A visit to Shilparamam Hyderabad – picture postcards

The Hyderabad heat could not get the better of us as we headed towards Shilparamam in the afternoon. 

Tourist interests of Hyderabad 

There are several tourist attractions in Hyderabad. During Ramzan period, a walk along the Char Minar and Mecca Masjid is a must along with a mind boggling food trail. A day tour of the city includes places like Qutub Shahi tombs, Ramoji Film city, Hussain Sagar Lake, Lumbini Park, Golconda Fort, Taj Falaknama Palace, Jang Meuseum, to name a few. Amongst these, Shilparamam is a must visit for all travelers to Hyderabad.

Address of Shilparamam Hyderabad –

Shilparamam is located in Hitec City near Cyber Towers. They say, Cyber towers is the symbol of wave of IT revolution in Hyderabad and it is unmissable.

Entrance fees at Shilparamam Hyderabad –

The admission charges for Shilparamam Hyderabad is INR 40 for adults and INR 20 for kids. The charges for boating and golf cart ride are additional.

The entrance and inside at Shilparamam Hyderabad.

I need to admit beforehand that I am an extremely poor shopper, especially when it comes to buying for others. Even for my 17 month old daughter, it is almost like solving a ‘Light’ problem in Physics. Shopping for the son is easier with Superheroes and some books. Like many other flaws of mine,  I am glad that the family members have accepted this fact. I was in Hyderabad on an invitation from Novotel Airport Hyderabad for a Ramadan Food trail. Hence, all other shopping took a backseat but I had to carry back Haleem. You cannot miss the huge gate of red bricks as you enter Shilparamam Hyderabad.

 

Inside Shilparamam Hyderabad

Shilparamam Hyderabad is spread across a vast space of 50 acres, which makes it a long walk. At the entrance, there are local women sitting with Mehendi and they don’t allow you to take pictures despite requests. Rows of shops facing each other have got artefacts and craft work from across India. I managed to chat up with a Madhubani painter from Madhubani, a silk saree maker from Chattisgarh, Odisha patachitra maker with works on handmade paper . There are shops for local jewellery, dress materials, block printed bed sheets too. The artefacts and crafts section has wooden work, chairs, wrought iron art works to name a few. It was afternoon, so found some of the stalls closed and it wasn’t crowded. Some of the shop owners were busy browsing on  their mobiles. There is a handicrafts museum too and a gallery, where Indian mythological characters are recreated with leather. The list is endless. Sprawling places of greenery within the place makes it visit worthy for families with kids. 

If you are in Hyderabad during the Ramzan then you cannot miss a visit to Pista House. Do you know how much of an effort goes behind the Haleem making ? 

How long will places like Shilparamam Hyderabad survive?

This is not about Shilparamam Hyderabad but about more such places like the Delhi Haat in Delhi, which is also almost on the same lines. Since the time these places were conceptualised and then they became popular, a lot has changed. There are rarely anything that can’ be purchased online these days. For a long time we believed and the shopkeepers stayed glued to the belief that there are certain products which can’t be bought online. One of the greatest Marketing philosophy of Kotler has been challenged and wiped out. Today, we buy garments/clothes without even touching them physically, we buy sound systems without hearing the (most of the cases) quality of the sound and the urge to visit a marketplace is slowly diminishing. Isn’t that day not very far away when there won’t be anything called a market place? I don’t want to sound discouraging, on the contrary, it’s the very rare patch of green in the form of a play field, open safe place to play, that will attract the kids and in turn the parents will also accompany them.

A matter of pride and a support too

There is a rich heritage of regional handicrafts and art work in India and a representation of a part of them within the same premises is a sight to behold. Shilparamam Hyderabad is also providing support in creating a platform, where the lesser known craftsmen and artists can reach out to potential customers and get inspired to create better works for future. In terms of support, at the entrance you will find few local vendors selling snacks, juices, toys and even flowers for all the visitors. This is a great support for them too so that they can earn their livelihood. 

We were in Hyderabad on invitation from Novotel Hyderabad Airport as a part of their Ramazan Haleem trail . More details coming up on that soon. 

My experience of stay at Novotel Hyderabad Airport is here Link