Aurangabad , India

Overview:

The city that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb built in the dusk of his empire is Aurangabad, the city that is base to the marvels of man - the Ajanta and Ellora caves. Situated in Maharashtra, Aurangabad today is a thriving industrial metropolis and apart from being the jump-off point for Maharashtra's most celebrated tourist attraction, it also merits as one of the cleanest cities in the country.

With a lot to offer the avid tourist including incredible Deccan Mughal architecture, the most pleasant feature of Aurangabad is its inhabitants. Retaining the charms and mannerisms of the Nizams, they are courteous, polite and extremely helpful.

If the Ajanta and Ellora caves figure in your travel plans, as they should, make it a point to spend a couple of days in Aurangabad. You will not be disappointed.

Population: Approx 2,920,548

Climate: Aurangabad, like the rest of the Deccan Plateau is best toured during the monsoons. The summers sizzle with maximum temperatures hitting 40°C in May and winters are warm, with maximum temperatures falling to approximately 29°C. You could also visit Aurangabad between October and March, when the weather is pleasant.

Time Zone: GMT + 5.5

Best Time To Visit: Between the months of June and September and from October to March.

Places To Visit:

Bibi ka Maqbara
One more tribute from a man to a woman, only this time, from a son to a mother. Modelled on the Taj Mahal, Aurangabad's Mughal tomb garden was built by Prince Azam Khan in memory of his mother, Begum Rabia Daurani.

Completed in 1678 this poor man's Taj Mahal has largely drawn flak as a cheap imitation of the Taj but take a look at it anyway. May not be the marble glory that the Taj Mahal is, but is worth a dekko anyway.

Purwar Museum
This wonderful personal collection is housed in a lovely haveli and is the work of a retired doctor Mr. Purwar. Small and not given to the excesses that other museums are given to, the exhibits here include a 500-year-old chain mail suit, an 800-year-old Paithani sari and a copy of the Koran handpainted by Aurangzeb. To provide it perfect company is the antique shop next to it. You will find the place on Ghati road.

The Caves
Aurangabad seems to have more than its share of secondary monuments and sights. Like the Aurangabad caves, which are no patch on the splendid Ajanta and Ellora caves. Having said that, these caves are a good introduction to rock-cut architecture.

3 kms north of the city, the caves have been carved out of a steep spur of the Sahyadri Range. A great view of the city, serenity and a piece of history are what you get to take back from here. The Aurangabad caves are Buddhist and are divided into two groups by the archaeological survey of India as the western and eastern caves.

Daulatabad
13 km away from Aurangabad lies one of the country's most impressive and majestic forts, commanding the view from atop a pyramid-shaped hilltop. It is an unusually large fortress and is surrounded by huge, imposing grey, granite walls and has a central, slender pink minaret called the Chandminar - a Victory tower built in 1435 and is right on top of the hill, originally known as Devagiri or the Hill of the Gods. There is also a 15 m deep moat encircling the upper portion of the citadel.

In 1294, the Delhi Sultans stormed Daulatabad and looted its wealth, paving the way for eccentric Mughal ruler Mohammed bin Tughlaq, who took over the fort in 1327. He renamed it Daulatabad, the City of Fortune and made it his southern military operations base.

Khuldabad
Khuldabad is a walled city also known as Rauza and famed as the 'Heavenly Abode'. It contains within its walls the karbala (holy shrine) for Muslims in the Deccan region. The courtyard of the Alamgir Dargah (shrine) is also the burial spot of the last great Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. His grave is a simple open one, decorated by the fresh flower petals that visitors bring.

Aurangzeb chose Khuldabad as his final resting place because the mausoleum of Sayeed Zain-ud-din, a Muslim holy man lies next door. The Robe of the Prophet, which is considered an important relic lies here and revealed to the public once a year, on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi-ul-Awwal.

Grishneshwar Mandir
Rani Ahilyabai Holkar is said to have built this Shiva temple in the 18th century in small village of Grishneshwar, which lies west of the caves. It houses one of the 12 'self born' jyotirlingas (the phallic symbol of the Lord Shiva) thought to date back to the 2nd century BC. There are no rules banning non-Hindus from the temple and allowed to join the queue for a glimpse of the deity. Men will need to take off their shirts before entering the temple though.

Paithan
An ancient town that lies 56 km south of Aurangabad, Paithan is renowned for its famous Paithani silk saris. The beautiful 6-yard Paithani sari is woven with pure silk yarn and gold thread (drawn from pure gold). It is a matter of pride that this 2000-year-old art of weaving continues, with families passing on their creative skills to younger generations.

A heavy brocade Paithani takes at least 6 months to complete and costs over Rs 50,000, while an ordinary Paithani sari takes about a month to complete and costs between Rs 8,000 and Rs 15,000. The State weaving centre has lovely Paithani wall pieces as well.