telangana

Telangana is an Indian state located in the south-eastern part of the country. It is the eleventh-largest state in the country by area and the twelfth-most populated state. Its capital city is Hyderabad.

Formed in 2014, Telangana is the youngest state of India. It was earlier a part of the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh, with Hyderabad as the capital. In 2014, the northern part of this state was separated from Andhra Pradesh and was christened Telangana – and Hyderabad was made its capital, while the remaining area is the current Andhra Pradesh state with 3 different proposed capitals (Visakhapatnam, Amaravati, Kurnool).

Telangana has over 160 towns and cities, out of which 12 are developed urban cities. All these cities and towns are grouped into around 10 districts.

Popular cities and towns of Telangana include: Hyderabad & Secunderabad (together known as the “twin cities”), Warangal, Khammam, Suryapet, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Sangareddy, Bhongir.

There are 3.99 crore (39.9 million) people in Telangana, out of which 85.09 % are Hindus, 12.68 % are Muslims, 1.3% are Christians, and remaining Sikhs, or Jains.

The people belonging to Telangana state mostly speak Telugu, in local Telangana slang, which is a little different from the Telugu spoken in other areas like Andhra.

Telangana is home to diverse culture and religions including Hindus, Muslims for the most part and also a significant number of Christians. A large part of Telangana’s culture is influenced by the Nizams (a royal group of people who lived in and ruled the land years ago). Other part is influenced by Telugu culture.

Golconda art - an old method blending patterns in bright gold and white colour is a popular art form here, and used in home decors, clothing, and so on. 

An important Hindu festival celebrated in Telangana is the “Bathukamma” - meaning Goddess mother, Come Alive – which celebrates womanhood and their importance in a unique and colourful way. Bonalu is another Hindu Festival, celebrated during where Goddess Kaali is worshipped, and the festival is considered a thanksgiving to the Goddess. For Muslims in the state, Ramzan (Ramadan) is an important festival, widely celebrated.

Telugu is the most largely spoken language (more than 75% of the state’s population) across Telangana, followed by Urdu which is spoken by at least 12% of the population.

Most educated people can speak Hindi as well as English – which are also common languages of communication in business and other professional environments.

Telangana cuisine includes many dishes that are way spicier than foods from other cuisines, as the people here love their food to be spicy and flavourful.

Trains, Planes and Buses are major modes of inter-city transportation within Telangana. For travel within cities, there are many other modes such as taxi/cabs, buses, local metro train and private vehicles like 2-wheelers and cars, or even walking and cycling.

Airports – Telangana currently has 3 domestic airports connecting to other states and cities in the country, and 1 international airport connecting to cities within the state as well as other parts of the country.

• Rajiv Gandhi International airport, Shamshabad, Hyderabad
• Warangal Airport, Warangal
• Nadirgul Airport, Nagarjuna Sagar Highway (near Hyderabad)
• Ramagundam Airport, Ramagundam

Railway Stations – Telangana has a total of 207 train terminals/railway stations (at least one for each city/town, and more than 1 in some big cities) that connect to other cities and towns within the state as well as those in other states in the country. Some of the major train terminals and junctions in the state are:

• Secunderabad Junction, Secunderabad
• Hyderabad Deccan Railway Station, Hyderabad
• Warangal Railway Station, Warangal
• Kacheguda Railway Station, Kacheguda (Hyderabad)
• Nizamabad Junction, Nizamabad
• Lingampalli Railway Station, Lingampalli
• Vikarabad Junction, Vikarabad
• Begumpet Railway Station, Begumpet
• Nalgonda Railway Station, Nalgonda
• Ramagundam Railway Station, Ramagundam

Bus Terminals – Telangana has its own line of state-run TSRTC (Telangana State Road Transport Corporation) buses which provide the connection between all the cities and towns within the state and also neighbouring states. These buses can be boarded at TSRTC stops/terminals that are available in every division and town in the state. The prominent town/city bus terminals in the state are located in almost every city and town - they can be easily found and are conveniently accessible.

Some interesting and popular places to see in Telangana are:

• Charminar, Hyderabad
• Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad (an ancient palace turned into a luxury hotel now)
• Nagarjuna Sagar (Nalgonda)
• Bhadrachalam (a religious spot for Hindus)
• Chilkur Balaji Temple (this temple is especially visited by students who await their visas for studying abroad – as people say that students who pray to the deity are almost never denied their visas. Students here are passionate or even persuaded by their parents and guardians to aim getting into universities in USA, UK and Australia)
• Golkonda fort, Hyderabad
• Papikondalu (West Godavari district)

Telangana has many great places which are perfect for a short vacation or a weekend getaway, such as -

• Nagarjuna Sagar (a place with the famous Nagarjuna Sagar dam, famous for picnics and hangouts – a much-loved spot for short getaways from big cities in the state)
• Warangal (a beautiful city with rich heritage – monuments from Kakatiya dynasty era)
• Bhadrachalam (a religious spot for Hindus)
• Papikondalu (in West Godavari district)
• Belum caves (one of the largest/deepest and most ancient caves in India)
• Kurnool
• Rajahmundry (city on the banks of river Godavari – with many religious spots; also famous for boating)

Some thrilling activities and things to do in Telangana for adventure lovers are -

• Bungee Jumping
• Rock Climbing
• Go Karting
• Zorbing
• Laser Tag, Paintball (Hyderabad)
• Trekking and Hiking
• Paragliding

Telangana has many historical gems to see. Some popular sites of historical significance in the state are –

• Golconda Fort, Hyderabad
• Charminar, Hyderabad
• Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad (an ancient palace turned into a luxury hotel now)
• Warangal Fort, Warangal
• Chowmahalla Palace, Hyderabad
• Bhuvanagiri Fort, Nalgonda
• Panagal (Village), Nalgonda (an ancient region with a rich heritage)
• Nagarjunakonda Caves and Museum