Talking of books on Hyderabad, I think Narendra Luther's 'Nocturnal Court', a translation of Sidq Jaisi's unforgettable account of life and times in Moazzam Jah's Court ('Darbaar-e-durbaar) is an excellent work. While the English translation is certainly nowhere close to the Urdu original, in spite of Luther's monumental effort, for those who can't read the original, and as it happens, they are the vast majority, the book provides a very rare glimpse into the exotic evenings at Moazzam Jah's Court. And for those who don't know who Moazzam Jah--after whom Moazzam Jahi Market in Hyderabad is named--was, he was the second son of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the Seventh Nizam of Hyderabad.
Moazzam Jah's real name, if I remember right, was Shuja'at Ali Khan. He also wrote under the taKhallus or nom de plume of 'Shaji'. Off-hand I like most others can quote quite a few of Shaji's memorable couplets, written in simple Urdu, but I guess one would suffice, for now.
shaam-e-Gham kaT rahi hai mazay meiN Shaji
shaam-e-Gham ki seher ho tau kya kijiye
Saty
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