Aurangabad

Cave painting at the Ajanta caves

Aurangabad is an important city in the state of Maharashtra, India. It sees a lot of international tourist traffic due to world heritage sites, Ajanta & Ellora caves. Aurangabad, a dream destination of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, founded in 1610, is known today as one of the four important cities in Maharashtra. The city is heading towards rapid industrial growth, but retains its past glory and charms, heritage and traditions. Conspicuously seen on the Deccan plateau, it has a rich culture and a plethora of magnificent arts on display.

Makai Gate - Aurangabad

Understand

Travellers to Aurangabad will find history dating back to the 2nd century BCE, when the Satavahana rulers established their capital in Pratishtanapura, today known as Paithan. It was around this time that the viharas (monasteries) were carved out of caves in what is now Ajanta, and the stunning cave paintings were made, to be lost and rediscovered in the early 19th century. The carvings in the Ellora caves track the changing fortunes of three major religions Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism between the 5th and the 10th century CE.

City of Gates... Aurangabad is famous for its historic gates. There were 52 gates in Aurangabad so it is also known as बावन गेटाचे शहर ("city of 52 gates"); only 15 gates still stand with pride and have become the characteristic part of the city. These are as follows- Barapulla Gate Bhadkal Darwaza Delhi Gate Kala Darwaza Khas Gate Khizer Gate Makai Gate Manju Gate Mehmood Darwaza Naubat Darwaza Paithan Gate Rangeen Darwaza Raushan Gate Islam Darwaza (Kat-Kat Gate) Jafar Gate

The Yadava kings established their capital in Devagiri (also spelt Deogiri) and built a fort that stands to this day. The fort was reputed to be impregnable, but Ala-ud-din Khilji of Delhi captured it by laying siege on it and renamed it to Daulatabad. Malik Kafur, his general consolidated his hold on the region. As the Delhi Sultanate was captured by Mohammad bin Tughluq, the fort passed to him. Tughluq is famous for his famously botched plan to move his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad along with the entire population of the city, only to have to return because he had not planned for water supply at his new capital. This fiasco ensured fame for his name, as Indians took to describing the oft-shifting plans of their rulers as "Tughluq policies".

Aurangabad then fell to the local Muslim rulers of Deccan who revolted against the Delhi Sultan. The city of Aurangabad was founded by Malik Ambar, the Prime Minister of one of these rulers, though the name of the city then was Fatehpura. The region kept changing hands till the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan consolidated his hold and appointed his son Aurangzeb as the governor. Aurangzeb established his base here. He returned to the city again in 1681, this time as an emperor, determined to crush the south once and for all. He spent the last two decades of his life battling the Marathas in an ultimately fruitless campaign. He died in 1707 in Khuldabad near Aurangabad city and was buried there—the battles ultimately resulted in the demise of his empire too.

The district is now the headquarters of the backward region of Marathwada, but it is also a manufacturing hub as many Indian companies have their plants here. It also contains the headquarters of Videocon, a fairly large Indian MNC.

Aurangabad has a long association with the concept of heritage. Aurangabad has seen several dynasties and experienced the power of rulers of different religions, cultures and communities, each of which has left its mark on the city.

The city of Aurangabad was founded in 1610 by Malik Amber, the prime minister of Murtaza Nizam Shah II. The town was named as ‘Khirki’ and was stated a capital. The town started growing. Aurangzeb when he became Viceroy of the Deccan plateau made it his capital and named it Aurangabad. This was the golden time in the history of Aurangabad when the city flourished the most in terms of culture, architecture, art etc. In the year 1679, Aurangzeb’s son built a replica of the Taj-Mahal, the ‘Bibi-ka-Maqbara’, in tribute to his mother Begam Rabia Durani. It is considered to be a masterpiece of Mughal architecture in the Deccan plateau.

The entire city of Aurangabad was fortified and huge entrance gates were erected. Except for Bharkal gate all the other gates are associated with the period of Aurangzeb. The gates with prime importance were the ones facing the four directions, Delhi Gate facing the North, Paithan gate facing South, Makai Gate (Mecca Gate) facing East and the Khas Gate facing the West. In all there were 54 gates in Aurangabad. Out of 52 gates only 13 have survived over the period of time. The important and Architecturally most appealing gates include Delhi Gate, kala Darwaza, Makia Gate, Paitahn gate and Rangeen Darwaza.

Climate

The climate of Aurangabad is temperate, with low relative humidity and diverse but not extreme weather conditions

Aurangabad, like any other part of India, experiences three major seasons: summer, winter and monsoon.

Summer lasts from March to May with an average maximum and minimum temperatures of 37 and 21°C respectively. The hottest summer temperature is around 45°C, but it never goes above that. Nights are usually pleasant and cooler during the entire summer. Average relative humidity is as low as 9%.

Winter, from November to February, is the most comfortable time to visit Aurangabad. The average winter temperature ranges from a maximum of 22°C to a minimum of 10°C. As it gets cooler the mercury even touches 7°C but that is the lowest usual temperature. As in summer, temperatures cool off at night. Average relative humidity is 17%.

The monsoon ranges from June to October and receives moderate rainfall of 91 cm on an average. The average relative humidity during this season is 40%.

Get in

Aurangabad is well connected by Air, Rail and Road to other parts of country. Aurangabad enjoys central location with respect to Maharashtra and Goa. All major cities in Maharashtra lie within a radius of 500 km. Aurangabad has a good network of National and State highways connecting all parts of the country.

