Aurangabad – A Chapter from History
From
ancient times Aurangabad has been a place of great importance due to
it’s location on the famous "Silk Route" that traversed across the
breadth of Asia to reach Europe. Textiles, embroidered finery and
various kinds of beads made in nearby Paithan were exported to the
markets of Greece, Rome and Egypt.
Under royal dynasties such as the Satavahanas, Vakatakas, Chalukyas
and Rashtrakutas, Aurangabad developed as a centre of culture and
learning. It gave birth to or provided inspiration for great poet –
saints and philosophers like Dyaneshwar, Eknath and Ramdas, Wali and
Siraj.
Aurangabad’s strategic position in the Deccan earned it the name of "Khidki"
meaning window, serving as it did, as an opening through which
North
India could look into the Deccan.
Mohammed-bin-Tughlaq the ‘Mad King’ was so impressed by the
topography of the Deogiri mountain that he forsook Delhi and moved his
capital down renaming it Daulatabad. Thus Aurangabad enjoys the rare
distinction of being the only city apart from Delhi to have served as
the capital of India. Finally, Aurangabad became the seat of the last of
the great Moghuls Aurangzeb as he fought to block the resurgent Maratha
power.