Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana, a 16th-century Qutb Shahi city of pearls, palaces, and biryani that is now also one of India's biggest technology and film-making hubs. Charminar and the Laad Bazaar bangle lanes, Golconda Fort, and the Nizams' Chowmahalla Palace sit within a short ride of the glass towers of Hitech City.
Cultural orientation
Essential context for travellers.
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Do's and don'ts
Quick guide to local norms.
Do
- Do greet with 'Namaskaram' or 'Adaab' and a smile; a few Telugu or Urdu words are warmly received.
- Do remove shoes before entering temples, mosques, dargahs and many homes, and leave them at the designated stand.
- Do cover shoulders and knees, and carry a scarf or dupatta for mosques and dargahs.
- Do use your right hand for eating, giving, receiving money and greeting.
- Do try Irani chai with Osmania biscuits and a biryani meal, and eat at popular local restaurants with a queue.
- Do agree an autorickshaw fare or use a metered ride or app (Rapido, Uber, Ola) before you start a journey.
- Do visit Charminar and Laad Bazaar in the evening for atmosphere, and keep valuables zipped in crowded lanes.
- Do check dry days and Friday prayer timings before planning a trip to Mecca Masjid or a night out.
Don't
- Don't wear revealing clothing, shorts or sleeveless tops in temples, mosques, dargahs or the Old City lanes.
- Don't enter Mecca Masjid during prayer times or point your camera at people at prayer.
- Don't eat or drink openly in front of people fasting during Ramadan in the Old City.
- Don't touch anyone's head, or point your feet at people, deities or holy books.
- Don't pay for a guide, souvenir or pearl without agreeing the price first, and don't buy pearls from touts who approach you on the street.
- Don't fly a drone or photograph military or police installations, the airport or government buildings.
- Don't drive or ride after drinking; Hyderabad Traffic Police run frequent drink-driving checks with heavy fines and jail.
- Don't discuss politics, religion or the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh bifurcation dispute in a way that takes sides.
Local customs
Traditions and practices you'll encounter.
Etiquette by setting
How to navigate everyday situations.
- Greetings
- 'Namaskaram' (Telugu) or 'Namaste' with palms together is the standard Hindu greeting; 'Adaab' or 'Assalamu alaikum' is heard in Muslim communities, and the reply to the latter is 'Wa alaikum assalam'. Hyderabadis use 'aap' (respectful you) in Urdu and 'garu' after a name in Telugu (for example 'Ravi garu') as a mark of respect. Handshakes are normal in business settings, but men should let women offer the hand first.
- Dining
- Eat with the right hand or a spoon; the left hand is not used for passing or taking food. Hyderabadi biryani, haleem, nihari and Irani chai are shared social food, and a host will keep refilling plates, so leave a little on the plate if you are finished. Many Old City restaurants and Telugu 'meals' places serve on a banana leaf or steel thali. Andhra-style food is very spicy; asking for 'less karam' (less spice) is accepted. Pork is rarely served in Old City restaurants and beef is restricted in some settings, so ask the waiter what the meat is.
- Dress
- Modest clothing is the safe baseline: shoulders and knees covered at temples, mosques, dargahs and in the Old City. Jeans, shorts and dresses are common in Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Madhapur and malls. Women visiting Mecca Masjid or a dargah should cover their hair with a scarf or dupatta and wear long sleeves and trousers or a long skirt. Men should avoid sleeveless shirts in religious places. Temples such as Chilkur Balaji and Birla Mandir may ask visitors to remove leather belts or bags at the entrance.
- Physical Contact
- Public displays of affection beyond holding hands draw stares, especially in the Old City. Men and women who are not related generally do not hug or touch on greeting. Never touch the head of another person, and do not point the soles of your feet at people, shrines or sacred books. Same-gender friends holding hands or walking arm in arm is common and carries no romantic meaning.
- Gifts
- Gifts are received with both hands, or the right hand, and usually opened later. Sweets such as Karachi Bakery fruit biscuits, dry fruit, Hyderabadi pearls (for family, not as a bribe) and attar (perfume oil) are popular. Avoid leather items for Hindu hosts and alcohol for Muslim hosts. Cash gifts at weddings and festivals are given in odd amounts such as ₹101 or ₹501 (about $1 or $5).
- Business
- Hitech City and Gachibowli run on international time and English, with a flat, informal culture; Old City trade runs on personal relationships and bargaining. Meetings may begin 10 to 20 minutes late, but arriving on time is still expected of visitors. Business cards are exchanged with the right hand. During Ramadan, Old City businesses shift to late-evening hours and it is polite not to eat or drink openly in front of fasting colleagues.
