Aurangabad City Of Gates

When we think of Aurangabad, the first thing that comes to our mind are the sister caves Ajanta & Ellora but this beautiful city has its own charming history that makes you fall in love with this place. It had close to 52 gates during medieval times though only a few of them have survived the test of times. This place offers a lot to explore from Temples, Caves, Monuments to Museums, Textiles and Local Cuisines. It is a very pleasant, clean and traveler friendly city, the infrastructure is top notch and it was very appeasing and nice to see quite a few trees occupy sides of the road. To our delight, the footpaths were broad and free of any kind of encroachments.

We commenced our Aurangabad trip by visiting Grineshwara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the 12 Jyothirlingas, believed to be the last shrine or 12th Linga and is considered sacred among Hindus. The temple tower is made of red stone and the architecture within the temple premises left us awestruck. The carvings, pillars, paintings and statues are the highlight of the temple. Since it is one of the 12 Jyothirlingas, it is highly commercialized and people try to sell you one thing or the other right from the parking lot. Camera and phones are prohibited inside the temple and have to be deposited at a nearby counter.

Bibi Ka Maqbara is a mausoleum built by Aurangzeb's son, Azam Shah, in memory of his mother. This monument is an imitation of  Taj Mahal but fails to ignite the charm, aura and a feel of being lost in time.

The lesser known Aurangabad Caves are only 2 km away from Bibi Ka Maqbara. These caves are on par with the magnificent Ajanta and Ellora caves but do not hog the limelight. It would be a good idea to hire an auto or cab to visit Aurangabad caves as it is in the outskirts of the city and there are no other means of transport. If you want to hire an auto we highly recommend Mr.Krishna (9130194847) a very honest and thorough gentleman who makes sure that the travelers have a good time. He is pretty flexible, patient and informative.

Chatrapati Shivaji Museum tucked away in a small corner of Aurangabad is a must visit not only for history buffs but for everybody to learn more about this fearless warrior. Shivaji is very well known and respected widely for being a fierce warrior, great patriot and true liberal. Under his able leadership, our country flourished and thrived. He never differentiated people based on their caste or creed giving them opportunities depending on their skill set. Under his rule, women enjoyed great rights and were respected and honored. This compact museum lays down the legacy and artifacts from Shivaji's period.

As you enter the museum you are greeted by massive cast iron canons and huge teak wood doors. The museum is classified into different galleries exhibiting exceptionally well preserved armory - swords, pistol, barrels, canons, guns, lead balls, knives, daggers, Madu (deer horn) body armor. Artifacts range from portraits, paintings, oil lamps, candle sticks, religious importance items, extensive mughal era coins from Shivaji's period. spice box, stone and ivory sculptures, jewelry boxes. The best part about the museum is the wide collection of beautiful silver nutcrackers and 1600 AD Paithani Saree and shawl still in mint condition. They have an extensive collection of great manuscripts. The museum is very well maintained and is sparkling clean with each artifact clearly visibly through glass. The museum is closed on Thursdays.

En-route we saw a lot of handloom shops selling the famous Paithani and Himroo sarees. Paithani sarees - A Golden heritage of 2000 years, these pure silk sarees are completely handwoven with great care and fabulous artistic work. Silk from Paithan was traded for gold and precious stones ages ago. Even today, the work is handwoven in pure silk and silver. Himroo is also another traditional weaving art which is a mix of silk and cotton. This art is slowly fading away and efforts are being made by the government and weaving industry to keep this art alive.

Be sure to stop by one of the stores and check out the work. Paithani  silk weaving centre in Lokmat Nagar is the perfect place to shop and also see the weavers in action handcrafting every single saree. Government Of India, Ministry Of Textiles run a training centre for weavers here. The centre has sarees, handwoven exquisite carpets with 900 knots per sq inch, shawls, artifacts and the likes. It would be safe to say you could buy genuine stuff from this outlet.

Ajanta Caves, a World Heritage Monument, is not just known for its magnificent architecture but also for the elaborate mural paintings highlighting the life events of Buddha. Our Exclusive post on Ajanta can be found here.

Ellora Caves stand as a testimony for secularism with 3 different religions coexisting in harmony in the same premises. Apart from that, the mystery surrounding the architecture of these caves and the possibility of receiving help from extra terrestrial beings to finish the mind boggling carvings makes these caves even more intriguing. Our exclusive post on Ellora.

Trip to Aurangabad is not complete if one fails to visit the "Only Crater Lake In India" Lonar.

CIDCO serves as the perfect locality to stay, there are several hotels that fit all budgets and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. To taste authentic Aurangabad biryani we recommend Karim's. Their Chicken biryani is simply amazing, it is a semi dry gravy mixed with rice and quite spicy. The chicken pieces are super tender and finger licking good. Apart from the most amazing biryani,  Karim's outlet comes highly recommended for its delicious Kathi Roll, mouth watering kababs and Kheema Pav. Another excellent biryani eat out would be this tiny place called Zaika, behind Naik college, Cannaught Place.

If you are a vegetarian we recommend 'Pakwan Thali Restaurant' at Jalna road CIDCO, specializing in Rajasthani cuisine. If you crave for Maharashtrian vada pav, Pet Puja outlets serve yummy vada pav.

To enjoy street food  and not count the calories, Cannaught place is an excellent hangout area. It serves best and clean street food. For the sheer variety that this area has to offer, it would for sure serve as a paradise for any foodie. The stalls range from Kebabs, Dum Biryani, Shawarma, Chinese, desi food and of course superb chaat. The best place to have chaat is 'Icy Spicy' behind LIC office. Their pani puri is a must try and of course you wont stop at one plate. They also serve pizzas, sandwiches and the likes. However, their stand out dish has to be their Ice Gola. They serve Ice Gola with 3 or more Golas, each topped with different flavors and is sinful. We also recommend Chatpata chicken kebabs at the Koyla Biryani joint. If you are a sweet pan freak, do try the different varieties of sweet pan at Sai Samart pan house.

While in Aurangabad do try out different varieties of 'Mastani' which is a blend of 3 fruit juices and topped with rich scoops of ice-cream. We ordered the one with extra dry fruits doused in colorful essences.

If you have a couple of hours to kill and wondering what to do, worry not the ProZone mall is a great place to hangout, it offers everything from High-end Jaguars to ice golas. The mall has a good food court with different cuisines to choose from. For adventure and sports enthusiasts there is Decathlon and for the movie buffs there is Satyam Cinemas.

We on the spur decided to watch a Marathi movie and were excited to read the synopsis of the movie Killa and immediately bought the tickets. This beautiful film captures the emotions of a young boy and is very well scripted. No wonder it won the National Award for the best Marathi film.

We stayed at Thrimurti Guesthouse, a budgeted place with clean rooms. The best part about the hotel was the helpful management. Their location is another plus as you have a whole lot of restaurants, shopping markets, CIDCO bus terminal and Mall all at a walk-able distance. To cover longer distances, there is easy access to autos at any point in time.

Orccha

Day 23 Khajaraho to Orccha

Distance 200  km

Road Condition: Decent to Good.

True to it's name, Orccha is a hidden jewel of MP, quite literally, there are absolutely no sign boards and we had to stop multiple times to check if we were heading in the right direction despite using Maps. This small town packs a punch and keeps tourists busy for a couple of days.

Orccha is way off the tourist radar, the place offers stunning view of Chattris, river rafting in Betwa, Raja Ram Temple with an astounding story, Laxminarayan Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple, beautifully planned and exquisitely built Fort - housing Jehangir Mahal, Raja Mahal, Rai Praveen Mahal.

View Of Orccha From Lakshmi Narayana Temple

Raja Ram Temple: This Palace turned temple has a fascinating story to say. The statue of Lord Rama was brought from Ayodhya to Orccha by Ganesh Kuanwari. The temple still being under construction, the deity was placed in the palace kitchen. Upon completion of the temple they tried to move the idol but in vain. Thus a new temple was built around the idol. This is the only place in India where Lord Ram is worshiped as King.

Palace Turned Temple

Make yourself available here at 8 pm to witness the evening Aarti. The temple premises is buzzing with activities and you can capture sadhus doing what they do best. Camera and leather belts are strictly prohibited inside the temple premises and there are no safe deposit box or cloakrooms.

Chattris: Built along the banks of Betwa river, stands tall the burial place of the Bundela rulers. The narrow passages lead to the first and second storey offering breathtaking view of Orccha. The view of the Chattris from the 'Sunset Point' across Betwa river is stunning.

These monuments are now shelter to vultures. Maintain absolute silence and be sure not to disturb them as they may take flight. This is one of the very few places to get up close view of these critically endangered species. Gates open from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, however the tickets have to be purchased from the ticket counter at the fort.

Right next to the Chattris by the river side are 2 monuments left in ruins, one of them seems to be an old Shiva temple. This 3 storeyed building has mysterious stairway leading to the upper floors. The higher the climb the better the view of the river, ruins & Chattris. Do watch out for bats & insects in the dark stairway.

It would be a good idea to visit these monuments early in the morning as plenty of beers bottles left behind suggest trouble mongers could be around after sunset.

Fort: The fort compound is the center of attraction in Orccha, home of magnificent and much talked about Jehangir Mahal built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo in the 17th Century.

From Jehangir & Raja Mahal you get a breathtaking bird's eye view of Orccha. The mural painting in the palace and the views from Raja Mahal are so mesmerizing that you might lose track of time.

It is a long walk to the exit door which is the only way out and is closed at 5.30 pm. Be mindful of the time otherwise you might end up like us, trapped inside. In a much dramatic way, we had to scream our guts out to draw the attention of other tourists and finally got the authorities to unlock the door and get us out.

Our Gateway To Freedom

Sound and light show takes place here, there are 2 shows - 7.30 pm English & 8.45 pm Hindi. A part of the fort complex 'Sheesh Mahal' is now converted to a heritage hotel, owned and run by MPTDC.

Chaturbhuj Temple: Built upon a massive stone platform stands tall the stunning Chaturbhuj Temple initially built for Lord Ram. Steep steps lead you to the top of the monument and the view of the city is brilliant. You have a panoramic view of Jehangir Mahal, Raja Mahal, Chattris, Ram Raja Temple & Lakshmi narayana Temple.

There was a charming wedding processing going on with guys playing desi music on drums. The mood was electrifying and everyone around felt like they were a part of the Baraat.

Lakshmi Narayana Temple: Make it a point that you visit this temple to see the 2000 year old Mural wall paintings covering spiritual & secular concepts bringing the walls of the temple to life.

The weather gods were very kind to us. As a pleasant relief from the scorching sun, the sky turned gloomy, slight drizzle & strong winds brought down the mercury level drastically. Making the visit around these historic monuments very pleasant.

It was quite thrilling & exciting to drive on the narrow bridge that can accommodate only one heavy vehicle at a time.  A slip here or there you might end up in the bottom of the river. This narrow bridge is the lifeline connecting Orccha & Tekhmargh.

We checked into Bundelkhand Riverside, it is hard to believe this is not a heritage property. This charming property built on the banks of betwa river, takes you back in time. The switchboard, furniture, high rise ceiling with chandeliers, huge mirrors in hallway, beautiful paintings, old photographs, minute attention to detail makes this one of the best properties in Orccha. The rooms do not have TV sets but there is a common TV room. Property is absolute value for money, they provide complimentary breakfast.

Hotel offers swimming pool, open terrace, private entry to the river. The river facing rooms have great sit-out. The management organizes folk musical event in their lawn everyday. The service is outstanding - everybody is helpful and knowledgeable. They always greet you with a smile and exchange pleasantries. They stand as a fine example for hospitality industry.

After spending 3 beautiful days in Orccha, we left for Shivpuri.

Kodak Moments From Orccha

Jehangir Mahal

Imposing Domes

A Section Of Fort Complex

Sharing Center Stage Chaturbhuj & Ram Raja Temple

Cenotaphs Of Royals 

Look Who Is Watching

Eye Catchy! 

Ram Raja Temple

2000 Yr Old Mural Painted Ceiling

Scenes From War

Resting Lord Vishnu

Celebrations Within The Fort

Ruined Remains Of Shiva Temple

Stunning Chattris

Building Nest Little By Little

Best Of Orccha.