Aurangabad District, a prominent region on the
Deccan plateau, is located in the northern part of
Maharashtra. It has a long artistic and cultural history. Aurangabad has several big and small industries, silk textiles and exquisite hand woven brocades of silver and gold fabrics. The district has a literacy rate of 63%.
Ajanta and
Ellora caves, the famous treasure houses of Indian art and sculpture, are situated here.
Aurangabad is named after Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor. It has a mild climate with moderate winters in the months of November-February and hot summers from April to June. With an area of 10,106 sq km, the district has a population of about 3 million. The
Godavari, flowing west to east, is the main river, and Purna, Shivana, Khelna, Kham and Dhudhana are the sub rivers.
Aurangabad District is surrounded by hills of the
Vindhya Ranges and the River Kham passes through it. The
Daulatabad fort, the historical watermill, the pilgrim center of Grishneshwar, Paithan town and its association with Santa Eknath, the massive
Jayakwadi dam and the Khultabad fort are the places of tourist attraction. Bibi-ka-Maqbara, the mausoleum of Aurangazeb’s queen, is a major monument in Aurangabad. The best time to visit is October-March.
