Hyderabad is the
capital of the southern Indian state of Telangana and capital of Andhra
Pradesh. Occupying 650 square kilometres (250 sq mi) along the banks of the
Musi River, it has a population of about 6.7 million and a metropolitan
population of about 7.75 million, making it the fourth most populous city and
sixth most populous urban agglomeration in India. At an average altitude of 542
metres (1,778 ft), much of Hyderabad is situated on hilly terrain around
artificial lakes, including Hussain Sagar—predating the city's founding—north
of the city centre.
Established in 1591
by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, Hyderabad remained under the rule of the Qutb Shahi
dynasty for nearly a century before the Mughals captured the region. In 1724,
Mughal viceroy Asif Jah I declared his sovereignty and created his own dynasty,
known as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The Nizam's dominions became a princely state
during the British Raj, and remained so for 150 years, with the city serving as
its capital. The city continued as the capital of Hyderabad State after it was
brought into the Indian Union in 1948, and became the capital of Andhra Pradesh
after the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. Since 1956, Rashtrapati Nilayam in
the city has been the winter office of the President of India. In 2014, the
newly formed state of Telangana split from Andhra Pradesh and the city became
joint capital of the two states, a transitional arrangement scheduled to end by
2025.
Relics of Qutb Shahi
and Nizam rule remain visible today; the Charminar—commissioned by Muhammad
Quli Qutb Shah—has come to symbolise Hyderabad. Golconda fort is another major
landmark. The influence of Mughlai culture is also evident in the region's
distinctive cuisine, which includes Hyderabadi biryani and Hyderabadi haleem.
The Qutb Shahis and Nizams established Hyderabad as a cultural hub, attracting
men of letters from different parts of the world. Hyderabad emerged as the
foremost centre of culture in India with the decline of the Mughal Empire in
the mid-19th century, with artists migrating to the city from the rest of the
Indian subcontinent. The Telugu film industry based in the city is the
country's second-largest producer of motion pictures.
Hyderabad was
historically known as a pearl and diamond trading centre, and it continues to
be known as the City of Pearls. Many of the city's traditional bazaars remain
open, including Laad Bazaar, Begum Bazaar and Sultan Bazaar. Industrialisation
throughout the 20th century attracted major Indian manufacturing, research and
financial institutions, including Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, the
National Geophysical Research Institute and the Centre for Cellular and
Molecular Biology. Special economic zones dedicated to information technology
have encouraged companies from India and around the world to set up operations
in Hyderabad. The emergence of pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in
the 1990s led to the areas naming as India`s "Genome Valley". With an
output of US$74 billion, Hyderabad is the fifth-largest contributor to India's
overall gross domestic product.
Early and medieval history
Archaeologists excavating
near the city have unearthed Iron Age sites that may date from 500 BCE. The region
comprising modern Hyderabad and its surroundings was known as Golkonda (Golla
Konda-"shepherd's hill"), and was ruled by the Chalukya dynasty from
624 CE to 1075 CE. Following the dissolution of the Chalukya into four parts in
the 11th century, Golkonda came under the control of the Kakatiya dynasty from
1158, whose seat of power was at Warangal, 148 km (92 mi) northeast of modern
Hyderabad.
The Kakatiya dynasty
was reduced to a vassal of the Khilji dynasty in 1310 after its defeat by
Sultan Alauddin Khilji of the Delhi Sultanate. This lasted until 1321, when the
Kakatiya dynasty was annexed by Malik Kafur, Allaudin Khilji's general. During
this period, Alauddin Khilji took the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which is said to have
been mined from the Kollur Mines of Golkonda, to Delhi. Muhammad bin Tughluq
succeeded to the Delhi sultanate in 1325, bringing Warangal under the rule of
the Tughlaq dynasty until 1347 when Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah, a governor under
bin Tughluq, rebelled against Delhi and established the Bahmani Sultanate in
the Deccan Plateau, with Gulbarga, 200 km (124 mi) west of Hyderabad, as its
capital. The Hyderabad area was under the control of the Musunuri Nayaks at
this time, who, however, were forced to cede it to the Bahmani Sultanate in
1364. The Bahmani kings ruled the region until 1518 and were the first
independent Muslim rulers of the Deccan.
