Archive for the ‘Aurangabad’ Category
April 24th, 2010 | 
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Situated just on the fringes of Aurangabad are the caves that were carved out during the 2nd to 6th century in Maharashtra. These caves are ten in number and have been shaped out of somewhat soft rock. Tantric Hinduism has been the inspiration of their architecture and iconography. Aurangabad Caves are to be found at two different locations, at a distance of a kilometer. These two locations are referred to as Western Group Caves (Cave 1-5) and Eastern Group Caves (cave 6-10).
Western Group Caves
Regarding Western Group Caves, the architecture is absolutely fascinating. Majority of the caves are monasteries, excluding Cave 4 that is perhaps the oldest cave and represents the prayer hall of Hinayana phase amidst its ridged roof and stupa in the forefront. The monasteries essentially represent the early style of Buddhist monastery having an open court, encircled by open cells. Cave 3 is the masterpiece amongst all, with its beautifully carved pillars and sculptures depicting scenes from the Jatakas. Other caves are essentially monasteries, which usual have an open court encircled by open cells.
Eastern Group Caves
The Eastern Group Caves are no less than the former group in terms of design and architecture. Cave 6 is considerable for its amazing picturization of women, specially their hairstyles and ornamentation. Outside this cave, you can see amazing figure of both, Lord Ganesha and Buddha. Whereas Cave 7 is the most remarkable of all the caves in Aurangabad, principally for its sculptures that portray figures of women meagerly dressed and richly ornamented. It also indicates the augment of Tantric Buddhism during the period. A visit to Aurangabad Caves would give an insight into the rock-cut architecture of India.
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Soaring peaks, breathtaking valleys. Lush flora. Cool, crisp mountain air. This is Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra’s most popular hill station, and once the summer capital of the Bombay Presidency during the British Raj. |
| Mahabaleshwar means ‘God of Great Power’ in Sanskrit. Indeed, the place is great and bountiful, rewarding the visitor with a mix of old-world charm, natural beauty and modernity. |
| A tour of Mahabaleshwar town and the surrounding countryside would take at least a couple of days as there is much to see and experience. The town bazaar is called Malcolm Peth after the then British Governor of Bombay, Sir John Malcolm. It lies at the heart of Mahableshwar with its hotels, shops, restaurants, outlying bungalows, government offices, and jostling crowds. |
| Mahabaleshwar has proper, motorable roads to every point worth visiting. So one could tour the place by car, jeep, or even horseback. There are many buildings and sites that take one back to the days of the Raj. There’s Mount Malcolm, the one-time residence of Governor Malcolm; Moraji Castle, where Mahatma Gandhi lived during 1945; and the Mahabaleshwar Club. |
| As short drive from town is the beautiful Venna Lake, where one can go boating, fishing, and pony riding. Or indulge oneself at the entertainment center with its numerous food and game stalls. Near the lake, further down the road on the way to neighbouring Panchgani, are the great strawberry fields. |
| Mahabaleshwar is known for its numerous sightseeing points, each providing a unique perspective of the majestic hill range. En route to Babington Point is Dhom dam, which is a good place to take a break. Or one could visit Old Mahabaleshwar and the famous Panchganga Mandir, which is said to contain the springs of five rivers: Koyna, Venna, Savitri, Gayatri and the sacred Krishna River. There’s also the Mahabaleshwar Mandir, revered for its Swayambhu Lingam |
| Mahableshwar is a great holiday destination throughout the year, except for the monsoon months. During the late-June to mid-September period, torrential rains virtually shutdown this hill station, so travel is not advised at this time. |
SIGHTS
| Mount Malcolm |
| Built in 1829, this was one of the famous buildings of its time. |
| Holy Cross Church |
| The stained glass windows of this old Roman Catholic Church still retain their beauty. |
| Mahabaleshwar Club |
