http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/2015-10-26/A-Visit-to-Aurangabad-182530
I like maxims that don't encourage behavior modification.
- Calvin
I like tourist destinations that don't test one's fitness levels.
- Me
Most of the tourist attractions near Aurangabad seriously test
the fitness levels of the visitors. The Ajanta caves were carved in a
horseshoe-shaped mountain. One has to climb hundreds of steps and walk hundreds
of metres to view all the caves. Ellora caves are spread over a wider stretch!
The nearby Daulatabad fort was not thought impregnable for
nothing. It is hard enough to climb it while taking rest and refreshments in
between. Imagine trying to go up and inside with a fort full of hostile army,
pounding you with cannons and waiting to drown you in hot oil if you reach
anywhere near!
However, all that effort invested to visit the places is very
well worth it. Most of the paintings have faded and most of the sculpture is
broken, but the places are too important historically and provide too good a
view to think twice about the physical effort involved or the current state of
the art on display.
Some of the caves in Ajanta pre-date Christ! Ellora caves track
the changing fortunes of Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism over the medieval
period. It was because of his shifting of capital city from Delhi to Daulatabad
that Tughlak became such a laughing stock!
Aurangzeb, one of the most powerful men on earth during his
time, lies buried in a humble grave, in a nearby village called Khuldabad. On
the other hand, Bibi ka Maqabra, the monument that houses the tomb of
Aurangzeb’s wife and built by their son Azam Shah, was intended to be another
Taj Mahal. However, it could only be a poor replica because of
budgetary constraints! It provides proof of some practical thinking on the part
of the emperor who ordered it to be built, and maybe also the emptying coffers
and declining architectural skills.
The city has many gates and aptly called the city of gates.
However, out of the 52 gates, only four main and nine subordinate gates have
survived. Bhadkal gate and Delhi gate are amongst the more important
gates. The city has something not only for history buffs, but also for Hindu
pilgrims. Grishneshwar, the last jyotirlinga on earth, lies on the
outskirts of the city.
The local culture is supposed to be close to that of Hyderabad.
Many areas of Aurangabad reminded me of the old city. Dakhni, the Hyderabadi
Urdu dialect, is dominant here too. Akin to the river Musi of
Hyderabad, river Kham flows through the city. What’s more, it looked
equally thin and dirty! On the whole, the city looked like a poor cousin of
Hyderabad. It appears to lag behind Hyderabad by at least a decade-and-a-half. There
is very less of the hitec part. Public transportation is rickety. The city
starts shutting down by 10 pm. Street lighting is poor in many areas. The
lakes are not well maintained.
The local cafes remind you of Hyderabadi Irani cafes. In
restaurants, Mughlai and Puneri cuisines co-exist peacefully here. Naan
Qalia is a dish that is associated with Aurangabad. It is a concoction of
mutton and a variety of spices. Naan is the bread made in tandoor (hot furnace)
while Qalia is a mixture of mutton and various spices. Tahri is
similar to pulao–biryani and is very popular here. Tahri is prepared by adding
the meat to the rice, as opposed to traditional Biryani where the rice is added
to the meat. This reminded me of the dispute between the kingdoms of
Lilliput and Blefescu, in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. The
dispute was over which side of the egg should be broken, the smaller end or the
bigger. Thankfully, there is no such quarrel between Hyderabadis and
Aurangabadis!
I tried the most famous thali restaurant in the city, Bhoj. It
seems to be locally very popular. Their Rajasthani food is good and the
ambiance is great. I saw people waiting for their turn, like for our Bawarchi.
But my favorite thali restaurant still remains Gopi's of Ahmedabad, for their
hospitality is as good as their food. Bhoj reminded me more of
Pratikashram of Gandhinagar.
Prozone mall, in Aurangabad, is one of India's biggest malls.
Its miniature model, situated in one of the corners of the actual mall, is a
treat to the eyes. Kareem's, famous for Kathi rolls, have an outlet
in the mall. I had their chicken Kathi roll. Now I know why they are famous! To
my disappointment, even the mall started shutting down around 10pm!
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