Aurangabad named after the Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb, Aurangabad is one of the famed and most sought after tourist
destination in Maharashtra. Jotted with a plenitude of ancient and historic
monuments, this quaint city wears a rustic charm of the past and still holds to
its roots. Also called the 'City of Gates', a visit to this historic city will
get you acquainted with the many different places to visit in Aurangabad and
will offer a lively glimpse of its golden past.
When it comes to tourism, the tourist places
in Aurangabad with their history and brilliance attracts a large number of
tourists from almost all the corners of the country. The overwhelming crowd,
the myriad options for the tourists and the amazing ambience around Aurangabad
makes it the tourism hub in the entire of Maharashtra.
10 Reasons Why….
01Ajanta Caves
While searching for all the Aurangabad places to visit, Ajanta
Caves will be one of the first and foremost names. A group of around 30
Buddhist caves that are carved out of rocks, these caves date back to the 2nd
century and is considered as an epitome of ancient architecture and considered
as the most brilliant form of Indian art.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ajanta Caves is further divided
into many different caves that were meant for various purposes. From the
architecture, shape and form of the caves, it is pretty evident that the
ancient Buddhist monks used these caves for studying, living and worship
purposes. The murals, paintings and carvings on the wall reveal many unknown
facts about the way of living, the cultures and traditions of a bygone era.
Once bygone and forgotten, these chain of caves were later
rediscovered in 1819 by a British officer named John Smith while he accidently
landed on them during his tiger hunting expedition. Since then, the caverns
started gaining popularity among the history and architect lovers, tourists
from across the world and aspiring geologists and became one of the must visit
places near Aurangabad.
02Bibi Ka Maqbara
If you still think only Taj Mahal is the ultimate symbol of
love, you must visit'BibiKaMaqbara', one of the historic places that must be
visited while in Aurangabad called the. Though not as huge and popular like the
Taj, this historic monument also symbolise the love of the Mughal emperor
Aurangzeb for his wife DilrasBanu Begum.
With a significant resemblance with the Taj Mahal, this
mausoleum was built between 1651 and 1661 against a whooping sum of money.
Though the emperor was not keenly interested in architecture, this is credited
as the largest structure built by him. Built on an elevated platform, it is
guarded by four minarets along its four corners and can be reached by a series
of steps from three different sides.
Studded with exquisite marbles and ornamented with intricate
designs, carvings and showcasing the immortal love, this ancient monument truly
deserves a visit while you are planning to cover all the major places to visit
in Aurangabad.
03Daulatabad Fort
One of the most commanding and undefeatable forts in the entire
country, Daulatabad Fort in Daulatabad; or Devagiri as it was known earlier, is
among the must visit places near Aurangabad. Around 11km north-west of
Aurangabad, this glorious fortress stand strong on a conical hill that stands
around 200m above the sea level.
Looking back into the history of the fort, you will realise its
importance and strength. Compared to the other forts within or far from the
region, the defence of Daulatabad Fort were very strong. With a narrow bridge
as the only access to inside the fortress, it became very tough for the
intruders to conquer the fort. And to add more to the fame of this glorious structure,
you cannot miss the fact that during its lifetime, it was never been conquered
by the enemies and stayed ever glorious throughout its reign.
Talking about the architecture of this fort, it is three layers
of defensive walls, and its moat, scrap and the sub-terranean passage are made
out of solid rocks. A large pit of fire in its upper outlet gave hard times to
the enemies and also helped in their progression. Chand Minar, ChiniMahal and
Baradari are three of the most popular and significant structures within the
fort.
04Ellora Caves
Another architectural brilliance of a bygone era, Ellora Caves
is also among the not to miss places to visit near Aurangabad. Located around
29km from the city centre, this chain of caves were built by the Rashtrakuta
dynasty of the Buddhist clan and Yadav group of the Jains. A must visit UNESCO
World Heritage site in Maharashtra, this series of caves also showcases the
perfection and epitome of the pre historic times of the Indian culture.
Built in accordance with the Buddhist and Jain architecture, the
caves also stand a testimony to the peace and brotherhood among these groups
and were carved out during the late 5th and 10th century. The entire structure
mainly comprises of monasteries; also known as 'viharas', and are divided into
different levels. The multi-level structure is further divided into small
quarters meant for sleeping, kitchen and several other purpose.
With detailed and intricate carvings, the caves are now given
distinct numbers. Among all these, the Vishwakarma; cave number 10,
Dashavatara; cave number 15, Kailasanatha Temple; cave number 16, Rameshvara;
cave number 21 and IndraSabha; cave number 32, are the most prominent and
sought after in the Ellora Cave. The glimpses of a bygone era, the diverse
history, architectural brilliance and the grandeur of this chain of caves make
it one of the most popular tourist places near Aurangabad.
05Grishneshwar Temple
An important pilgrimage for the Hindus, this ancient temple is
located in a quaint hamlet that is around 30km from Aurangabad and also lies
within the limits of the historic Ellora Caves. A major name in the list of
tourist places near Aurangabad, the temple is considered as a pious destination
by the Hindu devotees. It is also said that it is the last or the 12th
'Jyotirlinga' on earth.
Built in pre-historical architectural style and in red bricks
with the walls showcasing the carvings of several Hindu Gods and Goddesses, the
temple was later renovated during the 18th century. According to the legends,
holy water springs out from inside the temple and purifies one heart and soul.
