Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
With its grand staircases and halls, it's fascinating to see, either way. Contact Principal
Seetha for permission to visit.
Taramati Baradari
(Ibrahimbagh; 11.30am-8.30pm)
According to legend, this elegant pavilion atop a hill 4km
from Golconda Fort was built by Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah for his courtesan, Taramati,
whose singing and dancing performances the sultan watched from a perch at the fort.
Autorickshaws charge ?300 return from Golconda.
HISTORIC BUILDING
Birla Mandir
( 7am-noon & 2-9pm)
The ethereal Birla Mandir, constructed of white Rajasthani marble in
1976, graces Kalabahad (Black Mountain), one of two rocky hills overlooking the Hus-
sain Sagar. Dedicated to Venkateshwara, the temple is a popular Hindu pilgrimage centre
and affords magnificent views over the city, especially at sunset.
HINDU TEMPLE
Birla Modern Art Gallery
(
www.birlasciencecentre.org
;
admission ?40; 10.30am-6pm)
Formerly a so-so collection of local art,
this museum was recently overhauled and now hosts a skilfully curated collection of mod-
ern and contemporary works - the best you'll see in South India. Look for paintings by
superstars Jogen Chowdhury, Tyeb Mehta, Arpita Singh and Thota Vaikuntam.
MUSEUM
Mecca Masjid
MAP
MOSQUE
GOOGLE MAP
(Shah Ali Banda Rd, Charminar; 9am-5pm)
This mosque is one of the world's largest, with space
for 10,000 worshippers. Women are not allowed inside.
Several bricks embedded above the gate are made with soil from Mecca - hence the
name. To the left of the mosque an enclosure contains the tombs of Nizam Ali Khan and
his successors. Since the 2007 bomb blasts here, security is tight; no bags are allowed in-
side.
BM Birla Science Centre
MAP
MUSEUM
GOOGLE MAP
