CHH. SAMBHAJI NAGAR

The Ajanta caves are located about 100 km from the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar city (Soygaon taluka). According to UNESCO’s World Heritage website, the Ajanta caves, numbering around 30 (including the unfinished ones), are Buddhist rock-cut caves about 100 km from the city of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. The first Buddhist cave monuments at Ajanta date from the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE. During the Gupta period (5th and 6th centuries CE), many more richly decorated caves were added to the original group. The caves at Ajanta are excavated out of a vertical cliff above the left bank of the river Waghora in the hills of Ajanta. The excavation activity was carried out in two different phases separated by an interval of about four centuries. The first phase coincides with the rule of the Satavahana dynasty from about the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century BCE, while the second phase corresponds to the Basim branch of the Vakataka dynasty with their Asmaka and Rishika feudatories in the 5th to 6th centuries CE.

Altogether, six caves were excavated in the first phase by Hinayana/Theravadin followers of Buddhism. In the second phase, the carving activity was dominated by the Mahayana followers of Buddhism, where Buddha was worshipped in a murti form. Historians believe that the caves were in use until at least the 8th century CE, after which they were abandoned. They were rediscovered in 1819, overgrown with vegetation and filled with debris, by a British officer named John Smith, during a tiger hunt in the region. The Ajanta caves were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

The caves also have murals in addition to the rock cuttings and carvings. Almost all the mural paintings were made during the second phase of construction. The paintings in the Ajanta caves predominantly narrate the Jataka tales. A recent discovery and identification in one of the caves of the fragments of the oldest surviving painting of the life of the Buddha and an image of the first sermon at Sarnath have also added to the cultural value of the place.

Located in the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar city, the Balwant Library was established on 1st August 1920 in memory of Balgangadhar Tilak (Indian Freedom fighter). According to a Lokmat article (2019), the library is more than 100 years old and is the first library that was ever established in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar city. The library started in a small building with about 6,000 books. In 2019, the library had grown both in size and its collection of books. It held over 72,000 books and had 10,000 registered readers, out of whom about 3,000 are regular readers. 

Located in the Begumpura locality of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar city, the Bibi ka Maqbara, according to the Archaeology Survey of India, is known as the "Taj of the Deccan”. The tomb belongs to Dilras Banu Begum (posthumously known as Rabia-ul-Daurani) and was commissioned by Aurangzeb himself in 1660 (three years after her death) and was completed in 1668. After some years ordered Prince Azam Shah, his third child, through Dilras (who later went on to become the seventh Mughal emperor for a very brief period) to repair the tomb. Aurangzeb himself is buried a few kilometres away in Khuldabad.

As you approach the monument, it displays its exquisite splendour, which combines Persian, Mughal, and Deccan architectural forms. The walls are adorned with delicate sculptures. The gardens around the Maqbara (typical Mughal Char-Bagh pattern) have symmetrical arrangements and serene water channels. Dilras Banu Begum's grave is located inside, beneath the dome. The mausoleum is built on a high square platform with four minarets at its corners, which is approached by a flight of steps from three sides. A mosque is found to the west of the main structure, which was a later addition by the Nizam of Hyderabad.

The monument is considered to be the “principal monument” of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. 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. Ataullah was the eldest son of Ahmad Ma'mar Lahori, the architect of the Taj Mahal. The marble for this mausoleum was brought from mines near Jaipur.

Situated in the historic town of Khuldabad is the Mandir of Bhadra Maruti. The Mandir is of historical significance, though it is unsure as to when it was built. It is one of the only two Mandirs in India where bhakts of Hanuman can be in a sleeping posture.

There are many folktales surrounding the Mandir and its origin, such as the story of how Hanuman, while carrying the Dronagiri Parva, rested here for a while. Other stories mention that Khuldabad in ancient days was ruled by a King named Rajarshi Bhadrasen, who would sit at the bank of Bhadrakunda Lake and sing songs praising Hanuman. One day, Hanuman, captivated by Bhadrasen’s singing, came down from the skies while on one of his journeys and sat listening. The melodious music soon put him to sleep. When he woke up, he was greatly pleased with Bhadrasen’s devotion. He granted the King a wish, and the righteous King asked Hanuman to remain there forever and shower his blessings upon the people. Hanuman smiled and flew away. Later, a statue was found where Hanuman had slept. There, King Bhadrasen built the Mandir, which today we know by the name of Bhadra Maruti or sleeping Hanuman.

Devgiri (Daultabad of the later period), 11 km northwest of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar city, is famous for its formidable hill fort. The fortification consists of three concentric lines of defensive walls with a large number of bastions. The noteworthy features of the fort are the moat, the scarp, and the subterranean passage, all hewn of solid rock. Though the city of Devgiri was founded in 1187 CE by the Yadava King Bhillan V, the fort was constructed during the reign of Simhana II (1210-46 CE).