| Built in 1881, the Mahabaleshwar Club offers a peaceful retreat for those wanting to get away from it all. The Club offers many recreational facilities, including a badminton court and a mini golf course. Facilities are available to everyone at a very low fee. For those who prefer the quiet outdoors, there is a jogging track encircling the premises, edged with beautiful rose bushes. The Club also offers a clear view of Venna Lake below. Every year, Christmas is celebrated here with much fervour and pomp by the club members. |
| Pratapgad Fort |
| About 24 km. away from Mahabaleshwar lies Pratapgad, the pride of the Maratha Empire. Built in 1656, it is a maze of ponds, chambers and long dark walkways, some of which lead to trap doors that open to a 100 meter fall! It was here that Afzal Khan, the mighty general of Bijapur, met his untimely death at the hands of Shivaji. Since Pratapgad lies slightly off the road to Mahabaleshwar, a visit to this historic monument is recommended in all travel itineraries |
| Mahabaleshwar has many points offering great views of flat-topped ghats, dense forests and lush green valleys. Lodwick Point, towering almost 1,240 meters above sea level, is one of the most visited Points and holds a monument in memory of General Lodwick Arthur’s Seat is well liked too for its great view of the Jor Valley. About a kilometer away lies Tiger’s Spring, and if you venture further down you’ll come to a ledge named The window – a point that’s famous for its mesmerizing view. |
| There are many locations offering pleasant views of the plains below: Wilson Point, Carnac Point, Helen’s Point, Elphinstone Point, Babington Point, Bombay Point, Falkland Point, and Kate Point are all well known |
| There are pleasant waterfalls also worth visiting, such as Chinaman’s Falls, Dhobi Falls and Lingmala Falls, the latter being the most impressive, cascading amost 600 ft from a cliff! |
| Another tourist attraction is the Sangam, or the confluence of the five rivers that flow over the Deccan Plateau. There are many old temples too, which become the focus of attention during the festive season. |
Aurangabad city is located in the northern part of the state of Maharashtra in the western region of India. It is 403 km from Mumbai (Bombay). Surrounded by hills, the city is on the banks of the Kham River. Places to see in Aurangabad are :
Aurangabad Caves : Aurangabad Caves are artificial caves, dug out of the rather soft rock during the 6th and 7th century. This caves are found on two separate locations, called Western Group Caves (caves 1-5) and Eastern Group Caves (caves 6-10), about 1km from each other. Each group has five caves. The architecture and iconography is influenced by Tantric Hinduism.
Cave four of the Western Group Caves is the oldest cave. It is a Hinayana Chaitya with a ridged roof like the Karla Cave near Lonavala. The other four Western caves are viharas. Cave 3, the most fascinating cave of the Western Group, is supported by 12 finely carved columns. They show sculptures portraying scenes from the Jataka tales.
Cave 6 belongs to the Eastern Group Caves, and shows very well preserved sculptures of women, which are notable for their exotic hairstyles and ornamentation. There is also a large Buddha figure and an idol of Ganesh located in this cave.
Cave 7 is the most interesting of the Aurangabad caves. Most impressive are the sculptures, figures of women which are scantily clad and ornately bejewelled. To the left of Cave 7 is a huge Bodhisattva praying for deliverance from the 8 dangers: fire, the sword of the enemy, chains, shipwreck, lions, snakes, mad elephant and demon (representing death).
Bibi-ka -Maqbara : It was built around 1657-1661, by the last of the six great Mughal Emperors, Aurangazeb, for his wife, Rabia Durrani. Aurangazeb’s mausoleum is far less ornamental, than Taj Mahal. The mausoleum stands in a square of 1,37,00 sq. meters. The monument is an excellent example of Persian Architecture. It’s more attractive at night, when it’s floodlit.
Panchkakki : Panchakki (water wheel) takes its name from the mill, which used to grind grain for the pilgrims. It also has the tomb of Baba Shah Muzaffar, a Sufi Saint. Dating back to the 17th century, this ingenious watermill was designed to generate energy via water, brought down from a spring on a mountain, located nearby. The energy generated was, further, used to turn the large grinding stones of the flourmill. In 1624, a Sufi saint who was much revered by Aurangzeb was buried here; the gardens and fish tanks serve as his memorial.