Cafes, salons, community spaces bustle as Hyderabad celebrates Women’s Day

From small surprises at home to leisurely outings and self-care breaks, residents found their own ways to honour the women in their lives on International Women's Day.

Bouquets wrapped in pastel paper, ribbon-tied gift boxes and neatly packed meals crisscrossed Hyderabad on Sunday with delivery agents zipping through traffic with stacks of parcels. As the city marked International Women’s Day, doorsteps turned into quiet stages of appreciation, with residents choosing simple yet thoughtful gestures to celebrate the women in their lives.

The occasion, which coincided with Sunday, saw cafes and eateries across neighbourhoods fill up with families, couples and groups of friends stepping out for a leisurely brunches and meals.

Online quick-commerce platforms also recorded a surge in orders through the day, with specially curated Women’s Day hampers and gift packages spanning apparel, jewellery, accessories, cosmetics and self-care products. From skincare kits to personalised jewellery and creative bouquets, residents turned to online platforms to send tokens of appreciation.

Across the city’s cafes, pubs and clubs, many establishments rolled out special offers for women with discounted menus, complimentary drinks and curated events. Several applications and community groups also organised themed gatherings, including Women’s Day celebrations at Wonderla, clay rose-making workshops, all-girls jamming sessions, Women’s Day toasts, live music evenings, hot-pot dining experiences and DJ nights among others.

The celebrations unfolded quietly at home for many and others at various events. Many men chose to step into the kitchen to give the women in their families a break from daily chores. For others, the day became an opportunity to spend quality time together. Prakash, a resident of Jubilee Hills, said he planned an entire day out for his wife. “With both of us working, it gets hard for us to step out during the week. So today, I decided to take her out and spend the day doing everything she likes — lots of shopping, good food and a drive,” he said.

At neighbourhood salons and spas, the rush reflected another side of the celebrations with women choosing to indulge themselves. Sudha, who runs a salon in Ramanthapur, said appointments were booked from morning till evening. “The entire day was packed with bookings. Apart from facials, head massage and foot massage sessions were booked heavily,” she said.