Legends also has it that out of jealousy between two sisters;
Sudeha and Ghushma, who were married to a Brahmin named BrahmavettaSudhram, the
former sister killed one of the sons of the latter. Though Ghushma got to know
about this heart wrenching incident, her devotion towards Lord Shiva was
unshaken and she continued worshipping the Lord with full devotion. Pleased
with her devotion, the Lord fulfilled Ghushma's wish to stay there eternally in
the form of a jyotirlinga, and thus the Grishneshwar Temple became a pious and
devout pilgrimage for the Hindus.
06Himayat Bagh
Once known as the 'Mughal Garden', HimayatBagh in Aurangabad is
another delightful reminiscent of the past. Sprawling over an area of 300
acres, this lush and verdant garden of the 17th century is now the home to the
Fruit Research Station and Nursery.
A garden established during the reign of the great Mughal
emperor Aurangzeb, HimayatBagh got its origin from the northern wall
surrounding the emperor's palace. Due to the unhealthy exhalation and dampness
of the wall, it was summoned to be destroyed and the place to be made healthy.
Once it was done, the entire place was converted into a lush and colourful
garden; thus HimayatBagh came into existence.
In the present time, the opulent greeneries, the bucolic
ambience around and the different species of plants, trees and herbs around the
garden has made it one of the important places to visit in Aurangabad. Visit
this gorgeous garden, take a walk through the well-manicured lawns, rediscover
the bits and crunches of a bygone era while cuddling your senses along with the
cool breezes!
07Jayakwadi
Dam
Another not to miss Aurangabad places to visit is the
fascinating Jayakwadi Dam. Known to be one of the largest irrigation dams in
the entire of Maharashtra and one of the largest earthen dams in Asia, it
contributes mainly to irrigation and other agricultural purposes in the
Marathwada vicinity which is mainly a drought prone area.
Also contributing largely to meet the need and requirement of
drinking water in areas like Aurangabad, Jalna and others, this dam on the
Godavari River is located in a hamlet called Jayakwadi in the Paithantaluka of
Aurangabad. With the surrounding areas housing a garden and a bird sanctuary,
the foundation of this dam was laid in in 1965 and was completed in 1976.
During your visit to Jayakwadi Dam, also visit the Jayakwadi
Bird Sanctuary that comprises of 30 tiny islands formed by the NathSagar and
serves as one of the major tourist places near Aurangabad. Shallow water,
favourable conditions and the availability of food makes this sanctuary an
ideal shelter for a large number of local and migratory birds. On a whole, it
serves as an abode to more than 200 species of rare and exotic birds including
cranes, flamingos, wigeons, brahminy and several others.
08Zainuddin
Shirzai's Maqbara
More than a tourist destination, Aurangabad is known for its
diverse history and pious saints. One among such saints, Syed Zain-ud-Din, who
was born in Shiraz, Hijri, came to Delhi and became the disciple of
MaulanaKamaluddin in Samana. Along with his teacher, he finally came to
Daualtabad and began the 'Chistia Order'.
All along his life, he dedicated himself for the preaching and
well-being of the people. After his death, a cenotaph was built to commemorate
his great contributions to the society. A maqbara called the
ZainuddinShirzai'sMaqbara was built in Khuladabad, which now is visited by the
Muslims of the Dakhan region and also by visitors from all over the world.
09Lonar
Crater Lake
Around 3 hours from Aurangabad, the Lonar Crater Lake in
Buldhana district of Maharashtra is also among the important places to visit
near Aurangabad. A study point of several geologists, ecologists,
archaeologists, naturalist, astronomers and aspiring students, this lake was
created due to impact of a meteor that is known to be the largest of its kind.
Huge mass and velocity of the meteor, after it hit the ground, created a saline
soda lake that measures around 1.2km in diameter and 137m in depth.
Though in the beginning, the origin of this fascinating lake was
believed to be due to a volcanic eruption, later studies on the Lonar Crater
Lake confirmed that it is the impact of a meteor that created it. Oval in
shape, it is surrounded by a series of low lying hills and lush greeneries. In
addition to the amazing outlook of the lake, the surrounding also adds to its
captivating beauty and charm. On your visit to this saline lake, you can also
witness several temples around it; among all of these, the Daitya Sudan, which
is located at the heart of the Lonar town is currently in good form.
10Panchakki
& Baba Shah MusafirDargah
Today, we might be living in a world, where science and
technology has achieved giant milestones. However, looking at the Panchakki in
Aurangabad, we cannot deny the fact, medieval India was also up to date with
science and technology of their own kinds.
Also known as the 'Water Mill'; the origin of the name is
associated with the mill that used to grind grains for the pilgrims to the
sight, Panchakki was built to meet up the energy requirement by bringing down
the water of a spring in a nearby mountain. An underground conduit feeds the
mill with uninterrupted supply of water, which then descends down to a cistern
from a considerable height and produces the required power to operate the mill.
Around the mill, you can find the Baba Shah MusafirDargah, a
sprawling garden and several other monuments. It also offers amazing views of
the Kham River and the cenotaph of Baba Shah Musafir and a few graves that
belongs to his disciples. One of the scientific marvels of the olden times, it
is truly one of the not to be misses places to visit in Aurangabad!
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