By plane

• 1 Aurangabad International airport (Chikalthana Airport, IXU  ^IATA, Marathi: औरंगाबाद विमानतळ), Jalna Road, Chikalthana (East four km from City Center. - Chikalthana Railway Station half km), ☏ +91 240 247 6147, +91 9422210151, fax: +91 240 2487044, apd_vaau@aai.aero. Air India, Jet Airways and JetLite have a number of regular flights to Mumbai (from around ₹3500/-), Delhi & Hyderabad. - Udaipur (only in season) 

Aurangabad Airport

By train

• 2 Aurangabad Railway Station (Code: AWB), Bhanudas Sabhahgrah Railway Station Road, Padampani Colony. Direct trains to Mumbai (375 km via Manmad, Nasik, Kalyan, Thane, Dadar, six and half hours a/c seat ₹410, sleeper ₹1140), Nagpur (via Jalna, Parbhani, Nanded, Adilabad, Wani, Sevagram), to New Delhi, (via Bhopal, Jhansi, Gwalior, Agra ), to Amritsar (via same as to New Delhi further Panipat, Ludhiana, Jalandhar), Hyderabad (via Jalna, Parbhani, Nanded, Dharmabad, Basar, Nizamabad, Secunderabad), Pune. - Services: Information booth, waiting rooms, rest rooms, book stalls, canteen and a computerized ticket booking office. Wheel chairs are available on request from the Station Master's office located on Platform No. 1. No trolleys are available. Porters can be hired at a fixed rate: ₹25 for up to 10 kg/3 pieces of luggage (whichever is less), ₹20 per additional 5 kg/piece of luggage (whichever is less), A lightweight briefcase not exceeding 300 cubic cm is not included, but carries a ₹5 surcharge. - No receipt is given by the porters. Usual tip ₹5 if you desire.. 

Manmad: is the nearest Railway Junction on Central Railway wherein trains to all parts of India are available. Manmad - Aurangabad journey can be made by a good connection of trains or by road in a span of 2 to 2 1/2 hours. If you have a connecting train, make sure that there is at least a gap of 2 hours in the departures. In case you miss the connecting train, due to late running of a previous train, you can avail of a full refund at any of the two stations (i.e. connecting station or destination station). - The highest fare (Air-conditioned First Class Overnight Sleeper code 'H'), Air-conditioned 2-Tier Sleeper (Railway code 'A'), Air-conditioned 3-Tier Sleeper (code 'B'), and for day trains Air-conditioned Chair-Cars (code 'C'). - Reserved Non Air-conditioned sleeper class (code 'S') and Second Class Seating (code 'D') are available.

By bus

• 3 Aurangabad Central Bus Stand (Central Bus Station (CBS)), City Bus Station Rd, Mhada (Near to Siddharth Garden and Zoo). Buses from Mumbai (via Pune or Nasik via road Pune is a faster option, Air-con bus is from ₹450-₹650, Air-conditioned sleeper ₹700-₹850, and Non Air-con ₹250-₹350). - Pune (Shivajinagar Bus Stand) (6.00 AM-1.00 AM. every half an hour Air-con and non Air-con buses). Avoid taking private Buses. They never leave and reach on time! - From Nasik (Central Bus Stand (CBS))non a/c 'Asiad' bus service of MSRTC, every hour). - Nagpur (more than 12 hours. non a/c 'Asiad' bus of MSRTC, also private a/c and non a/c buses). - Also direct bus links from cities like Hyderabad, Solapur, Kolhapur, Goa, Ahmedabad, Indore and tourist places such as Lonar Crater (170 km), Shirdi (144 Km), Shanishignapur (90 km). MSRTC 'Red Buses',-extremely safe and fairly comfortable,-are available at regular intervals, to the important tourist destinations near Aurangabad like Grishneshwar Temple (30 km), Bibi ka Makbara (15 km), Panchakki (12 km), Daulatabad Fort (15 km), Kultabad (20 km), Paithan (51 km). No need for Advance Booking and the tickets are issued on the bus itself . Visit MSRTC site for time-table of all buses to and from Aurangabad. (NOTE: The web site requires the location of bus station e.g. for Pune you have to write 'Shivajinagar' for Ellora you may enter 'Verul'). 
• 4 Aurangabad depot of MSRTC (CIDCO Bus Stand), CIDCO, N-1 (Near Lemon Tree Hotel, Aurangabad), ☏ +91 0240 2240149. This is the depot operating City Bus services (public buses which halt at every stop particularly connecting the small villages and localities) and long route bus service to other districts and towns. 

Apart from these cities Aurangabad has direct bus links from cities like Hyderabad, Solapur, Kolhapur, Goa, Ahmedabad, Indore and many more.

• 5 Private Bus Depot (Travels Depot), At Easy Day Mall. This is the depot for operators of privately owned buses and houses offices for travel agents and bus booking providers. Buses to long routes and other towns and cities operate through here, and generally pick passengers from other places too as they depart from the city. The services provide by most operators are mediocre, bus delays of an hour from time of departure are normal, sometimes buses may not depart until seats are filled. For properly using private bus services one may refer to reviews and information on online forums (www.redbus.in would be useful for this information). If looking for short distance ride of some hours one must prefer state owned buses for punctuality. (updated Nov 2015)

Visit MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation) web site for time-table of all buses to and from Aurangabad (NOTE: The web site requires the location of bus station e.g. for Pune you have to write 'Shivajinagar' for Ellora you may enter 'Verul')[1]

By car

Aurangabad has excellent road connectivity to all important cities in Maharashtra namely Mumbai (400 Km), Nagpur, Pune (237 Km), Nasik (190 Km) etc. The highway connections make the journey to the world famous destinations of Ajanta (107 Km) and Ellora (29 Km) very comfortable. There are also many car rental companies in Aurangabad.

Get around

The city of Aurangabad has all forms of transport right from intra-city buses, metered auto-rickshaws to chauffeur-driven taxis. Intra-city Bus service is Municipal Corporation owned but privately operated. AMT (Aurangabad Municipal Transport) buses ply throughout the city and outskirts reaching thousands of citizens to their offices, schools, colleges efficiently and in a cost effective manner. MSRT

AMT Buses

AMT (Aurangabad Municipal Transport) intra-city buses ply throughout the city including the outskirts and connect different parts of the city and adjoining suburbs together. The AMT bus service is affordable and thus masses use it for their daily transport. AMT buses carry thousands of passengers to and fro their workplaces, schools & colleges daily and thus are quite crowded during morning and evening rush hours.

