Ask any Indian about best pearl shops and she/he invariably points to
Hyderabad, inspite of the fact that Hyderabad is neither a coastal
area or for that matter near a coastal area. This aspect of world
class pearls’ availability dates back to 400 years of rich culture of
Hyderabad history with an amalgamation of arts and crafts.
The royal kings of Nizam lead a rich life inviting craftsman from all
over the world especially from the middle east, where we get to see
rare pearls in abundance. That’s why quite rightly most people
associate Hyderabad with pearls.
Source of the pearls
China and Japan supply the entire city market with all the pearl it
needs. Raw pearls are drilled, boiled for about four days and bleached
to rid them of their dark colour. Later, they are placed in glass
bottles containing hydrogen peroxide, water and ether and sunned for
four to five days in glass sun boxes with mirror base. Finally, they
are washed and assorted according to their shape and size.
Where to shop
Patar Gatti and Lad bazaar in Charminar are the oldest commercial
areas in the twin cities where pearls can be transacted for. Some
pearls stores present here are more than a century old. Those shops
market mainly stones like garnets, topaz, jade and corals.
Areas such as Abids and Basheerbagh are flooded with pearl shops. Some
of the shops such as Suraj Bhan Jewellers, Basheerbagh, Jagadamba
Pearls (Basheerbagh and Secunderabad) , Mangatrai Pearls have exclusive
sections for pearls. Secunderabad too has its share of pearl shops.
The Simple natural pearl test:
To find out whether pearls are natural, simple dip them in hot water.
Natural pearls retains their colour while cultured pearls tend to fade.
Many pearls look quite similar. But there are certain intricate
factors that determine a pearl’s worth. Lustre and size are generally
considered to be the two major factors. Lustre for instance, depends
on the fineness and evenness of the layers. The deeper the glow, the
more perfect the shape and surface, the more valuable they get. The
lustre of a pearl too determines its price. The thumb-rule to go by is
to look for one’s reflection by gazing into the pearl. The foggier the
reflection, the cheaper the pearl.
Size, on the other hand, has to do with the age of the oyster that
created the pearl (the maturer oysters produce larger pearls) and the
location in which the pearl was cultured.
White pearls have traditionally been popular in Hyderabad. A good
quality white pearl reflects a lovely sky blue colour under
ultraviolet light, whereas a poor quality one emanates a greenish or
mustardish sheen. Black pearls that have a green sheen and baroque
(irregular shaped) pearls that reflect a rainbow of colours are also
amongst the more valuable varieties.
Natural pearls (Those made without man’s assistance) have become so
rare and expensive, that for the vast majority of people cultured is
the only option. However, top quality natural and cultured pearls are
identical to the naked eye in terms of appearance and quality. Only
under an X-ray machine can a trained eye discern any difference.
Cultured pearls tend to have a larger core or nucleus. In all other
respects, they are identical. The best-cultured pearls are those that
come from an oyster that dies after the pearl is removed. Oysters,
which do not die after the pearl is extracted, produce what are
referred to as “Biwa” pearls.
Pearls also come in many colours. The most popular colours are whites
and creams. Silver, black, gold and pinks are also gaining interest. A
deep lustrous black pearl is one of the more rare finds in the pearl
industry. Thus, they are expensive.
Imitation pearls are a different story altogether. In most cases, a
glass bead is dipped into a solution made from fish scales. This
coating is thin and may eventually wear off. One can usually tell an
imitation by biting on it. Fake pearls glide across your teeth, while
the layers of nacre on real pearls feel gritty.
Hyderabadi Bangles
The eternal sound of Wrists
In the Hyderabad’s history of enchanting pearls, Beautiful poetry,
mouth-watering multi-cuisine, we also have the Hyderabadi Bangles.
Since time immemorial, bangles, like Bindhi, has become an integral
part of an Indian woman, more so, for a traditional Hyderabadi woman.
They love to adorn their wrists with colorful bangles and their elders
simply love the sound of “chan-chan” on their younger women folk.
Bangles are not just a decoration for a woman but is a beauty in
itself, ask any Hyderabadi man and he will vouch for it!!!!
There are many types of bangles and roughly a couple of hundreds of
shops are present near and around Charminar itself, where bangle
sellers weave a web of magic around your wrists. The most famous is
the Hyderabadi Lacquered Bangles, molded out of pure lac and studded
with glittering and beautifully cut glass pieces of various colors.
