MUST VISIT PLACES IN AURANGABAD

At a distance of 3 km from Bibi Ka Maqbara and 8 km from Aurangabad Railway Station, the Aurangabad Caves are 12 artificial rock-cut Buddhist Caves located on a hill running roughly east to west in Aurangabad. Sculptural carvings of Aurangabad Caves can be compared to the best paintings of Ajanta. These are one of the the popular Aurangabad tourist places.

The first reference to the Aurangabad Caves is in the great chaitya of Kanheri Caves. The caves are datable from circa 2nd - 3rd century AD to 7th century AD. Aurangabad Caves are among the best heritage places to visit near Mumbai. These caves were dug out of comparatively soft basalt rock during the 6th and 7th century. The caves are divided into three separate groups depending on their location. The first group of caves consists of cave number 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the second group comprises of cave number 6, 7, .....

At a distance of 2 km from Bibi Ka Maqbara and 6 km from Aurangabad Railway Station, Sunheri Mahal is a palace located at the foothill of the Aurangabad Caves in the Paharsingpura area of Aurangabad. It is one of the top places to visit in Aurangabad.

Soneri Mahal was built by a Bandalkand chief who accompanied Aurangzeb into the Dakhan. The Mahal was built between 1651 AD and 1653 AD at a cost of Rs.50, 000 and in 1934 AD it was sold to the Nizam of Hyderabad for Rs.26, 400. The Mahal is named after the paintings in the palace that were once painted in gold.

It is a grand two stored building constructed in typical Rajput style. The palace is made up of lime and stone. Sprawling over two storeys, the palace stands as a testimony of Indian architectural splendor with some intricate decorations all over. A well-manicured garden adds to its beauty. The entrance of the Palace is decorated with beautifully .....

At a distance of 5 km from Aurangabad Railway Station, Bibi Ka Maqbara is a beautiful mausoleum situated in Aurangabad. Maintained by Archeological Survey of India, Bibi Ka Muqbara is one of the top tourist places to visit in Aurangabad.

The Bibi-Ka-Maqbara is dedicated to Rabia-ul-Daurani alias Dilras Banu Begum, the wife of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb's son, Prince Azam Shah built the mausoleum between 1651 AD and 1661 AD in the memory of his mother Begum Rabia Durani. This mausoleum is a replica of the world-famous Taj Mahal. Also known as Mini Taj, the mausoleum is far less ornamental than the Taj Mahal in Agra. It is one of the must include places in Aurangabad tour packages.

An inscription found on the main entrance door mentions that this mausoleum was designed and erected by Ata-Ullah, an architect, and Hanspat Rai, an engineer .....

At a distance of 5.5 km from Aurangabad Railway Station, Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum is located near Nehru Bal Udyan in Aurangabad. This is one of the best tourist attractions in Aurangabad.

The museum is dedicated to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the great Maratha ruler. Founded by the Municipal Corporation of Aurangabad, the cost of the museum is around 194 lakhs. The building has a total of 6 exhibition halls. A visit to this museum takes visitors back into the days of Maratha valor and their love for their homeland.

The exhibits on display tell stories of the glorious reign of the brave king, showcased in six galleries. The display comprises Maratha war weapons and other artifacts from the battlefield of some of the most popular wars that the Marathas fought. The main exhibits here include the 500 year old war suit, a copy of the Aurangzeb's handwritten Quran, and a 400 year old Paithani sari.

The first hall is decorated with the wooden craft which reminds us the .....

At a distance of 2 km from Bibi Ka Maqbara and 4 km from Aurangabad Railway Station, Panchakki is a water mill located in the complex of Baba Shah Musafir Dargah of Aurangabad.

Also called as Nehar-e-Panchakki, Panchakki was built in the early years of the 17th century by Baba Shah Musafir. Comprising of the medieval Indian architecture, the water mill runs on scientific principles. Setup with an aim to generate electricity from water brought down from a spring, the Panchakki water-mill was used to grind grains for the pilgrims who visited the Dargah.

The source of continuous water supply to the mill is an underground stream which begins from a well above the Harsul River with a tributary stream. The water flows down through clay pipes based on the Siphon System. The water on reaching the Panchakki reservoir is made to drop from a height to generate electricity and run the mill, and eventually the excess water is put in .....

At a distance of 3 km from Aurangabad Railway Station and 4 km from Bibi Ka Maqbara, Siddharth Garden is a sprawling garden, park and zoo together situated at Samarth Nagar in Aurangabad City. This is one of the popular picnic spots in Aurangabad and is mostly crowded on evenings especially on weekends.

Siddharth Garden is a landscaped garden spread over a large area and it has a green outlook. The garden has 2 parts - one a garden with lawns and another one is a small zoo. The garden also has a small aquarium, though the major attraction of the tourist is the Siddharth Garden Zoo. The zoo is the abode of a number of wild animals like tigers, lions, leopards, Civet cats, snakes (snake house), crocodiles, emu, fox, deer, hyena, etc. It was quite an enjoyable visit with the children. A musical fountain and statue of Buddha are also adorning this park.

Garden Timings: 10 AM to 7 PM on all days except on Tuesdays.

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