According to P.M. Joshi (1973), the fort was captured by Alauddin Khilji in 1294 CE from the Yadava king called Ramchandra. Such quantities of treasure were heaped before Alauddin in the aftermath that six decades later, portions of it were believed to be found untouched in the imperial treasury.

Manu. S. Pillai (2020) notes that Ramchandra was forced to become a tributary of the Sultanate, and Alauddin also married a Yadava princess. Soon after his plunder of Devgiri, Alauddin went on to murder his uncle and become the new sultan of Delhi. In 1308 CE, Malik Kafur (a general of Alauddin) came down on Devgiri with a huge force and defeated the Yadavas again after they refused to pay tribute to the throne of Delhi. After the death of Ramchandra in 1311, his unbending successor, Simhana III sat on the throne. Simhana III challenged the Khiljis and, in turn, was defeated (and killed in battle) by Malik Kafur in 1313. In 1317, the Khilji sultanate annexed the Yadava kingdom, entirely ending the long, prosperous rule of the Yadavas (Harpaladev being the last of the tributary Yadava kings).

A Shahapedia article notes the post-Yadava history of the site. In 1327 CE, Muhammad bin Tughluq sought to make Devgiri his capital by transferring the entire population of Delhi and changing its name from Devgiri to Daulatabad. This proved to be a blunder, and he had to shift back to Delhi soon (1334). The fort then went into the possession of the Bhamanis and remained with them till 1499 CE. In 1493, Ahmad Nizam Shah I of Aurangabad laid an unsuccessful siege to the fortress, which he had to give up on in two months. However, according to Firishta (a Persian historian who settled in the courts of the Deccani sultans), he continued mounting annual raids on the fort and its environs.

In 1499 CE, after breaking an alliance that had formed between the Shah of Gujrat and the commander of the fort, Ahmad I (Nizam Shah) captured the fort. Later, in 1610, Malik Ambar (ruling in the name of the then-puppet Nizam Shah) made the Devgiri/Daultabad fort and Khadki city (Aurangabad) his capital. Daulatabad fell to the Mughals in 1633 and then later passed on to the Nizam of Hyderabad.

The Ellora caves, located about 30 km from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Khuldabad taluka), are the world’s largest complex of rock-cut mandirs and monasteries. Their name comes from the town of Ellora, formerly Elapura and known today as Verul. The caves date to between the 6th and 12th centuries CE. Numbering thirty-four in total, 12 caves are dedicated to Buddhist devis/devtas, 17 to Shaivite or Vaishnavite devis/devtas, and 5 to Jain devis/devtas, together extending over 2 km toward the north and south.

According to an article by Map Academy (2022), the cave complex was the site of continuous activity through the early medieval period, contributing to and drawing on artistic and architectural developments of various kingdoms in the region. Some shrines at Ellora, such as the Kailas Mandir, continued to receive patronage well into the 18th century. The chronology of the caves is a matter of considerable debate. A much-endorsed theory is that the first of the Shaiva and Buddhist caves were carved around the same time, approximately in the second half of the 6th century; more continued to be added through the 7th and 8th centuries. Most of the Jain caves were completed in the 9th and 10th centuries CE, but iconographic and stylistic similarities have led some scholars to suggest that sculptors may have worked simultaneously on some of the Jain and Shaiva caves.

According to Geri H. Malandra (1993), Ellora was known to have been frequented by Buddhist monks in the 9th and 10th centuries. The Lilacharitra, a Marathi text dated to the late 13th century CE, is the first report stating that active use of Ellora ceased in the 13th century. Interestingly, Deogiri (Devgiri), the capital of the Yadava dynasty, is about 10 km from Ellora.

In addition to the exquisite rock cuttings and carvings of Ellora, multiple paintings and some inscriptions were also found that add to the richness of the site. The Ellora Caves were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

According to Deepak Kannal (1996), the Kailas Mandir at Ellora (construction is generally attributed to the Rashtrakuta King Krishna I (r. 756–773 CE)) is notable for its vertical excavation; that is, carvers started at the top of the original rock and excavated downward. The traditional methods were rigidly followed by the master architect, which could not have been achieved by excavating from the front. The Mandir is the largest of the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain cave Mandirs and monasteries.

An important pilgrimage site for Hindus, this ancient mandir is located in the village of Verul, about 30 km from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar city (Khuldabad taluka) and within the confines of the historic Ellora Caves. It is also said to be the last or the 12th 'Jyotirlinga' on earth. Built in a prehistoric architectural style and featuring carvings of several Hindu devis/devtas on the walls in red bricks, the Mandir was later renovated in the 16th and 18th centuries. The Mandir is famous for its 5 levels of Shikhar and pillar carvings. At the top of the Mandir is a gold vein or Kalash. Another feature is the holy water flowing from inside the Mandir (a natural spring). 

