5 gates of Aurangabad

The erstwhile military town of Khirki, that is now Aurangabad, needed adequate protection from the enemy. While Malik Ambar, who designed and built the city, relied on his superior military prowess, the Mughal idea to protect it from the rising Maratha Empire was to construct a wall around the entire city. This wall had a total of 52 major and minor gates, giving Aurangabad the title of City of Gates. Out of these 52, 4 formed key entrances from the four directions. Mecca or Makai Gate faces west, Delhi Gate to the north, Jalna Gate to the east and Paithan Gate to the south. Though the minor gates and the wall itself may be at various levels of deterioration, visitors can certainly get a glimpse of these main gates of the walled city. The jewel in the crown is however the Badhkal Gate. Also known as the victory gate, this earliest and largest monument of its class symbolizes the victory of Malik Ambar over the Mughals in early 17th century. These gates are spread over the old city's landscapes and will need you to rent a cab to go around. Notice how roads get narrower on the inside of the gates, indicating the enclosed heritage.