Aurangabad Tour

Aurangabad Caves
Aurangabad caves are located outside the city of Aurangabad just few kilometers away from the famous monument Bibi Ka Maqbara. These caves were excavated between the 2nd and 6th century AD. These caves are carved out of the hillside and are a fine piece of architecture, housing the most stunningly intricate carvings. In total there are twelve caves, a major chunk of which are Viharas, of which Caves 3 and 7, are the most fascinating ones. Caves 1 to 5 are in the western group and caves 6 to 10 are about 1-km away in the eastern group. One can see that Tantric influences discerned in their architecture and iconography of the caves.

Bibi-Ka-Maqbara
Bibi Ka Maqbara, situated 5-km from the Aurangabad city was built in 1678 by Aurangzeb's son Prince Azam Shah, in memory of his mother Begum Rabia Durani. It is considered as a fine piece of Mughal architecture in the Deccan region. It is also known as "The Taj of south India". This mausoleum is a replica of the famous Taj Mahal. Though the layout and surrounding of the tomb is very much similar to that of Taj but some how the architecture fails to produce the magic of Taj. When its delicacy of work etc. is compared, it falls far short of the glory of the Taj at Agra. Hence, it is considered to be a poor imitation of Taj Mahal in Agra.

Bani Begum Gardens
They lie just 24-kms from Aurangabad, the centre of which houses the tomb of Bani Begum set amidst the tranquil gardens. She was the wife of one of Aurangzeb's son. One can come across fluted pillars; massive domes and fountains that are built in different styles.

Daulatabad
Once known as "Devgiri", this magnificent 12th century fortress stands atop a hill, 13-km from Aurangabad, and is one of the few impregnable forts in Maharashtra with a fine architecture. Rising dramatically over 600 ft above the Deccan plain, this fort served as the head quarters of the powerful Yadava rulers. In the 13th century, Mohammed Bin Tughluq, the Sultan of Delhi made it his capital and renamed it Daulatabad, or City of Fortune.

Pan Chakki
Dargah of Baba Shah Muzaffar is located on the left bank of the River Kham, near Begampura Bridge, with a mosque, a modest tomb and ornamental gardens. It has an unusual watermill known as "the Pan Chakki", built by Malik Ambar in 1695. The water, channelled from a spring on a distant hill was used to power the flourmill and grind grain for the pilgrims.

Ghrishneshwar Temple
Ghrishneshwar Temple is an important Shivate temple located 30-km away from Aurangabad, just half a kilometre from the Ellora Caves. There are twelve shrines in India, which holds the magnificent 'Jyotirlingas'. Ghrishneshwar Temple is one among the twelve Jyotirlingas in the country. There are various versions of the name itself, such as "Kusumeswara Jyotirlinga", "Grushmeswara Jyotirlinga" and "Grishneswara Jyotirlinga". Worshippers of Shiva flock this temple every year to pay homage to the deity

Pitalkhora Caves
Pitalkhora Caves are located about 40-km northwest of Ellora near Aurangabad. The caves dating from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD are cut into the side of a secluded ravine. Comprising mainly viharas, which form the largest group of 'Hinayana' Buddhist structures. The story of 'Pitalkhora' is shrouded, but the site has yielded many unusual sculptures, including wonderful 'Yaksha' figures.

Khuldabad
Khuldabad, or the Abode of Eternity, is a walled town just 3-km from Ellora. It is a holy shrine for the Muslims and contains the tomb of the last Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. The dargah, or tomb of Moinuddin Chishti, the spiritual guide of the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, is within this sacred complex.

Ajanta
The state of Maharashtra is home to the charming Ajanta and Ellora group of caves. The city of Aurangabad shot to fame as the world's most famous caves, Ajanta and Ellora are situated about 108-kms northeast of Aurangabad. These caves lie deep within the Sahyadri hills, cut into the curved mountainside, above the Waghora River. They constitute one of the most beautiful expressions of the art of the Indian Middle Ages, and are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Paithan
Paithan, an ancient city and pilgrimage centre situated on the banks of the river Godavari, 51 kms south of Aurangabad. Paithan caves are situated 56-km south of Aurangabad on the banks of the river Godavari. The modern village of Paithan was built on top of a large settlement of mound that extends back to early history and perhaps prehistory. It was previously known as "Pratisthan" and was the ancient capital city of the Satvahanas from 2nd Century BC. Located deep in the Daroq Mountains, Paithan caves are not often visited by nightmare adventurers because of its tradition of death. Today, it is also an important excavation site. Centuries ago, the famous Marathi poet - saint, Eknath lived here.

Ellora
Impressive in their own right, the rock-hewn temples and monasteries of Ellora are just 30-km away from Aurangabad. Among the 30-odd shrines at Ellora, the Kailash temple is the most remarkable. Chiselled by hand from a single massive rock, it includes a gateway, courtyard, vestibule and tower.