West India · Maharashtra
Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Sources: wikimedia
Before you go
Grishneshwar sits a few hundred metres from the Ellora caves, so the Jyotirlinga and the UNESCO rock-cut temples are naturally one visit. The city was officially renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2023.
About Aurangabad
- Inland
Where it is
Aurangabad, officially renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2023, is a city on the Kham river in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, on the Deccan plateau, and the gateway to the Ellora and Ajanta caves.
History
Malik Ambar, the Ethiopian-born minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, founded the city as Khadki in 1610, and Aurangzeb renamed it Aurangabad in 1653 as Mughal viceroy of the Deccan. It was later the first capital of the Nizams of Hyderabad, while the nearby Ellora caves, Daulatabad fort and Grishneshwar temple record far older Hindu, Buddhist and Jain history.
People
The city speaks Marathi alongside Dakhni Urdu and Hindi, a mix shaped by its long years under the Nizams. Weavers keep alive Himroo shawls and Paithani silk, and naan qalia, a spiced mutton stew eaten with bread, is a local speciality.
Known for
- Ellora Caves and the Kailasa Temple
- Ajanta Caves
- Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple
- Bibi Ka Maqbara
- Himroo weaving and Paithani saris
Did you know?
Bibi Ka Maqbara, built in the 17th century in memory of Aurangzeb's wife Dilras Banu Begum, was modelled on the Taj Mahal and is often called the Taj of the Deccan.
Shrines and sites
- Grishneshwar Temple
- Ellora Caves
- Ajanta Caves
- Bibi Ka Maqbara
Traditions
- Hindu
- Buddhist
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