Conducted Bus Tours by MSTRC, ITDC and other travel service providers

MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation) and ITDC (India Tourism Development Corporation) operate daily conducted tours by semi-Luxury buses to the tourist destinations like Ellora, Ajanta and Daulatabad wherein they also take a note of the tourist destinations in the city. These journeys can be booked at Aurangabad Central Bus Stand (CBS).

Tour 1: Aurangabad CBS to Ajanta Caves, Bibi-Ka-Muqbara, Pan-Chakki and back to Aurangabad CBS

Tour 2: Aurangabad CBS to Ellora Caves, Daulatabad Fort, Bibi-Ka-Muqbara, Pan-Chakki and back to Aurangabad CBS

These conducted bus tours are ideal only if you are short of time and are alright having a glance at all these places. The major disadvantage of these tours is a very tight time-schedule. The sightseeing has to be wound up very fast without you being able to take your own time.

Metered Auto-Rickshaws (Taxis)

Attention - Important for the Tourists visiting Aurangabad for the first time Although Aurangabad has Metered Auto rickshaws(Three wheeler taxis) which run based on the fare as shown in Meter (details given below), it is seen that like any other tourist place Auto rickshaw drivers ask for exorbitant rates from the tourists especially at Railway station, Central bus stand or stops of Private buses. Make sure to ask before boarding the three wheeler cab that he will be charging you based on the meter reading, he activates the meter when you board, he has a certified tarif card. The actual fare around 10 times the meter reading in ₹. But you can pay him around 12 times the reading. A tip up to 10% of the fare may be given ONLY IF you are happy with his services. Mid night fare is applicable from 00.00 hrs. to 05.00 hrs. which is 1.5 times the usual fare i.e. around 15 times the meter reading. Around half hour consideration can be given to auto rickshaw drivers (23.30 hrs to 05.30 hrs) as given by a majority of residents of Aurangabad.

As a tourist one is recommended to either take Metered Auto-rickshaws (3-wheeler taxis) or Chauffeur driven Taxis. These taxis are not very expensive and are ideal for one day tours to Ajanta, Ellora, Daulatabad, etc. A hatchback type air-conditioned taxi will cost you around for a least count of ₹560 (incl. first 80km) plus ₹7 per kilometer or 8 hours whichever is less. Rates of more premium taxis are also computed in same manner with a higher cost per KM. Metered Auto-Rickshaws are undoubtedly the most suitable and convenient way of traveling through the city. This is due to their easy availability at any time and the affordability. These are hired three-wheeler taxis which are ideal to move around the city. The Meter reading is read along-with a 'tariff-card' available with the driver. The actual fare is usually around 10 times the meter reading. Always ensure that the driver starts the meter on beginning of the journey. Fare from Mid night 12:00 AM to 05:00 AM is One and Half times the regular fare. The minimum regular fare is as low as ₹14.

Chauffeur Driven Taxis / Tourist Taxis

These are ideal for the tourists visiting the city and the tourist destinations around. The tourist taxis can be booked from various travel agents in the city like Blue-Ocean travels,Wonder, Manmandir, Saibaba Travels, Welworth, Classic Cars, etc. All hotels also have a taxi-counter. The fare is calculated per kilometre with a minimum of 80 KM. The fare depends on the class of vehicle and the type (AC or Non-AC). See to it that the taxi you hire has a tourist permit and is not a private vehicle. The tourist permit cars can be easily identified by a yellow number plate.

Drive (Car or Two Wheeler)

This is the most common way of transport for the local people. But for the tourists, self driven cars and two wheelers are not easily available on hire basis in India. Driving on the streets is fairly comfortable as there is not much traffic on the roads and the roads are wide (except that in old part of the city). Some roads are not very well-maintained and are prone to pot-holes.

In general, public transport in and around the city is fairly good.

Talk

Most people in Aurangabad speak Marathi, the regional language of Maharashtra. Hindi, Urdu and English are also spoken widely.

Generally people in service industries speak fairly good English.

See

• 1 Aurangabad Caves (Two km north of Bibi ka Maqbara). 24/7. This is a fine piece of architecture, is presented in the most unembellished manner. The caves lie just outside the city and are believed to have been excavated between the 2nd and the 6th century. They house the most stunningly intricate carvings. There are nine caves in all, most of them being the viharas. The 4th and the 7th cave are worth a dekko. The 4th cave stands well supported on 12 columns carved with scenes depicting the stories from the Jataka tales, whereas the 7th cave is embedded with carvings of women, adorned with jewels. The main attraction is the sculpture of a 'Bodhisatva' praying for deliverance. 200 INR. 

Replica of the Taj! Bibi Ka Maqbara-Aurangabad

• 2 Bibi ka Maqbara (NW twelve km. - Take an MSTRC bus from Central Bus Station to Makbara Bus Stop.). A replica of the Taj Mahal, the Bibi-ka-Maqbara is the only example of Mughul architecture of its kind in the Deccan plateau. It was built in 1679 by Aurangzeb’s son, in tribute to his mother, Begum Rabia Durani. 200 INR. 

• 3 History Museum - Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (Located on the University campus. - North of the Botanical Garden). It has on display a good number of ancient Indian paintings, coins, fabrics, arms, artifacts, etc. The museum collection is huge and has some fine sculptures from the excavation at Bhokardan, a nearby historic site. 

