FACT AND FIGURES :
| Climate : |
The city experiences extreme climate;
hot summers and cold winters. The tourists season extends right
through the year but the best time to visit is October to March. |
| Language Spoken : |
Marathi, Hindi, Urdu and English. |
| Clothing : |
Cool cottons in summer and warm woollen
for winter. |
INTRODUCTION : 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. |
