Hyderabad’s rich association with literature dates all the way back to the 15^th Century; when the Qutb Shahi Dynasty encouraged the growth of Decani Urdu in poetry. Hyderabad, which is more famously known as the city of Nizams, owes its cultural heritage to the  150-yearlong rule of the Nizams. They brought Hyderabad to the centre stage of elegant and soulful arts, and literature and that legacy continue to shine till date.

Hyderabad hasn’t let go of its roots, with the old and new parts of the city perfectly dovetailed to give any aspiring writer an overdose of inspiration. And for those who love to have their hands on an interesting piece of literature, sit back and read, there are a good number of book clubs to join.

1. Hyderabad Book Club

Established in 2010, the Hyderabad Book Club has since become a hugely popular club for its book-loving residents. Now, with 425 members, the club has a strong following. Open to both writers and readers, the club members meet regularly to discuss and exchange interesting reads and up-and-coming authors. The club has no restriction of age or gender and is open to anyone who has a strong love for the literary art form.

2. Book Networks in Hyderabad

A highly sought after book club, Book Networks in Hyderabad boast a community of 370 bookworms who do more than just meet and read. The members are also encouraged to exchange old books amongst each other and share reviews of what they read. Apart from exchanges, members are also welcome to donate their unused collection to those in need. Readers in the club have a chance to express their writing talent as well and can gain insights on their work from within the circle.

3. LICH- Literary, Intellectual & Cultural Hub

With 1,230 members, LICH has the highest count of followers among the book clubs in Hyderabad. The namesake of a creature in popular fantasy fiction, LICH has followers who enjoy books that tickle the mind. While books have a mainstay among their regular meetings, LICH is also open to all forms of art and literature, and all the genres that encompass it. LICH has completed over 300 meetings and hassixteenmore on the horizon.

4. Vedika

Staying true to the local tongue, Vedika’s members meet to discuss Telugu literature predominantly. There is also room for members to share their review on books written in other languages. Members have the opportunity to meet writers and organise talks and debates about their work. Apart from novels, the group also discusses short stories. Vedika holds meetings every Saturday at 5 PM and is 328 members strong.

5. My Travel Book

For both avid and aspiring travellers who are led by a distinct sense of wanderlust, My Travel Book is a group in Hyderabad that invites such people to share their travel stories and travel fantasies alike. Books that centre on travel culture are discussed in detail. The group is fairly young (started in March 2016) yet has a growing fan base of individuals who link with each other through various travel programs.

6. Tale Tellers Troupe

Tale Tellers Troupe is an 872-member-strong storyteller group that aims to make the art of storytelling stronger as the years progress. Their current mission is to help people overcome stage fright through the practice of effective communication. The group is open to members of all ages and holds storytelling sessions for 3 hours on any given topic and language based on all sorts of literature. The members believe that the simple art of storytelling can transform the already powerful nature of a book. You can become a member for free and catch up with the group once every two weeks.

7. Hyderabad Literary Festival

Since 2010, the Hyderabad Literary Festival has attracted a huge crowd of people who are completely immersed in art and literature, both out of interest and professionally. The fest explores both ancient cultures of Hyderabad and Secunderabad as well as the modern trends of Cyberabad. The fest invites world renowned writers of all regional languages as well as Indian-bornwriters in English. Workshops are conducted, attracting a crowd of avid readers and aspiringwriters, making this fest a must-go if you are in the city. The 2017 edition will be held between 27 and 29 January.

Tune in your ears and sharpen your eyes the next time you’re in Hyderabad, for the city of sweet poetic verses and delicious dum-biriyani is tailor-made for avid readers. You can also check out our list of book clubs across India.