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ANY mention of Aurangabad immediately conjures up visions of the Ajanta and Ellora frescoes and sculptures. On a trip to Aurangabad, however, I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of other interesting monuments. There are two things in plenty in the town — gates and graves. Aurangabad, also known as the City of Gates, is different from several other Indian cities in that it has 52 gates. Also old graves are scattered all over the town which speaks for the multi-layered history of the town. Bibi-ka-Maqbara: The most impressive monument in Aurangabad is Bibi-ka-Maqbara. It was built in the memory of Aurangzeb’s wife Rabia-ud-Daurani by Prince Azam Shah, Aurangzeb’s son. The mausoleum dates from 1678 AD. It stands in the middle of a spacious well-planned garden, some 457x 274 metres, with ponds, fountains, and water channels. In the middle of the south wall is an imposing gateway with brass-inlaid doors; these are inscribed with the name of the architect, Atam Aula. There are a number of stone jalis with intricate work. It is sometimes referred to as the Small Taj Mahal. Looking deceptively like the Taj Mahal, the mausoleum has four minarets that stand at the corners of the terrace. Panchakki: Another little known attraction of Aurangabad is the Panchakki. Situated in the heart of the city, the amazing Panchakki, meaning the chakki or grinder is run by pani or water. It was set up in the 17th century to grind grain for the pilgrims and disciples of saints as well as for troops of the garrison. There is a pond on one side and on the other side is this grinding mill. The whole system is a good example of medieval engineering. It has its own underground water channel. The source of water is six km away from the spot. Water is made to reach the final reservoir through earthen pipes. It is then raised by a siphon to the top of the rectangular masonary pillar, from where it is made to fall on a large reservoir below. Underneath the reservoir, there are spacious, cool chambers used during summer by pilgrims. In the northwest end, adjacent to the cistern, is the watermill driven by hydropower. It is said that in the olden days, flour was obtained for the people from the mill without manual effort. It was built in 1744 in the memory of Hazrat Baba Shah Musafir, Sufi saint and spiritual guide of Aurangzeb. Daulatabad Fort: Situated 13 km from Aurangabad, this fort served as the headquarters of the Yadava rulers. In the 13th century, Mohammed bin Tughlaq, the Sultan of Delhi, made it his capital and renamed it Daulatabad, or City of Fortune. Mohammad Tughlaq wanted a capital safe from Mongolian invasions, which were constantly threatening Delhi. Devgiri/Daulatabad, considered safe from Mongolian attacks, houses a 12th century fortress on top of a hill. The fortress was considered invincible as its defence systems comprised fortifications of double and even triple rows of massive walls. Another interesting part of this fort is the complicated labyrinth or the Bhool Bhulaiya. The passage to the fort passes through closed dark passages with may false passages and places to hide. Chand Minar: Within its massive walls stands the Chand Minar, a victory tower 60m high, second in India only to the Qutab Minar, which is five metres higher. The tower of the Chand Minar is divided into four storeys and is different from the style of Delhi’s Qutab Minar. Khuldabad and Aurangzeb’s grave: In the 14th century, several Sufi saints of the Chishti order, chose to reside in Khuldabad which literally means the "Abode of Eternity". The dargah, or tomb of Moinuddin Chishti, the spiritual guide of the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, located in Khuldabad. Emperor Aurangzeb is known to have led a simple austere life. His simple grave is located nearby. The inscription on his plain tombstone reads: "No marble sheets should shield me from the sky as I lie there one with the earth." It is said that Aurangzeb left strict instructions that his grave was to be built only from the money he had earned selling prayer caps made by him, and copies of the Koran, which he had transcribed. In 1921, the British Viceroy requested the Nizam of Hyderabad to build a marble screen around this grave to protect the monument. Paithan: Nearly 48 km from Aurangabad is Paithan which was visited by Greek traders from 400 to 200 BC. It is situated at the bank of a river where there is a large dam Jaykwadi. The reservoir provides water to Aurangabad city and its surrounding areas. Today the town of Paithan is the centre of the ancient industry of gold and silver threaded embroidery based on the motifs derived from the Ajanta caves. Grashneshwar Verul
Jyotiralinga: After my
visit to the famous Ajanta and Ellora caves in Maharashtra, I took a
conducted tour in a bus, which took me to Ellora, and thereafter to
the Grashneshwar Verul Jyotiralinga nearby. Nearly 30 km from Ellora
lies this beautiful temple, one of the 12 jyotirlingas of India, where
Lord Shiva is worshipped. The Grashneshwar temple, built by Rani
Ahillyabai Holkar, a Maratha princess, is a marvel of medieval temple
architecture.
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