• 4 Pan Chakki, Pan Chakki Road (Khami river embankment. Take a northbound city bus from CBS to VITS Hotel and walk half km west. - Or any bus toDr. Ambedkar Law College Bus Stop and walk 300 m). This is a 17th-century water mill. The name has been derived from the mill that crushed grain for the pilgrims. There is a picturesque garden here that houses several beautiful fish tanks and it plays abode to the memorial of a Sufi Saint. 
• 5 Shrimant Chatrapati Shivaji Raje Museum, Dr Ambedkar Rd, Himayat Bagh (Collector's Office Bus Stop, near to Delhi Gate). As the name suggests, this museum is dedicated to the great warrior of Maharashtra - Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. A number of exhibits associated with Lord Shivaji are on display. 
• 6 Soneri Mahal (N-NW of the Botanical Garden. - Located within Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Campus and is on the way to Aurangabad caves.). an old historic monument now converted into museum houses a variety of ancient Indian pottery, dresses, remains of local palaces and antiques of daily use. A number of sculptures and reliefs from the local excavations are also on display. 

Further afield

Ajanta Caves - A panorama

• 7 Ajanta Caves (MSH8 Road. - NE 90 km. Take a public bus from CBS). depict the stories of Buddhism spanning from the period from 200 B.C. and 650 A.D. These caves were discovered in the 19th century by some British Officers who had been on a tiger hunt.These 29 caves were built by Buddhist monks using simple tools like hammer & chisel. These caves were the retreats of Buddhist monks who taught and performed rituals in the Chaityas and Viharas, the ancient seats of learning. The elaborate and exquisite sculptures and paintings depict stories from Jataka tales. The caves also house images of nymphs and princesses.The Ajanta caves and the treasures they house are a landmark in the overall development of Buddhism as such. Prices : Indian citizens : 30 Rs ; foreigners : 500 Rs. 
• 8 Ellora (Verul) Caves (N-NW 30 km from Aurangabad. Use public bus. Very well connected.). The caves are open from 9AM to 5:30PM Wed-Mon (open on national holidays). The caves were carved between 350 AD and 700 AD. These structures represent the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. These caves 34 in number are located 29 km. from Aurangabad. They are fascinating and the finest example of cave temple architecture housing elaborate facades and exquisite interiors. The 12 caves to the south are Buddhist, the 17 in the centre dedicated to Hinduism, and the 5 caves to the north are Jain. - Ghrishneshwar temple is half a kilometer from the Ellora Caves. Prices : Indian citizens ₹30, foreigners ₹500. 

Daulatabad Fort - Aurangabad

• 9 Daulatabad Fort (City of Fortune, Devgiri), Daulatabad (Situated NW at a distance of 13 km from Aurangabad. - Take an MSTRC bus from Central Bus Station, cca. half hourly. - Or Daulatabad Railway Station three km away. Half km west from road.). It houses a stupendous 12th century fortress well placed atop a charming hill. This invincible fortress boasts of a 5 kilometer sturdy wall and an intricate series of ramparts. Don't miss the climb to the very top through the bat cave. 

• 10 Gautala Wildlife Sanctuary, Chalisgaon-Silod Rd, Mehun Puranwadi (Northwest almost 70 km of Aurangabad). This is a dense forest reserve, with rare flora and fauna. Home to leopards, bears, wolves, hyenas, jackals, flying squirrels and 85 different species of colourful birds. Also try to visit the Pithalkhora Buddhist rock-cut caves (from the 2nd century BCE to 1st century CE), the Patnadevi Temple, the Mahadeva Temple and the Sita Khori waterfall. 
• 11 Khuldabad ([xʊld̪aːˈbaːd̪]) (Between Ellora and Aurangabad). Sights here: Khuldabad Fort, Bhadra Maruti Temple. Aurangzeb's Tomb, Tombs of Azam Shah and his wife, Zainuddin Shirazi Dargah, Burhan ud din's Mausoleum, Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah's Tomb, Bani Begum’s Makbara, Khan Jahan’s Lall Bagh, Malik Ambar's Tomb, Zar Zari Zar Baksh & Ganj Rawan Ganj Baksh Dargah 
• 12 Lonar Crater Lake, Buldhana (Regular buses (four hours) to there. - East 170 km. - Hwy 171 pass it). This is site of a meteor which crashed on earth some 50,000 years ago and formed a large crater (few hundred meters in diameter) in the ground. 

Jaikwadi Dam over Godawari river - Paithan, Aurangabad

• 13 Paithan (56 km to the south of Aurangabad, takee a bus to here). is an ancient taluka town . This place is well known for the exquisite saris. It was a trade centre earlier and also the capital of the Satavahanas. Here was a weaving centre where the traditional art is still practiced. It has formed a very important excavation site recently. - Of the few attractions found nearby, the Jayakwadi dam is a treat to the eyes of the avid bird watchers. Next is the Dnyaneshwar Udyan, which is supposedly Maharashtra's largest garden planned and landscaped on the lines of the Vrindavan gardens at Mysore. 
• 14 Pitalkhora Caves (Northwest 78 km from Aurangabad). Part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. This lies peacefully nestled in the Satmala ranges of the Sahyadris. There are 13 cave sanctuaries embedded in this region. These monasteries date back from 2nd century BC to 5th century AD. Rich carvings with elaborate details can be seen in these monuments. WARNING: The side road to reach Pitalkhora from the main Aurangabad road is in an extremely bad shape. Don't go unless you have a SUV/Tata Sumo type of vehicle. The caves are reachable via a footbridge that is in a very bad shape. There is not much to see in the caves except for half-finished carvings. 

Do

• Visit Quadrangle Cannought Gardens, CIDCO - New Aurangabad for books and allied material on Aurangabad, Ajanta & Ellora.
• End your dinner the traditional Aurangabadi way - Have Pan at Tara Pan Center, Osmanpura, Aurangabad.

