The flight from Delhi to Hyderabad was full of businessmen- tie and collared, all around me. I could make out only two families- seemingly going on a holiday. India's Silicon Valley- Eh ja!

An hour later, I looked out at the twinkling lights of Hyderabad. The drive from the Airport to the city centre took forty minutes, the traffic moving at a snails pace.

The city is more than 400 years old, and looked really hassled by the recent IT influx. Traffic snarls everywhere, and a I-dont-care attitude on view everywhere. But, wait a minute. This former princely state of Nizam has much to offer for the business traveller as well as the backpacker. The city is built on a trade of pearls, gold, steel, fabric and, above all, diamonds. The Nizams were the royal family that ruled Hyderabad for much of its history. They left behind a legacy that has a wonderful mix of old and new architecture.

Arriving at the Taj Deccan Hotel, I decided to venture out for a dinner at Paradise restaurant. It is one of the best places in town serving the world famous Hyderabadi biryani- a traditional celebration meal comprising of goat meat and Basmati rice and a staple food for a die-hard Hyderabadi. For a vegetarian like myself, there is the vegetarian Biryani, served steaming hot with the same aromatic Basmati rice.

The next morning, I took an autorickshaw to Hyderabad's central landmark, the Charminar. Now, in a traffic-hit city like Hyderabad, it is prudent to take an autorickshaw rather than a car. Crisscrossing through the maze of traffic, we finally reached Charminar. Built in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the monument commemorates the eradication of plague, shortly after the capital was shifted to Hyderabad from Golconda. Its a beautiful and impressive square monument, built from granite and lime-mortar, with each edge having a high minaret.

Just a 100 yards away from the Charminar stands the majestic Mecca Masjid. One of the oldest and biggest mosques in India, the mosque is said to have bricks in the Central arch, brought from Mecca. All around the Masjid and the Charminar are small traders selling pearls, bangles and exotic fruits, amongst the usual touristic souvenirs. A walk through the bylanes gives us an opportunity to do some un-touristic shopping at legitimate prices for artefacts, bangles, sarees, and exquisite shoes for men.

It was already lunchtime now. I had my lunch in the old city itself. I was lucky to find one of the authentic restaurants serving spicy Hyderabadi cuisine. It was a welcome departure from the global cuisine- ranging from Mexican to Italian to Japanese, available across the city.

I later made my way to the Salar Jung Museum. Situated on the banks of Musi river, it houses one of the largest one man collection of artifacts from the Salar Jung family, who were important nobles in the courts of the Nizams. The collection of Islamic art from all over Asia comprises of a variety of illuminated Korans, astrolabes, jewelled swords and daggers, and Persian carpets. In addition, the museum also houses fine examples of European painting and sculpture, most notably the "Veiled Rebecca" by Italian sculptor Giovanni Maria Benzoni.

Just 11 kms outside of the city lies the majestic ruins of the erstwhile capital, Golconda. Golconda fortress is built on a granite hill, and the city inside is surrounded by huge ramparts. The city was famous for its diamond trade built upon the rich diamond-mining region lying to the southeast of the city. The fort is famous for its acoustics, palaces and an ingenious water supply system.

Back in the city, one cannot miss the massive Hussain Sagar lake. Built by Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali in 1562, the lake meets the water needs of Hyderabad and its twin city, Secunderabad. The star attraction: A large monolithic statue of Buddha in the centre of the lake, visible from anywhere along the 24 km lake.

On my final day in the city, I went to the Hi-Tech city, which presents the modern facet of Hyderabad. Its mostly glass and uber-modern architecture that greets us here. Its home to some of the global IT companies, and the thriving Silicon Valley.

Definitely a wonderful experience!