Location: Charminar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India (17� 21' 41? N, 78� 28' 28? E)
Date: 27 November 2005; 2.45pm
Camera: Canon 400D with Sigma 17-70/f2.8-4.5
Hyderabad is the 6th largest city in India. It has developed by leaps-and-bounds in the last few years especially as a major hub in the IT industry, earning itself the nickname �Cyberabad�. It is also the home of the Telugu Film Industry, second biggest only to Bollywood in India; that�s why the city is sometimes referred to as Tollywood. It has a huge Muslim minority and one of the most famous monument of the city is the Charminar literally meaning the Four Minarets. Charminar was built by a Sultan in 1591 after fulfillment of a prayer for the end of a plague that was ravaging the city. The monument is in fact a mosque (on the top floor of the structure) within a fort, made of granite, lime, mortar and pulverised marble. Surrounding the monument is the most bustling bazaar of Hyderabad, the Laad Bazaar. Due to the big Muslim population of the city, Hyderabad has reputedly the best Nasi Biryani (a Muslim rice dish) one can ever find in India.