Sultan Quli, a
governor of Golkonda, revolted against the Bahmani Sultanate and established
the Qutb Shahi dynasty in 1518 he rebuilt the mud-fort of Golconda and named
the city "Muhammad nagar".The fifth sultan, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah,
established Hyderabad on the banks of the Musi River in 1591 to avoid the water
shortages experienced at Golkonda. During his rule, he had the Charminar and
Mecca Masjid built in the city.On 21 September 1687, the Golkonda Sultanate
came under the rule of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after a year-long siege of
the Golkonda fort.The annexed area was renamed Deccan Suba (Deccan province)
and the capital was moved from Golkonda to Aurangabad, about 550 km (342 mi)
northwest of Hyderabad.
Modern history
In 1714 Farrukhsiyar, the Mughal emperor, appointed Asif Jah
I to be Viceroy of the Deccan, with the title Nizam-ul-Mulk (Administrator of
the Realm).In 1724, Asif Jah I defeated Mubariz Khan to establish autonomy over
the Deccan Suba, named the region Hyderabad Deccan, and started what came to be
known as the Asif Jahi dynasty. Subsequent rulers retained the title Nizam
ul-Mulk and were referred to as Asif Jahi Nizams, or Nizams of Hyderabad.The
death of Asif Jah I in 1748 resulted in a period of political unrest as his
sons, backed by opportunistic neighbouring states and colonial foreign forces,
contended for the throne. The accession of Asif Jah II, who reigned from 1762
to 1803, ended the instability. In 1768 he signed the treaty of Masulipatnam,
surrendering the coastal region to the East India Company in return for a fixed
annual rent.
In 1769 Hyderabad city became the formal capital of the
Nizams. In response to regular threats from Hyder Ali (Dalwai of Mysore), Baji
Rao I (Peshwa of the Maratha Empire), and Basalath Jung (Asif Jah II's elder
brother, who was supported by the Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau), the Nizam signed
a subsidiary alliance with the East India Company in 1798, allowing the British
Indian Army to occupy Bolarum (modern Secunderabad) to protect the state's
capital, for which the Nizams paid an annual maintenance to the British.
After India gained independence, the Nizam declared his
intention to remain independent rather than become part of the Indian Union.
The Hyderabad State Congress, with the support of the Indian National Congress
and the Communist Party of India, began agitating against Nizam VII in 1948. On
17 September that year, the Indian Army took control of Hyderabad State after
an invasion codenamed Operation Polo. With the defeat of his forces, Nizam VII
capitulated to the Indian Union by signing an Instrument of Accession, which
made him the Rajpramukh (Princely Governor) of the state until 31 October 1956.
Between 1946 and 1951, the Communist Party of India fomented the Telangana
uprising against the feudal lords of the Telangana region. The Constitution of
India, which became effective on 26 January 1950, made Hyderabad State one of
the part B states of India, with Hyderabad city continuing to be the capital.
In his 1955 report Thoughts on Linguistic States, B. R. Ambedkar, then chairman
of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution, proposed designating the
city of Hyderabad as the second capital of India because of its amenities and
strategic central location. Since 1956, the Rashtrapati Nilayam in Hyderabad
has been the second official residence and business office of the President of
India; the President stays once a year in winter and conducts official business
particularly relating to Southern India.
On 1 November 1956 the states of India were reorganised by
language. Hyderabad state was split into three parts, which were merged with
neighbouring states to form the modern states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh. The nine Telugu- and Urdu-speaking districts of Hyderabad State
in the Telangana region were merged with the Telugu-speaking Andhra State to create
AndhraPradesh with Hyderabad as its capital. Several protests, known
collectively as the Telangana movement, attempted to invalidate the merger and
demanded the creation of a new Telangana state. Major actions took place in
1969 and 1972, and a third began in 2010.The city suffered several explosions:
one at Dilsukhnagar in 2002 claimed two lives;[34] terrorist bombs in May and
August 2007 caused communal tension and riots and two bombs exploded in
February 2013.On 30 July 2013 the government of India declared that part of
Andhra Pradesh would be split off to form a new Telangana state, and that
Hyderabad city would be the capital city and part of Telangana, while the city
would also remain the capital of Andhra Pradesh for no more than ten years. On
3 October 2013 the Union Cabinet approved the proposal, and in February 2014
both houses of Parliament passed the Telangana Bill. With the final assent of
the President of India in June 2014, Telangana state was formed.