Parks

• 1 Siddharth Garden, Mhada (Next to Aurangabad Central Bus Station). This is a beautiful landscaped garden, with good variety of trees and shrubs. There is a small aquarium inside the garden, however the biggest attraction is the Siddharth Garden Zoo, with a large variety of animals, viz. Lions, Tigers (White & Bengal), Leopards, Crocodiles, Snakes (Snake-house), Civet cats, Hyena, Fox, Porcupine, Emu, Deers and sprawling lawns to sit and have a great picnic. 
• Visit Siddarth Garden with the kids. The sprawling gardens feature a zoo, snake park, lawns, a toy train and junk food outlets.

Buy

• Shop the local, traditional and ethnic Himroo & Mishroo shawls, bedcovers and Paithani sarees
  • Himroo fabrics, New Aurangabad (Mondha road aurangabad). 
  • Aurangabad Himroo Paithani weaving center, Zaffer Gate Mondha Road, ☏ +91 9923365025, himroo@hotmail.com. 
• Shop for Traditional Indian Khaadi clothing along with pure honey, handicrafts and hand made artifacts and curios made in rural India at the Khaadi Gramodyog Bhandaar at Sarafa, near City Chowk. The Khaadi cloth is hand woven from pure cotton and the outlet is the official outlet of Government Of India. The palace of a local King, 'Deulgaon Raja' has now been converted into the Khaadi Gramodyog Bhandaar. The whole ambiance and the range of products truly evoke the concepts of Khaadi (Cloth made on a Charkha) & Gramodyog (Village based small scale industries) evolved during India's Independence Struggle. The movement was started by Mahatma Gandhi. Worth a visit for foreigners visiting the town.
• Shop the traditional Bidri Pottery and many more curios at small shops near Ajanta caves parking bay. (and Don't you forget to bargain!!)
• Visit the only organic food market in Aurangabad. Every Friday evening, locals flock to Shree Mangal Karyalaya near Kranti Chowk to buy fresh organic produce and to taste an assortment of organic honey, tea and other processed foods as part of the weekly shopping experience. With a wide selection of fruits and vegetables, the Organic Bazaar is cheap, delicious, unique and definitely is worth a visit. Also, visit the Organic Link - an organic food shop - open all seven days a week at Kailash Market opposite to Padampura fire station, Station Road - Aurangabad.
• You can visit local bazaars Gul Mandi and Aurangpura for some essentials.
• A number of Global retail brands have their company authorised showrooms in the city. Few important are:
• Raymond - Adalat Road, Tilak Path, Aurangpura, Jalna Road
• Nirala Bazaar: Levi's, Lee, Provogue, Wrangler, Adidas, Reebok, Excalibur, Pepe Jeans, Indigo Nation, Numero-Uno Jeans, Spykar, Bombay Dyeing, Homes & Apparels (H&A), Samsonite Bags, United Colors of Benetton,
• Mondha Naka: Reebok
• Osmanpura: Spykar
• Cannought Gardens: Bombay Dyeing, Kouttons

Apart from these there are a number of Multi Brand Retail Outlets like:

• Globus - CIDCO, Jalgaon Road
• Cut - Nirala Bazaar
• Prozone - API Corner*
• A number of mid size to large retail outlets or supermarkets selling grocery, fresh vegetables and daily needs, stationary, basic accessories, etc. are dotted throughout the city. Few important of them being:

Along with these, there are a number of small time retail shops and grocery shops all around the city.

Eat

Aurangabad has a fairly good restaurants and eating joints spread across the town. Apart from the star category hotels there are many restaurants in the city.

Budget / Mid-range

Indian Vegetarian (a-la-carte)

• Smile - Nirala Bazaar
• Laadli - Jalna Road
• Madhu's - Adalat Road
• Mrignayani - Sootgirni

Indian Vegetarian (Thaali Meals) 'Thaali' in Marathi & Hindi means a complete meal. Thaali meals consis of Assorted Indian breads, Rice varieties, 2 or 3 vegetables, Munchins, Dals, Kadhi, Traditional cold drinks, Indian Desserts, etc.

• Bhoj, Near Varad Ganesh Mandir is one of the oldest Thaali restaurants in the city. The contents keep on changing daily. The Thaali is neither spicy nor very oily. Recommended and worth a visit even for foreigners visiting the city.
• Indrali at Aurangpura is a good budget Thaali restaurant.
• Naivedya on Jalna Road, is also a good and reputed Thaali restaurant near the Aurangabad Airport and is an ideal place for people visiting or staying around Airport Road.
• Swad at Osmanpura is another good Thaali restaurant.
• Thaat-Baat,Off Adalat Road serves a similar kind of Thaali in traditional Indian Silver pottery. The Thaali is a good deal.

Indian Non-Vegetarian

• Amarpreet - Jalna Road (Bar & Restaurant)
• Angeethi - Seven Hills, Jalna Road (Bar & Restaurant)
• Atithi-Rooftop - Seven Hills, Jalna Road (Bar & Restaurant)
• City Spice - Cannought Gardens (Restaurant & Fluid Lounge)
• Gharonda - Nirala Bazaar (Bar & Restaurant)
• Hotel Janaki - Surana Nagar, Jalna Road (Non veg multi-cuisine)
• Jazeera Hotel - Buddi Lane
• Kohinoor Plaza - Nirala Bazaar (Bar & Restaurant)
• Mughal Darbar - Juna Bazaar / kat kat gate
• Riviera - Seven Hills, Jalna Road (Bar & Restaurant)
• Sagar Hotel- Buddi Lane

Non Vegetarian Dhabas (Garden Restaurants & Bars) on outskirts of the city These are Open air/ semi open restaurants on outskirts of the city. They serve good food and liquor. Being a bit far from town they make ideal getaway for families.

