Aurangabad, city, west-central Maharashtra state, western India. It is situated in a hilly upland region on the Kaum River. Originally known as Khadki, the city was founded in 1610 by Malik Ambar. Its name was changed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who built the Bibi Ka Maqbara tomb near the city as an imitation of the Taj Mahal in Agra. Aurangabad remained the headquarters of the independent nizams (rulers), but took off when the capital was moved to Hyderabad in the princely state of Hyderabad. With the dissolution of the principality in 1948, Aurangabad was incorporated into the state of Hyderabad in newly independent India. It later became part of Bombay State (1956-60) before that state was divided into Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Aurangabad is known for its artistic silk fabrics, especially scarves. The seat of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (1958), it is a prominent educational center and several industry schools are located there. The town is also a popular tourist destination, mainly due to its proximity to the Ellora and Ajanta Cave Temples, both of which were UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1983. Pop. (2001) 873,311; (2011) 1,175,116.
