Located: In Maharashtra the West Indian State.

Main Tourist Attractions: Aurangabad Caves, State Archaeological Museum, Nehru Udyan, History Museum of Marathwada University, Bibi ka Maqbara, Panchakki, Shah Ganj Mosque, Chauk Masjid, Lal Masjid.

When to visit: October to March

Major Tourist Attractions
Ajanta
In 1819, a group of tiger hunting British army officers discovered a series of carved caves those were used as monsoon retreats or varshavasas by Buddhist monks. Altogether there are thirty caves and these caves were continuously occupied from 200 BC to 650 AD. Of the thirty caves, five are chaityas or temples and the rest are viharas or monasteries.

Ellora
The cave temples of Ellora in the lap the Chamadari hills, lay 30km north-west of Aurangabad. Carved into the sides of a basaltic hill, the site also lay on a trade route that connected Paithan with other parts of northern and eastern India. Like Ajanta, Ellora was never lost; and is referred to in the travel accounts of the Arab and the European travellers who visited India during 9th and 10th century AD.

Bibi - ka - Maqbara
Bibi Ka Maqbara is the mausoleum of Dilras Banu begum, the queen of Aurangaseb. Built in.

Panchakki
Panchakki, meaning water wheel, is a calm and peaceful place that visualizes the life that existed in the medieval period. The complex of Panchakki had been a place of external abode of the great Sufi Saints who flocked to India in 12th century AD. The Muslim Sufi Saint Baba Shah Musafir is buried here. Panchakki takes its name from the water mill built in the early 17th century which was considered an engineering marvel at that time. The mill was driven by water and used to grind grain for pilgrims. The water flows down through earthen pipes from a river at a distance of 10km.

Aurangabad Caves
These Buddhist caves are located about 2km north of Bibi-ka-Maqbara Carved out of the hillside around 6th and 7th century AD. There are ten caves in all; caves one to five forming the western group, while one km away, caves six to ten form the eastern group. Cave 4 of the western group is the oldest and is a Hinayana chaitya. Other caves in this group are viharas. Cave 3 is square and has 12 ornate columns. The eastern group of caves has sculptures of women with exotic hair styles and ornamentation. To the left of cave 7 there is a huge sculpture of praying Bodhisatwa. Around Aurangabad


Khuldabad
In the 14th century, several Sufi saints of the Chishti order chose to settle in Khuldabad. The dargah of Moinuddin Chishti, the spiritual guide of Aurangzeb, is within this sacred complex. The austere emperor himself rests nearby, in a simple grave in striking contrast to the grand mausoleums of his predecessors. Khuldabad can be accessed by road.

Daulatabad
Rising over 600 ft above the Deccan plain, the fort at Daulatabad, once known as Devgiri, was the capital of Yadavas. In the 13th century, Mohammed bin Tughlak, the Sultan of Delhi, made it his capital and renamed it Daulatabad, or City of Fortune. It is one of the best preserved forts of medieval times, virtually unaltered. Its defence systems comprised fortifications of double and even triple rows of massive walls. The most notable structures at Daulatabad are the Chand Minar, Jami Masjid and royal palaces. The Jami Masjid was a mosque built by the Khilji ruler of Delhi, Qutub-ud-din Mubarak. The palaces consist of spacious halls, pavilions and courtyards. Daulatabad can be accessed by private taxi or by the local bus that runs between Aurangabad and Ellora.

Paithan
Paithan is famous for the beautiful Paithani saris that are prized by all Indian women. The town is also famous for the Dnyaneshwar Udyan, which is the largest garden in Maharashtra, and a museum with a good collection of art work. The Jaikwadi Dam nearby is a bird-watchers delight. 51km south of Aurangabad, Paithan can be best accessed by road from Aurangabad.

Anwa Temple
A Shiva temple built in the 12th century, and consists of a sanctuary and a mandapa with decorated pillars, stands in the village of Anwa, 10 kms east of Golegaon. The niches have exquisitely sculpted images of Vishnu, Ganesha and other deities. Located on the main road leading from Aurangabad to the Ajanta Caves, Anwa Temple can be reached by taking a well-marked diversion at Golegaon. Private car or taxi is probably the best mode of transport.

Pitalkhora Caves
Pitalkhora Caves, consists thirteen Buddhist excavations from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD, are located about 40 km north-west of Ellora. These caves, cut into the side of a secluded ravine, are mainly viharas and they form the largest group of Hinayana Buddhist structures in Maharashtra. Pitalkhora is best accessed by road from Aurangabad.