Aurangabad

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

Aurangabad

Facts
Area	138.5 sq km
Altitude	513 metres
Population	6,82,000
Languages	Hindi, Marathi, English
STD Code	0240

Aurangabad, originally known as Kirki(Khadki), 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. Also known as Sambhajinagar in honour of Sambhaji, a Marathi leader of a rebellion against Aurangzeb.

Apart from tourism (see below for tourist attractions), Aurangabad is the most important industrial center in Marathwada. The Waluj MIDC Industrial Area on the outskirts of the city has a large Bajaj Auto plant. Other notable industries near Aurangabad are Videocon, Nirlep, Wockhardt, Lupin Laboratories and other pharma industries.

Aurangabad is the seat of Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University. Notable colleges are the Govt. Medical College, Govt. Engineering College, MGMs Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College and Medical College.

Aurangabad has a bench of The Bombay High Court.

The Aurangabad Silk Mills are famous for their Himroo fabric (silk and cotton cloth). "Paithani" sarees are made nearby and available in Aurangabad.

Tourist Attractions

Ajanta Caves
Ellora Caves
Grishneshwar Temple (a Jyotirlinga)
Daulatabad Fort
The Bibi Ka Maqbara, a replica of the Taj Mahal
Aurangabad Caves (Buddhist)
Paithan
The Water Mill complex known as Panchakki (built by Aurangzeb as an orphanage, and still working today)
The Valley of The Saints where 1500 Sufi saints are reputed to have been buried.
Khultabad is the resting place of Aurangzeb.
Gates (Darwajas) - In the olden times, Aurangabad had 4 main and 9 subordinate gates gates (darwajas) along it's periphery famous among them being the Paithan Gate and Roshan Gate.
Shirdi - 144 kms away is a holy place.

Personalities

Dr. Lakshman Deshpande is a famous stage personality from Aurangabad, his notable contribution to the Marathi theatre being Varhad Nighalay Londonla

Climate

The highest maximum temperature ever recorded at Aurangabad was 45.6° C (114.0° F) on 25th May 1905. The lowest minimum temperature was 2.2° C on 2nd February 1911. [1]

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