Aurangabad is a city in Maharashtra, India. It’s known for the 17th-century marble Bibi ka Maqbara shrine, styled on the Taj Mahal. The nearby Shivaji Maharaj Museum, dedicated to the Maratha king Shivaji, displays war weapons and a coin collection. North of the city, the Aurangabad Caves comprise ancient, rock-cut Buddhist shrines, that make the city a popular tourism hub, with tourist flocking to see the Ajanta and Ellora caves lying on its outskirts, both of which have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1983 West of the city, battlements surround the medieval Daulatabad Fort
. Other tourist attractions include the Aurangabad Caves, Daulatabad Fort, Grishneshwar Temple, Jama Mosque, Bibi Ka Maqbara, Himayat Bagh, Panchakki Gautala Wildlife Sanctuary, and Salim Ali Lake. Historically, there were 52 Gates in Aurangabad, some of them extant, because of which Aurangabad is nicknamed as the “City of Gates’. Paithan, the imperial capital of the Satavahana dynasty as well as Daulatabad the capital of the Yadava dynasty is located within the limits of modern Aurangabad.
In 1308, it was annexed by DelhiSultanate by Sultan Alauddin Khalji. In 1327, the capital of Delhi Sultanate was shifted from Delhi to Daulatabad by Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq, who ordered a mass migration of Delhi’s population to Daulatabad. However, he reversed his decision in 1334 and the capital was shifted back to Delhi. In 1499, Daulatabad became part of Ahmadnagar Sultanate. In 1610, a new city Khaḍkī was established at the location of modern Aurangabad to serve as capital of Ahmadnagar Sultanate by Ethiopian military leader Malik Ambar, a slave who rose to become a popular Prime Minister of Ahmadnagar Sultanate.
Malik Ambar was succeeded by his son Fateh Khan, who changed the name of the city to Fatehnagar. In 1636, Aurangzeb annexed the city into the Mughal Empire. In 1653, Aurangzeb renamed the city “Aurangabad” and made it the capital of the Deccan region of the Mughal Empire. In 1724, the Mughal governor Nizam Asaf Jah I, seceded from Mughal Empire and founded the Asaf Jahi dynasty, and established the State of Hyderabad with capital at Aurangabad, until it was transferred to Hyderabad in 1763. The city is known as a major production center of cotton textile and artistic silk fabrics. In 2019, the Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) became the first greenfield industrial smart city of India under the country’s flagship Smart Cities Mission.
Aurangabad is surrounded by the industrial areas (MIDCs) of Chikhalthana, Shendra, and Waluj MIDC. A new industrial belt namely Shendra – Bidkin Industrial Park is being developed under DMIC. Major companies like Siemens and BMW, Audi,Skoda, Bajaj, and Goodyear Tire have units in the city. well connected by road, rail, and air the city has n8umerous well-known educational institutes that attract students from across India. The culture of Aurangabad city is heavily influenced by the culture of Hyderabad. The old city still retains the cultural flavor and charms of the Muslim culture of Hyderabad. Its influence is reflected in the language and cuisine of the city Aurangabad food is much like Mughlai or Hyderabadi cuisine with its fragrant pulao and biryani
Quadrangle Cannought Gardens and Siddarth Garden are also worth visiting. Tourists can also enjoy a whale of a time at waterparks. Shopping in Aurangabad is a great experience with numerous markets and shopping malls selling a variety of local and branded products. There are several hotels, resorts, guesthouses, and lodges in and around the city that offer luxurious, mid-range, and budget accommodation. The restaurants serve delicious cuisine at reasonable prices. There are several watering holes where people come and enjoy their night. Aurangabad is worth visiting on an extended weekend visit
