Food and local cuisine in Aurangabad
Aurangabad's kitchen sits at a delicious crossroads. Its long Mughal and Nizami history — the city was a Deccan seat of the Mughals and later fell within the orbit of the Nizams of Hyderabad — gave it a rich tradition of slow-cooked, spice-layered non-vegetarian food, while its place in Maharashtra brings the earthier flavours of the Marathwada plateau. The result is a distinctive local table that rewards the curious eater.
The signature dish is naan qalia, a preparation so identified with the city that it is often called Aurangabad's own. Qalia is a robust mutton curry, cooked with a complex blend of spices and, in the traditional telling, a mingling of many hands and masalas, and it is eaten with soft, tandoor-baked naan. Seeking out a proper plate of naan qalia is one of the essential food experiences here, and it is a dish you will not find done the same way elsewhere.
The city is also known for its Aurangabadi biryani, a fragrant rice-and-meat preparation in the broader Deccan tradition that shares DNA with the famous Hyderabadi style but carries its own local character. Alongside it, the everyday Mughlai-influenced repertoire of kebabs and rich meat curries is easy to find in the old-city eateries, best eaten where these dishes are the specialty rather than an afterthought.
Vegetarian food is plentiful and good. The Maharashtrian side of the local table brings thali meals, spicy plateau-style vegetable preparations, and the region's breads and pulses, and pure-vegetarian eateries are common throughout the city. Travellers who prefer to avoid meat will not struggle, and the same eateries that do a fine biryani usually offer a full vegetarian menu.
For sweets and snacks, look out for milk-based sweets and the syrupy, fried treats common across the Deccan, and for regional specialties sold in the bazaars. The market quarters of the old city, and the busy stretches of the newer commercial areas, are the best hunting grounds for street food — chaat, fried snacks and the like — and for a cup of strong tea to go with them.
A couple of practical notes. Aurangabad's food leans spicier and richer than a first-time visitor may expect, so pace yourself, especially with the mutton curries. As anywhere, favour busy places with high turnover, drink sealed or filtered water, and ease into street food rather than diving in on arrival. And if you are visiting the temples or a dargah, be aware that the areas immediately around them are often vegetarian by custom.
Culture, festivals and etiquette
Aurangabad's culture is a genuine composite. The city's fabric layers a Marathi-speaking Maharashtrian core with deep Mughal and Nizami Islamic influences and the ancient Buddhist, Hindu and Jain heritage carved into the surrounding cliffs. Marathi is the main language, Hindi is widely understood, and English works at hotels and the major sights; a few words of Marathi or Hindi go a long way in the markets and with drivers. The 2023 renaming of the city to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, honouring the Maratha Chhatrapati Sambhaji, is part of this same living history — expect to encounter both names in daily use.
The city has a proud craft tradition, and two textiles are worth knowing. Paithani — the luxurious silk sari woven with gold or coloured thread and famed for its peacock and lotus motifs — takes its name from the nearby town of Paithan and is one of India's most prized handloom weaves. Himroo (and the related Mashru) is Aurangabad's own richly patterned brocade-like cloth, traditionally woven here into shawls and stoles; you can still watch it being made on handlooms in city workshops, and a Himroo shawl makes a distinctive and portable souvenir.
On the festival calendar, the standout event tied to tourism is the Ellora-Ajanta International Festival of music, dance and culture, staged by Maharashtra Tourism, usually in the cooler months — though, as noted above, it has not run on a fixed annual schedule, so confirm dates and venue with Maharashtra Tourism before relying on it. Religious festivals colour the year too: Mahashivratri brings big crowds to the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga, and the Hindu, Muslim and Jain communities each mark their major festivals in the city. Because dates for these follow lunar calendars and shift year to year, check them close to your travel dates.
Etiquette at the sights matters, and a few rules cover most situations:
- Dress modestly, especially at the Grishneshwar temple, dargahs and mosques — covered shoulders and knees are appropriate, and you will remove your shoes before entering temple and mosque interiors.
- Protect the paintings at Ajanta. The murals are extremely fragile; do not touch the walls, follow the lighting and no-flash rules, and keep to the marked paths. Flash photography is restricted inside the painted caves — respect the signs and any guard instructions.
- Camera and phone restrictions apply at some active temples (Grishneshwar in particular); check before you enter and be prepared to leave devices at a counter.
- Pace and footwear. Ajanta and Daulatabad both involve real climbing and a lot of steps; wear proper shoes and carry water, and be considerate on narrow stairways and in crowded caves.
- Guides and touts. As at any major site, you will meet unofficial "guides", photographers and vendors. A polite but firm refusal, and hiring only official ASI-licensed guides where you want one, saves a lot of hassle.