Tourism

Daulatabad Fort (also known as Devgiri) is a massive 11th-century citadel that stands on a high conical hill. Its three encircling walls with bastions, a moat, and a complex defense system made it one of the most powerful forts during the medieval period. It was a Yadava stronghold until Ala-ud-din Khilji invaded and captured it in 1296. Muhammad-bin-Tughluq shifted the Delhi Sultanate capital to Daulatabad in 1327 and it served as the capital of India until 1334. Most of the fort walls still stand although some of the palaces and other structures lie in ruins. What stands tall is the Chand Minar, a 30-metre-high minaret built by Sultan Ahmed Shah II in 1447. The fort is located 16 km northwest of Aurangabad, about halfway to Ellora Caves.

No guide to Aurangabad is complete without mentioning Bibi ka Maqbara. Known as the Taj of the Deccan, it is one of the city’s iconic monuments. Like his father Shah Jahan who built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife, Aurangzeb too commissioned a mausoleum for his wife Rabia-ul-Daurani. However, it was his son Muhammad Azam Shah who eventually built the Bibi ka Maqbara in memory of his mother. Unlike the Taj Mahal, which is built of marble, Bibi ka Maqbara is made of limestone and plaster and is encased in marble, but the onion dome is all marble. In my opinion, the comparisons to the Taj Mahal do injustice to this monument, which has its own humble charm.

The UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Ajanta and Ellora Caves lie (respectively) 100km and 30km from Aurangabad. So, the city makes a great base to explore both sites. Ajanta has 29 Buddhist caves dating to between the 2nd century BC and 6th century AD. Ellora, on the other hand, comprises Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain religious centres spread over 34 caves dating between the 6th and 11th centuries AD. Both sites have remarkable rock-cut sculptures and paintings

A couple of important temples stand within a short driving distance from Aurangabad. One of them is the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple. This is the twelfth Jyotirlinga and is an important pilgrimage site. The original temple was destroyed by the Mughals. It was rebuilt in the current form in the 18th century under the sponsorship of queen Ahilyabai Holkar. The other temple worth seeing is Bhadra Maruti Temple (pictured on the left) in Khuldabad. Here, the idol of Hanuman is portrayed in a reclining or sleeping posture. This is also a major pilgrimage centre and is particularly busy during Hanuman Jayanti and Ram Navami. Both temples are close to Ellora Caves (1-5km), so you can easily combine these sites.