The Delhi Sultanate’s forces are said to have damaged the Mandir, but then it was rebuilt by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s grandfather, Maloji Raje Bhosale. The Mandir went under another rebuilding project, which was carried out by Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in the 18th century.

According to the legend, there lived a Brahmin couple named Sudharma and Sudha, a Brahmavetta (one who has realized Brahma), on Mount Devgiri. Astrological calculations showed that there could be no childbirth from Sudeha's womb. Sudeha was very keen to have children, so she urged Sudharma to remarry her younger sister, Ghushma. Ghushma was a devout Shiv-bhakt and would make 101 lingas, worship them, and immerse them in a nearby lake every day. With the blessings of Bhagwan Shiv, she gave birth to a son. Out of jealousy, one night, Sudheha killed the baby at the pond where Ghushma used to immerse the lingas. Mourning in pain, Ghushma continued to worship the Shivalinga. As she immersed the last linga in water, Bhagwan Shiv appeared before her and gave life to her dead son. He also wanted to punish Sudeha, but Ghushma begged him to forgive her sister and asked Bhagwan Shiv to make this place his permanent home. Shiv accepted Ghusma’s requests, and thus the mandir of Ghusneshwar/Grishneshwar came into being.

Amongst the various historical and religious places located in the city of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar is the Hazrat Shahanoor Hamwi Dargah. According to Yasmin Kazi (2016), Shah Nur Hamwi Saiad came from Baghdad and lived for some time in Burhanpur and then in Ahilyanagar. He visited Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar after Aurangzeb’s arrival (in 1653) in 1660 CE and initiated Nawab Diyanat Khan (Mughal Diwan of Deccan) into the Qadiri order. He settled at Moti Karanga Khanqah in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. Shah Nur died in 1692 CE and was buried within this extensive Khanqah. He had influenced several persons in the Mughal government and administrative bureaucracy of that time. This Dargah was built by Diyanat Khan to honor him.

The Himayat Bagh is located near Delhi Gate in the Rauza Bagh area of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar city. It is a 17th-century garden that now houses a Fruit Research Station and Nursery, which is a part of the Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth.

According to the Aurangabad Gazetteer (1884), Khizri Talao (Lake) once stretched along the entire northern wall of the city, from present-day Salim Ali Lake to Begumpura/Makbara. However, the dampness and fumes from the lake were considered unhealthy, so Aurangzeb ordered the section in front of his palace (Kila-e-Ark) to be filled in and converted into farmland. Later, this reclaimed land was developed into a Mughal garden, now known as Himayat Bagh. One of Aurangzeb's court officials planted various fruit-bearing trees, providing fresh produce for the royal court and its officials.

Aurangzeb also, through a marvelous engineering feat involving an underground water chamber, created a natural air-conditioning system that cooled the entire area when in operation. However, this system is no longer functioning. People now visit the place for jogging, morning walks, buying grafted saplings, etc.

Situated 13 km from Paithan and about 85 km from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar is the village of Apegaon (Paithan Taluka), believed to be the birthplace of the great Marathi Sant Dyaneshwar Maharaj (1275-96). Some scholars believe that he and his 3 siblings (Nivritti, Sopandev, and Muktabai) were born in Alandi, Pune. Currently, a small Mandir is located in Apegaon, on the banks of the Godavari River, at this supposed birthplace. Dyaneshwar wrote the books Dyaneshwari (a commentary on the Bhagavad Geeta) and Amrutanubhav. Both of these are considered to be some of the oldest works of Marathi literature. 

Dnyaneshwar’s father, Vitthalpant, was originally a dissolute ascetic. While married, he took Sannyas and went to Kashi. When the Guru learned that they were married, the Guru sent them back. Vitthalpant had four children after re-entering the household, as per this order, and had a total of four children. Vitthalpant went on a pilgrimage and settled in Alandi. But the family was ostracised by society.

The town of Paithan, situated on the Nath Sagar Dam, on the banks of the mighty Godavari River, is also the birthplace of the great Marathi Sant called Eknath (1533-1599).He was a prominent figure in the Warkari movement and the larger Bhakti movement (7th century to 18th century) and remains an influential figure today. He has written books such as Bhavarth Ramayan (a Marathi variation of Ramayan), Eknathi Bhagwat (a variation of Bhagwat Puran), etc.

The Shri Sant Eknath Mandir of Paithan is believed to be the Samadhi sthan of Sant Eknath. The mandir is constructed from teak wood. There is also a grand Datta Mandir. A three-day Nathshashthi Yatra festival is held in March every year. This yatra has a tradition of four and a half hundred years; bhakts flock in huge numbers to attend the festival every year.

The Nath Samadhi Mandir is open early in the morning. This is followed by Kakad Aarti and Naivedya at noon. In the evening, after Goda Pujan, Aarti is performed, and the Mandir closes soon after.