- Tipping
- Tipping is not compulsory but is appreciated. Restaurants often add a service charge; if not, 5 to 10 percent is customary. Round autorickshaw fares up to the nearest ₹10 and tip hotel porters ₹50 to ₹100 (about $0.50 to $1) per bag. Guides at Golconda Fort and Chowmahalla Palace are normally tipped ₹100 to ₹300 (about $1 to $3) per person after a tour, in addition to the agreed fee.
- Photography
- Photography is permitted at most monuments (Charminar, Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs) but tripods, drones and commercial shoots need permits from the Archaeological Survey of India or Telangana Tourism. Inside mosques, dargahs and temples, ask before photographing worshippers and never photograph inner sanctums. Ask permission before photographing women and children, and note that drones are banned across large parts of the city including near Hussain Sagar, the airport and government buildings.
Useful phrases
A few words go a long way.
Namaskaram
Hello / greetings in Telugu
nuh-muh-SKAH-rum
Adaab
Respectful greeting in Hyderabadi Urdu
uh-DAAB
Dhanyavadalu
Thank you in Telugu
dhun-yuh-vaa-DAH-loo
Shukriya
Thank you in Urdu/Hindi
SHOOK-ree-yah
Ela unnaru?
How are you? (polite, Telugu)
EH-lah oon-NAH-roo
Enta?
How much? (Telugu)
EN-tah
Kitna hua?
How much is it? (Hindi/Urdu)
KIT-nah HOO-ah
Konchem taggandi
Please reduce the price a little (Telugu)
KON-chem TUG-gun-dee
Kam karam
Less spicy (Hindi/Telugu mix used in restaurants)
kum kuh-RUM
Nahi chahiye
I do not want it (firm, polite refusal)
NAH-hee chah-HEE-yeh
Meter pettandi
Please turn on the meter (Telugu, for autos)
MEE-ter PET-tun-dee
Bagundi
It is good / delicious (Telugu)
BAH-goon-dee
Khaana
Food (Hindi/Urdu)
KAA-naa
Sahayam cheyandi
Please help me (Telugu)
sah-HAH-yum CHAY-un-dee
Religion & spirituality
Understanding faith in Hyderabad.
Main: Hyderabad is roughly 65 percent Hindu and 30 percent Muslim according to the 2011 census, with significant Christian, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities. The Old City has a large Muslim population with Deccani Urdu culture; the Telugu Hindu majority dominates the rest of the metropolitan area. Communal harmony is a point of civic pride, with Hindu and Muslim festivals often celebrated in shared neighbourhoods.
Sites: Mecca Masjid beside Charminar (one of India's oldest and largest mosques, built from 1614 with bricks reportedly made from Mecca soil), Charminar Mosque, Toli Masjid, the Birla Mandir on Naubat Pahad, Sri Jagannath Temple at Banjara Hills, Chilkur Balaji (the 'Visa Temple') near Osman Sagar, Bhagyalakshmi Temple beside Charminar, Ujjaini Mahakali Temple in Secunderabad, St Joseph's Cathedral at Gunfoundry, Ashurkhana Nal-e-Haider, Hazrat Yousufain Dargah at Nampally and the Kanha Shanti Vanam meditation centre near Shamshabad.
Dress At Sites: Cover shoulders, upper arms and knees at all religious sites. Women cover their hair at mosques and dargahs and may need a scarf, which vendors sell at the gate for ₹50 to ₹150 (about $0.50 to $1.50). Shoes are removed before entering; a small fee of ₹5 to ₹20 is commonly charged at the shoe stand. Some temples such as Birla Mandir and Chilkur Balaji do not permit phones, cameras or leather items inside.
Holy Days: Fridays are the main congregational prayer day, with Mecca Masjid very crowded from about 12:30 to 14:30. Bonalu (July to August) sees women offer pots of food to Goddess Mahakali across the city, notably at Golconda Fort and Ujjaini Mahakali Temple. Bathukamma (September to October) is Telangana's floral festival. Ganesh Chaturthi (August to September) ends with a huge immersion procession to Hussain Sagar. Ramzan (Ramadan) brings the famous night market around Charminar and haleem season; Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha and Muharram are public holidays. Diwali, Dussehra, Christmas, Sankranti and Ugadi are also widely celebrated.
Observances: During Ramadan, restaurants in the Old City open after sunset and many close by day. Muharram processions (Bibi ka Alam) route through the Old City and cause traffic closures. Dry days are enforced on major festivals and polling days. Non-Muslims are permitted into Mecca Masjid outside prayer times with modest dress; entry is free.
Conversations: Religion is discussed openly but sensitively. Asking about food, festivals or temple customs is usually welcome. Avoid comparing religions, criticising practices or wading into politics such as the Telangana statehood movement or relations between communities. Do not accept invitations to religious ceremonies as pressure to convert; a polite refusal is taken well.