A heart-shaped lake in Hyderabad, Hussain Sagar Lake was built in the year of 1563 by none other than Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah. It is spread across an area of around 5.7 acres and is fed by River Musi. Furthermore, what really makes this place worth visiting is the statue of Gautama Buddha which was built in 1992. It stands gracefully in the very heart of the lake upon Gibraltar rock.
One of the mesmerizing spectacles offered by the Hyderabad city, the Hussain Sagar Lake is an absolute treat to the eyes. This lake adjoins the two main cities of Secunderabad and Hyderabad. It is quite deep, 32 feet to be precise, and was essentially built to solve the water problem of people. Hussain Sagar Lake, thus, is also looked upon as an important aspect of Hyderabad tourism and cultural activities.
The place is open all days of a week. While visiting Hussain Sagar Lake at any time will give you a beautiful experience, if you are looking for a good time to visit, then the months from June through February should be preferable due to moderate weather.
History of Hussain Sagar Lake
Named after Hussain Shah Wali, it is an artificial lake which makes up for a picturesque destination too. The secret of its perennial flow is the fact that it is fed by its parent river, Musi. It is also said that it was this lake which was the constant source of water for the people of Hyderabad before the construction of Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar which were built on the same river.
Modern History of Hussain Sagar Lake
Owing to its beautiful heart shape, the Hussain Sagar Lake has been given reverence with the title of Heart of the World. This title has been bestowed upon the lake by UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation) on 27th September 2012 for being the largest heart-shaped geographical feature on the surface of Earth among other noted 78 ones. And the logo of the Heart of the World was inaugurated by H.E. Mr Taleb Rifai, the secretary-general of UNWTO at that time.
Things To Do Near Hussain Sagar Lake
Hussain Sagar Lake is one of the best places to visit in Hyderabad. Here's the list of things to do near Hussain Sagar Lake.
1. Birla Mandir
Located at a height of 280 feet on a hill, Birla Mandir is a 50-year-old amazing and spiritually progressive place to visit. The dynamic aura of this place is really worth appreciating. It is located in Khairatabad which is more or less situated at a distance of around 15 minutes from Hussain Sagar Lake. Cameras are not allowed inside the temple. However, the architecture of this place is absolutely worth clicking pictures and that is an irony in itself!
2. Sanjeevaiah Park
This park is built on a land which covers an area of around 92 acres. Being a public green space and situated by the banks of Hussain Sagar Lake, this place comes across as a terrific tourist getaway. It is managed by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority. What’s more incredible is to know that here you will get to find the second tallest Indian flag in the country.
3. NTR Gardens
It is an amazing park spreading across a wide area of about 55 acres typically known for its phenomenal beauty. This park is maintained by the Buddha Purnima Project Authority under the Telangana Government. It has been named after the former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh NT Rama Rao.
4. Shopping
Here you will be coming across several shopping malls such as the Reliance Mansion, Christi Plaza, Prasads nearby Hussain Sagar Lake. All of them are perfect spots to have and experience something new. Visiting here after a long and tiring day of travelling and exploring around will help you recharge your mind and body.
5. Boating at Lumbini Park
Lumbini Park is definitely a great place to spend your evenings amid the soothing nature. It won’t be wrong to call this place a hub of many enjoyable activities like laser shows, musical fountains, and boating. It is also said that these boats have been especially mechanized to perform greatly in terms of their speed so that they could straightaway take you very close to the giant statue of Lord Buddha.
How to Reach Hussain Sagar Lake
Hussain Sagar Lake is one of the most famous tourist spots in Hyderabad. This travel getaway is situated at a distance of 1,575, 708, 575, 1,511 km from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata. Let’s see how you can reach here by the following means of transportation.
By Air
The nearest airport is the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) located at a distance of 30-40 km from the lake. This airport was opened on March 23, 2008, for the purpose of replacing Begumpet airport.
This airport has got one passenger terminal, a cargo terminal and two runways. Along with this, a few prominent highlighting features of this airport are the aviation training facilities, a fuel farm, a solar power plant along with MRO facilities.
Many airlines operate to and fro Hyderabad connecting many other Indian cities.
- Delhi - Board Air Asia, IndiGo, Spicejet, Vistara flights from Indira Gandhi International Airport. The airfares are starting from Rs.2,000
- Kolkata - Board IndiGo, Spicejet, Air India, Vistara from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. The airfares are starting from Rs.2,500
- Surat - Board Spicejet, IndiGo, Air India flights from Surat International Airport. The airfares are starting from Rs.3,000
- Bengaluru - Board Air Asia, IndiGo, Spicejet, Air India flights from Kempegowda International Airport. The airfares are starting from Rs.1,500
- Indore - Board IndiGo, Air India, Vistara flights from Indore Airport. The airfares are starting from Rs.2,500
By Train
There are many train stations located within a distance of 5-10 km from Hussain Sagar Lake. To name a few are Begumpet Junction, Secunderabad Junction. And depending upon your suitability, you can choose to deboard at any of these. However, Secunderabad Junction is considered as one of the most prominent railway stations.
It is a major intercity railway station serving Hyderabad and its nearby regions. This particular station was built in 1874 during the British Colonial era. It sees about 1,70,000 passengers commuting on a daily basis.
- Delhi - Board Bangalore Rajdhani Express from Hazarat Nizammudin and deboard at the Secunderabad Junction.
- Mumbai - Board Hussainsagar Express from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and deboard at the Hyderabad Decan
- Bengaluru - Board Sampark Kranti from Yesvantpur Junction and deboard at the Kacheguda Junction
- Visakhapatnam - Board VSKP Garib Rath from Visakhapatnam Junction and deboard at the Secunderabad Junction
By Road
Depending upon your location, you can also consider travelling to Hussain Sagar Lake, Hyderabad via well-maintained road networks. You can either travel by your own vehicle, a cab or even a bus.
From Coimbatore, bus fares are starting from Rs.1,600. From Pune, the bus fares are starting from Rs.1,000. From Vijayawada, the bus fares are starting from Rs.500.
Here is how you can reach Hussain Sagar Lake by road networks.
- Pune - 561 km via NH65
- Nashik - 727 km via NH52 or NH65
- Vijayawada - 281 km via NH65
- Latur - 302 km via NH65 or NH44
- Mysuru - 725 km via Bangalore Hyderabad Highway
Frequently Asked Questions About Hussain Sagar Lake
Q1. What is the distance between Hussain Sagar and Hyderabad?
A1. The distance between Hussain Sagar and Hyderabad city center is approximately 5 kilometers.
Q2. What is Hussain Sagar famous for?
A2. Hussain Sagar is famous for being a large artificial lake located in the heart of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is known for its iconic Buddha statue situated on a small island in the center of the lake.
Q3. What is the history of Hussain Sagar Lake?
A3. Hussain Sagar Lake has a rich history dating back to its construction in 1563 during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah, the ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
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