Geography
Situated in the southern part of Telangana in southeastern
India, Hyderabad is 1,566 kilometres (973 mi) south of Delhi, 699 kilometres
(434 mi) southeast of Mumbai, and 570 kilometres (350 mi) north of Bangalore by
road.It lies on the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of the Deccan
Plateau.Greater Hyderabad covers 650 km2 (250 sq mi), making it one of the
largest metropolitan areas in India.With an average altitude of 542 metres (1,778
ft), Hyderabad lies on predominantly sloping terrain of grey and pink granite,
dotted with small hills, the highest being Banjara Hills at 672 metres (2,205
ft).The city has numerous lakes referred to as sagar, meaning "sea".
Examples include artificial lakes created by dams on the Musi, such as Hussain
Sagar (built in 1562 near the city centre), Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar.As of
1996 the city had 140 lakes and 834 water tanks (ponds).
Climate
Hyderabad has a tropical wet and dry climate
(Köppen Aw) bordering on a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh). The annual mean
temperature is 26.6 °C (79.9 °F); monthly mean temperatures are 21–33 °C (70–91
°F).[48] Summers (March–June) are hot and humid, with average highs in the
mid-to-high 30s Celsius;[49] maximum temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F)
between April and June. The coolest temperatures occur in December and January,
when the lowest temperature occasionally dips to 10 °C (50 °F).[48] May is the
hottest month, when daily temperatures range from 26 to 39 °C (79–102 °F);
December, the coldest, has temperatures varying from 14.5 to 28 °C (57–82 °F).
Utility services
Pollution control
Health care
Language and religion
Landmarks
Utility services
The HMWSSB regulates rainwater harvesting, sewerage services
and water supply, which is sourced from several dams located in the suburbs. In
2005, the HMWSSB started operating a 116-kilometre-long (72 mi) water supply
pipeline from Nagarjuna Sagar Dam to meet increasing demand.The Telangana
Southern Power Distribution Company Limited manages electricity supply.As of
October 2014, there were 15 fire stations in the city, operated by the
Telangana State Disaster and Fire Response Department.The government-owned
India Post has five head post offices and many sub-post offices in Hyderabad,
which are complemented by private courier services.
Pollution control
Hyderabad produces around 4,500 tonnes of solid waste daily,
which is transported from collection units in Imlibun, Yousufguda and Lower
Tank Bund to the dumpsite in Jawaharnagar.Disposal is managed by the Integrated
Solid Waste Management project which was started by the GHMC in 2010.Rapid
urbanisation and increased economic activity has also led to increased
industrial waste, air, noise and water pollution, which is regulated by the
Telangana Pollution Control Board (TPCB).The contribution of different sources
to air pollution in 2006 was: 20–50% from vehicles, 40–70% from a combination
of vehicle discharge and road dust, 10–30% from industrial discharges and 3–10%
from the burning of household rubbish.Deaths resulting from atmospheric
particulate matter are estimated at 1,700–3,000 each year.Ground water around
Hyderabad, which has a hardness of up to 1000 ppm, around three times higher
than is desirable is the main source of drinking water but the increasing
population and consequent increase in demand has led to a decline in not only
ground water but also river and lake levels.This shortage is further
exacerbated by inadequately treated effluent discharged from industrial
treatment plants polluting the water sources of the city.
Health care
The Commissionerate of Health and Family Welfare is
responsible for planning, implementation and monitoring of all facilities
related to health and preventive services.As of 2010–11, the city had 50 government
hospitals,[90] 300 private and charity hospitals and 194 nursing homes
providing around 12,000 hospital beds, fewer than half the required 25,000.For
every 10,000 people in the city, there are 17.6 hospital beds,[93] 9 specialist
doctors, 14 nurses and 6 physicians.The city also has about 4,000 individual
clinics[94] and 500 medical diagnostic centres Private clinics are preferred by
many residents because of the distance to, poor quality of care at and long
waiting times in government facilities,[95]:60–61 despite the high proportion
of the city's residents being covered by government health insurance: 24%
according to a National Family Health Survey in 2005.As of 2012, many new
private hospitals of various sizes were opened or being built.[94] Hyderabad
also has outpatient and inpatient facilities that use Unani, homoeopathic and
Ayurvedic treatments.
