14 Best Places to visit in Aurangabad and Around
106 and 30 km respectively from Aurangabad, the remote sites of Ajanta and Ellora were so well chosen by religious communities for their seclusion that their rock-cut wonders remained forgotten until accidentally discovered in the 19th century. Minks and artists worked for hundreds of years, showing an amazing knowledge of rock formation, hammering out temples and halls and statues and covering he walls of Ajanta caves with intricate frescoes, all which still stagger the imagination.
The thirty four rock-cut caves of Ellora and the thirty of Ajanta are among the wonders of ancient art. Spanning almost half a dozen centuries, they offer a rewarding insight into the great religious forces that have moulded India.Brahamanism, Jainism and Buddhism and later, the splitting of Buddhism into Hinayana and Mahayana system are all displayed in the painting and sculptures of the Ajanta and Ellora caves.
Tourist Places to Visit in Aurangabad are : –
Aurangabad Caves
7 km. Excavated in three groups on a small hill, they are of Buddhist origin and comprise of chapels and monasteries, some of which bear specimens of beautiful sculpture. Top among the list of tourist places to visit in Aurangabad.
Open from sunrise to sunset, or 1800 hours, whichever is earlier.
Bibi Ka Maqbara
5 km. Mausoleum of Dikras Banu Begum, popularly Known as Rabia Durrani, wife of Aurangzeb, this is the finest Mughal monument in the Deccan. It is said to have been built between 1657 and 1661.The mausoleum stands in a square of 1,37,000 sq. metres and is modeled on the Taj Mahal. Top among the list of tourist places to visit in Aurangabad.
Children below 15 years free. Free on Fridays.
Open from sunrise to 2200 hrs.
Panchakki Caves
This pre-Mughal (17 century AD) monument is a water mill where water was harnessed to turn large grinding stones, and it is served as a flour mill in olden days. The tomb of Baba Shah Musafir can also be visited. Top among the list of tourist places to visit in Aurangabad.
Open from sunrise to 2000 hrs.
MUSEUM
History Museum of Maharastra University
Excavated material of Satvahan dynasty(2nd century BC); Sculpture from Marathawada region(7th & 12th century AD); Miniature Paintings of Maratha; Rajput, Mughal and company paintings of East India Company periods. Arms and armoury from the medieval period. Decorative objects of Chinese and Japanese origin. China clay and gold embroidery etc. Several manuscript of 17th & 18 century AD in Persian and Arabic language.
Timing 1030 to 1730 hrs. Close on Sundays.
State Archaeology Museum, Sonehari Mahal
Sculpture & broken panels from archaeological sites in Paithan.
Timing :1030 hrs to 1730 hrs. Close on Sunday
Gardens And Park
Siddharth Udyan
Near Central Bus Stand
Nehru Udyan
Near Collectorate
Tourist places to Visit near Aurangabad :
(Distances are from the Govt. of India Tourist Office of Aurangabad.)
View Point
90 km. Across the Ajanta caves is a vantage point commanding a fine panoramic view of all the 30 caves in the horse-shoe shaped ravine.
Daulatabad Fort
13 km (enroute to Ellora). Built by Bhilam Raja of the Yadava Dynasty in 1187, it was then called Deogiri. Considered one of the oldest existing and impregnable forts of India. Emperor Muhammad Bin Tughlaq renamed it Daultabad and brought his capital here temporarily around 1326 A.D. Among its remarkable feature are a deep moat, the scarp and spiral passage all hewn out of solid rock. Also worthy of attention is the Chand Minar, a striking tower. Among top in the list of tourist places to visit near Aurangabad.
Open from sunrise to 1730 hrs.
Khuldabad
26 km (enroute to Ellora).The austere tomb of Emperor Aurangzeb is situated here. Nearby is also a Mughal garden called Bani Begum Ka Bagh.
Grishneshwar Temple
30 km (near the Ellora Caves). This is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and sacred to Hindus. A fair is held here each year on Mahashivratri day (around March). Among top in the list of tourist places to visit near Aurangabad among Hindu pilgrimage.
