Hyderabad was founded in the year 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, the fifth sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. It was ruled by successive Nizams of the Asaf Jahi dynasty until the state merged with the Indian Union in 1948.
Although it is one of the fastest growing cities in India and has become a strong industrial, commercial and technological hub, it still retains its past splendor. Not just pearls and Nizams, he has other notable credits as well.
Hyderabad, which is the capital of the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, lies on the banks of the Musi River on the Deccan Plateau. Its 7.75 million inhabitants make it the fourth most populous Indian city and the sixth most populous urban agglomeration. Hyderabad is known as the “Pharmaceutical Capital of India” and the “Genome Valley of India” due to the outstanding growth of the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.
It is also known as “Cyber City” as it is one of the world centers of information technology. Although all these credentials add to its enormous pride, the unique name PEARL CITY is the most popular term that comes to the mind of every Indian when they think of Hyderabad. It is due to its important role in the pearl trade. The pearl trade has been going on in the city for many centuries and therefore has an unavoidable role.
During the reign of Qutb Shahi, Golconda was one of the main markets for diamonds and pearls. The Qutb Shahi rulers and the Nizams loved pearls and diamonds and patronized the trade in an elaborate way.
Azab Jahi Nizams wore diamond-studded pearl robes as part of their royal privileges. They also used the paste of crushed pearls to induce beauty.
They led a luxurious life, and their wealth attracted artisans from all over the world, especially the Middle East, where rare pearls were abundant.
Queens were covered in pearls and weighed against pearls on their birth days.
Craftsmanship, quality of excellence, variety and cheap cost of labor are the four vital factors that elevate the popularity of Hyderabad pearls. In addition to splendid pearls, the confidence of originality is the guaranteed gift that dealers in the city give us.
Therefore, we get original pearls at a reasonable price in pearl bazaars without fear of fake products. The selection options are multiple. It becomes a family tradition for several Indian families to buy Hyderabad pearls as some pearl shops have been around for more than a century.
The traders are said to be the champions of the market and Hyderabad is undoubtedly the largest pearl trading center in India. Here the jewelers preserve their craft for centuries.
They combine pearls with the shine of gold, rubies and emeralds. They create huge styles of ornaments with attractive designs. In recent decades, there has been a gradual influence of Western designs on the market.
There is an entire street that is made up exclusively of pearl shops called ‘Patther Gatti’. The ‘satlada’ and the ‘panchlada haar’ are necklaces with seven and five strings.
They are often studded with emerald or onyx beads set in nine karat gold. Earrings like karanphool and cholaphool set with raw diamonds and pearls are famous among Hyderabad women.
The city’s pearl markets also offer unlimited varieties of chokers and medallions.
There is still an attraction for the dazzling Hyderabad bangles among millions of Indian women. There are four hundred and fifty shops flanking either side of the world famous Charminar.
Charminar has an interesting history. Insufficient water and frequent epidemics of plague and cholera caused Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah to venture abroad to establish a new city with the Charminar at its center and with four great roads opening in four cardinal directions.
Thus, Charminar stands as a unique landmark for the city. There are around two and a half thousand artisans who are capable of molding magic around your hands like bracelets. The centuries-old bazaars that surround this monument are dedicated to the frenetic trade in pearls and bridal accessories.
Skilled labor is the asset of the Hyderabad pearl market. It is kept as a family secret and the highly skilled drilling work is still done manually. This kind of perfection is passed down from generation to generation, this dedicated human power is the foundation for the city to become a final destination for pearls.
Its unmatched craftsmanship is amazing and the labor cost is also comparatively lower. The artisans here are experts in drilling and stringing pearls without damaging them.
Traders import raw pearls from China and Japan and attract tourists. If you visit a processing center in the city, you may witness a large number of highly experienced pearl sorters, drillers and stringers as they are doing it as their family profession.
As pearls become an integral part of your life, there is no shortage of creativity or quality. They still spread the everlasting glory of their pearl city.
