Hyderabad – The Land Where Science Meets Religion

In the midst and mix of all the diverse cultural races in India, we have Hyderabad – capital to the youngest state in India, Telengana. Known for its rich history and heritage, Hyderabad is the ultimate stop if you ever want to see how the mughals lived and understand the true meaning behind the phrase, “live life king size”.

Also known as the City of Pearls (being the diamond and pearl trading centre), it is located in the south-eastern part of India. Stretched over a vast area of 625 sq km, it lies 1,566km south of Delhi, 699 km south-east of Mumbai and 570 km north of Bangalore. Playing host to a large array of tourist attractions, Hyderabad can boast from its historic Heritage monuments, Lakes and Parks, Museums to its never ending authentic cuisine loved and relished all over India and the world over to its flamboyant display of street shopping experience. Not only that, it also gives abode to the famous Birla Mandir, Hyderabad. Constructed in the year 1976 by Swami Ranganathananda of Ramakrishna Mission, it took 10 years to completely finish building this auspicious temple which would be a place where people flock in to pay homage till date. The piece of art that the temple is, the detailing and the time spent in constructing it was done justice with the temple having separate shrines for various Hindu Gods and Goddesses including Shiva, Shakti, Ganesh, Hanuman, Brahma, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Saibaba. Select teachings of holy men are also engraved on the temple walls. Religion is taken very seriously in Hyderabad with the majority population following Hinduism thus making the Birla Mandir a sacred Holy Grail.

On the other hand, we have science. Yes, two parallel worlds – science and religion, living in harmony together. One of the most famous and prestigious science museum in India is located in Hyderabad. The Birla Science Museum, established in 1985 has a planetarium, museum, science center, art gallery and a dinosaurium which exhibits a 160-million-year-old mounted Kotasaurus Yamanpalliensis, all under its roof. The Dinosaurium also boasts of a collection of smaller fossils of dinosaur eggs, marine shells and fossilised tree trunks. This is something we rarely or maybe never come across in our real lives, so, grab every chance you get and try to experience this amazing opportunity laid in front of you whenever you plan a trip to Hyderabad!

So at the end of the day if you are looking for a place to not only spend money and have fun but also learn something and maybe fill that void of curiosity inside you to go and see history with your own eyes (well, at least what’s left of it) or even experience a spiritual epiphany, then Hyderabad is the place to check in. The food is an absolute bonus especially for the non-vegetarians who can indulge in Hyderabadi food cooked the way it should be – the authentic way. So, eat, pray and love.