Aurangabad
Travel to Aurangabad will let you explore a good number of heritage sites and other major places of tourist attractions in India. Travel to Aurangabad will let you come to the western part of India. The old Muslim legacy is still retained in this city, where you get to see many specimens of Islamic architectures. In the recent past the city is acclaimed for its development in heavy industries. This city of more than half a million people is quite an impressive place to visit in India.
History of Aurangabad
The city was founded in 1610 A.D. by Malik Ambar, the Prime Minister of Murtaza. Nizam Shah of Ahmadnagar on the site of a village called Khadki. He made it his capital and the men of his army raised their dwellings around it. Within a decade Khadki grew into a populous and imposing city. Malik Ambar died in 1626. He was succeeded by his son Fateh Khan who changed the name of Khadki to Fatehnagar. With the capture of Daulatabad in 1633, the Nizam Shahi dominions including Fatehnagar came under the possession of the Moghals. In 1653 when Prince Aurangzeb was appointed the viceroy of the Deccan for the second time, he made Fatehnagar his capital and called it Aurangabad.
Shopping
Aurangabad is famous for its Himroo shawls and sarees. There is a factory that is on the way back from Daultabad Fortress/Ellora.
Himroo is an age old art of weaving that originated in Aurangabad. Real Himroo is woven with pure gold or silver threads and a real Himroo saree can sell for many thousands of dollars.
Ajanta Caves: The Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India are 31 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BC. The caves include paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art (which depict the Jataka tales) as well as frescos which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka.
Ellora Caves: Ellora is an archaeological site, 30 km (19 mi) from the city of Aurangabad in the Indian state of Maharashtra built by the Rashtrakuta rulers. Well known for its monumental caves, Ellora is a World Heritage Site. Ellora represents the epitome of Indian rock-cut architecture. The 34 “caves” – actually structures excavated out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills – being Buddhist, Hindu and Jain rock cut temples and monasteries, were built between the 5th century and 10th century.
Naukhanda palace
The Naukhanda palace was built by Malik Ambar in 1616 upon the summit of a rising ground at Aurangabad, India. The massive portal gateway leading to this, over which the Naubatkhana sounded, was called Barkal. According to one account a noble of Aurangzeb’s court named Alam Khan, made additions to this Palace; and further additions were subsequently made by Asaf Jah I. An adjoining block of buildings was screened off by a partition wall for Nasir Jang. The Naukonda palace was also occupied by Nizam Ali Khan, when he was at Aurangabad.
