Telangana

Location of Telangana within India Telangana is a state in Southern India. It is a mainly agricultural state, but a cosmopolitan atmosphere can be found in the major city and capital, Hyderabad.

Cities

Hyderabad 📍 — the pearl city of India, and capital of Telangana
Adilabad 📍 — a fine starting point to explore the landscapes of the surrounding areas
Alampur 📍 — Jogulamba temple (Shakthi peetam)
Ankapur 📍 (Ankapoor) — a small self-sufficient, progressive model village
Bhadrachalam 📍 — a major pilgrim town situated on the banks of the Godavari River
Bhongir 📍 — a town with the impressive and fascinating Bhongir Fort
Dharmapuri 📍 — a town with a number of temples including Narasimha Swamy, Venkateshwara Swamy and Vigneshwara Swamy
Karimnagar 📍 — a fast developing district with many famous monuments and temples
Khammam 📍 — home to the Khamman Fort and the Narasimha Swamy Temple
Mancherial 📍 (Garmilla) — commercial hub and agricultural market
Nalgonda 📍 — Nagarjuna Sagar is the world's largest masonry dam
Nirmal 📍 — well known for its wooden toys and paintings and the Nirmal Fort
Nizamabad 📍 — home to the famous Temple of Lord Shiva (Kanteshwar around 1400 BC)
Warangal 📍 (City carved in stone) — a city to see various temples, lakes, gardens and the Warangal Fort

Other destinations

Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park 📍 — a small park in Jubilee Hills in which the Chiran Palace is located. It is a green space (a jungle in the concrete city) of the busy city of Hyderabad. One may find peacocks and a variety of small mammals and birds here
Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park 📍 — the largest green space in the city of Hyderabad inhabited by black buck, cheetal deer as well as reptiles and many species of birds
Manyam Konda 📍 (Manyamkonda) — hilltop temples
Mrugavani National Park 📍 — located at Chilkur in Moinabad (mandal). This park has a large variety of plants; animals such as the Indian hare, civet cat, mongoose, cobra, Russel Viper and bird species.
Pakhal Lake 📍 — part of the Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary
Ramoji Film City 📍 — a film-themed park with a studio modelled after Universal City in California
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve 📍 — the largest tiger reserve in India contained within 5 districts of Telangana
Nelakondapally
Nagireddipalle 📍 — Golden Shivalingam Temple
Medak Cathedral
Edupayalu
Kuntala Waterfalls
Golkonda Fort
Hussain Sagar lake and Buddha Statue
Ramaneswaram - Shiva Shakthi Shirdi Sai Anugraha Mahapeetam

Understand

Telangana is a state in southern India. It is bordered by the states of Maharashtra to the north and north-west, Karnataka to the west, Chhattisgarh to the north-east, and Andhra Pradesh to the south and east.

Historically, this region's statehood status has seen multiple changes throughout its existence. Originally called the state of Hyderabad, it was annexed in 1950, shortly after India became independent. In 1956, it was merged with Andhra State to form Andhra Pradesh. On 2 June 2014 this region was promoted to statehood, with the city of Hyderabad as its capital, and called Telangana following a popular movement for separation. Don't let the newness of the state deceive you; Telangana is rich in cultural heritage and historical sites.

Telangana is landlocked and two major rivers flow through it: the Godavari River to the north and Krishna River in the south. Summers are sweltering, starting around March and lasting until May. Monsoon season occurs from June to September. The state experiences mild winters between November and early January, and this may be the best time to visit if heat or humidity are a concern.

Talk

Telugu is the official language and is spoken by virtually all of the state's inhabitants. Urdu (the largest minority language), Hindi, and English are also spoken as well.

As in the rest of South India, Hindi is neither widely spoken nor understood, except in a few urban areas. People will respond more readily to English than Hindi.

Minimal knowledge of Telugu is extremely useful, though not essential.

Get in

By plane

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad is the only international airport in Telangana. It has direct flights from many countries. International carriers are Air India, Emirates, Kuwait Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Silk Air, SriLankan Airlines and Thai Airways. Domestic connections are operated by Air India, Deccan, GoAir, IndiGo and SpiceJet.

By bus

The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) runs all types of buses including air-conditioned, non air-conditioned and Volvo, Garuda-Plus, Garuda-Sleeper, Indra, Super Luxury and express buses to all major cities in South India

There are several state-owned bus operators like KSRTC APSRTC, also there are several private operators like redBus, abhiBus, and Ticketgoose operating bus services to Telangana

Get around

See

Hyderabad is the heart of Telangana and features a wide assortment of historical sites, bazaars, restaurants and bars.

A delightful fusion of Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture can be seen throughout the state. Many temples in Telangana are well worth visiting.

Telangana has several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. It contains India's largest tiger sanctuary: the Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve. Please note that unrest and extremist activities in the area of and inside the sanctuary can make visiting undesirable at this current time.

Do

Eat

Perhaps unique from its surrounding states, millet-based breads are more common in Telangana. Common dishes, known and popular in other Indian states, can be found here but may be called by a different name. Check with the locals if you are craving a particular dish and are unsure if it is offered. Curries here are often more tamarind-based and may be called koora or pulusu. In general you will find that tamarind, red chilies (koraivikaram) and asafetida are frequently used to flavor dishes.

For variety and ease of access, Hyderabad is the place to eat. Don't forget to taste Hyderabadi biryani when you go to Hyderabad, as the city is considered to be the dish's birthplace. It is spicy but worth the taste. Eat at renowned biryani restaurants like Paradise, Bawarchi, and Cafe Bahar for the best experience.

It is important not to dismiss food establishments found in the smaller villages. Many times the best and most authentic experiences can be found off the main streets.

Drink

A traditional alcoholic drink available in most parts of Telangana is kallu (English: toddy). This drink is extracted from two types of palm tree known as "Eetha chettu" and "Thaati chettu". Its taste is a delicious mix of sweet and sour. Kallu extracted from "Thaati Chettu" is called "Thaati Kallu"; kallu extracted from "Eetha Chettu" is known as "Eatha Kallu".

Stay safe

Drink plenty of water and avoid going out in the afternoon when the temperature exceeds 40°C in summer (March-June).

Telangana - state in southern India