Road No. 1, gleaming Banjara Hills branch of Karachi While Hyderabadi attire is synonymous • derabad’s Old City, but it might well be from At the heart of Hyderabad’s Old City, Banjara Hills; karachibakery Bakery. You can stock up on prepacked with opulent threadwork, heavy tiers of silk another world altogether:The architecture Charminar, an archway and mosque con- .com. boxes of their famed tutti-frutti-studded and gilded beading, the contemporary fash- and interiors are an unexpected mix of Eng- structed in 1591 by the then-ruler Moham- fruit biscuits, laced with rosewater; if those ion scene is evolving as well. Almari (“clos- lish, Venetian, Japanese, French, Chinese mad Quli Qutub Shah to commemorate the are too cloying for your tastes, opt for the et”) is a glossy showroom for top fashion de- and Moghul influences. The opulent estate end of a plague outbreak, is Hyderabad’s salty-sweet Osmania biscuits instead — in- signers from around the country, and the once served as a guesthouse for royal vis- most widely recognized landmark — there’s vented as a digestive by the Nizam’s doc- glittery blouses and purses suspended from itors of the Nizam, Hyderabad’s fabulously even a gilded tribute erected in the city’s ul- tors, they’re now a teatime essential in Hy- the ceiling give the space a gallery-like feel. wealthy erstwhile ruler; in 2010 it was tramodern IT hub, about 13 miles away. derabad. You can also cobble together a For a more traditional ambience, head to transformed into one of India’s finest palace Make a circuit around the structure, admir- quick lunch from Indian snack staples here: Manomay, an opulent boutique modeled af- hotels. Even if an overnight stay is a touch ing its intricate domes and minarets hewed veggie puffs, tandoori paneer sandwiches ter the 18th-century Chowmahalla Palace in too pricey, you can always make a reserva- from limestone and granite, but be sure to and pav bhaji, all for around 150 rupees. Hyderabad’s Old City. The warren of rooms tion for a meal and request a guided tour. climb to the top for a panoramic late-after- is the setting for designs by Astha Narang, Afternoon tea (2,250 rupees a person) be- noon view over the chaotic lanes of the old ONLINE: AN OVERVIEW Kiran Uttam Ghosh, Ranna Gill and more, gins at 3:30 at the Celeste restaurant, near city below. It’s a fairly easy walk up (albeit Check out our interactive map at nytimes.com and the interior’s Old World details are the Gol Bungalow terrace with its gilded through an ancient and very congested /travel.

CHECK IN INDIAN SPRINGS, CALISTOGA, CALIF.

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