Do you think you know Hyderabad? You may fail if you take this test

HYDERABAD: Let alone tourists who could have read up Hyderabad's history before visiting the city of pearls, many locals too would not know that Married People's Quarters was the original name of a prominent residential colony of Secunderabad. That is because, over the years, since British troops set up the Cantonment, the place that was earmarked as residential quarters for married personnel got corrupted to Marredpally, thanks to locals being unable to either speak or comprehend English.
The origin of place names in Hyderabad and its twin city, Secunderabad, is full of interesting historical titbits, grandeur and what some historians call “nonsense“.Among the former are Caravan and Tappachabutra, both in Old City. Caravan (presently spelled Karwan) was the place where traders from across the world entering the city with their camels and horses were allowed to camp before they could market their goods. Tappachabutra is where the Nizams' post office was located, and where all the mail (Tappal) used to come and would get sorted before being dispatched to different parts of the city. Some other names that have stuck are not that grand. The name Chatta Bazar near Medina in Old City might surprise many, as Chatta in Hyderabadi means garbage. But the original name was Chath Ka Bazar, the only market which had a roof for traders to do business.
Predictably, many of the places in Secunderabad, then the cantonment, are of British military origin, like Regimental Bazar, where troops were housed and Rifle Range, which speaks for itself. Thanks to the union of the British and locals, Lalaguda and Mettuguda, areas which were populated by Anglo-Indians, have together come to be known as Little England. In the heart of Old City is today's Hyderabad's latest international attraction, the Falaknuma Palace, which has been taken over by a prominent hospitality chain. Now a premium hotel, it is located in Engine Bowli and the name came from it being the place where the engines of the Nizam Railways used to get oiled.
Shamshabad, where the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is located, got its name from Shamshul Umra, a title that the Nizams bestowed on the Paigah nobles, a group of families who served the royalty well and got rewarded over the years in terms of wealth and noble titles. Gunfoundry got its name from a cannonball factory that was set up by the second Nizam, but that has its corruption as non-Hyderabadis who visit the city call it Gunpowder instead of Gunfoundry.