Aurangabad City Guide — History, Places to Visit & Getting Around

Aurangabad city — officially renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2023 — is one of Maharashtra’s most historically significant cities, known worldwide for its proximity to the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Located in the Marathwada region of central Maharashtra, Aurangabad blends centuries of Mughal, Nizam, and Maratha history with a growing modern economy built around textiles, auto manufacturing, and tourism.

History of Aurangabad City

Aurangabad was founded in 1610 by Malik Ambar, a general in the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, under the name Khadki. The city was later renamed Aurangabad after Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who used it as his capital in the Deccan during the late 17th century. Over subsequent centuries, the city passed through Mughal, Maratha, and Nizam rule before becoming part of independent India in 1948 as part of Hyderabad State, and later Maharashtra.

This layered history is visible throughout the city today — from the Bibi Ka Maqbara mausoleum (built to resemble the Taj Mahal) to the historic Aurangabad Gates, remnants of the city’s fortified past.

Under Nizam rule, the city functioned as an important administrative and cultural centre for the wider Marathwada region, a role that shaped much of its architecture, including the network of gates that once controlled access to different quarters of the walled city. Several of these gates — Delhi Gate, Paithan Gate, and Mecca Gate among them — still stand today, though the fortifications around them have largely disappeared into the modern city.

The 20th century brought further change. After the fall of the Nizam’s rule and the integration of Hyderabad State into India in 1948, the region that includes Aurangabad became part of Bombay State, and then Maharashtra following the 1960 state reorganisation. This period also saw the city grow from a primarily administrative and religious centre into an industrial one, a trajectory that continues today.

Architecturally, Aurangabad reflects this succession of rulers in a way few Indian cities do quite so visibly within a compact area — Mughal-era tombs and mosques sit within a few kilometres of Maratha-period structures and later Nizam-era civic buildings, offering visitors a condensed tour through several centuries of Deccan history without needing to travel far between sites.

Geography & Climate

The city sits on the Deccan Plateau in central Maharashtra, at an elevation of roughly 568 metres above sea level. The region experiences a semi-arid climate with hot summers (April–June), a moderate monsoon season (July–September), and mild, comfortable winters (November–February) — generally considered the most pleasant time to visit.

Top Places to Visit Near Aurangabad

The city serves as the gateway to some of India’s most important historical and religious sites:

• Ajanta Caves — ~100 km from the city, UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for Buddhist paintings
• Ellora Caves — ~30 km from the city, home to the rock-cut Kailasa Temple
• Bibi Ka Maqbara — within city limits, the “Mini Taj Mahal”
• Daulatabad Fort — ~15 km, a hilltop fortress with panoramic views
• Panchakki (Water Mill) — a 17th-century water-powered grinding mill and Sufi shrine complex
• Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga — one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples, near Ellora

Ajanta Caves, carved between roughly the 2nd century BCE and 6th century CE, are best known for their painted murals depicting scenes from the Buddha’s life — considered among the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian painting. Ellora, by contrast, is a later complex (6th to 10th century CE) spanning Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain traditions in a single rock face, with the monolithic Kailasa Temple as its centrepiece.

Within the city itself, Bibi Ka Maqbara was commissioned in 1660 by Prince Azam Shah in memory of his mother and deliberately echoes the architecture of the Taj Mahal, though on a smaller scale and built primarily of basalt rather than marble. Daulatabad Fort, meanwhile, was briefly the capital of the Delhi Sultanate in the 14th century under Muhammad bin Tughlaq, whose attempt to relocate the entire capital there is one of the more unusual episodes in medieval Indian history.

Most visitors to Aurangabad city plan their trip around these sites in a two-to-three-day window — a day for the city’s own attractions (Bibi Ka Maqbara, Panchakki, Daulatabad Fort), a day for Ellora and Grishneshwar together given their proximity, and a separate day for Ajanta given the longer round-trip distance involved. For pilgrims wanting to cover multiple Jyotirlinga temples in one trip, see our 3 Jyotirlinga tour package from Aurangabad.

Economy & Industry

Modern Aurangabad is a significant industrial hub for Maharashtra, home to auto-component manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and a growing tourism sector built around its UNESCO sites. The Chikalthana and Waluj industrial areas host both domestic and multinational manufacturing operations, making the city an important economic centre for the Marathwada region beyond its historical significance.

The city’s industrial growth accelerated significantly from the 1980s onward, with the establishment of dedicated industrial estates that attracted automotive component manufacturers, breweries, and pharmaceutical companies. This diversification helped Aurangabad develop an economic base independent of tourism, even as the Ajanta and Ellora Caves continued to draw visitors from across the world.

Tourism remains a substantial contributor to the local economy, supporting hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and transport services across the city. The combination of historical tourism and industrial manufacturing gives Aurangabad a more diversified economy than many comparably sized cities in the region, which often depend more heavily on a single sector.

Getting Around the City

For visitors, getting around and reaching the outlying attractions (Ajanta and Ellora in particular) is most practical by taxi, since public transport options to these sites are limited. A private taxi lets you cover the Ellora Caves, Daulatabad Fort, and Bibi Ka Maqbara in a single day, or dedicate a full day to the more distant Ajanta Caves.

