AurangabadThe Mughal Deccan’s capital — Bibi ka Maqbara’s marble, Ajanta-Ellora’s UNESCO caves and the city of fifty gates
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Aurangabad in one minute
Aurangabad — live weather, population, hidden places and cost of living, auto-updated.
Aurangabad — officially Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar since 2023 — was raised by Malik Ambar (1610) and crowned by Aurangzeb’s vice-royalty: a walled city of fifty-two gates, the Bibi ka Maqbara marble tomb (the Taj of the Deccan) and the Panchakki water-mill that ran on a 6-km channel. Census 2011 counted 12.6 lakh in the city.
The district holds two UNESCO giants — Ajanta’s 2nd-century-BC Buddhist frescoes and Ellora’s monolithic Kailasa temple — plus Daulatabad’s unconquered fort and Paithan’s famous saris. The modern city adds the Chikalthana MIDC — auto plants, pharma and the wine presses of the Deccan valley.
Fast facts
| Status | Municipal corporation (AMC) |
| District | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (HQ) |
| Division | Aurangabad |
| District population (2011) | 37,05,075 |
| City population (2011) | 12,63,808 |
| Urban agglomeration | 11,93,167 (2011 bounds) |
| Elevation | ≈568 m (Deccan plateau) |
| Languages | Marathi · Urdu · Hindi · English |
| Main stations | Aurangabad (AWB) — divisional HQ |
| Nearest airport | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (IXU) — ~8 km |
| River | Kham · Godavari (basin) |
| UNESCO | Ajanta & Ellora Caves |
| District literacy | 79.0% (2011) |
| Famous for | Ajanta-Ellora · Bibi ka Maqbara · Paithani |
City map
Demographics CENSUS 2011
Last official census — 2021 census deferred, estimates update on release.
12,63,808 residents
per 1,000 males
municipal area (2011)
≈1,39,019 children (est.)
🌟 Hidden & heritage places
Aurangabad beyond the postcards — quiet places and lanes most guides skip.
Bibi ka Maqbara
Azam Shah’s marble tribute to his mother — the Deccan’s Taj, with cypress gardens and the mountain backdrop.
Directions ↗Panchakki
The Sufi-era water mill — the 6-km channel driving the wheel over the Kham, with the dargah gardens around.
Directions ↗Daulatabad
The Yadava citadel Tughlaq couldn’t hold — the moat-and-maze approach, Chand Minar and the dark winding entrance.
Directions ↗Ajanta
The horseshoe-ravine frescoes — Bodhisattva Padmapani’s gaze and the chaitya halls of two millennia.
Directions ↗Ellora & Kailasa
The 34-cave multi-faith hill — the Kailasa temple carved top-down from one rock, the world’s largest monolithic excavation.
Directions ↗Paithan
The Godavari town of the Paithani — gold-bordered handlooms, the Jayakwadi dam birdlife and the Dnyaneshwar garden.
Directions ↗Bhadkal & Delhi gates
The 52-gate city’s survivors — Bhadkal’s arched bays, the Time-pass Chowk lore and the old-city bazaars.
Directions ↗Kali Masjid & Aurangzeb’s tomb
The simple Mughal emperor’s grave at Khuldabad above the city — the plain marble of history’s ironies.
Directions ↗Weekend getaways
Approximate road distances from Aurangabad.
Cost of living
Indicative monthly estimates for a single person — verify locally before deciding.
| 1 BHK rent (city) | ₹5,000 – 9,000 / mo |
| 2 BHK rent (city) | ₹9,000 – 16,000 / mo |
| Meal at a local eatery | ₹100 – 200 |
| Groceries (single, month) | ₹4,500 – 6,500 |
| Utilities (basic) | ₹1,500 – 3,000 |
| Monthly total (est.) | ₹14,000 – 23,000 |
Estimates only · tier-2 industrial city · updated with market data over time
Top industries
What actually runs Aurangabad.
Chikalthana MIDC
The auto-and-brewery belt — Audi-legacy component plants, SKODA-tier vendors and the Sula-adjacent presses.
Auto ↗Pharma formulation belt
The formulation-and-API units of the MIDC estates — a top-5 Maharashtra pharma cluster.
Pharma ↗Breweries & distilleries
The Deccan brewery belt — Budweiser-legacy plants and the wine presses of the district.
Beverage ↗Paithani handlooms
The gold-thread sari looms — Paithan’s weaver homes and the Yeola-legacy designs.
Handloom ↗UNESCO cave tourism
The Ajanta-Ellora circuit economy — MTDC tours, guides and the hotel mile of the station road.
Tourism ↗BAMU & MIT belt
Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University plus the MIT-and-engineering campuses of the city.
Education ↗Himroo & silver craft
The Himroo-shawl looms and the bidri-legacy silverware of the old-city workshops.
Craft ↗Top restaurants & food
Where locals actually eat — local counters, classics and street institutions.
Nakshatra wada & old-city chaat
The walled-city food line — samosa-chaat, the saoji-curry counters and the jalebi mornings of the gates.
Directions ↗Saoji & Deccani kitchens
The fiery plates — saoji mutton, the Deccani biryani houses and the kebab lanes of Osmanpura.
Directions ↗Maharashtrian thali houses
The Desh-thali belt — bhakri-pitla, bharli-vangi and the puran-poli seasons.
Directions ↗Marathwada mithai houses
The halwai line — pedas, khaja-style layers and the basundi bowls of the city.
Directions ↗Prozone & CIDCO cafe strip
The new-city cafe mile — coffee chains, bakery brunches and the mall-crowd evenings.
Directions ↗Style-verified from local guides · Sep 2026 · hours change — call ahead
Markets & shopping
Nirala Bazaar & Osmanpura
The old-city market pair — general trade, himroo shops and the food lanes of the gates.
Directions ↗CIDCO & Prozone belt
The new-city retail — malls, showrooms and the service rows of the planned sectors.
Directions ↗Paithani & Himroo emporia
The sari-and-shawl showrooms — weaver co-op counters and the export desks of the craft houses.
Directions ↗Festival & fair calendar
Ellora-Ajanta festival
The MTDC culture week — classical nights at the Soneri Mahal and the cave-circuit concerts.
Ganesh Utsav
The sarvajanik mandals — dhol-tasha pathaks and the old-city visarjan lines.
Paithan yatra season
The Sant Dnyaneshwar garden’s pilgrimage days plus the Paithani-fair weeks.
Urs of Khuldabad & Pir Ismail
The Sufi urs season — the dargah gatherings of the Deccan’s shrine belt.
October – February
The Deccan cool — cave circuits, fort walks and the Paithan garden season.
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FAQ
What is Aurangabad famous for?
The UNESCO caves of Ajanta and Ellora (the monolithic Kailasa temple), Bibi ka Maqbara — the Taj of the Deccan — Daulatabad fort, Paithani saris and the city of fifty-two gates.
What is the population of Aurangabad?
Census 2011: 12,63,808 in the city and 11,93,167 in the 2011-bounds UA; the district (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) counted 37,05,075.
What is the pincode of Aurangabad?
The city starts at 431001; it spans 431001–431013 plus the MIDC and CIDCO belts.
Which places should I visit there?
Ellora’s Kailasa and Ajanta’s frescoes, Bibi ka Maqbara, Daulatabad fort and Paithan — with Lonar’s meteor-crater lake as the far run.