The secret of the Hyderabadis

What is it about Hyderabad that makes nearly every batsman emerging from there such a treat to watch? There must be something about the city that can make a young Hyderabadi boy look so languid and graceful while tearing a cricket ball to ribbons with his bat. Something the locals keep hidden away from any visitors.

Let us take a whirlwind tour of the city, stare at that iconic Charminar, peek into the houses of the Nizams, stroll through those delectable food streets in the old city, try on a pathani suit in Sultan Bazaar, paddle in the Hussain Sagar Lake and look deep into its waters.

For somewhere, we must find the Grand Hyderabadi Secret. Druid Getafix isn't the only one who can stir a magic potion. So can the people, here in Hyderabad, miaan.

Hyderabad is usually very hot for most parts of the year, except the winter months. In April and May temperatures can go up to 45°C during the day, so wear a cap or a floppy hat, dress in cottons and carry water while travelling around the city.

It is easier to hit Dale Steyn for a six than find a Hyderabadi tuk-tuk driver who agrees to go by the meter. The usual fare is Rs 20 for the first 1.6kms and Rs 11 for every successive kilometre, so use that while calculating how much to bargain for. It is difficult to find cabs standing by, so the best thing to do would be to book a cab in advance. App-based taxis also ply the city

Hyderabad has two stadiums, but the one currently in use for the IPL and international matches is the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, an eastern suburb of the city. It is approximately 13kms from the city centre and about 10kms from the railway station. Autos, buses, cabs all ply to and fro, so getting to the ground will not be a problem. However, keeping in mind the city's obsession with the game, leave for the stadium a few hours in advance as traffic jams are commonplace a couple of hours before the game begins.

Unfortunately, the closest to the stadium you can stay in a good hotel would be about ten kilometres. But there are plenty of options.

High-end
There is no hotel better in Hyderabad than the Taj Faluknama Palace (from Rs 30,000, 15kms from the stadium). If you want to experience how the Mughal royalty lived, this is a good place to start. A horse-drawn carriage takes you past the sprawling gardens to the hotel's doorstep. It has a museum, a royal dining room with a 100-seater table, and library that has an impressive collection of books, some over a hundred years old. Then, there is the Park Hyatt (from Rs 10,500, 17kms), which has lavish buffets and good wine stocks. The ITC Kakatiya (from Rs 10,500, 14.5kms) is centrally located, and is a great property with a spa. Their biryanis and kebabs have been voted among the best in the country.

Mid-level
The Novotel Hyderabad Airport Hotel (from Rs 5200, 10kms), as the name suggests, is fairly close to the airport, so if you want to stay far from the madding crowd, this is probably the best option. The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace Hotel (Rs 7800, 25kms) is a fabulous hotel in the business district, has spacious walkways, manicured lawns, a well-equipped gym and spa, and one of the best pool bars in the city. The Leonia Holistic Destination Hotel (from Rs 5000, 14.5 kms), situated very close to the Hussain Sagar lake, has pools, playing courts, auditoriums, and is like a city in itself. Other recommendations are the Taj Deccan (from Rs 6200) and The Park, Hyderabad (Rs 7300).

Budget
The Jüsta on Necklace Road (from Rs 2100, 15kms) is also located close to the Hussain Sagar lake. Its rooftop restaurant gives you an expansive view of the waters. Try the sizzlers. The Ohri's Banjara Hotel (from Rs 3000, 15kms) is in the centre of the city, has clean rooms, good service and highly recommended food. Other value-for-money hotels are Katriya Hotels and Towers Hotel (from Rs 2600, 15kms) and Aditya Hometel (from Rs 2800), with clean, spacious rooms and ever-attentive staff.

The Hyderabadi biryani is famous the world over so it would be a shame to leave the city without trying that or the Irani chai that vendors sell on Patter Ghatti street. Try the tea with a buttery nankhatai (an Indian cookie) or the flaky puff-pastry called khari. Explore the old city for its street food and head for Banjara Hills or the lake area if you want a romantic dinner - Hyderabad has options for all.

