Roaming around Hyderabad !

Authored By:

Brighid Burkhalter

After settling down on the campus of the University of Hyderabad and recovering from jet lag, our group ventured out into the city to take in some of the sights that Hyderabad has to offer. 

Photo for blog post Roaming around Hyderabad !

First stop was to Birla Mandir Temple. Commissioned by the Birla family and finished in 1976, the temple is a towering white marble structure, situated atop a hill opposite Hussain Sagar Lake. 

After wandering around the temple grounds we made our way back down the hill and headed to Hussain Sagar to check out the Buddha statue that stands on Gibraltar Rock in the middle of the lake. The Gautama Buddha was placed there in 1992 after two years of work by 200 sculptors. 

Photo for blog post Roaming around Hyderabad !

Photo for blog post Roaming around Hyderabad !

Next we went to the studio of Suraiya Hasan Bose, where an ancient persian style of weaving is alive and well. On the grounds intricate, meters and meters of intricate fabrics are woven each day. We watched the master weavers work their magic and then admired their handiwork in the shop. 

Photo for blog post Roaming around Hyderabad !

Photo for blog post Roaming around Hyderabad !

We’ve been keeping busy getting acquainted with the city and getting ready to dive into our service learning. More to come!