map of america states Hyderabad, City of Pearls, is like an elderly, impeccably dressed princess whose time has past. Once

Hyderabad, City of Pearls, is like an elderly, impeccably dressed princess whose time has past. Once the seat of the powerful and wealthy Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi dynasties, the city has seen centuries of great prosperity and innovation. Today, the Old City is full of centuries-old Islamic monuments and even older charms. In fact, the whole city is laced with architectural gems: ornate tombs, mosques, palaces and homes from the past are tucked away, faded and enchanting, in corners all over town. Keep your eyes open.

from the 3rd century AD and depict scenes from the Buddha s life, interspersed with mithuna (paired male and female) figures languorously looking on. The reassembled monuments are spread around the hilltop outside.

Buses run from Vijayawada to Amaravathi every half-hour or so ( 24, two hours), but it may be quicker to head to Guntur ( 12, 45 minutes) and take another bus from there. The drive here will take you through some lovely lush scenery and memorable glimpses of village life.

kateshwara here, at his home. It s one of India s most visited pilgrimage centres: on average, 40,000 pilgrims come each day (the total often exceeds 100,000), and darshan (deity-viewing) runs 24/7. Temple staff alone number map of america states 12,000, and the efficient Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams (TTD; %2277777; www.tirumala.org) brilliantly administers the crowds. As a result, although the throngs can be overwhelming, a sense of order, serenity and ease mostly prevails, and a trip to the Holy Hill can be fulfi lling, even if you re not a pilgrim.