Aurangabad is a city in Maharashtra named after the great Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The word Aurangabad literally means ‘built by the throne’. Located in the northern part of the state, the city is situated on the banks of the river Kham. According to history, in 1681, Aurangzeb made this place the basis for all his political campaigns. In 1956 the region was merged into the state of Maharashtra. The city of Aurangabad is also known as the City of Gates.

BIBI KA MAKBARA

This place is the most famous place of Aurangabad in the list of tourist destinations. The Bibi ka Makbara is said to be a replica of the Taj Mahal of Agra. It is a unique example of Mughal and Persian architecture. It was built by Aurangzeb’s son Azam Shah in 1678 in memory of his mother and Aurangzeb’s wife Razia Begum. Around it, there are beautiful gardens, fountains, and ponds which add beauty to the place.

BIG GATES

Aurangabad is known as the City of Gates as it has 52 ‘gates’, each of which has a local history, or had individuals linked with them. Out of the 52 big gates, the most famous, oldest and biggest of them is the Bhadkal Gate.

PANCHAKKI

Situated at a distance of 1km from the city, housed in the Baba Shah Musafir Dargah, Panchakki is famous as an underground water channel, which traverses more than 8 km to its source away in the mountains. The channel ends in an artificial waterfall powering the mill.

SALIM ALI LAKE AND BIRD SANCTUARY

Aurangabad has Salim Ali Lake and the bird sanctuary which is named after the great ornithologist, naturalist Salim Ali, known as birdman of India. It is an abode of various local and migratory birds. In winter when a number of migratory birds arrive for nesting, that’s the best time for bird watching.

ELLORA CAVES

Ellora caves are 30 kilometres from Aurangabad. These caves are famous all over the world due to their magnificent crafts and architecture. Their sculpture provides Buddhist and Jainism cultures. These rock-cut caves are 34 in number, of which 16 are Hindu, 13 Buddhist, and 5 are of Jainism.

AJANTA CAVES

These unique caves are situated at a distance of 99 km from Aurangabad. The credit for the discovery of these caves goes to the British military officer John Smith, who discovered them in the year 1819. The artistic sculptures in these 30 caves carved into the mountains have enchanted the tourists.

GHRISHNESHWAR JYOTIRLINGA TEMPLE

At a distance of one kilometer from Ellora Caves, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas that are famous in India, Ghrishneshwar temple is located. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva which has a huge number of devotees.

HANDICRAFTS OF AURANGABAD

Apart from all these architectural sculptures, Aurangabad is famous for Himroo Shawls and Paithani silk sarees. Himroo is a fabric made of silk and cotton whereas Paithani silk sarees are made from very fine silk which is woven by hand. It is considered as “Paithani is the glory of Maharashtra”

Aurangabad – The journey to Aurangabad is memorable and exciting as the climate here is temperate. The climate becomes beautiful and worth visiting during the rain and winter season. The city is 375 km from Mumbai. The airport here is an international airport which is well connected to the country and abroad. There is a railway station nearby also.