Within the city itself, local buses and auto-rickshaws handle short trips reasonably well, but they become less practical for visitors trying to cover multiple sites in a single day, or for anyone unfamiliar with the local routes and negotiation norms. A pre-arranged taxi with a fixed, transparent fare avoids both the uncertainty of local negotiation and the time lost switching between different modes of transport at each stop.

This matters particularly for the Ajanta and Ellora circuit, since both sites sit outside the immediate city limits and involve winding approach roads. A driver familiar with the route can also help plan the day efficiently — starting early to beat both the heat and the crowds, and sequencing stops in a way that avoids unnecessary backtracking.

For travellers arriving from outside Aurangabad city, whether by air, rail, or road, arranging a taxi in advance also removes the uncertainty of finding reliable transport immediately after a long journey — particularly useful for early morning flights or overnight train arrivals, when negotiating with unfamiliar local operators is the last thing most travellers want to deal with.

Siya Travels runs local city taxi service, airport and railway transfers, and full sightseeing packages covering all of Aurangabad’s major attractions — see our Aurangabad taxi service page for details, or our dedicated Ajanta Ellora taxi services page if the caves are your main priority. For residents or visitors in the CIDCO area, see our CIDCO Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar taxi service page, and if you’re travelling onward to Mumbai, our Aurangabad to Mumbai city taxi service covers that route.

How to Reach Aurangabad

Aurangabad is well connected by air, rail, and road:

• By Air: Aurangabad Airport (Chikkalthana) connects to Mumbai, Delhi, and other major cities
• By Rail: Aurangabad Railway Station is on a well-connected line with regular service to Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad
• By Road: National highways connect Aurangabad to Mumbai (~335 km), Pune (~235 km), and Nashik (~180 km)

Once you arrive, our airport taxi Aurangabad service can pick you up directly for onward travel into the city or straight to your first sightseeing stop.

Aurangabad Airport itself is a relatively compact facility compared to India’s major metro airports, which typically means faster baggage collection and exit times — useful to know if you’re planning a tight schedule that starts with sightseeing on arrival day rather than resting first. Flight frequency to Mumbai is generally good, with fewer direct options to other cities, so many long-distance visitors route through Mumbai or Pune before continuing to Aurangabad by air or road.

Culture, Cuisine & Local Life

Aurangabad’s cultural fabric reflects its layered history — Marathi, Urdu, and Hyderabadi influences all show up in the city’s food, festivals, and everyday life. The local cuisine leans toward Marathwada-style thali meals alongside Mughlai and Hyderabadi-influenced dishes, a legacy of the city’s time under Nizam administration. Naan-Qalia, a slow-cooked mutton dish, is considered one of the city’s signature specialities and is worth seeking out for anyone visiting.

The city also hosts a mix of religious and cultural festivals throughout the year, from Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations to Urs observances at local Sufi shrines, reflecting the diverse communities that have called Aurangabad home across different periods of its history. Siddharth Garden and Zoo, one of the city’s central green spaces, remains a popular spot for families, while Salim Ali Lake and Bird Sanctuary offers a quieter escape for birdwatchers within city limits, named after the ornithologist who studied the region extensively.

Population & Administration

Aurangabad is among the larger cities in Maharashtra by population, serving as the administrative headquarters of Aurangabad district and the broader Marathwada division. The city functions as an important regional centre for healthcare, education, and government services for the surrounding rural areas, in addition to its roles in tourism and manufacturing.

The city hosts several higher education institutions, including Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, one of the region’s oldest and largest universities, along with a number of engineering, medical, and management colleges that draw students from across Marathwada and neighbouring districts. This concentration of educational institutions, combined with the city’s industrial base, has helped Aurangabad retain and attract a young, working population rather than losing it to Mumbai or Pune, as is common in many smaller Maharashtra towns.

Healthcare infrastructure has expanded considerably over the past two decades as well, with several multi-speciality hospitals now serving not just the city but the wider Marathwada region, reducing the need for patients to travel to Mumbai or Pune for specialised treatment in many cases. This growth in civic infrastructure — healthcare, education, and industry combined — has gradually shifted Aurangabad city’s identity from a purely historical and tourist destination toward a more balanced regional centre, even as the Ajanta and Ellora Caves remain its best-known claim to fame internationally.

Aurangabad City — FAQs

Common questions visitors and researchers ask about Aurangabad city:

1. What is Aurangabad city now called?

Aurangabad was officially renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2023, though the older name remains in common use.

2. What is Aurangabad city famous for?

Aurangabad is best known as the gateway to the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, along with the Bibi Ka Maqbara and Daulatabad Fort.

3. What is the best time to visit Aurangabad city?

November to February offers the most comfortable weather, with mild temperatures ideal for sightseeing.

4. How far are Ajanta and Ellora Caves from Aurangabad city?

Ellora is approximately 30 km from the city, while Ajanta is roughly 100 km away.

5. Is a taxi the best way to see Aurangabad’s attractions?

Yes, given the limited public transport to sites like Ajanta and Ellora, a private taxi is the most practical way to cover the city and its surrounding attractions in a single trip.

6. What is Aurangabad city’s connection to the Nizams?

Aurangabad served as an important administrative and cultural centre under Nizam rule before the region became part of independent India in 1948.

7. What food is Aurangabad known for?

Naan-Qalia, a slow-cooked mutton dish reflecting the city’s Hyderabadi-influenced culinary history, is considered one of its signature specialities.