Aurangabad City in
Maharashtra was named after the Mughal emperor Aurangazeb. This place has a rich history dating back to the stone ages. The city has railway and bus stations a few km apart, and an airport. Spread over 130 sq km, it supports over half a milion people.
Aurangabad city was founded in 1610 by Malik Ambar, the Prime Minister of Murtaza Nizam Shah II, at Khirki village. In 1626, Fateh Khan, Malik Ambar's son renamed it 'Fatehpur.' Prince Aurangazeb made it his capital when he became the viceroy of the Deccan region in 1653 and called it Aurangabad. Of late, it has been renamed Sambhajinagar.
The place is famous for its silk and silver handicrafts. The city also has majestic monuments, mainly from the Mughal era. The most famous of them is the 'Bibi-ka-Maqbara', resembling the
Taj Mahal, the mausoleum that Aurangazeb built for his wife. The Darwazas or gates that lead to Aurangabad City through its fortifications are other sites of interest. Besides the four main darwazas, there are nine secondary darwazas that attract lots of tourists. Aurangabad Caves, Ghrishneshwar Temple and Pan Chakki, the flour mill powered with a water wheel are other attractions. Educational institutions of the city include the Dr BR Ambedkar Marathwada University.
The climate peaks to 39oC in summer and falls to 10oC in winter. The weather is pleasantly warm all year round but the ideal time to visit is from October to March.
