The most colourful floral festival of Telangana, Bathukamma, celebrated by women a little ahead of Dasara will be special this year.
For the first time in the history of the State and its capital city, about 300 people from cities across China, comprising tourists, operators and travel writers, will savour the taste of this fledgling State, its cuisine, culture, tradition and its natural splendour. What’s more, they will be guests of the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) – for food, accommodation and travel logistics.
Cathay Pacific to fly them in
Cathay Pacific Airways has proposed to fly in from Hong Kong, visitors from Chinese cities, including Shanghai, Beijing, Canton and Wangzou, on what will be a four-day tour. “Senior airline executives came to us with this proposal and we are working out the details. Last year, there were about 1,500 arrivals from China to India and of them, just about a dozen actually visited Hyderabad,” said TSTDC Chairman Pervaram Ramulu.
The former Director General of Police and Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission told The Hindu that this was too good an opportunity for the youngest State of India to lose. “We will showcase the State and Hyderabad to them in an unforgettable manner. We want to show them that Fa Hien and Hiuen Tsang, who chronicled their visits and told people back home that Buddhism actually flourished in India, and that the Chinese historians are not lost for even to this day,” he stated.
The itinerary that is being put together includes visits to attractions that the City of Pearls is known for – the Charminar, Salar Jung Museum, Chowmahalla Palace, Lad bazaar famous for its bangles, a ‘Mehfil’ and dinner at the Taramati Baradari. “The 1,000 pillar and Ramappa temples of Warangal, a drive further through the tribal belt all the way up to Eturnagaram, the Jain Temple at Kolanupaka and Laknavaram island resort where they will stay in cottages – are all being planned,” Mr. Ramulu outlined.
Currently, the airline has four flights a week out of Hyderabad to Hong Kong. When contacted, Regional Sales & Marketing Manager-South Asia, Rajesh Menon, said, “Travellers today are keen to explore different cultures and we at Cathay Pacific Airways are always looking for opportunities to deliver a life-well-travelled experience to them. Today, India is the perfect melting pot with lots to offer-- ancient architecture, modern mega-cities, diverse landscapes and varied traditions.
