India Guide
Andhra Pradesh
Lad Bazaar
Charminar marks the beginning of the fascinating Lad Bazaar, as old as the town itself, which leads to Mahboob Chowk, a market square featuring a mosque and Victorian clock tower. Lad Bazaar specializes in everything you could possibly need for a Hyderabadi marriage; it's full of bangle shops, old stores selling rosewater, herbs and spices, and material. You'll also find silver filigree jewellery, antiques, bidri-ware, hookah paraphernalia with delicate inlay work and, in the markets near the Charminar, pearls – so beloved of the nizams that they not only wore them but also ground them into powder to eat. Today Hyderabad is the centre of India's pearl trade.