Etymology of localities of Hyderabad

The localities and neighborhoods of Hyderabad have a unique oral history, since the time of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, over 400 years ago, and they are named after various people and things.[1][2] Some are named after a major building or structure in the locality, (Falaknuma, Koti, Lal Darwaza) others named for individuals. The names are mostly in Telugu and Urdu, the major languages of the city.[3] This is a list of localities, neighborhoods and streets of Hyderabad and their etymology.

• A.C. Guards - stands for African Cavalry Guards; named after the African personal bodyguards of the Nizam; it is the area where they used to reside.[4][5]
• Afzal Gunj - named after the fifth Nizam, Afzal ad-Dawlah.
• A.S. Rao Nagar - named after Dr. Ayyagari Sambasiva Rao, the founder of the nearby ECIL.
• Banjara Hills - named by Mehdi Nawaz Jung after the Banjara community, its original residents.[6]
• Barkas - a corrupted form of Barracks; the area housed the military barracks of the Nizam[7]
• Bashirbagh - literally "Bashir's garden" in Urdu; named after Nawab Bashir-ud-Doula, where his palace used to stand.[7]
• Begum Bazar, - named after Humda Begum, wife of the second Nizam; It is believed she gifted the land to the merchants of the city.[7][8]
• Chaderghat - "Chader" literally means "White Sheet" in Urdu; [9][7]
• Dar-ul-Shifa - literally "House of Healing" in Urdu; named after a historic hospital in the area.[10]
• Falaknuma - literally "Mirror of the Sky" in Urdu; named after the Falaknuma Palace.
• Hayathnagar - named after Hayath Bakshi Begum, daughter of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah; this is the area where she built a mosque.[11]
• Himayatnagar - named after the son of the last Nizam, Prince Azam Jah, or Mir Himayat Ali Khan.[7]
• HITEC City - abbreviated form of Hyderabad Information Technology and Engineering Consultancy City.
• Khairtabad - named after Khairunnisa Begum, daughter of Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah; this is the area where she built a mosque.
• Koti - literally "mansion" in Urdu; named after the Koti Residency, which used to be located here.
• Lal Darwaza - literally "Red Door" in Urdu; named after a Red Gateway that used to exist in the area.[5]
• Mahatma Gandhi Road - named after Mahatma Gandhi after independence; previously used to be called James Street, named after Major James Achilles Kirkpatrick.[12]
• Malakpet - named after Malik Yaqoub, a servant of Abdullah Qutb Shah, where he used to reside.[5]
• Malkajgiri - said to be the corruption of Mallikarjuna Giri, named after Lord Mallikarjuna.
• Masab Tank - a corruption of Ma Saheba Tank, after a tank which itself was named after Hayath Bakshi Begum (called Ma Saheba affectionately), a Qutb Shahi princess.
• Mehdipatnam - named after Mehdi Nawaz Jung, a politician, bureaucrat and eminent personality of Hyderabad.
• Moazzam Jahi Market - named after the son of the last Nizam, Prince Moazzam Jah.
• Moula Ali - named after the Moula Ali Dargah (a dargah, or shrine dedicated to Ali), which is located here.
• Musheerabad - named after Nawab Arastu Jah Mushir-ul-Mulk, who served as Prime Minister of Hyderabad.[7][13]
• Nampally - named after Nekh Nam Khan, a Diwan of Hyderabad during the Qutb Shahi era.[5][7][14]
• Nayapul - literally "New Bridge" in Urdu; named for a bridge built over the River Musi located here.
• Puranapul - literally "Old Bridge" in Urdu; named for the 400-year-old bridge over River Musi located here.
• P.V. Narasimha Rao Expressway, named after P. V. Narasimha Rao, a former Prime Minister of India[15]
• Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar - named after Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, former President of India.
• Saroornagar - named after Suroor Afza Bai, wife of Prime Minister of Hyderabad Arastu Jah.[7]
• Secunderabad - named after the third Nizam, Sikandar Jah.[16]

Tadbun palm valley -Tadban (Palm Valley) got its name from the erstwhile presence of palm trees in the area and across the banks of Mir Alam Lake.

References

1. 1937-, Varmā, Ānand Rāj; 1937-, ورما، آنند راج،. Ḥaidarābād, muḥalle, galī, kūce = Hyderabad, mohalle, gali, kooche. New Delhi. ISBN 9788170547389. OCLC 934278764.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
2. Ifthekhar, J. S. (13 February 2013). "A rich repertoire of Hyderabadi naamaan". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
3. "Of Begums, Mahbubs and Shers: The stories narrated by Hyderabad's neighbourhood names". The News Minute. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
4. Ababu Minda Yimene (2004). An African Indian Community in Hyderabad. Göttingen: Cuvillier. ISBN 3-86537-206-6. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
5. "Names of city localities hark back to a forgotten era - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
6. "The man who gave Hyderabad its 'Banjara Hills', Nawab Mehdi Nawaz Jung". The News Minute. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
7. Administrator. "A History behind Street Names of Hyderabad & Secunderabad". www.knowap.com. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
8. "BEGUM BAZAAR HYDERABAD-INDIANMIRROR". www.indianmirror.com. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
9. "Yeh Humara Shehar: Chaderghat". The Hans India. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
10. "Hyderabad: Neglect ails 1st hospital of Asia". Deccan Chronicle. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
11. "Photo essay: Hayath Bakshi Begum- The hand of the king, three times over". The News Minute. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
12. Wright, Colin. "James Street, Secunderabad". www.bl.uk. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
13. Nanisetti, Serish (19 August 2017). "There lies a forgotten story". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
14. Alikhan, Raza (1991). Hyderabad 400 Years, 1591-1991. Zenith Services.
15. "Hyderabad gets India's longest flyover". NDTV.com. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
16. Luther, Narendra (2010). Lashkar: The Story Of Secunderabad (1st ed.). Hyderabad: Kalakriti Art Gallery. ISBN 9788190175210.