Top Things to do in Aurangabad District
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Top 5 Ancient Ruins in Aurangabad District, Maharashtra
Discover the best top things to do in Aurangabad District, India including Ellora Caves, Daulatabad Fort, Hindu Temples at Ellora Caves, Buddhist Temples at Ellora Caves, The Kacheri.
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1. Ellora Caves
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,668 reviews
Spectacular rock cut caves and elaborate sculptures of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths are over 10 centuries old.
Reviewed By mechmanoj - Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The majestic Kailash temple is one of the most remarkable cave temples in the world because of its size, architecture and sculptural treatment It is an engineering marvel and is a proof of our rich heritage and technical capabilities centuries before.
2. Daulatabad Fort
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 674 reviews
Reviewed By IndradeepR - Mumbai, India
Doulatabad Fort also called as Devgiri Fort is one of those forts which can never be invaded unless otherwise there is an Inside traitor. I will not dwell much on the history as you can find a lot of material to read it in case you are a history enthusiast. I am writing this review from a tourist point of view and how I was excited all the way to trek upto the summit. The Fort is built on a hill of around 600 feet and thus trekking to the top is not for the faint hearted. If you have back or knee problem it is better to take it slow and go up as much as you can rather than stretching yourself as the pathway is rocky and the stair fit more from a horse traversing it than humans If you drive down you will be required to park the vehicle about 50 metres from the entrance gate. This is a paid parking albeit not maintained at all. The ticket counter is available before the entrance gate. You can pay by cash or scan a QR code and buy the tickets. As you enter the fort the QR code would be scanned from your handheld device and thus allowed entry. Alternatively you can also visit the ASI website and buy tickets and scan it too for entry. Please note that plastic water bottles are not allowed and if you intend to go all the way to the top you will require water, thus please carry water bottles/sippers as you deem fit. I always carry 2 steel water bottles in my backpack and by the time I came out of the exit it was over. As you enter through the gate you will be find a small courtyard where ASI have displayed the various forts of Maharashtra and the unique canons in front of them. I just loved it and spent time reading about them to enhance my knowledge. As you pass the courtyard you will reach the Main entrance ( Mahakoot), where you can till date see the wooden doors are spiked with Iron rods to ensure that elephants cannot break in. The other interesting aspects is that as you cross the door there is a right turn with an open passage which ensures that even if someone breaches the gate there would be soldiers awaiting to kill with boulders, rocks, bow and arrow etc. Once you cross the Mahakoot the real journey or trekking of the fort starts. As you continue to walk you will find large Orange structure called Chand Minar which stands around 210 feet in height. It can be reached on op through a spiral staircase however I found it closed at this point of time. On the opposite side please visit the Canon museum. This was conceptualised and executed by one of our archaeologist named Dr Dilip Kumar Khamari. My heartfelt tribute to his idea which allowed me to see 56 different types of Canons of different size and built and for different purposes. As you continue further you will find the Chini fort. While there are Chinese tiles used and thus the name. The fort has an architectural style of Anglo Indian and thus caught my attention, Importantly, the spot is amazing to get a few clicks of Chand Minar from this spot. Henceforth the terrain will continue to be steep and treacherous so brace yourself mentally and keep your body moving rather than sitting down. You will soon reach the Sarawati well the Moat which is normally there across any Forts. This is probably the most difficult breach for the enemy if they even reach here. Earlier there were no bridge to cross the moat and I am told that soldier used to swing in with the help of Leather belts. Thankfully we don’t have to do it as the Government has provided a steel bridge. If you have not taken a guide as the official guide charges around Rs 1800/- speak with the security guard and get to know of the details of Andheri ( Dark) Passage. I am uploading a video of this place for you to get a sense of the total darkness. This was done to ensure that if an enemy breach the moat and enter they would not be able to see anything and soldiers waiting in darkness can eliminate them completely. After you have crossed this segment the fort continues upward to the top of the hill.You will find a Ganesh temple with an old lady telling you tales if you have the time and energy. But patience hearing to such tales can be enlightening if you go with an open mind. As you go up further you will find Baradari a fantastic place for a 360 degree view from the fort. If you decide that you cannot go up further probably this is the place you can stay put for sometime before you start your descend. For others who can continue the best is yet to come. First you will be greeted with Kala Pahad canon which is also a fantastic place to take a few pictures. Once you are done with your pictures you will be taking the last leap of faith towards the top most part of the Fort where a gigantic and powerful Canon rests called the “Durga Canon” If you have a basic sense of imagination personify yourself to an eagle and take a good view of the world around you. The entire fatigue of the journey will vanish off because of the magnificent all around view the wind which will rejuvenate you back to take the steps down. Catch on the air as much as possible and take a few sips of water before you walk back. The coming down is tougher than climbing and thus take it slow so that you don’t hurt your knees. As you reach your Parking spot turn around and take a long look of the Fort and feel proud of what you have achieved in climbing it. Bid goodbye with a thought and gratitude for our ancestors for building something so unique and a marvellous structure on a hill with no modern tools and equipments.