• Ambiance Dhaba - Nasik Road
• Fauji Dhaba - Nasik Road
• Garden Court - Beed Highway NH-211
• Madhuban - Beed Highway NH-211
• Master Cook - Beed Highway NH-211
• Pasha Bhai Ka Dhaba - Daultabad road.
• Pathan Dhaba- opp Meadows Hotel.
• Tinu's Dhaba - Nasik Road

Pizza, Coffee, Breakfast, Snacks, Savories, Pastries, etc.

• Baker's Lounge at Osmanpura and CIDCO (opposite Lemontree Hotel) serves mouth watering pastries, cakes (best in town) and excellent veg savories in an elegant contemporary decor.
• Cafe Coffee Break at Nirala Bazaar and Cannought Gardens, CIDCO serve good coffees, cold drinks and veg savories at an affordable price.
• Cafe Coffee Day - at Nirala Bazaar and at CIDCO opposite to Sakaal Newspaper office. You will enjoy various different varieties of coffees.
• Cafe Coffee Day - Nirala Bazaar and Jalna Road are the outlets of India's largest coffee chain serving variety of coffees and soft drinks along with savories and pastries.
• Domino's Pizza - City Pride, Opp Gurudwara Gate, Mondha Naka, Jalna Road - is the outlet of the world's no.1 pizza chain.
• Fast Food Center(Veg) - Nirala Bazaar serves good burgers, sandwiches, savories.
• Korn Klub - Nirala Bazaar serves a large variety of tasty corn products.
• Kream & Krunch - Opposite Aurangpura AMT Bus Stop and at Aakashwani - Jalna Road,Opp to Big bazaar serves excellent non veg & veg sandwiches, savories, pastries, soft drinks, etc. One of the best place for non-veg savories in the city.
• Smile, Nirala Bazaar and Laadli, Jalna Road serve good south Indian vegetarian snacks.
• Smokin Joe's - Nirala Bazaar is a pizza chain serving good veg and non-veg pizzas.

Hookka lounges

• Chimney - Off Jalna Road, Near 7 Hills flyover.
• City Spice - Cannought Gardens, CIDCO.

Splurge (Multi-cuisine / Specialty)

• Relish (Restaurant at the Windsor Castle) Jalgaon Road, CIDCO - Feast on Chinese, continental and Indian culinary delights at Relish Restaurant.

• Residency (Restaurant at Taj) at Ruza Buag, Harsool Road serves excellent Indian, Chinese & Continental food in traditional Mughal decor and cozy ambiance.

• Restaurant (at Rama International) on Jalna Road serves good multi-cuisine varieties.

• Society (Restaurant at the Ambassador Ajanta) on Jalna Road evokes the memory of Diwan - E -Aam that was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar at Fatehpur Sikri. This recently renovated multi - cuisine restaurant serves Indian, Chinese and Continental food.

Road side eateries

see also street food

There are a number of good road side eateries in the city. Apart from being cheep, they serve hot and tasty food provided you are used to deep fried and medium spicy Indian junk food. Drinking water should be avoided at such places.

• Bikaner Bhujiyawalla at Kranti Chowk has a snacks counter serving hot & fresh Kachoris, Samosas, Bhajjiyas and Dhoklas.
• 1 Gayatri Chaat Bhandaar Road Side Eatery, Rangar Galli, Gulmandi, Shahgunj (Center, North 100m of Hotel Mevad). open at 6:30 PM.. Other unit at Kranti Chowk and are the oldest road side eateries in town. They serve excellent deep fried snacks like Kachoris, Samosas and Bhajjiyas hot and fresh prepared in front of you on a 'Chulha' (clay oven). 

• Omkar Pav Bhaji at Kranti Chowk serves good Paav Bhaji. Pav Bhaji originated at Bombay as a quick nourishing meal consisting of Indian bread and mashed & Stir fried mixed vegetables with a dash of butter.
• A number of road side eateries serve good Indian grilled chicken varieties like Chicken Tikka, Tandoori, Kebabs, etc. at Cannought Gardens, CIDCO. The places usually open at around 8:00 PM and are open till midnight.
• Vada Paav a traditional Marathi snack, a Maharashtrian version of burger is available at a number of places in town. The Vada Paav at almost all locations is fairly good. But do insist on a hot Vada Paav.

Foreigners wanting to try the food from road-side eateries must make sure that it is hot, fried in front of them and must resist from having the non-vegetarian road-side eatables, sauces (chutneys), juices, ice-candies, etc.; however tempting may they look! Drinking regular water on streets is strict no. You must have mineral water.

Paan

Paan at Tara Paan Centre, Osmanpura is a tradition of Aurangabad and a must have. If you feel how can a Paan be so special then you have to feel a variety of mouth-melting Paans with exquisite presentation at this joint. You will not have a Paan like this anywhere in India.

Drink

Although Aurangabad is not a very Alcohol friendly place, there are a number of good bars in the city. Do not try very cheep looking bars as they can be unsafe at times. Usually All good hotels have in-house bar facilities. Some good places to enjoy a drink in Aurangabad are:

Mid-range

• Angeethi - Seven Hills, Jalna Road

• Atithi-Rooftop - Seven Hills, Jalna Road

• Bubbles - Near Cannought Gardens, CIDCO

• City Spice - Restaurant & Fluid Lounge - Cannought Gardens, CIDCO

• Gharonda - Nirala Bazaar

• Kohinoor Plaza - Nirala Bazaar

Splurge

• Garden Bar (Taj Residency) - Rauza Baug, Harsool Road is a semi-open bar in a sprawling campus of the Taj Residency inspired by Mughal Architecture.
• The Garbah Bar(The Ambassador Ajanta)The Ambience of Gujarat finds a faithful echo in an inviting appeal in this lovely bar.
• Slounge (Lemon Tree)- Airport Road, Aurangabad is a contemporary lounge & bar with young and cozy decor along with play-station facilities.
• 6 Lemon Tree Hotel Aurangabad (Lemon Tree Hotel Aurangabad), R 7/2, Chikalthana, Airport Road, Aurangabad Maharashtra 431210 (R 7/2, Chikalthana, Airport Road, Aurangabad Maharashtra 431210), ☏ 91 240 6603030 FORMATNOCC, hi.ar@lemontreehotels.com. Business hotel in Aurangabad located in the heart of the city near Ajanta & Ellora caves. Book direct to get exclusive deals, Free Wi-Fi, Breakfast and Pay@Hotel. Best Deals Guaranteed. (updated Sep 2018)

