Raviraj Hotel
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Marg, Court Road, Aurangabad, 431001, India
More about Aurangabad
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Ellora
Chini Mahal, Daulatabad Fort
Eating at Prashanth
Dry riverbed
Travel Tips for Aurangabad
Ajanta Ellora Caves, Daulatabad Fort
by travelmana
Hey,
Ajanta Ellora Caves are the most definitely best part of mystic Ancient India one must see. The whole grandeur of the majestic sculptures and paintings literally transport you back to an ancient era. You cant simply help but wonder.... how did they make this place? Also another thought to cross your mind is that if this place is so magnificient today, wonder what it must have seemed like when the paint was still fresh and the sculptures were newly chiseled.
An important tip is to carry a mobile or camera having high resolution and clarity as no photos or video recording having flash is permitted inside the cave.
Also definitely carry a small fan or newspaper to fan oneself coz it can get a bit hot and humid after a lot of walking and esp inside the caves.
Also purchasing a book guide before entering the caves is a good idea and also most definitely hire a guide as also no book or any research knowledge can explaing the finer intricacies of the paintings or scultures as a guide with a torch. Giudes are available at the entrance and are government approved with standard rates.
The caves are definitely a visit and Ajanta caves require atleast one full day to cover as they are located 2 hrs away from Aurangabad and the trek over there can tire one out. Try to reach the caves as early as possible to enjoy the finer details of the paintings and sculptures before the influx of the tourist crowds.
Also wondrous are the natural stone formation artifacts sold outside the Amenity Centre of MTDC.
At Daulatabad fort most definitely enter the Andher Entrance (a dark stinky tunnel to the top of the fort). Carry your own bright torch, cover your noses with hankerchiefs and look up for the Bats! A real spooky experience, but worth it for the view from up there.
Best time to visit this place as per me is the end of September or start of October when the monsoon is almost through and the place is blooming with green foliage.
Manasi Shenoy Must Visit Places in and Around Aurangabad:
1) Ajanta Caves and Paintings
2) Bibi Ka Maqbara
3) Aurangabad Caves
4) Ellora Caves (Buddhist, Hndu & Jain)
5) Daulatabad Fort
6) Grineshwar Temple (Jyotirlinga)
The Kailash Temple at Ellora
by Paul2001
Of all the Hindu Temples in India, none impressed me more than the Kailash Temple here at the Ellora Caves. It took about one hundred years for the craftsmen involved to carve this temple out of the rockface. This temple, constructed back in the 8th century is considered to be the largest rockcut temple in India. Apparently it took over 100 years to carve the structure out of the rock.
The temple itself is covers about the same surface size as Athen's Parthenon however it is 1.5 times as high. Kailash temple is divided into 4 sections which include the main body of the temple, the gateway, the nandi shrine and the cloisters that surround the temple. The carvings that decor the walls of the temple are awesome however it is easy to overlook them as you ponder the magnificance of the actual temple structure.
For me it was worth going to Ellora just to see the wonderful temple. However this does not mean that the rest of Ellora should take a backseat to Kailash as these cave carvings, though smaller, are equally wonderful.
The Aurangabad Caves
by Paul2001
There are caves just outside of Aurangabad itself. They can easily be visited via auto-rickshaw from Aurangabad which is how I got to the caves. They are located just a few kilometers northeast of the city.
The caves were all built between the 2nd and 6th centuries A.D. They are divided into two groups, the Western Group with caves 1 to 5 and the Eastern Group with caves 6 thru 10. The caves have to be approached by a long stairway from the parking lot. This might prove to be difficult for people with mobility problems.
Most of the caves are in relatively good condition and I found that my visit was very interesting indeed. I will warn you that they are not as good as the caves at Ellora or Ajanta and you should not think of them as a possible substitute for visiting. Although they are harder to reach they are still the primary reason you have come to Aurangabad. The cave at Aurangabad themselves are very good but should only be visited if, like me, you have the time.
The Dark Passage - Andheri
by MalenaN
On your way up to the hilltop fort you must go through a dark tunnel. In the tunnel you can feel the smell of bats and it is not illuminated so you must use a torch, your own or pay one of the guides with a fire-torch. I arrived just as a group of Indian tourists were entering the tunnel. Their guide was walking first with the fire-torch and I used my small torch when it was needed for us in the end. Going back down I walked alone through the tunnel.
This was the only way in to the upper fort and to confuse the enemies the steps are uneven and there is a labyrinth of passages. When invaders came boiling water and hot oil was thrown down the tunnel.
Ellora Cave 16
by muddybok
The Ellora Cave #16 in deed an architectural wonder and the entire structure were carved out of single block of rock. I cannot imagine how many millions tons of rock had been hand chiseled and the length of the project had taken place.
The Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) is a Shiva temple is probably the world largest monolitic stone structure ever built. Having seen this temple, all the temple structure (including Angkor Wat) has becoming too easy to build and suddenly losing their awesomeness to this one.
The temple is closed on Tuesday and admission is Rs10 for Indian and USD5 for foreigners.
The other temple complex that equally struck my attention is Ajanta group of Caves which will be briefly described and further elaborate in separate Ajanta page.
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