Pineapples on the Charminar: Walking Into Hyderabad’s History

I have visited Hyderabad many times. I have seen the sights, but until recently, I realized I had mostly seen them through the lens of my own limited knowledge or casual conversations with friends.

There is a profound difference between looking at a monument and reading it. I discovered the stories hidden within the Charminar and the newly renovated Qutb Shahi Tombs by taking a walking tour with Yunus Lasania, a journalist and historian known to his followers as "The Hyderabadi Boy."

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The Tea, The Strangers, and The Hospitality

I was introduced to Lasania through a podcast. He has built a dedicated following; on a typical morning, 15 to 20 people will show up for his walks. He even organizes a monthly food experience in a traditional Hyderabadi home, keeping the culinary heritage alive.

Our walk to the Charminar began at the Badshahi Ashurkhana. Since I arrived early, I stopped for tea at the Shadab Hotel. If you have watched enough Bollywood movies, you might think a stranger sitting alone in a local tea stall would attract undue, perhaps negative, attention.

But this is Hyderabad.

Here, strangers are not just tolerated; they are welcomed. The hospitality is woven into the culture as deeply as the tea leaves are steeped in the milk. Along the walk, we also stopped at the famous Niloufer Hotel for chai and biscuits. Listening to the history of the floods, the court, and the city's evolution felt less like a lecture and more like walking directly into a history book.

The Pineapple Insight

Yunus is an excellent storyteller who points out details you would otherwise miss. For the first time, I noticed pineapples carved into the stone structure of the Charminar and the Qutb Shahi Tombs.

I realized that the fascination for foreign goods is not a modern era phenomenon. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the pineapple was an exotic import from South America. Only royalty had access to this "foreign" fruit. They carved it into their monuments to signal their wealth and global reach.

Remember that when you skip past the pineapples at Costco on your next trip. We are still doing the same thing.

"Mine is Bigger Than Yours"

The Qutb Shahi Tombs, recently renovated and rebuilt, are absolutely worth a visit. The architecture tells a clear story of ego and legacy. Rulers built their tombs while they were still alive. The equation was simple: the more powerful you were, the bigger your tomb.

However, history also reveals that discrimination against women might be more of a modern illness than we care to admit. Throughout the Qutb Shahi history, women ruled and battled effectively as Queens and Regents.

In fact, one of the largest and most impressive tombs in the entire necropolis belongs to a woman: Hayat Bakshi Begum. Known as "Ma Saheba," she was the daughter of a King, the wife of a King, and the mother of a King. Her tomb stands equal in grandeur to the men, a testament to her immense power and influence over the dynasty.

We also saw tombs built in the style of South Indian temple architecture for Taramati and Premamati. It was a visual reminder of a time when cultural synthesis was carved in stone.

Experience the Real Hyderabad

Don't just look at the stones; listen to their stories. I highly recommend connecting with Yunus for a walk or a private tour.

Follow him on Instagram: @thathyderabadiboy

You can thank me later.

Sources & Notes

• Walking Tour Guide: Yunus Lasania (The Hyderabad History Project).
• Historical Reference: Qutb Shahi Heritage Park & Necropolis.
• Research Note: Hayat Bakshi Begum (Ma Saheba) played a crucial role as Regent during the transition between the 6th and 7th Sultans.