After college, you hardly get time to meet your college friends. So, last year I made some time and went to Hyderabad to visit one of my best friends and stayed at his home for a week. Fortunately, I was visiting him during the holy month of Ramadan and I was introduced to the iconic Eid celebrations of Hyderabad.
So, on the day of Eid (end of the Ramadan month), we booked an affordable car rentals in Hyderabad with a local driver to explore the city.
The mosque and its prayers
We woke up early in the morning on Eid, and headed for Mecca Masjid, the most famous mosque in Hyderabad, located near Charminar. The mosque is huge and also the oldest in the city.
It was heavily crowded, with more than 10,000 people offering their prayers. The mosque also exhibits exceptional architectural intricacies of the Islamic rulers’ time.
A visit to Charminar
Next, we went to admire the regal Charminar despite knowing that it will be madly crowded during that time of the year, as we knew that it is worth every bit of the struggle. Whilst there, it was a beautiful sight, watching people coming together to pray at the iconic four minarets structure.
The Haleem
We all know that Ramadan is not complete without the famous Haleem. So, we went to get ourselves some delicious Haleem at one of the famous food joints in Hyderabad named Shah Ghouse, located in Salarjung Colony, Tolichowki. Haleem served along with bread at Shah Ghouse was so good that we gulped two plates of the delicacy.
Pearls and Diamonds
It is like committing a sin to not invest in some stunning jewellery being in the ‘City of Pearls’. Apart from pearls, Hyderabad is well-known for diamonds as well. So, we decided to pick up some amazing jewellery as souvenirs for my family.
We went to one of the most reliable and popular stores named Mangatrai Jewellery, which has been around since 1905. You can find anything there, from natural to Tahitian pearls, including diamond jewellery.
The night market
During Ramadan, the surroundings of Charminar transform into a vibrant night market, where people shop from night until early in the morning. The street was so busy that we had to park the car aside. As we started walking, we found numerous hawker stalls and makeshift shops that occupied the footpath.
From dry fruits and ittar to traditional weaves with hand embroidery, junk jewellery, zardozi work, fabric for salwar suits, henna, kohl, etc., you can find everything that you need for Eid shopping.
The biryani
Finally, we ended the day by having the world-famous Hyderabadi Biryani. Some of the popular eateries to consider while having biryani in Hyderabad are Paradise, Hotel Shadab, Shah Ghouse, and Cafe Bahar.
I must say that people in Hyderabad come together to celebrate Eid with high spirits, and it was so amazing to experience the Eid celebrations in Hyderabad; and the flexible cab service that we rented through a car booking app made our commute comfortable despite the heavy traffic in the city.
