Aurangabad (Maharashtra)

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Aurangabad ( Marathi: औरंगाबाद, Aurangabad ) is a historically important city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra with nearly 1.2 million inhabitants.

Location

Aurangabad is located about 335 km ( driving distance ) east of Mumbai at an altitude of nearly 600 meters above sea level. inst. , the three- million city of Pune is located about 240 kilometers south-west. Aurangabad has a domestic airport and a railway station.

History

The city was in 1610 under the name Kharki (or Khadki or Khidki = " window " ) founded by a native of Ethiopia commander, politician and engineer Malik Ambar, who served the rulers of the Deccan Sultanate of Ahmadnagar as Prime Minister. His him in 1626 followed by son Fateh Khan renamed the city in Fatehnagar.

Between 1682 and his death in 1707 the city was the seat of the Indian Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The Bibi- Ka Maqbara, a replica of the Taj Mahal, was built in 1697 by Azam Shah, son of Aurangzeb, for his mother Banu Begum Dilras as a mausoleum and is reminiscent of the era of Mughal rule. From 1713 resided Asaf Jah I, who had been appointed governor of the Deccan and the honorary title of Nizam al -Mulk (Arabic: نظام الملك = "Administrator of the Empire " ) was, for several years in Aurangabad. He founded a new dynasty, which was founded by his son in 1763 capital Hyderabad - in the following years dropped Aurangabad to the status of a provincial town back.

Aurangzeb's Palace ( 1830 )

Mecca Gate ( 1880 )

Kham River and Panchakki - pumping station ( 1880 )

Population

In 1960, Aurangabad had only about 150,000 inhabitants; today there are nearly 1.2 million. Of these, about 59 % Hindu, 39 % Muslim and 1% Christians; the rest comes from other religions ( Sikhs, Parsis, Jains, and others). Most Marathi, Hindi or Urdu is spoken.

Economy

The - because of the increasing narrowness of Mumbai - rapidly grown city has for some years the seat of major companies in the automotive and motorcycle industry (Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda Auto, MAN, Bajaj Kawasaki ) and other international companies; it has a university and is an important location of Indian silk and cotton industry.

Attractions

• Kali Mosque ( a group of seven mosques from the time shortly after 1600 and on Malik Ambar going back )
• Bibi- Ka Maqbara - ( the ' Taj ' of the Deccan )
• Gates ( 52 in total)
• Past irrigation systems ( inter alia, the Panchakki ) from the 17th century - the complex also includes a mosque and the mausoleum of the Sufi saint Baba Shah Musafir.
• Shivaji Museum

Environment

• Aurangabad Caves (Buddhist cave monastery with 12 caves plus a Brahmanical cave ); about 3 kilometers north of the Bibi- Ka Maqbara -
• Daulatabad ( fortress town founded in 1327 by Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq as an alternative to the capital Delhi ); approximately 18 kilometers north-west on the road to Ellora
• Khuldabad (numerous mausoleums important Muslim personalities, also by Malik Ambar and Aurangzeb ); approximately 25 kilometers north-west on the road to Ellora
• Ellora ( Cave Temple dating from the 5th - 10th centuries, including the Kailasa temple. Buddhist, Hindu, jainistisch ); approximately 31 kilometers north-west
• Ajanta (Buddhist cave monastery ); approximately 95 kilometers north-east

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