Sleep

Price Range of Aurangabad Hotels Budget < ₹1500 Mid Range ₹1500 to ₹3000 Splurge > ₹3000

Since Aurangabad is a tourist place, the city has a number of good hotels from all the budget categories suiting the needs of all tourists visiting the city. The budget hotels are located near the Aurangabad Railway Station and City Center, The mid range hotels have been distributed over the city and the 5 star & 4 star hotels are located near the Chikalthana Airport.

Budget

• Aurangabad Sports Club (A.S. Club), Nagar Road (Outskirts of Aurangabad), ☏ +91 240 2554771. Price Start: ₹1,351. 

• 1 Hotel Classic, Station Road (Near Goldie Cinema, half km of Aurangabad Railway Station), ☏ +91 93252 12444 (Mobil). Budget Sgl / Dbl ₹600/₹850, Std Sgl / Dbl ₹900/₹1180, Deluxe Sgl ₹1180. 

• 2 Hotel Girnar, Adalat Road, Pannalal Nagar, Maharashtra State Highway 30 (Girnar Complex, Near LIC Office. - Sahakari Bank Bus Stop), ☏ +91 240 233 7368. ** Price Start: ₹1100. 

• 3 Hotel Great Punjab, Bhanudas Sabhahgrah Railway Station Road, Bansilal Nagar (300 m of Aurangabad Railway Station). 

• 4 Hotel Heritage Palace (***), Maya Nagar, M G M (J N E C) (Near to Jalna Road, CIDCO,- Opposite 'Sakal Papers). 

• Hotel Indraprasth Aurangabad, Plot No. 3, Near BSNL CTO office, New Rokdia Hanuman Colony, Old Mondha, ☏ +91 9021555553, toll-free: +91 9021555553, hiaurangabad@gmail.com. Check-in: 10;00 A.M, check-out: 10:00 A.M. ₹1050 and up. (updated Jun 2015)

• 5 Hotel Manasi, Jalna Road, CIDCO, New Aurangabad (Opposite Naik College. - North one and half km of Mukundwadi Railway Station), ☏ +91 240 224 0411. 

• 6 Hotel Manmandir, Adalat Road (Opp. to Old Court, - SFS Bus Stop), ☏ +91 240 2365777, manmandirtours@rediffmail.com. Locker is free. There is an Air-conditioned Dormitory for ₹300 per head. - 32 Rooms thoughtfully designed & furnished. Standard NA/C Sgl / Dbl / Extra Bed ₹1000/₹1250/₹300, Executive A/C, Sgl / Dbl / Extra Bed₹1300/₹1800/₹350, Ellora Executive A/C, Dbl ₹2400; Family Room A/C. 3 Bed/ Extra Bed ₹2100. all tax incl. (march 2015). 

• Hotel Ravi Kiran Executive, 14/B,Kuber Avenue, Opp. Indian Airline Office, Rana Nagar,Seven Hill Bridge, Jalna Road, ☏ +91 2402441177, toll-free: +91 9021155554, hotelrkaurangabad@gmail.com. Start From ₹1100. (updated Jun 2015)

• 7 Hotel Raviraj, Adalat Road,Bhagyanagar (Next to Baba Petrol). ** 

• 8 Hotel Shree Maya, Bharuka Complex, Padampura Road (Behind Tourist Home, One+ km from Railway Station. Take bus to Stop Padampura), ☏ +91 240 2333093. Price Start: ₹535. 

• Ira Executive Hotel, ☏ +91 240 240 2352161. Price Start: ₹1,075. 

• 9 Kala Laxmi Executive Hotel, Central Bus Stand Road (Opposite Sidhartha Garden), ☏ +91 240 234 4606. Price Start: ₹850,. 

• Mrunal Palace Hotel, +91 240 2340171, Price Start: ₹1,215
• MTDC Holiday Resort, Station Road. Government Owned & Opetated 

• 10 Preetam Lodging Hotel, Station Road (Near Railway Station), ☏ +91 240 2350445. Price Start: ₹850. 

• Riviera Executive Hotel, Jalna Road (Behind Airlines Building, Opposite to MGM Hospital), ☏ +91 240 2338984. ** Price Start: 1,345.. 

• Sagar Plaza Hotel, Jalna Rd, N 3 (Cidco), ☏ +91 240 247 1009. One star hotel Price Start: ₹460. 

• Sparkling Pearl Hotel, N1, Jalgaon Road (Near CIDCO Bus Stand, Close to Fame Cinemas), ☏ +91 240 2482019, +91 937 349 5691, info@hotelsparklingpearl.com. Price Start: ₹810. 

• Vijay Residency Hotel, 35,Towncentre,, Cidco, ☏ +91 240 2481958. Price Start: ₹1,080. 

Mid-range

• 11 Hotel Amardeep (Amardeep Lodging & Restaurant), 5, Dalip Nagar, Adalat Road (Behind Satish Motors), ☏ +91 240 234 0301. 

• Hotel Amarpreet, Kranti Chowk, Jalna Road (Near Aurangabad Airport). 

• Hotel Janki Executive, Jalna Road (Near Aurangabad Airport), ☏ +91 240 2443133. Price Start: 1,300. 

