Once the capital of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, the city of Aurangabad, has risen from its tumultuous past, to the level of a famous tourist destination.
Famous for Silk fabrics, Aurangabad served as Aurangzeb’s capital from 1653 to 1707 and saw the birth of many historical monuments. From Bibi-qa-Maqbara, ancient Buddhist caves to Ajanta and Ellora, the 'City of Gates' wears a rustic charm that is still alive amid the harsh winds of modernity.
Ajanta and Ellora Caves
Astonishingly beautiful, Ellora has 34 caves that belong to the 6th and 11th century AD. Ajanta on the other hand has 29 caves from 2nd century BC and 6th century AD. Both the caves, hammered from a hillside rock are UNESCO World Heritage sites and a perfect mix of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain.
Bibi Ka Maqbara
A replica of Taj Mahal, 'Bibi Ka Maqbara', is the monument of love built by Azam Shah, son of Aurangzeb for his mother Dilras Banu Begum. The entire structure is studded with exquisite marbles and intricate designs that would leave one awestruck.
Daulatabad Fort
Earlier known as Devagiri fort, the glorious defense fortress stands high at a conical hill, about 200m above the sea level. Undefeated throughout, it has three layers of defensive walls and a sub-terranean passage of solid rocks. Inside, one would find Chand Minar, Chini Mahal, Baradari and much more.
Grishneshwar Temple
A pilgrimage and home to last of the 12th 'Jyotirlinga' on earth, Grishneshwar Temple is visited by Hindus from all over the country. A pre-historic architecture, the holy water spring inside the temple redeems one from all the sins.
Himayat Bagh
Sprawling over an area of 300 acres, Himayat Bagh was once famous as the 'Mughal Garden'. Built during the rule of Aurangzeb, today it has a Fruit Research Station and Nursery.
Jayakwadi Dam and Bird Sanctuary
One of the largest irrigation dams in Maharashtra, Jayakwadi Dam largely contributes to the irrigation the Marathwada vicinity. Nearby is Jayakwadi Bird Sanctuary, comprising of 30 tiny islands formed by the Nath Sagar. It is home to 200 species of rare and exotic birds.
Zainuddin Shirzai's Maqbara
The beautiful Maqbara was built to honour the great saint Syed Zain-ud-Din who was a disciple of Maulana Kamaluddin in Samana. It is believed that under this great saint, Daulatabad began the Chistia Order.
Lonar Crater Lake
Created by the impact of a meteor, Lonar Crater is popular among science students, geologists, ecologists, archaeologists and astronomers. This saline soda lake measures around 1.2km in dia and is 137m deep.
Panchakki & Baba Shah Musafir Dargah
A scientific wonder of the medieval period, Panchakki is a water mill, that used generate energy with water, brought down from a spring on a mountain. A few walks away from the mill are the Baba Shah Musafir Dargah that has the cenotaph of Baba Shah Musafir and some of his followers.
Parli Vaidhyanath Jyotirlinga Temple
Located in the village of Parli, this 5th Jyotirlinga is a famous pilgrimage for Hindus. As per legend says, this jyotirlinga emerged when the demons and gods were churning amrit or nectar during samudra manthan.
A celebration of Aurangabad’s cultural heritage, its festivals and fares are an exhibition of its vibrant colours and local culture. Three of the most important festivals are:
Ellora Festival (March)
This four days festival has renowned artists from all over the country, showcasing their talents in music and dance. Competitions like cookery, painting, mehandi and rangoli are keep the audience encouraged.
Paithan Festival (March or April)
The fair is held on the nath sashti day is a tribute to the great Maharashtrian Saint Eknath Maharaj. For 10 days, there is fun and games and people buy cotton, brass and copper utensils, grain, bangles, horses, silk and much more.
Aurangabad Festival (December)
An exhibition of paperwork, bidri and himroo; this festival brings forth classical performances, folk dance and music. Other highlights are traditional bullock cart race, marathons, heritage walks and other competitions.
Aurangabad is famous all over the country for its rich fabrics, art and crafts. People, who come here, don’t go back without buying paithani silk sarees, himroo shawls, mashroo and kimkhab weaves. Silver inlay craft of bidriware. Jewellery and semi-precious stones, especially Agate are available in a variety of forms and sizes.
Gul Mandi: famous for the Paithani saris, hot favourite of women. Though a traditional market, but one will be spoilt for choices.
Cannought shopping market sells Kam Khab – a golden and silver thread combined with cotton, which is used to weave elegant Himroo shawls and sarees.
Winters
(December –February), best time to visit Aurangabad as the temperature ranges between 10 and 25 degrees celsius and the weather is dry. While planning a visit during this time, advance booking in hotel is absolutely necessary.
Summer
(March- June), dry and sunny, the temperature goes upto about 43 degrees Celcius and heat waves as well as hot winds are common. Water shortage is also a problem during this time.
Monsoon
(June - September), the city does not see much of rains (700 mm of rainfall annually) during this time and the temperature goes upto 20 to 25 degrees Celcius. Hence a trip can be planned without much risk.
By Air:
Aurangabad Airport connects flights to cities like Hyderabad, Delhi, Udaipur, Mumbai, Jaipur, Pune and Nagpur. Special flights were made available for Hajj pilgrims.
By Rail:
Aurangabad railway station is located on the Secunderabad-Manmad section and comes under the Nanded division of the South Central Railway zone. It connects to Hyderabad, Delhi, Nizamabad, Nagpur, Nasik, Pune, Nanded and Latur Road.
By Road:
Aurangabad has road connectivity to Jalna, Pune, Ahmednagar, Nagpur, Beed, and Mumbai. A new Nagpur–Aurangabad–Mumbai express highway is also being developed.
