Aurangabad
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Aurangabad, The city of Aurangabad was founded by Malik Ambar, the Prime Minister of Murtaza Nizam Shah II, in 1610, on the site of a village, Khirki. When Fateh Khan, Malik Ambar's son succeeded the throne in 1626, he named the city 'Fatehpur'. In 1653, when Aurangzeb became the Viceroy
of the Deccan, he made it his capital, and renamed it Aurangabad. A region that has been inhabited since the Stone Ages, Aurangabad has seen several dynasties come and go, absorbing the culture of each into itself.
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Aurangabad Caves, Just outside the city, lie the Aurangabad caves, excavated between the 2nd and 6th century AD. Tantric influences can be discerned in their architecture and iconography. There are twelve caves in all, a major chunk of which are viharas, of which Caves 3 and 7 are the most fascinating.
Bibi - Ka - Maqbara, The Bibi - Ka - Maqbara was built in 1679, by Aurangzeb's son, as a tribute to his
mother Begum Rabia Durani. A replica of the Taj Mahal, this monument is the only specimen of Mughal architecture of its kind, in the Deccan plateau.
Pan Chakki, Dating back to the 17th century, this ingenious watermill, that takes its name from the mill, which used to grind grain for the pilgrims, was designed to generate energy via water, brought down from a spring on a mountain, located nearby.
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Access by Air:
The Aurangabad airport is 10 kms from the city, and links the city directly to Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur and Mumbai.
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Access by Rail:
By rail, Aurangabad is directly linked to Pune and Mumbai. Jalgaon, a railhead on the Central Railway line, is only 59 kms from Ajanta (30 kms).
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Access by Road:
State Transport buses run from Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Shirdi, Nasik and Dhule to Aurangabad and from Aurangabad to Jalgaon. Maharashtra Tourist Development Corporation (M T D C) operates a bus service, and conducts luxury - coach - tours from Mumbai to Aurangabad.
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