Hyderabad: With the Miss World event around the corner, Hyderabad’s Old City is getting ready for some global attention. On May 13, delegates from over 120 countries will take part in a Heritage Walk that covers the iconic Charminar and the buzzing lanes of Lad Bazaar.
The walk is being planned as a showcase of Hyderabad’s old-world charm — its architecture, crafts, and street life. It will be broadcast live in more than 150 countries. Officials say it’s a chance to show the world a side of Hyderabad that’s steeped in history.
As part of the tour, the Miss World participants will visit Lad Bazaar and meet local bangle makers and other artisans. For many of them, it’ll be their first glimpse into the kind of craftsmanship that has survived here for generations.
This walk is part of the state government’s efforts to pitch Telangana as a cultural tourism hub. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is said to be keen on giving heritage sites more visibility on the global stage.
Lad Bazaar has been around since the days of the Nizams, and to this day, it stays crowded and lively. People mostly come for the bangles — bright, handmade, sometimes finished with zari or pearls — but it’s really the atmosphere that keeps drawing them back. Come wedding season, the narrow lanes are packed with families hunting for the perfect set.
But it’s not just bangles. You’ll find ittars (traditional perfumes), silver jewellery, embroidered fabrics, and Islamic artwork, all sold from small shops that have been around for generations. Some of the older artisans still practise naqashi and calligraphy by hand — the kind of work you’d struggle to find elsewhere these days.
Charminar — Still the City’s Compass
Charminar has been watching over Hyderabad since 1591. Built by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, it was meant to mark the end of a deadly plague — and the beginning of a new city. With its four towering minarets and graceful arches, it remains the defining symbol of Hyderabad. Ask anyone who’s grown up here — Charminar is where the city begins and ends.
You can climb up for a view of the Old City, including the nearby Mecca Masjid. There’s also a push from heritage activists to get Charminar listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Heritage Walk is expected to bring more global attention to these landmarks — not just for their beauty, but for what they say about Hyderabad’s layered, living culture.