• 12 Hotel Kohinoor Plaza, Nirala Bazaar, Samarth Nagar, ☏ +91 240 6623551, +91 240-6623552, +91 7709009719, +91 9860564072 (Mobile). ** Single Room Sgl 1200, Deluxe Room Sgl / Dbl / Extra Bed ₹1800/₹1900; Executive Suit / Executive Family / Kohinoor Club ₹2500/₹3100/₹4000 per room all tax incl. Extra Bed ₹430. 

• 13 Hotel Manor Aurangabad, Karnti Chauk Flyover (Near to Cemetery. - Take bus to Stop Kranti Chauk), ☏ +91 240 233 4772, +91 240 2333383. Three star hotel Price Start: ₹1,665. 

• Hotel Sahyadri (Hotel Yuvraj ***), N 3-4, Cidco, Jalna Road (Near new High Court), ☏ +91 240 248 9901. Deluxe Sgl / Dbl ₹2100/₹2500, Executive Sgl / Dbl ₹2700/₹3100 tax incl. (2014). 

• Keys Hotel, ☏ +91 240 240 665 4000. Three star hotel Price Start: ₹2,450. 

• MTDC Holiday Resort (Government Owned & Opetated) - Station Road, Aurangabad

• Quality inn Meadows, 6, Padegaon, Nashik Mumbai Highway,Village Mitmita (Outskirts of Aurangabad). 

Splurge

• The Ambassador Ajanta, Jalna Road, CIDCO, New Aurangabad. 
• Aurangabad Gymkhana Club, Jalna Road, CIDCO, New Aurangabad, ☏ +91 240 2476501-6. Four star hotel. Price Start: 3,000. 

• Hiranya Resorts, Ellora Rd (Near Daultabad Lake and Fort), ☏ +91 98506 33566, contact@hiranyaresorts.com. 
• 14 Hotel Atithi Aurangabad, P-3, Jalna Road, Seven Hill Flyover (Town Center, - Take bus to Stop Seven Hills), ☏ +91 932 507 9874. **** Sgl/dbl ₹2700/₹3200 Suite ₹3400/₹4000, Suite Deluxe ₹4660. 

• Hotel Rama International, Opp. New High Court, Jalna Road. 
• Hotel Windsor Castle, Jalgaon Road, New Aurangabad (Near CIDCO Bus Stataion). *** Price Start: ₹2,565. 
• 15 Lemon Tree Hotel, Aurangabad, R 7/2, Chikalthana, Airport Road (Near to Aurangabad Airport, Jalgaon Rd cnr), ☏ +91 240 660 3030. **** USD100+. 
• Taj Residency, Rauza Bagh, Harsool Road, ☏ +91 240 6613737. ***** Price Start: ₹4,115. 
• VITS Hotel, Station Road (Near Aurangabad Railway Station), ☏ +91 240 2350701. *** Price Start: ₹3,060. 

• WelcomHotel Rama International, R-3 Chikalthana, ☏ +91 240 663 4141. 

Connect

Phone

• Aurangabad international dialing code - +91-240-xxxxxxx (Dialing from anywhere in the world except India), 0240-xxxxxxx (Dialing from anywhere in India).
• Aurangabad city is served by a number of mobile phone operators like BSNL, air-cell, Vodafone, Idea and Airtel for the GSM network. The CDMA network is offered by Reliance, Tata Indicom and Virgin Mobile.
• Public Telephone booths offering International, Domestic & Local calls are scattered throughout the city. The fare is calculated on a digital meter and the payment is done after the call. These booths are much cheaper than hotel phones.

Internet

A large number of internet cafes are available across the city. The surfing charges per hour vary from ₹20 to ₹35. A few of the good Internet cafes are:

• Cyber Mall - Samarth Nagar, Aurangabad
• Internet Browsing Hub, Railway Station, Aurangabad
• Log In - Nirala Bazar, Khatod Complex, Aurangabad
• Priya Net Cafe - N-12,Hudco Aurangabad
• Sify I-Way, Nirala Bazaar, Aurangabad
• Sify I-Way, Osmanpura, Aurangabad
• Shradha Net Cafe, N-2,Thakare nagar, CIDCO, Aurangabad

Stay safe

Aurangabad is a fairly safe place. The people in city are by and large decent with the international and domestic tourists. Ladies should be careful while traveling alone late at night after 10:00 PM. The local buses (AMT & MSRTC) are very safe for women even at late night. If a lady is traveling alone on an overnight bus from Aurangabad usually the seat next to her is given only to a lady traveler as a courtesy but make sure to request for a 'ladies-seat' while making your bookings. Walking on the streets up to 9:00 PM is usually safe for women but avoid going into small lanes and by-lanes after it is dark and make sure that you are not wearing any jewelry while walking on the streets. Women are not recommended to take lifts from private vehicles at any time of the day. Do not display ₹500 and ₹1000 currency notes in public and beware of pick-pockets at crowded locations like Railway Stations, Bus Stations, Bazzars etc. Violent crime in Aurangabad is very low though not negligible. Please have the following numbers with you all the time. They can be dialed from any mobile or fixed line phone.

• Police - 100
• Fire - 101
• Ambulance - 102, (+91-240)-2473301, (+91-240)-2473302

Go next

Day Trips

• Ahmednangar

• Ajanta Caves

• Ellora (Verul) Caves, Daulatabad, Bibi Ka Maqbara, Panchakki can all be covered in one day

• Goa

• Hyderabad

• Indore

• Kolhapur

• Mhaismaal - A local hill station

• Mumbai (take a train)

• Nagpur (take a bus, 12 hours)

• Nasik (take a bus, hourly)

• Paithan

• Pune (take a bus)

• Shani-Shingnapur is an important place dedicated to Lord SHANI (PLANET SATURN) from the Hindu Mythology.

• Shirdi(take a train) - Famous for the Temple of Sai-Baba, a renowned noble Indian Saint.

• Solapur