Hyderabad...

The capital of the Indian state of Andra Pradesh, Hyderabad has more than seven million people. This bustling city is renown for its history, architecture and rich cultural influence over the Indian Sub-continent.

I have posted my personal photo's of Mecca Masjid (Mosque), a scene from the marketplace, two shots of Charminar and two of Golconda Fort.

While Charminar literally means the (Four Minars) this ancient piece of History was built during th dynasty of the late Ibrahim Qutb Shah during the 1500's. It is said that this standing memorial was built to commemorate the eradication of the bubonic plague from the region. When my family and I visited this area, though it is smaller in size than the Mecca Masjid itself, it stands as the more renown symbol of Hyderbadi Architecture and History.

Mecca Masjid itself has an interesting story. Though it is thousands of miles from Mecca in Saudi Arabia, I understand that the reason it is called by this name is because sand from Mecca was brought to the city hundreds of years ago to build this Mosque. The front half of this Mosque was littered with Mausoleums to past Muslim Saint's. Even today they are being venerated an worshipped by Muslim's of various denominational backgrounds here in India, posing interesting questions for the Orthodox Muslim.

One of my favorite memories of visiting this city was Alhumdulilah Hotel.

Deep in the heart of the Muslim quarter of the city there is a vast array of restaurants (Hotels) serving up this Hyderabadi delicacy. Several friends and I ate with satisfaction these mounds of masala rice, potatoes and lamb.

Then there was the visit to Golconda Fort. Over looking the city of Hyderabad, this is the massive fort that was built into a Granite Mountain beginning as far back as 1143. Measuring over 120 meters in height this ominous structure was built by the Muslim Nawab's. Though it had an un-used Mosque at the top of the mountain, there was a Hindu Temple that was being venerated just feet away during the time of our visit.

While this was a place of struggle and leadership between several dynasties and faiths,and though it lay in ruins, it remains a quintessential part of Hyderabad and the History of India.

It was a wonderful opportunity to observe Faith, Culture, and History being played out right before our eyes.