The city has come a long way since it was founded by Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb.
Today, it is known for some of the finest colleges and university in Maharashtra.
And it is the fastest growing industrial town in India. But the charm and glory
of its long past has not been lost. And its heritage is rich and varied - the
result of the artistic and cultural influences of several dynasties since its
first Stone Age inhabitants.
Aurangabad
Caves:
They lie just beyond the city, nearly forgotten - the
Aurangabad caves, excavated between the 2nd and 6th centuries AD. Tantra
influences echo in the highly ornate and strikingly detailed sculptures and
architecture.
Ajanta Caves:
About 107 kms.
from the city of Aurangabad, the rock-cut caves of Ajanta nestle in a
panoramic gorge, in the form of a gigantic horseshoe. Among the finest
examples of some of the earliest Buddhist architecture, caves-paintings and
sculptures, these caves comprise Chaitya Halls, or shrines, dedicated to
Lord Buddha and Viharas, or monasteries, used by Buddhist monks for
meditation and the study of Buddhist teachings.
Ellora
Caves:
The cave temples and monasteries at Ellora, excavated
out of the vertical face of an escarpment, are 26 kms. north of Aurangabad.
Extending in a linear arrangement, the 34 caves contain Buddhist Chaityas,
or halls of worship, and Viharas, or monasteries, Hindu and Jain temples.
Spanning a period of about 600 years between the 5th and 11th century AD,
the earliest excavation here is of the Dhumar Lena (cave 29).
The
most imposing excavation is, without doubt, that of the magnificent Kailasa
Temple (Cave 16) which is the largest single monolithic structure in the
world. Interestingly, Ellora, unlike the site of Ajanta, was never
'rediscovered'. Known as Verul in ancient times, it has continuously
attracted pilgrims through the centuries to the present day.
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