Tel: హైదరాబాద్ haidarābād
‘Lion City’ [Bhagyanagar, Baghnagar] City/Capital/District, Telangana
From: Ara: h(a)ydar/hyder, ‘lion’; and Urd: ābād, ‘city’, ‘village’.
There are two different sets of derivations.
The first revolves around Caliph Ali Ibn Abi Talib, nicknamed ‘Haydar’ for his bravery in battle. This name replaced an original Baghnagar, ‘Garden City’ [Urd: bāg, ‘garden’, ‘orchard’; Skt: nagar, ‘city’].
Another suggestion calls on a legend related to the city’s founder, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, who named the city after his concubine, Bhagmati, who he later married. When she converted to Islam she became known as Hyder Mahal.
Both names, in this way, derive from the same woman.
Hyderabad is India’s fourth largest city. It was founded in 1591.
The city was designed as a grid centred on the Charminar, the ‘Four Towers’ which are Hyderbad’s iconic landmark, which still stands at the heard of the Old City.
Following the split of Andra Pradesh and Telangana, Hyderabad has remained the capital of both states for a temporary period until the new planned city of Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh can assume the role.
Traditionally, Hyderabad was a pearl, gem and diamond centre earning it the nickname ‘Pearl City’. It is more famous these days for I.T.
For related place names see Indian Place names and Telangana place names.
Panoramic morning view of the Charminar, Hyderabad Mhdmzml