Hyderabad can now enjoy brightly-lit Charminar all year round

Hyderabad: Charminar, the iconic monument in Hyderabad, will now be lit up throughout the year. The façade illumination of the monument was inaugurated by Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) G Kishan Reddy on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said “The façade illumination of Charminar is a major step in the preservation and promotion of this iconic monument. It will attract more tourists to Hyderabad and showcase the city’s rich cultural heritage worldwide.”

Kishan Reddy also appreciated the efforts of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), National Culture Fund (NCF) and Indian Oil Foundation (IOF) for collaborating and successfully completing the project. He said similar permanent illumination would be set up in Golconda Fort, Warangal Fort and Thousand Pillars Temple.

The Union minister also said, “The central government has taken a special interest in building museums and upgrading the existing ones in Telangana. A tribal museum is on the cards and the Salarjung Museum will get new blocks.”

Kishan Reddy also expressed happiness over the fact that Ramappa Temple has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. He said that Charminar and Golkonda are also included in the UNESCO tentative list of heritage sites.

The illumination project was funded by the IOF under the NCF, which was established to enable institutions and individuals to support arts and culture directly in partnership with the government.

The IOF is a non-profit trust created by IndianOil in 2000 with the objective of protecting, preserving and promoting India’s rich cultural heritage. The foundation has adopted several heritage sites across the country and has undertaken several projects to improve its infrastructure and accessibility.