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Tourist Places in Aurangabad |
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| Tuesday, 18 March 2008 | |
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History of Aurangabad
Aurangabad is an ancient city
situated in the western region of India. Spread over an area of approximately
138.5 sq km, the city falls on the northern side of Maharashtra. Aurangabad
stands on the banks of the Kham River, surrounded by wooded hills on all the
four sides. A historical city, it is known for its rich cultural legacy and its
splendid historic monuments, which speak volumes about its royal past. Infact,
the city once formed a very important seat of Mughal Empire, though for a very
short period.
As we look into the past of the Aurangabad city, we find that it was initially
under the rule of the Mauryan rulers. Infact, they were the ones to introduce
Buddhism in this part of the country. The numerous Buddhist cave temple seen in
and around the city, serve as a proof of the advent as well as flourishing
state of Buddhism here. Amongst them, the popular ones are those of Ajanta and
Ellora, situated very close to Aurangabad. Satvahana and Rashtrakuta rulers also
contributed to the construction of marvelous temples in the city.
When the talk is about Aurangabad's history, how can one forget the role of the
Mughal rulers? The city was founded in the year 1610 and came up on the site of
a 'Khirki' village, which was ruled over by Malik Ambar, a local Muslim noble.
After him, his son took over the reins of the village and renamed it as
Fatehpur in 1626. The hamlet went into the hands of Emperor Aurangzeb, the last
Mughal Emperor, in 1653 and was renamed by him as 'Aurangabad'. Thereafter, the
city became his capital and started moving forward on the path of development.
After Mughals, the historical city came under the rule of the Nizam of
Hyderabad and continued to be ruled by him until 1948. Thereafter, it was combined
with the other cities to form the state of Maharashtra. Today, Aurangabad
claims a significant chunk of the travel & tourism industry of Maharashtra.
The splendid monuments of the city reminds one of the Mughal era it has
witnessed. Sites like Aurangabad Caves, Bibi-Ka-Maqbara, Daulatabad Fort, etc
have contributed to its popularity. Whenever you in Maharashtra, make sure to
visit Aurangabad and lose yourself in the historical charm of the city.
Tuorist Places in Aurangabad
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.
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.
The
Ajanta Caves
About 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.
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 30 September 2008 ) | |
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