Charminar is the center of attraction for not just culture lovers but also foodies especially during Ramadan, when the area morphs into a food lovers paradise.
Walking through Pathargatti a statue of a mud lion is unmissable. This is 200 years old and the whole area is called Mitti ka Sher named after this statue. These kinds of statues were usually used as entrance markers and it is said there was one more statue that is now missing. At the dargah there is also the statue of a dog. Gulzar House has a fountain at its base and look in each of the four directions and you can see four arches, and this is the center of the city.
Hotel Nayab until recently made the biryani like it did 200-250 years ago in huge cauldrons on wood fire that is all about slow cooking and the flavour is different. Recently they have modernized their kitchen and this method has stopped. It has two entrances – back entrance through the kitchen which is usually open post 1:00 a.m.
The lane next to Nayab is Chatta Bazar and this on both sides used to have the Diwan Devaki – a bazar always covered with a canopy – chatta means cover. The Hindustani darwaza has a distinct Rajasthani architecture and there are several hole-in-the-wall eateries. This is the only place where you can find translations done in Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Telugu, Kannada and Marathi languages. This is also the place where you will find calligraphers who can personalise messages. Traditionally this bazar led to the civil court and now it has greeting card and stationary shops. India’s first foot over bridge also exists here as the diwan Salarjung family could use it to cross over to the other side of the road. Ittar to Unnai medicines to translation scripts are all sold here.
Next to Hotel Shadab is an arch that takes you into Badshahi Ashurkhana that has a beautiful fresco of Persian art that is a combination of fresco and stone inlay. The Rikhab Gunj still has some of the old homes whose architecture is admirable.
Read all about the food of Hyderabad in this story that first appeared in Deccan Chronicle dated March 3, 2025 here:
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