Aurangabad - At the Heart of History

Aurangabad is a city in the interiors of Maharashtra, known for its association from ancient to medieval history of India. For tourists, it is a hub from where they can travel to famous archaeological sites like Ajanta, Ellora and Daulatabad. 

Dilli Darwaza, Aurangabad

There are plenty of options available for accommodation and dining in Aurangabad. Many of these tourist attractions mentioned in above paragraph can be visited within a single day itself. Aurangabad was renamed to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar by Maharashtra Government in 2022 in the honour of Sambhaji Bhosale, a brave king of the Maratha Empire.  

Ajanta Caves (Left - Outside View, Right - Buddhist Stupa inside Cave), Aurangabad

Ajanta Caves are 102 KM (2.5 hour drive) from Aurangabad. There are 29 rock-cut caves in Ajanta containing Buddhist sculptures and paintings. They were carved between 2nd century BC to 5th century AD. Ajanta is now a certified UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Ellora Caves (Left - Stone Carvings, Right - Stone Pillar), Aurangabad

Apart from Ajanta, Ellora Caves are also another tourist attraction. They are closer to Aurangabad (36 KM, 1 hour drive) and are also an UNESCO World Heritage Site. They were carved later than Ajanta, between 6th to 9th century AD. Unlike Ajanta, which has only Buddhist theme, Ellora is a mixture of 3 Indian religions - Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Ellora has total 100 caves, out of which only 34 are open to the public.  

Daulatabad Fort is about 20 KM (40 minute drive) from Aurangabad. It was capital of the Delhi Sultanate from 1327 to 1334. Formerly it was known as Devagiri, until it was renamed to Daulatabad in 1327 by Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate, when he had shifted the capital of his empire from Delhi to here. Later in 1334, Tughluq went back to Delhi as he found this area too dry for sustaining his rule over the empire.  

Entrance of Daulatabad Fort, Aurangabad

Aurangabad has other Sites associated with Mughal empire over the Indian subcontinent. In Khuldabad (29 KM, 55 minute drive), lies the Tomb of Aurangzeb, a powerful Mughal Emperor who was Shivaji's infamous rival. Within the city limits, there is Bibi Ka Maqbara. It is a Tomb built by Azam Shah, son of Aurangzeb, in the honour of his mother, Dilras Banu Begum. Bibi Ka Maqbara literally translates to "Tomb of the Lady". It was built around 1668. It bears a striking resemblance to Taj Mahal of Agra, hence it is also called as "Deccan Taj". 

Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad

Aurangabad is well connected by Air and Railways to major cities in India like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. It is 330 KM (6 hour drive) from Mumbai and 236 KM (5 hour drive) from Pune by road. MSRTC Buses ply between Aurangabad to many cities in Maharashtra.