3. Hindu Temples at Ellora Caves
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By Donna_in_India - New York City, United States
There are 17 Hindu Caves at Ellora - numbers 13-29. They were excavated at the beginning of the 7th century. The Hindu caves are the centerpieces of Ellora and are so detailed and intricate that they must have required generations of planning and coordination, not to mention the 100+ years it took to actually create them. Two of the more interesting Caves were Cave 14 also known as Ravana ki Kahi and Cave 15 also known as Dashavatara. Cave 14 contains sculptures of Hindu gods/goddesses (deities) such as Durga and Vishnu. Cave 15 was double-storied (I really liked this one) and had superb sculptures. However the highlight of the Hindu Caves, and of Ellora, in fact, is Cave 16 known as Kailasanath (Kailasa/Kailasha) Temple. This temple is actually a complex - it is huge! - 266 feet by 154 feet. It was carved (top to bottom out of one single rock that is double the size of the Parthenon in Athens). It is the largest monolithic structure in the world and was sculpted with the mere use of hammer and chisel. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and there are countless carvings of him. There is an open courtyard with a towering pillar and numerous sculptured (life size) elephants, which are world famous. The two stairways leading to the Mandapa of the main temple are carved with narrative episodes from the two great Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Those were really interesting!! I also liked the Nandi Pavillion - housing a large sculpture of Nandi, the bull which Lord Siva rides. One of my other favorite sculptures was Ganesh - I had to look hard to find him but knew he would be in the complex. Allow plenty of time for the Hindu temples, especially Kailasa. I'm not sure that I would recommend seeing Kailasa last - you may be too tired by then - and there is so much you should not miss!! If you see Kailasa first, by the time you finish the Hindu and Buddhist Caves, you may not make it over to the Jain Caves (especially if you're walking). We saw Kailasa right after seeing Jain Caves 32 & 33, and it worked out really well. (We continued on to the other Hindu Caves and the Buddhist Caves.) If for Kailasa alone, I would highly recommend having a guide. You will find out much more than you would from a guidebook.
4. Buddhist Temples at Ellora Caves
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By Donna_in_India - New York City, United States
There are 12 Buddhist Caves at Ellora - numbers 1-12. The caves comprise of Chaityas (shrines) and Viharas (monasteries). Cave number 1 is possibly the earliest excavation; the Buddhist caves date back to 500-700 A.D. In comparison to the slightly elaborate Jain Caves and the very elaborate Hindu Caves, the Buddhist Caves are almost serene. But it is that very simplicity that I found beautiful. Of course it was easy to imagine the lives of the Buddhists who prayed and meditated (and ate and slept) on the very hard rock floors! Cave 1 is a plain vihara with eight cells. The cells were bare rock and were used for solitary meditation. They indeed looked as uncomfortable as a prison cell but for some unexplainable reason, I really liked this Cave. Cave 2 is a monastery - 50 feet high - having a central hall with pillars and a gallery of Buddhas. Cave 5 was another of my favorite Buddhist Caves. It is also the largest - 117 feet long by 56 feet wide. Twenty four pillars hold up the roof. It looks like it may have been used as a classroom for young monks. At the far end of the Cave is a Buddha image in a chapel. What is interesting in Cave 6 is that in the antechamber there is a statue of the Hindu goddess of learning, Saraswati. Apparently the boundaries between Hinduism and Buddhism are fuzzy and Hindus recognize and worship some Buddhist god/goddesses as their own and vice-versa. Cave 10, also known as Visvakarma, was my favorite Buddhist Cave. It is a chaitya-hall and the only Buddhist chapel at Ellora. The monastery is on the ground floor and the chamber has 28 columns, dividing it up into a nave and aisles. At the back is a huge figure of (Teaching) Buddha carved under a votive stupa. There is a high ceiling with stone rafters. A monk would go up against a column and chant; the chant would echo through the whole monastery. I imagine it was a beautiful sound. (Our guide quietly chanted near a pillar and we were able to hear him throughout the chaitya.) Cave 12 is a three storied cave and is also known as Teen-thaal. It has an open court and has porches supported by pillars in each story. The outside is very plain looking but the hall on each floor has decorated galleries with Buddhas carved on the walls. The nicest statue is the Buddha (in deep meditation) in the shrine.
5. The Kacheri
Overall Ratings
3.0 based on 3 reviews
