Cuisine, Art & culture of Aurangabad

Cuisine

Aurangabadi food is much like Mughlai or Hyderabadi cuisine, with its fragrant Pulao and Biryani. Fresh meat cooked in aromatic spices and herbs is a speciality, as are the delectable sweets. The local cuisine also has an influence of the spices and herbs of the Marathwada region. Naan Qalia - a dish mainly associated with Aurangabad - is a delectable concoction of mutton and a variety of spices, eaten with bread made in a tandoor (hot furnace). The dish originated in the army camp of Muhammad bin Tughlag when he shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad in the year 1327. 

Tahri or Tahari is similar to Pulao-Biryani and is very popular in Aurangabad and Marathwada. It is prepared by adding the meat to the rice, as opposed to traditional Biryani, where the rice is added to the meat, The availability of staple, easily used ingredients and some derivatives such as the Vadis (dried rice/lentil nuggets), and vegetables of the season - Vangi (brinjals) - appear on most menus, while the other lentils from the region make their presence felt in the Zunkas and Pithlas (raw tomato curry made thick with besan).

Agricultural & Industrialisation 

Aurangabad is an agrarian district and the prominent crops here are spiked millet and sugarcane. Guavas and custard-apples grown at Daulatabad are famous all over Maharashtra. A Fruit Research Centre and a Sugarcane Research Centre have also been established at Aurangabad and Vaijapur respectively.

There is ample evidence to show that Aurangabad was developed as a trading hub four centuries ago. It lies on a major trade route that used to connect north-west India's sea and land ports to the Deccan regton. The city has đeveloped industrially since the 1970s and is today, the most important manufacturing centre in Marathwada. 

Today, Aurangabad produces motor vehicles and vehicle parts, pharmaceuticals, leather, rubber & plastic products, beverages and fibre-optic cables. 

The Shendra, Chikalthana and Waluj MIDC areas are prominent industrial zones on the outskirts of the city. Recently, Aurangabad became the third city in Maharashtra (after Pune and Nashík) to host an auto cluster, namely Marathwada Auto Cluster (MAC). Aurangabad is also a major silk and cotton textile production centre. A fine blend of silk with locally grown cotton called Himroo was developed here, and Himroo fabrics and shawls are famous all over the world. The exquisite Paithani silk sarees are created in small industries nearby and are avallable in the city market.

Art & culture 

Spread over a seven-acre plot with sprawling landscapes and extensive beautification work, Kalagram in Aurangabad brings together the arts, crafts, food and cultural activities of Maharashtra. Apart from catering to the contemporary expectations of tourists, Kalagram also provides the ambience of a traditional rural hall and village.

This unique project is a joint venture between Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and Aurangabad Municipal Corporation. The food and crafts bazaar provides visitors a treasure house of Indian and Maharashtrian culture, handicrafts and ethnic cuisine. Tourists can buy inimitable ethnic wear, savour the different local and Maharashtrian delicacies, and relax with their families. Kalagram has around 106 crafts stalls selling native, utilitarian and ethnic products from all over Maharashtra.

Kalagram has parking space for around 7 buses, 100 cars and 200 two-wheelers. An open-air amphitheatre with a seating capacity of 1500 has been constructed for live performances and cultural programmes. Kids can enjoy themselves in the children's playing area. A food plaza serves local cuisine in the traditional way through 17 food stalls. Kalagram also features a night bazaar for shopping utilities and an exhibition hall. Kalagram provides an opportunity for craftsmen to demonstrate their artistic skills to the thousands of tourists visiting Aurangabad. 

This cultural complex also serves as a pular marketplace for the beautiful Himroo and Paithani creations, as well as other local crafts. Apart from being a place to showcase local Maharashtrian handicrafts, Kalagram also generates employment for over 1000 people. Kalagram has been designed to keep the culture and traditions of Maharashtra alive. It also provides an ideal platform to keep the exquisite folk performances from Maharashtra like Dombare and Vasudev, among many others, flourishing.

www.kahanibazaar.com

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