Aurangabad as its name suggests has a strong Muslim flavor. It dates back to the time of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and many Mughal monuments, such as Bibi ka Maqbara, can be seen in and around the city. Aurangabad serves a convenient base from which to visit the world-famous Ajanta and Ellora Caves, both UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Ellora caves are a series of 34 cave temples, with the incredibly beautiful Kailash Temple, dating back to 600 A.D. The equally famous Ajanta caves were discovered accidentally during the 19th century by a group of British officers who were on a tiger hunt. The exquisite frescoes in these caves describe the story of Lord Buddha and the Buddhist religion that prevailed here during 200 BC to 650 AD. The city has a large number of forts with intriguing secret passages, entrances and traps.