In the 2005 National Family Health Survey, it was reported
that the city's total fertility rate is 1.8 which is below the replacement
rate. Only 61% of children had been provided with all basic vaccines (BCG,
measles and full courses of polio and DPT), fewer than in all other surveyed
cities except Meerut.The infant mortality rate was 35 per 1,000 live births,
and the mortality rate for children under five was 41 per 1,000 live births.The
survey also reported that a third of women and a quarter of men are overweight
or obese, 49% of children below 5 years are anaemic, and up to 20% of children
are underweight.55–56 while more than 2% of women and 3% of men suffer from
diabetes.
Language and religion
Referred to as Hyderabadi, the residents of Hyderabad are
predominantly Telugu and Urdu speaking people, with minority Bengali, Gujarati
(including Memon), Kannada (including Nawayathi), Malayalam, Marathi, Marwari,
Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Uttar Pradeshi communities. Hyderabad is home to a
unique dialect of Urdu called Hyderabadi Urdu, which is a type of Dakhini, and
is the mother tongue of most Hyderabadi Muslims, a unique community who owe
much of their history, language, cuisine, and culture to Hyderabad, and the
various dynasties who previously ruled. Hadhrami Arabs, African Arabs,
Armenians, Abyssinians, Iranians, Pathans and Turkish people are also present;
these communities, of which the Hadhrami are the largest, declined after
Hyderabad State became part of the Indian Union, as they lost the patronage of
the Nizams.
Telugu and Urdu are both official languages of the city, and
most Hyderabadis are bilingual.The Telugu dialect spoken in Hyderabad is called
Telangana Mandalika, and the Urdu spoken is called Dakhini.A significant
minority speak other languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Odia, Tamil, Bengali
and Kannada.
Hindus are in the majority. Muslims form a very large
minority, and are present throughout the city and predominate in and around the
Old City. There are also Christian, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Parsi communities
and iconic temples, mosques and churches can be seen. According to the 2011
census, in Greater Hyderabad (the extended city area governed by GHMC plus the
outlying districts), religious make-up was: Hindus (64.93%), Muslims (30.13%),
Christians (2.75%), Jains (0.29%), Sikhs (0.25%) and Buddhists (0.04%); 1.56% did
not state any religion.
Landmarks
Heritage buildings constructed during the Qutb Shahi and
Nizam eras showcase Indo-Islamic architecture influenced by Medieval, Mughal
and European styles.After the 1908 flooding of the Musi River, the city was
expanded and civic monuments constructed, particularly during the rule of Mir
Osman Ali Khan (the VIIth Nizam), whose patronage of architecture led to him
being referred to as the maker of modern Hyderabad.In 2012, the government of
India declared Hyderabad the first "Best heritage city of India".
Qutb Shahi architecture of the 16th and early 17th centuries
followed classical Persian architecture featuring domes and colossal arches.The
oldest surviving Qutb Shahi structure in Hyderabad is the ruins of Golconda
fort built in the 16th century. Most of the historical bazaars that still exist
were constructed on the street north of Charminar towards the fort. The
Charminar has become an icon of the city; located in the centre of old
Hyderabad, it is a square structure with sides 20 m (66 ft) long and four grand
arches each facing a road. At each corner stands a 56 m (184 ft)-high minaret.
The Charminar, Golconda fort and the Qutb Shahi tombs are considered to be
monuments of national importance in India; in 2010 the Indian government
proposed that the sites be listed for UNESCO World Heritage status.
Among the oldest surviving examples of Nizam architecture in
Hyderabad is the Chowmahalla Palace, which was the seat of royal power. It
showcases a diverse array of architectural styles, from the Baroque Harem to
its royal court. The other palaces include Falaknuma Palace (inspired by the
style of Andrea Palladio), Purani Haveli, King Kothi and Bella Vista Palace all
of which were built at the peak of Nizam rule in the 19th century. During Mir
Osman Ali Khan's rule, European styles, along with Indo-Islamic, became
prominent. These styles are reflected in the Falaknuma Palace and many civic
monuments such as the Hyderabad High Court, Osmania Hospital, Osmania
University, the State Central Library, City College, the Telangana Legislature,
the State Archaeology Museum, Jubilee Hall, and Hyderabad and Kachiguda railway
stations. Other landmarks of note are Paigah Palace, Asman Garh Palace, Basheer
Bagh Palace, Errum Manzil and the Spanish Mosque, all constructed by the Paigah
family.
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