Paithan
56 km (south of Aurangabad). The ancient city of Prathistan, now known as Paithan, was the seat of the Satvahana dynasty who ruled from 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD. Situated on the banks of the sacred river Godavari,the little town is famous for its shrine of Sant Eknath which lends it special spiritual Ambience. Every year on Nath Shastri which usually falls in the month of March, a big fair is held called Paithan Yatra. People from far and near come to pay their homage to Sant Eknath.
Paithan is also famous for its gold and silver embroidered saris called ‘paithani’. The government has restored this ancient cottage industry by giving incentives to the workers and the Paithani weaving cebtre is carrying out its work on a co-operative basis. Allow half a day.
Jayakwadi Project(Nath Sagar)
4 km. North of Paithan town, an earthen dam on the river Godavari has been constructed and a large reservoir formed, submerging 35,000 hectares of land. The lake formed is called ‘Nath Sagar), and is the main source for water in this region.
The area around Jayakwadi and Paithan is being fast developed. The large Gyaneshwar Udyan (garden) named after the well known saint Gyaneshwar is nearly completion. It is planned along the lined of the Brindavan gardens at Mysore, Pinjora in Haryana and Shalimar in Kashmir. Facing Nath Sagar near the north and south end of the dam are constructed two view points for watching indigenous and migratory birds. Beast season for bird-watching is between October and March. Allow half a day. It’s among top tourist places to visit in Aurangabad.
Pitalkhora Caves
They form a link between the art of Amravati on the one hand and of Sanchi on the other and are important rock cut caves by the followers of the Hinayana sect of Buddhists.
These caves date back to 300 BC, predating even the Ajanta caves in ancestry by nearly a hundred years. As on descends nearly 200 ft to the caves the spectacular view of the gallery of 14 caves unfolds suddenly filling the visitor with awe. The visitor is met with spectacle of an enormous bowl of rock chiseled and carved into caves, each decorated with frescoes and sculptures covering a large variety of subjects. Among top in the list of tourist places to visit in Aurangabad.
How to get There
The nearest airport is at Aurangabad,78 km .Nearest railheads are Chalisgaon and Aurangabad.
By road, Aurangabad is 78 km and Bombay 328 km (via Manmad,Chalisgaon)
SHIRDI
Shrine of Sri Sai Baba,muslim saint whose magical powers earned him devotee of all religions. Thursday, the day Sri Sai baba attained Nirvana, is a special day at Shirdi. Other important days on which special fair is organised are Ramnavmi, Guru purnima and Dussehra.
Places to See
Samadhi Mandir,the celebrated shrine where a life-like marble statue has been installed on a high pedestal.
Khandola Mandir
Dwarkamayee Mosque
Chadi
Lendi Gardens
Sakori Shram(2 km from Shirdi)
How to get there:
Nearest airport is Nasik,115 km.
Nearest railhead is Kopargaon,18 km on Manmad-Daund section of central railway.
Shirdi is 327 km from Bombay(via Nasik,Yeole),144 km from Aurangabad (Via Vajapur, Kopargaon) and 183 km from Pune (via Kalamba, Talegao).
State Transport buses connects Shirdi with Mumbai, Nasik, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Pune, Kopargaon, Indore etc. MTDC runs tours to Shirdi (in season) from Mumbai. Among top in the list of tourist places to visit near Aurangabad.
Aundha Nagnath
203 km. The site of the second Jyotirlinga (Shiva) temple in Marathawada region. Devotees from far and near visit this place to offer their prayers. Among top in the list of tourist places to visit near Aurangabad among Hindu pilgrimage.
Parli Vaijnath
This is the third place in Maharastra region which has the Jyotirlinga (Shiva) shrine. The temple of Vaijnath was renovated by Rani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore. Among top in the list of tourist places to visit near Aurangabad among Hindu pilgrimage.
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