Main
Languages :
Marathi, Hindi and Urdu
Population : Approx. 6,82,000
Area : 138.5 sq. kms
Malik Amber founded the city, originally called Khadke, or “Big
Rock”, in the early 16th century. The city is known for its
medieval monuments and cultural heritage and was the seat of the
Mughal Empire for a short period. When Aurangzeb became the Viceroy
of the Deccan, he made it his capital, and renamed it Aurangabad.
It is surrounded by hills. The present Government names this city
as ‘Sambhajinagar’.
Attractions In & Around
Ajanta Caves
Nestled in an inner fold of the Sahyadri hills, 100 kms away from
Aurangabad are the 30 rock-cut caves of Ajanta, famous for its
cave painting or frescoes of many colors. They contain numerous
images of Buddha. Caves 1,2,16 and 17 have the best-preserved
paintings. The magnificient depictions of the bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara
and Padmapaniin are particularly well known.
Aurangabad
Caves
Just outside the city, are located the 6th century caves displaying
the influence of Tantric cult in the iconography and architectural
designs of the caves. A major chunk of the caves are viharas,
of which Caves 3 and 7 are most fascinating.
Bibi
Ka Maqbara
Situated about 5 kms from the Aurangabad city is Bibi Ka Maqbara,
the burial place of Aurangzeb's 1st wife, Rabia-ud-Durrani. It
is an imitation of the Taj at Agra, termed as the poor man's Taj
Mahal. Located behind the mausoleum is a small archeological museum.
Jayak
Wadi Dam
This is an interesting site where one can see a number of resident
and migratory birds. About 4 kms. north of Paithan town, an earthen
dam on the river Godavari has been constructed and a large reservoir
formed. The lake formed is called `Nath Sagar', which is the main
source for water in this region. The area around is being developed
fast.
Khuldabad
Khuldabad, or heavenly abode, is a holy shrine for the Muslims
containing the tomb of the last Moghul emperor Aurangzeb. It is
just a few kms away from Daulatabad.
Mhaismal
Mhaismal original called ‘Maheshmal’ is a village located
about 12 kms from Khuldabad. An ancient temple of Girijamata is
in the village. An exact replica of Lord Balaji temple at Tirupati
is located at the top of hill. A 300 feet TV tower that can broadcast
for 150 kms range is also situated here.
Paithan
Situated 56 kms south of Aurangabad, is the ancient capital city
of the Satvahanas, Paithan famous for its traditional Paithani
silk saris. The Jayakwadi dam here is a haven for avid nature
- lovers, especially those interested in avian fauna. The huge
Gyaneshwar Udyan, Maharashtra's largest garden, built on the lines
of the famous Vrindavan Gardens in Mysore, Pinjore in Haryana
and the Shalimar in Kashmir is another attraction of this area.
Pan Chakki
Panchakki (water wheel) takes its name from the mill, which
used to grind grain for the pilgrims. It was designed to generate
energy via water, brought down from a spring on a mountain. Malik
Ambar himself built it, in 1695. It also has the tomb of Baba
Shah Muzaffar, a Sufi Saint.
PithalkoraPithalkora caves are about 78 kms. from Aurangabad.
The intricate work on the sculptured facades in these caves is
definitely worth a visit.
Getting in, Around & Away
AIR : Aurangabad airport is 10 km east of the city and is
well
connected by Indian Airlines flights with Bombay, Delhi, Jaipur
and Udiapur. East-West & Continental Airways also operate
flights between Bombay and Aurangabad.
RAIL : Aurangabad has its own railway station and is well
connected by train to all the corners of the Nation. Jalgaon railhead
can also be used as a base to reach Aurangabad.
