Sights in Northern Maharashtra
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Buddhist Caves of Ajanta
Being Ellora’s venerable twin in the World Heritage listings, the Buddhist caves of Ajanta, 105km northeast of Aurangabad and about 60km south of Jalgaon, are the Louvre of ancient India. Much older than Ellora, these secluded caves date from around the 2nd century BC to the 6th century AD and were among the earliest monastic institutions to come up in the country. As Buddhism gradually waned in the region, the site was abandoned. Upon being deserted, the caves were soon reclaimed by the greens and were forgotten until 1819, when a British hunting party led by officer John Smith stumbled upon them purely by chance. Despite their age, the paintings in these caves remain …
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Daulatabad Fort
No trip to Aurangabad is complete without a pit-stop at the ruined but truly magnificent hilltop fortress of Daulatabad, about 15km away from town en route to Ellora. A 5km battlement surrounds this ancient fort, a most beguiling structure built by the Yadava kings through the 12th century. In 1328, it was renamed Daulatabad, the City of Fortune, by Delhi sultan Mohammed Tughlaq, who decided to shift his kingdom’s capital to this citadel from Delhi. Known for his eccentric ways, Tughlaq even marched the entire population of Delhi 1100km south to populate it. Ironically, Daulatabad soon proved untenable as a capital for strategic reasons, and Tughlaq forced its weary inhab…
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Bibi-qa-Maqbara
Built by Aurangzeb’s son Azam Khan in 1679 as a mausoleum for his mother Rabia-ud-Daurani, Bibi-qa-Maqbara is widely known as the ‘Poor man’s Taj’. With its four minarets flanking a central onion-domed mausoleum, the white structure bears striking resemblance to the original Taj Mahal in Agra. However, it is much less grand, and apart from a few marble adornments, most of the structure is finished in lime mortar. Apparently, the prince had conceived the entire mausoleum in white marble like the Taj, but was thwarted by his frugal father who opposed his extravagant idea of draining state coffers for the purpose. Despite the use of cheaper material and the obvious weather…
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Ellora Cave Temples
The saga of the hammer and chisel comes full circle at the World Heritage–listed Ellora cave temples, located 30km from Aurangabad. The pinnacle of ancient Indian rock-cut architecture, these caves were chipped out laboriously through five centuries by generations of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monks. Monasteries, chapels, temples; the caves served every purpose, and style quotient was duly met by embellishing them with a profusion of remarkably detailed sculptures. Unlike the caves at Ajanta, which are carved into a sheer rock face, the Ellora caves line a 2km-long escarpment, the gentle slope of which allowed architects to build elaborate courtyards in front of the shrin…
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Ramtek Temples
About 40km northeast of Nagpur, Ramtek is believed to be the place where Lord Rama, of the epic Ramayana, spent some time during his exile with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman. The place is marked by a cluster of temples, about 600 years old, which sit atop the Hill of Rama and have their own population of resident monkeys. Autorickshaws will cart you the 5km from the bus stand to the temple complex for Rs. 40; you can return to town via the 700 steps at the back of the complex. On the road to the temples you’ll pass the delightful Ambala Tank, lined with small temples. If you’re interested, you can take a boat ride (Rs. 20 per head) around the lake.
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Alamgir Dargah
The scruffy walled town of Khuldabad, the Heavenly Abode, is a quaint and cheerful little Muslim pilgrimage village just 3km from Ellora. A number of historical figures are buried here, including emperor Aurangzeb, the last of the Mughal greats. Despite matching the legendary King Solomon in terms of state riches, Aurangzeb was an ascetic in his personal life, and insisted that he be buried in a simple tomb constructed only with the money he had made from sewing Muslim skullcaps. An unfussy affair of modest marble in a courtyard of the Alamgir Dargah is exactly what he got, which, in stark contrast to the tombs of other Mughal greats, was prudent, to say the least.
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Pandav Leni
Dating from the 1st century BC to the 2nd century AD, the 24 early Buddhist caves of Pandav Leni are located about 8km south of Nasik along the Mumbai road. There’s a steep, 20-minute hike separating the caves from the highway. Caves 19 and 23 have some interesting carvings; the rest are virtually empty and of limited interest to the lay person. Some caves bear animal figures and dice boards once engraved into the stone floors by resident monks.
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Panchakki
Literally meaning ‘water wheel’, Panchakki takes its name from the hydro-mill which, in its day, was considered a marvel of engineering. Driven by water carried through earthen pipes from the river 6km away, it once ground grain for pilgrims. You can still see the humble machine at work, but don’t expect any grandeur.
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Shivaji Museum
This dull museum, dedicated to the life of the Maratha hero Shivaji, includes a 500-year-old chain-mail suit and a copy of the Quran handwritten by Aurangzeb.
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Dadasaheb Phalke Memorial
Below the Pandav Leni caves is the Dadasaheb Phalke Memorial, dedicated to the pioneering Indian movie producer of the same name.
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Kalidas Memorial
The Kalidas Memorial, near the Ramtek temple complex, is dedicated to the famous classical Sanskrit poet Kalidas.
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