Ellora moves South

So long a stopover en route to the world heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora, Aurangabad is finally on the road to rediscovery.

To put back the 13th century capital of Deccan rulers Yadavas on the tourist map alongside the cave-sites, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation and the Tourism Guild has shifted the Ellora dance and music festival between the original site and Aurangabad.

For four days starting yesterday, the city will offer a taste of tradition, art and culture through dance, music and handicraft shows.

From the backdrop of the majestic Kailash, the massive Shiva temple carved out of a single rock in Ellora, the focus shifts to Aurangabad8217;s 17th century Mughal Soneri Mahal, where local artistes will rub shoulders with Shahid Parvez, Shubha Mudgal, Talat Aziz and Vijay Ghate among scores of others. Alongside, there will be heritage walks, mushairas, bullock cart races, demonstrations of Maharashtrian folk-art forms lejhim and jhanj, a marathon and a walkathon for senior citizens and a treasure hunt.

Truth to tell, the change in venue is akin to killing two birds with one stone. While it allows Aurangabad to be showcased, on the other, it provides opportunity for the first phase of the restoration and beautification of the Ajanta and Ellora caves being undertaken with aid from the Japan Bank for International Co-operation.

But so far as festival committee vice-chairman Mukund Bhogle is concerned, the focus is firmly on Aurangabad. 8216;8216;An art-and-craft village with live demos of paithani, himroo and mashru weaving and bidri inlay/embossing/ overlay work will allow visitors to understand the unique handicraft of Aurangabad,8217;8217; he says. 8216;8216;On offer are now-or-never packages to explore Aurangabad.8217;8217;

Founded in 1610 by Malik Ambar, Murtaza Nizam Shah II8217;s prime minister, Aurangabad was Aurangazeb8217;s headquarters when he was the Deccan viceroy in the mid-17th century. Apart from the Bibi Ka Makbara 8212; touted as a mini-Taj Mahal 8212; there is the 18th century Ghrishneshwar temple, one of the five Jyotirlinga sites in Maharashtra, a temple dedicated to Ahilyabai Holkar, Khultabad, a revered place for Deccan Muslims, and Pitalkhora, a cluster of 13 cave sanctuaries and monasteries dating between the 2nd century BC and 5th century AD.