With over 500 years of history that could be traced back to almost 1490 A.D., Ahmednagar in Maharashtra is famous for its magnificent architectural monuments from the Nizam Shahi dynasty. Founded by Ahmad Nizam Shah Bahri, today the city is home to several sugar factories and is also the birthplace of the cooperative movement. Marathi is the primary language for daily-life communication and the city enjoys its own distinctive traditional cuisine distinguished by its lip-smacking taste.

Best time to visit:

Winters in Ahmednagar are moderately cold and predominantly dry. This season between October and March is considered the best time to visit Ahmednagar to explore its fascinating history.

Top five places to see:

Ahmednagar Fort – Witness countless invasions and once considered the second most impregnable fort in India, the Ahmednagar Fort was used by the British to house Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, during the Quit India Movement of 1942. It was during his confinement here in 1944, that Nehru wrote the famous book "The Discovery of India".

Chand Bibi Mahal – This solid three-storey stone structure situated on the crest of a hill is actually the tomb of the Nizam Shahi Minister – Salabat Khan II. It is an octagonal dome surrounded by a veranda on all sides and can be seen from any part of Ahmednagar.

Alamagir – This historic place is where Aurangzeb died at the age of 91. It also houses a Masjid (a holy prayer place) and Baradari where meetings used to take place. A library present near the Masjid has rare copies of the Quran (the holy prayer book), dating back to the time of the emperor Aurangzeb. One of the Qurans here was written by the emperor himself.

Baugh Rauza – Ahmed Nizam Shah, the founder of Ahmednagar, rests in peace at the Bagh Rauza. One of the finest monuments in Ahmednagar, the Baugh Rauza or the Garden of Shrine, is a fine black stone mausoleum within which glitter inscriptions of gold from the Koran are enshrined.

Tank Museum – This museum houses a rich collection of tanks used during different periods in India. The Armoured Corps Centre and School has created this museum with an extensive collection of 20th Century armoured fighting vehicles.