Aurangabad

Aurangabad (औरंगाबाद, from Persian اورنگ‌آباد meaning "Built by the Throne") is a city and district in Maharashtra, India. Aurangabad is also the capital of Aurangabad Division, which is also known as Marathwada.

Aurangabad

Aurangabad, originally known as Kirki, was founded in 1610 by Malik Ambar. It became the residence of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1681, who used the city as the base for his campaigns to conquer the Deccan sultanates and subdue the Marathas. He lived there until his death in 1707, and the city was named for him. Now it is officially named Sambhajinagar in honor of Sambhaji, a Marathi leader of a rebellion against Aurangzeb.

Tourist attractions in Aurangbad and its evirons are the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Daulatabad Fort, the Bibi Ka Maqbara, a replica of the Taj Mahal, the Water Mill complex known as Panchakki (built by Aurangzeb as an orphanage, and still working today), and the Valley of The Saints where 1500 Sufi saints are reputed to have been buried. Nearby Khultabad is the resting place of Aurangzeb.

Aurangabad District

Aurangabad is a district in Maharashtra, India. It is bordered by the disricts of Nashik to the west, Jalgaon to the north, Jalna to the east, and Ahmadnagar to the south. Aurangabad is the capital and principal city.

• Area: 10,106 km²
• Population: 2,920,548 (2001)
• Population density: 289/km² (2001)
• Literacy: 62.8% (2001)
• Urbanization: 37% (2001)

see List of districts in Maharashtra

Aurangabad Division

• see article under Marathwada