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 2.9 million
Climate: 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.
Best times to visit: Between the months of
June and September and from October to March.
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 Ajanta CavesAbout
107 kms from the city of Aurangabad, the rock cut caves of Ajanta nestle in
a panoramic gorge, in the form of a gigantic horseshoe. Among the finest
examples of some of the earliest Buddhist architecture, cave paintings and
sculptures, these caves comprise Chaitya Halls, or shrines dedicated to Lord
Buddha and Viharas or monasteries used by Buddhist monks for meditation and
the study of Buddhist teachings. The paintings that adorn the walls and
ceilings of the caves depict incidents from the life of Buddha and various
Buddhist divinities. Among the more interesting paintings are the jakata
tales, illustrating diverse stories relating to the previous incarnations of
the Buddha as Bodhisattva, a saintly being who is destined to become Buddha.
Occupied for almost 700 years the caves of Ajanta seem to have been
abandoned rather abruptly. They remained shrouded in obscurity upon them
while on a hunting expedition in 1819. The viewpoint from where John Smith
first glimpsed the caves provides a magnificent sight of the U-Shaped gorge
and its scenic surroundings. Ajanta has been designated as a World Heritage
Site, to be preserved as an artistic legacy that will come to inspire and
enrich the lives of generations to come.
The Ellora CavesThe
cave temples and monasteries at Ellora, excavated out of the vertical face
of an escarpment are 26 kms north of Aurangabad. Extending in a linear
arrangement, the 34 caves contain Buddhist Chaityas, or halls of worship,
and Viharas, or monasteries, Hindu and Jain temples. Spanning a period of
about 600 years between the 5th and the 11th century A.D., the earliest
excavation here is of the Dhumar Lena (cave 29). The most imposing
excavation is, without doubt that of the magnificent Kailasa Temple (cave
16), which is the single largest monolithic structure in the World.
Interestingly Ellora, unlike the sight of Ajanta was never rediscovered.
Known as Verul in ancient times, it has continuously attracted pilgrims
through the centuries. Ellora has been designated a World Heritage Site, to
be preserved as an artistic legacy that will come to inspire and enrich the
lives of generations to come.
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.
Ellora Festival: The third week of March every year,
Aurangabad dons the mantle of host and gears up for a festival of music and
dance. This festival is organized by the Maharashtra Tourism Development
Corporation (the MTDC). The city decks up with lights in anticipation for
this time and event.
The Ellora festival is conducted at the
Aurangabad Caves, an ambience that succeeds in giving its audience a feeling
of beauty and mystery. Sitting in the caves and listening to some of the
best singers perform, one is almost transported to another time and the
magic of an era that revelled in the beautiful.
HOW
TO GET THERE:
By Road: Aurangabad is
well connected to
Mumbai
(388 km), Nashik (221 km), Shirdi (136 km), Ajanta (110 km), Pune (299 km) and
Ellora (30 km).
By Air: Indian Airlines and Jet Airways operate daily flights to Aurangabad
from Mumbai and
Delhi.
By
Rail: Super fast trains connect Aurangabad with Mumbai.
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India Travel Hotel.
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