Maharashtra government renamed Aurangabad city as Shambhaji Nagar

Subject :History

Section: Art and Culture

Context:

The government also renamed Osmanabad city — which is named after the last ruler of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan — as Dharashiv.

Concept:

Auranagabad

Aurangabad was founded in 1610 by Malik Ambar, the Siddi general of the Nizamshahi dynasty of Ahmednagar.
The city was named Khirki or Khadki at the time, and its name was changed to Fatehpur by Malik Ambar’s son Fateh Khan following Malik Ambar’s death in 1626.
In 1653, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb invaded the Deccan and set up his capital in the city, which he renamed Aurangabad.
The city has borne the association of its name with Aurangzeb ever since.
ChhattrapatiSambhaji Maharaj, the son and successor of Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was tortured and killed in brutal fashion on Aurangzeb’s orders in 1689.

Dharashiv Caves

There are two groups of rock-cut caves in Osmanabad city, the first is Chamar rock-cut caves and the other is the Dharashiv Rock-cut caves
Chamar Caves are two km away from the city. There are two caves dedicated to Hinduism. According to Burgess, these are dated to the 6th century CE.
Dharashiv Caves are 6 in number, out of the four are ofJainas and two of Vaishnava caves. According to scholars these caves dated to the 6th to 8th century CE.