Lumbini Park and NTR Gardens

Lumbini Park and NTR Gardens are two adjoining city parks beside Hussain Sagar on the Tank Bund in central Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Lumbini Park is the smaller, lake-facing garden, known for its musical laser fountain show and for the boat jetty from which motor boats head out to the Buddha statue in the middle of the lake. NTR Gardens, a short walk away, is a larger recreational space with lawns, a miniature train, children's rides, food stalls and walking paths. The parks are popular with families, students and office workers looking for a quiet place beside the water. The main event at Lumbini Park is the laser and fountain show, held in the evening at about 7:00PM, in which lights, music and jets of water play across a lake-side screen and stage. Visitors typically spend one to two hours, taking in a stroll through the gardens, a boat ride and the show. Evenings are the busiest and most atmospheric time, but weekends and holidays fill up quickly, and queues at the jetty and the show can be long. Weekdays are calmer and better for a relaxed walk. The park is open daily from 9:00AM to 9:00PM, and entry costs about INR 40 for adults and INR 20 for children, with the laser show about INR 50 extra and boat rides charged separately. Paths are paved and level, though jetty steps can be awkward for wheelchairs. Because the park sits directly on the Tank Bund, it combines easily with a walk along the lake, Birla Mandir on the hill and the Buddha statue. Nearby Khairatabad metro station on the Red Line and short autos provide easy access.