The city of Aurangabad was founded by
Malik Ambar, the Prime Minister of Murtaza Nizam Shah II, in 1610, on the
site of a village, Khirki. When Fateh Khan, Malik Ambar's son succeeded the
throne in 1626, he named the city 'Fatehpur'. In 1653, when Aurangzeb became
the Viceroy of the Deccan, he made it his capital, and renamed it
Aurangabad. A region that has been inhabited since the Stone Ages,
Aurangabad has seen several dynasties come and go, absorbing the culture of
each into itself.
Maurya rule heralded the advent of Buddhism in
the state of Maharashtra. The earliest caves at Ajanta and Pithalkora were
excavated in the 2nd century BC, during the Satvahana era. Paithan, then
known as Pratishthana, was an important trade centre at the time. Buddhism
flowered during the Chalukya period, which consequently saw the mushrooming
of many viharas (monasteries), and chaityas (chapels), that were later
excavated at Aurangabad, Ajanta and Ellora. Later, the Rashtrakutas built
many temples, significantly, the Kailasa temple at Ellora, an unparalleled
piece of ancient Indian architecture.
Places
to See -|- Around
AurangabadBombay(mumbai)
-|- Aurangabad
-|- Ajanta
-|- Ellora