High-end
There are a number of good restaurants in the Banjara Hills area. Khaan Saab serves excellent Indian non-vegetarian food. Try their tunde kebabs and burani parantha. Nawabi food in an equally lavish setting is Jewel of Nizam's specialty and their set menus are very good value for money. Exotica, serving Indian good, has great ambience, with woodwork, a koi pond and candle lighting. The best restaurants in the Jubilee Hills area are Urban Asia (serving Thai and Chinese cuisines), Via Milano (Italian), and So - a pretty restaurant with open rooftop terrace seating - perfect for a romantic dinner.

Mid-level
The always dependable Malaka Spice chain's Hyderabad outlet offers top quality pan-Asian food at reasonable prices. The interiors of Ohri's Serengeti (Banjara Hills) have been designed to resemble a jungle but the food is not African. They serve Peshawari and Lucknawi cuisine, and have a good wine list as well. Malgudi (Begumpet) serves food from the four south Indian states, and some of their dishes can't be found in any other restaurant.

Budget
If you really want to get a flavour of Hyderabadi street food, go to the Old City area. For breakfast, head to Pragati Gully in the alleys of Sultan Bazaar (Koti area). For a perfect Nizam-style biryani lunch, try Bawarchi (near RTC crossroads) and Paradise Restaurant (Parade Grounds, Secunderabad). The latter is one of the oldest restaurants in the city serving biryani. Vegetarians, head to Chutneys (in Banjara Hills) if you like south Indian food.

High-end
Park Hotel's Kismet is arguably the most happening club in the city. Centrally located, it has a colourful entrance and foot-tapping music. Bottles and Chimney, in Begumpet, is one of the oldest pubs in the city and one of the most popular. What stands out here is the food and the huge amount of space, especially at the bar. Rooftop bar Klub Trinity has an easy ambience and a good DJ most nights.

Mid-level
Xtreme Sports Bar in HITEC city is the the best of its kind in Hyderabad. They have large screens to watch the match on, and on match days the bar is packed. Try the flavoured martinis, the Elvis Lamb, the Xtreme Chilli Corn Pepper and the Buffalo Wings while you are there. For beer lovers, a pint here costs you only Rs 125. Masti Sports Bar has cheery decor and VFM drinks and food. Prost Brew Pub brews some mean English ales, stouts and lagers, and scores high on food as well.

Budget
There are a number of bars and pubs in Hyderabad that won't burn a hole in your pocket. The better ones among these are Club8 and Out of the Box in Begumpet. Fusion 9 has fantastic happy-hours deals, especially during the IPL, as does Cinema Social and the very funky Sly Tech in Kondapur.

Go on a heritage walk, probably the best way to understand Hyderabad's rich history. Telangana Tourism conducts four walks in the Old City, each well-planned, informative and entertaining. The first three walks start at Charminar and end at Chowmahalla Palace, Badshahi Ashurkhana and Purani Haveli respectively. The fourth begins at the Central Library and ends at City College.

Take the Ramoji Film City tour. Thirty-five kilometres from Hyderabad, Ramoji Film City is spread over a thousand acres and is one of largest film cities in the world. It is visited by thousands of people every day and has become a "hot holiday destination". A package deal includes to-and-fro transport, a guided tour, entry into a number of colourful shows such as the "Spirit of Ramoji", "Wild Wild West Show", "Variety Show" and "Street Show". There are rides, walks past woods, lakes and hills, a stunt performance put on by professionals, and, if you are lucky, you might even get to see (and perhaps be part of) a real movie scene being shot at the venue.

Visit the Hussain Sagar lake. It's a popular hangout place, frequented by youngsters and families in the evenings. A number of decent restaurants are lined up on its sides, especially on Necklace Road. You could take a boat ride in the lake, and also visit Lumbini Park, an amusement park with rides, waterfalls and an impressive musical fountain with tunes from popular Hindi and Telugu films.

Do visit the Golconda Fort and Chowmahalla Palace, besides the Charminar, of course. The fort has a sound-and-light show every evening, but if you want to attend the one in English, choose from Wednesday or Sunday. Besides these historic monuments that symbolise Hyderabad, you can also visit India's third largest museum, Salarjung, which has a collection of 43,000 art objects and 50,000 books and manuscripts, making it the biggest one-man collection of antiques in the world. The man? Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salarjung III (1889 -1949), who spent 35 years of his life compiling this awe-inspiring collection from all over the world.

Hyderabad is the land of the bazaars, so go to Sultan Bazaar for the clothes, Laad Bazaar for the exotic lacquer and bangles market and Ameerpet for a wholesale experience.