These bangles are a must for every Hyderabadi bride. Again Lad Bazaar
is the main market for Bangles.
A word of advice and caution:
Although most of the shops are genuine a new shopper to this area may
be easily duped. Either tag along with an experienced Hyderabadi
shopper or take care to demand a receipt of your purchase.
Hyderabadi Biryani
The Royal King of Hyderabadi Dishes
Yummy!! Mouth-watering Shahi Cuisine of Hyderabad. There is a saying
among the younger generation of Hyderabadis these days. They say ” Let
us starve ourselves for hours before its arrival on our tables”. This
saying is actually a tribute to the Hyderabadi Biryani. Even, we, the
Staff of Reachout, feel the same way. Whenever we plan to go out for
Biryani, we make sure that our appetite is super strong and our
stomachs completely empty so that we can indulge in a pure,
unadulterated, sumptuous taste of Hyderabadi Biryani.
Hyderabad’s strong Mughalai influence is perhaps the reason why the
Hyderabadi Biryani has become so popular all over India. This famous
dish has been experimented time and again to a perfection. Infact the
Biryani has influenced a Hyderabadi’s tongue so strongly that usually
other famous dishes of Hyderabad takes a back seat. It takes an extra
ordinary taste for other dishes to beat the competition of Biryani.
Also when it comes to special places for Biryani, one cannot choose
from many many restaurants because all of them prepares very good
Biryani. Bawarchi, Percy’s, Niagara, Parwaz are some of the places
that you can visit.
Nevertheless, Hyderabadi cuisine is never complete without mentioning
these dishes which truly complement a Hyderabadi Biryani. We have the
Kababs, Khormas, and lukhmi(Pastry) . Then there is this all-pervading
Hyderabadi Haleem during the month of Ramzan, which is delectably
enjoyed by everyone irrespective of their religion. We also have the
Kichri (Rice and Lentil Preparation) , Keem Methi (minced meat with
Fenugreek), Nahari (a stew of tongue and lamb trotters), Rumali Rotis
(very thin bread), and Chakna (a spicy dish of meat).
For vegetarians, we have dahi vadas (lentil dumplings in Yogurt),
mirch-ka-sabu (chilies in a cream gravy), and the more common Bagaara
Baingan.
On the dessert menu, Hyderabad is famous for double-ka-meetha (a bread
and cashew nut pudding), Badam-ki-Jhab (marzipan), and Dil-e-Firdaus
(a rich milk based sweet).
Well, we have carried you from a simple appetite to the most heaviest
of platters of Culinary Hyderabad. You will be excused if are tempted
to lash your tongue a few times on your lips or if you involuntarily
happen to get some water in your mouth.
Bon Appetite!!!!
Chai–The Hyderabadi Tea
America: Coke : : Hyderabad:Irani Chai
What is Coke to America, Irani Chai is to Hyderabad. Next to Pearls,
Hyderabad is synonymous with Hyderbadi Irani Tea, locally called Chai,
thanks mainly to the Iranians who have set up Tea Cafes in almost each
and every Galli (Bylane) of Hyderabad.
It is not 5 star restaurants, it is not banquet halls, and it is not
the posh lunch tables, but it is the Irani Cafes where many business
meetings are held over a cup of Tea. Visit any Irani Cafe and you can
invariably find groups of people rich or poor discussing everything
under the Sun and even about the tasty Tea they are having at that moment.
Maybe in no other city of India would you find so many Irani Cafes
like the ones springing up in Hyderabad. Another notable feature is
that almost every Irani Cafe has got a small cabin outside just
attached to the Cafe which is more famously called as ‘Paan Dabba’,
where people after having tea will buy a Cigarette or a ‘Paan’ (Betel
leaves on which the Paan specialists mix many different eatables
substances to get many distinct flavors).
And last but not the least, if you happen to go past an Irani Cafe
with your friends for the first time, please don’t forget to taste the
Hyderabadi Tea and also don’t forget to ask for a 1/2 Chai, which is a
True Hyderabadi Tradition and Hospitality. So, try our Hyderabadi Chai
and with it you will discover the Vigor, the Vitality, and the
Friendly faces of Hyderabad.
Right now, the only competition faced by Irani Cafes are the growing
number of Internet Cafes. The choice is yours, Chai or the Chip. Of
course Reachout recommends best of both worlds. Why don’t you have a
cup of Tea while on the internet?
