Hyderabad, once the capital of Sindh, is one of the oldest cities of the subcontinent. Its history dates back to pre-Islamic times, when the nearby hilly tract of Ganjo Takar was a place of worship.
The city traces its early history to Neroon, a Hindu ruler from whom it took its earlier name, Neroon Kot (Fort of Neroon). The next phase of its history began when the Indus changed its course away from Khudabad.
In 1768 Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro made Hyderabad his capital and built its fort on the Ganjo Takar ridge. The Talpur Mirs who followed ruled Sindh from here until the British conquest of 1843.
Today it is Sindh’s second city, famous across Pakistan for its glass bangles, and a good base for the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif at Bhit Shah and the great walls of Ranikot.
Places to see
Hyderabad Fort
The historic fort (Pacco Qillo) built by Ghulam Shah Kalhoro, which anchors one end of the Shahi Bazaar.
Shahi Bazaar
A winding street of well-stocked shops stretching from the fort to the Market Tower.
Kalhora & Talpur tombs
The monuments of the Kalhora and Talpur rulers of Sindh, decorated with glazed tiles and carved stone.
Sindh Museum
Galleries on the history, crafts and village life of Sindh, from the Indus civilization to the Talpurs.
Kotri Barrage
The last barrage on the Indus before the sea, just west of the city, watering the farmland of lower Sindh.
Bhit Shah
North of Hyderabad, the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Sindh’s greatest poet, where his verses are sung every evening.
Ranikot Fort
In the Kirthar hills to the west — one of the largest forts in the world, its walls winding for miles across the hills.
Good to know
- What to buy
- Calico, embroidery, bracelets and bangles, lacquered wooden furniture, hand-loom cloth, “sousi”, “ajrak” and “rilli”, block-printed shawls, shoes and glazed tiles.
- How to get there
- Hyderabad is connected with the main cities of the country by road, rail and air.
- When to go
- November to February. Summers are very hot.
- Festivals
- The annual “urs” of Shah Abdul Latif at Bhit Shah draws pilgrims, musicians and poets from all over Sindh.
Header photo: Hyderabad Fort (Pacco Qillo) — MUrad Ali Shah Bukerai, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons