ELLORA - AJANTA - AURANGABAD - NASHIK (FROM MUMBAI)

At a distance of 5 km from Aurangabad Railway Station, Bibi Ka Maqbara is a beautiful mausoleum situated in Aurangabad. Maintained by Archeological Survey of India, Bibi Ka Muqbara is one of the top tourist places to visit in Aurangabad.

The Bibi-Ka-Maqbara is dedicated to Rabia-ul-Daurani alias Dilras Banu Begum, the wife of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb's son, Prince Azam Shah built the mausoleum between 1651 AD and 1661 AD in the memory of his mother Begum Rabia Durani. This mausoleum is a replica of the world-famous Taj Mahal. Also known as Mini Taj, the mausoleum is far less ornamental than the Taj Mahal in Agra. It is one of the must include places in Aurangabad tour packages.

An inscription found on the main entrance door mentions that this mausoleum was designed and erected by Ata-Ullah, an architect, and Hanspat Rai, an engineer .....

At a distance of 2 km from Bibi Ka Maqbara and 6 km from Aurangabad Railway Station, Sunheri Mahal is a palace located at the foothill of the Aurangabad Caves in the Paharsingpura area of Aurangabad. It is one of the top places to visit in Aurangabad.

Soneri Mahal was built by a Bandalkand chief who accompanied Aurangzeb into the Dakhan. The Mahal was built between 1651 AD and 1653 AD at a cost of Rs.50, 000 and in 1934 AD it was sold to the Nizam of Hyderabad for Rs.26, 400. The Mahal is named after the paintings in the palace that were once painted in gold.

It is a grand two stored building constructed in typical Rajput style. The palace is made up of lime and stone. Sprawling over two storeys, the palace stands as a testimony of Indian architectural splendor with some intricate decorations all over. A well-manicured garden adds to its beauty. The entrance of the Palace is decorated with beautifully .....

At a distance of 5.5 km from Aurangabad Railway Station, Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum is located near Nehru Bal Udyan in Aurangabad. This is one of the best tourist attractions in Aurangabad.

The museum is dedicated to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the great Maratha ruler. Founded by the Municipal Corporation of Aurangabad, the cost of the museum is around 194 lakhs. The building has a total of 6 exhibition halls. A visit to this museum takes visitors back into the days of Maratha valor and their love for their homeland.

The exhibits on display tell stories of the glorious reign of the brave king, showcased in six galleries. The display comprises Maratha war weapons and other artifacts from the battlefield of some of the most popular wars that the Marathas fought. The main exhibits here include the 500 year old war suit, a copy of the Aurangzeb's handwritten Quran, and a 400 year old Paithani sari.

The first hall is decorated with the wooden craft which reminds us the .....

At a distance of 98 km from Aurangabad, 98 km from Ellora Caves, 202 km from Shirdi, 272 km from Nashik, 326 km from Pune, and 443 km from Mumbai, Ajanta Caves are ancient Buddhist caves situated near Ajanta village in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. Ajanta Caves are one of the oldest UNESCO World heritage sites in India and also one of the top attractions you must include in Maharashtra tour packages. The caves are now protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Ajanta - Ellora Caves are one of the most visited ancient monuments in India, and among the major heritage places to visit near Aurangabad. The Caves were carved between the 2nd Century BC and 6th Century AD. Construction of the caves was carried out in two phases; the first group of caves was built around the 2nd century BC, while the second group was built between .....

At a distance of 16 km from Aurangabad Railway Station, Daulatabad is an ancient hill fort situated on the way to Ellora Caves from Aurangabad in Maharashtra. It is one of the best-preserved places of heritage in Maharashtra, and also one of the best Aurangabad tourist places.

The historical triangular fort of Daulatabad was built by Yadava king Bhillama V in 1187 AD. It is one of the best historical places near Pune. The city was then called 'Deogiri', meaning the hill of gods. Daulatabad or 'the abode of wealth' was the name given by Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq when he made his capital here in 1327 AD. The region and the fort passed on into the hands of Bahamani rulers under Hasan Gangu in 1347 AD and Nizam Shahis of Ahmednagar in 1499 AD. Daulatabad became the capital of the Nizam Shahi dynasty in 1607 AD. The .....

At a distance of 28 km from Aurangabad, 98 km from Ajanta Caves, 104 km from Shirdi, 176 km from Nashik, 253 km from Pune, and 344 km from Mumbai, Ellora Caves are ancient historical caves located at Verul near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Ellora is the most visited monuments of heritage in India, and among the top tourist places in Maharashtra.

Locally known as 'Verul Leni', these caves are were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Ellora is one of the top places to visit near Aurangabad. The caves at Ellora were carved out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills between the 6th and 10th centuries AD. The carving work began around 550 AD, about the same time the Ajanta Caves were abandoned. Kailash Temple (Cave16), which is the most remarkable structure that can be visited .....

At a distance of 2 km from Nashik Central Bus Station, Ramkund is the most important sacred bathing tank in the Panchavati area of Nashik City. This is one of the popular places to visit in Nashik during Kumbh Mela.

Ram Kund, measuring 27 x 12 sq. m was built by Chitrarao Khatarkar in 1696 AD. According to the legend, this sacred bathing tank on the bank of river Godavari is believed to be the spot where Lord Rama had taken his bath during their exile. It is also said that Lord Rama has performed his father's funeral rites in this Kund and hence Ram Kund is also known as Asthi Vilaya Tirtha (Bone Immersion Tank). This is one of the must-visit places as part
of Nashik tour packages.

Ram Kund is a holy place for Hindus. Devotees believe that a dip in this tank will fulfill their wishes and also free them from their sins. There is a popular belief .....

At a distance of 2.7 km from Nashik Central Bus Station, Sita Gumpha or Sita Gufaa is situated near Kalaram Temple in Panchavati area of Nashik. It is one of the top pilgrimage places to visit in Nashik.

Sita Gumpha is believed to be the place where Sita worshipped Lord Shiva during their exile. The cave, containing the idols of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshmana, can be accessible only through the help of a narrow staircase. The ancient Shivlinga still exists in the cave and is visited by large number of devotees every day. Devotees believed to be the place where Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, abducted Sita.

Outside the cave is a large grove of 5 very old Banyan trees, after which the area is named, Panchavati means 'a garden of five banyan trees'. These trees are said to have been there during the exile of Lord Rama. There is a place called Tapovan where Lakshmana, the brother of Rama, cut off the nose of Surpanakha, the sister of Ravana. The entire Aranya Kanda of Ramayana is .....

At a distance of 9 km from Nashik Central Bus Station, Muktidham is a marble temple complex located at Deolali Gaon on the suburbs of Nashik. It is one of the popular tourist attractions in the city of Nashik.

Muktidham Temple complex was built by Late Sri JayramBhai Bytco in 1971. An abode of most of the gods and goddesses of the Hindu religion, this splendid shrine displays the replica of all the 12 Jyotirlingas of India. It is believed that a holy darshan of this shrine provides as much virtue as a visit to four holy places, which makes this magnificent shrine a crowded pilgrim center.

It is a magnificent piece of architecture, made with white marble from Makran in Rajasthan. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna in the Muktidham complex. The walls of Krishna temple have paintings depicting scenes from life of Krishna and Mahabharata. These were painted by a noted painter Raghubir Mulgaonkar. Unique to this temple are eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-Gita written on the .....