About Laad Bazaar:
Laad Bazaar is located in Hyderabad right next to the historic Charminar. Situated on one of the four main roads that shoot out from the Charminar, it is sited in a very old area of Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh. “Laad” is a term in Hindi and Urdu meaning “to love” or “to pamper” and a more fitting name would be hard to confer upon the bazaar. Another local folklore is that the market’s original name was “Lord’s Bazaar” and the current name is an altered form of this. There are a number of stores selling articles primarily targeted towards women on this one-kilometer long stretch. A vast and colorful collection of stores selling stuff usually intended for women like gorgeous bangles, semi-precious stones, pearls, saris and other such items are located in the Laad Bazaar. Usually shopkeepers set exaggerated prices, but they do so in expectation of the bargaining known to take place in the bazaar. One can strike a good deal if the art and tactics of bargaining are known, as prices are rather subjective. Usually one reduces about 20-30% of the price tagged by the shopkeeper. He may seem very adamant at first, but if you persuade him a bit, you may get good stuff at decent prices. The most popular items sold over here are the colorful bangles and glistening pearls. It may seem strange at the first glance, but most shops make their customers sit on the floor, which is carpeted from wall to wall. Since the stores are cramped, they utilize every inch of space available. The Laad Bazaar is located in a small lane that offshoots from the historic monument Charminar. Since the lane is narrow, cabs, cars and autos are not allowed inside. It is best to explore the bazaar on foot. You may also take the manually driven rickshaws available there which is a different experience in itself.
General Information about Laad Bazaar:
Location: Hyderabad
State: Andhra Pradesh
Capital: Hyderabad
Language: Telugu, Hindi, English
Temperature: Max 42˚C, Min 27˚C (summer), Max 21˚C, Min 14˚C (winter)
Best Season: October to February
How to Reach Laad Bazaar:
By Air:
Hyderabad is connected to the rest of the world by both national and international flights. The Hyderabad airport is divided into both domestic and international terminals. The domestic terminal is called the N.T. Rama Rao Domestic Terminal. Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Air Sahara, Deccan Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and Spice Jet are the major domestic flights that operate here. The international terminal is called the Rajiv Gandhi International Terminal. Major international flights operating here are Lufthansa Airlines, Silk Air Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Saudi Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines and Qatar Airlines. The airport is located at Begumpet.
By Rail:
Secunderabad, which is the co-sister city of Hyderabad, is the head office of Southern and Central railways. Besides the Secunderabad railway station there are two other railway stations namely, the Hyderabad railway station (also known as Nampally) and Kacheguda railway station. All the trains leaving from Hyderabad and Kacheguda railway station have a stoppage at the Secunderabad railway station.
By Road:
Hyderabad city is well connected to all the major states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Orissa. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has maintained a well laid out system of roadways, which connect Hyderabad to almost every city and town. Its head office is at Secunderabad. Some major national highways that pass through Hyderabad are NH – 4, NH – 5, NH – 7, NH – 9, NH – 16, NH – 18, etc.