1. The Qutb Shahi Tombs were built by the kings of the Qut Shahib dynasty, beginning around five hundred years ago. Located near Golconda Fort, the tombs are a fascinating piece of Hyderabad history, and well worth an afternoon of exploration. Bring a camera, 50 rupees for the entrance fee, and leave yourself at least an hour or two to wander around the dozens of tombs.
2. Film recommendation: Padman. Padman is a recently released Hindi film based on the true story of Arunachalam Muruganatham, a man who designed a low-cost sanitary pad with the aim of improving the menstrual hygiene of women across India. It’s a really well-made film, and gives a pretty fascinating insight into aspects of Indian culture, exploring gender roles, the concept of shame, and the Indian entrepreneur. You can see it any nearby cinema for 150 rupees or less.
3. Purported to be the best chai in the city, Chai Kahani is a little cafe in the middle of a wide, tree-filled park in Jubilee Hills. It’s a beautiful, quiet spot, and there are dozens of benches beneath the trees around the cafe to read a book, or just chill and drink some chai. No wifi, so if you want to work you can use your data, but I’d recommend just coming to chill out. Oh, and it’s ten rupees a cup.
4. Book recommendation: I’ve been working my way through a few books written by Indian writers this semester, and my favourite so far is ‘The White Tiger’. Written by Aravind Adiga, it tells the fictional story of a man named Balram, and delves into class struggle, the rapid development of India, and the pains of globalisation. Learned an awful lot from reading this while here, and loved the writing. There are a few copies left at Liberty Bookstore if you want to pick one up.
5. Autumn Leaf cafe is a top spot for working. It’s a beautiful space, part home store, part cafe, part outdoor patio area, equipped with wifi and outlets. The food is delicious, coffee strong, and it’s open till 10:30pm. Find it here.
