Aurangabad

This is a big city in India.

It sits in a place called Maharashtra. The city is near the Ajanta hills.

Many people live there. They make soft silk cloth. They also make cotton cloth.

There are many old things to see. You can visit cool caves. You can see old forts too.

It is a busy place to visit. Do you like big cities?

Aurangabad is a large city in India.

It sits in the state of Maharashtra. The city is on hilly land. It is near the Ajanta mountain range.

In 2023, the city got a new name. It is now called Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Many people live there. Over one million people call it home.

The city has a long history. Long ago, it was called Khadki. A leader named Malik Ambar helped build it.

Later, a ruler named Aurangzeb gave it a new name. He made it a capital city. People call it the "City of Gates." This is because there were 52 gates in the city. Some of these gates are still there today.

Many people visit to see old things. You can see the Ajanta and Ellora caves. These are famous World Heritage Sites. The city also makes beautiful silk and cotton cloth. It is a busy and important place.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is a large and busy city in India.

It sits in the state of Maharashtra. The city is part of the Marathwada region. It is located on hilly land called the Deccan Traps. This area is surrounded by the Ajanta mountain range in every direction. The city is the fifth-largest urban area in its state. It has a very large population of 1,175,116 people.

The ground beneath the city is very special. It is made of old lava flows. These flows are called basaltic lava. These layers of rock can hold water in different ways. Some parts of the rock are porous, which means they have tiny holes. These holes help the ground hold and move groundwater. The soil in the area is mostly black. This soil comes from the broken-down igneous rocks. The weather is often dry, which is called a semiarid climate.

This city has a very long and changing history. Long ago, the area was home to the Satavahana and Yadava dynasties. In 1327, a ruler named Muhammad bin Tughluq moved the capital of the Delhi Sultanate here. Later, a leader named Malik Ambar built a city called Khadki.

His son, Fateh Khan, changed the name to Fatehnagar. In 1653, a ruler named Aurangzeb renamed the city Aurangabad. He made it the capital of the Deccan region.

Many people visit the city to see amazing sights. The Ajanta and Ellora caves are nearby. These are famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You can also see the Bibi Ka Maqbara and the Devagiri Fort.

The city was once known as the "City of Gates." This is because there were 52 gates in the city walls. Some of these gates, like the Delhi Gate, still stand today. The city is also a place where people make beautiful silk and cotton fabrics.

Today, the city is a major center for learning and work. It is home to the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University.

The city is also part of a big plan to build smart cities. In 2019, the Aurangabad Industrial City became India's first greenfield smart city. Most people in the city speak Marathi. Many others speak Urdu or Hindi. It is a place where old history meets new ways of living.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, officially known as Aurangabad, is a major urban center in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

It serves as the administrative headquarters for the Aurangabad district. The city is the largest urban area in the Marathwada region. It currently ranks as the fifth-most populous city in Maharashtra. According to the 2011 Census, the population was 1,175,116 people. The city is located on hilly upland terrain within the Deccan Traps. This landscape is surrounded by the Ajanta mountain range in all directions.

The geology of the region is defined by ancient basaltic lava flows. These flows date from the Upper Cretaceous to the Lower Eocene ages. The lava forms horizontal layers that make up the Deccan Traps. Each flow consists of two distinct units. The upper layer is vesicular and amygdaloidal zeolitic basalt. The bottom layer is composed of massive basalt. These layers differ in their porosity and permeability. Porosity refers to how much liquid a material can hold. Permeability is how easily liquid can move through it. These properties control how the ground stores and transmits groundwater. The soil is mostly black and formed from these igneous rocks.

The climate is classified as semiarid under the Köppen system. Annual mean temperatures range from 17 to 33 degrees Celsius. Most rainfall occurs during the monsoon season from June to September. The average annual rainfall is 710 mm. During the monsoon, the city is often cloudy for many days. This cloud cover can drop daily maximum temperatures to around 22 degrees Celsius. The most comfortable time for visitors is during the winter months. This period lasts from October to February. In the cold season, western disturbances can cause cold waves. These waves can drop minimum temperatures significantly.

The history of the area includes several powerful dynasties. The Satavahana dynasty ruled from the 1st century BCE to the 2nd century CE. Later, the Yadava dynasty ruled from the 9th to the 14th century CE. In 1327, Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq moved the capital of the Delhi Sultanate to Daulatabad. He ordered the mass relocation of the population from Delhi. However, he reversed this decision in 1334 and moved the capital back. In 1610, the Ethiopian military leader Malik Ambar established a new city called Khaḍkī.

Malik Ambar was a slave who became a popular prime minister. His son, Fateh Khan, later renamed the city Fatehnagar.

The city underwent major changes under Mughal rule. In 1636, the Mughal viceroy Aurangzeb annexed the region. In 1653, Aurangzeb renamed the city Aurangabad and made it the capital of the Deccan.

The city became a major military outpost and a center of trade. It was also a cultural hub for Persian and Urdu literature. During this era, the city had about 200,000 people living in 54 suburbs. To protect against Maratha raids, a city wall was built around 1683. This wall originally had 52 gates, earning the city its nickname, the "City of Gates." Some of these, like the Delhi Gate, still exist.

Today, the city is a significant center for tourism and industry. It is famous for the Ajanta and Ellora caves, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Other landmarks include the Devagiri Fort, Grishneshwar Temple, and Bibi Ka Maqbara.

The city is also a major production center for cotton textiles and artistic silk. In 2019, the Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) became India's first greenfield industrial smart city. This was part of the national Smart Cities Mission. The city also hosts important educational institutions like Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University.

The modern population is diverse in religion and language. Most residents are Hindu, followed by Muslim, Buddhist, and Jain populations.

Marathi is the official and most common language. Urdu and Hindi are also widely spoken. The city is managed by the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation. This local body is divided into six administrative zones. The city's administration has evolved through many political shifts. It moved from Hyderabad State to Bombay State, and finally to Maharashtra in 1960. In 2023, the city was officially renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.