The Marathwada region is home to a number of man-made cave temples, monuments, and historic sites.
Pitalkhora Caves – these colorful Buddhist caves are 17 km (11 mi) from Kannad Town. They were carved in the first century and is the first cave in Asia.[citation needed]
Rohilagad Caves – Rohilagad is 44 km (27 mi) from Aurangabad and 45 km (28 mi) from Jalna. These three caves date back to Satvahan yug, and many artworks were added to Rohilagad samrajya.[clarification needed] The sculptures of Rohilagad are considered masterpieces of Hindu religious art.
Ajanta Caves – a UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites that dates back to the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. During the Gupta period (5th and 6th centuries AD), many more richly decorated caves were added to the original group. The paintings and sculptures of Ajanta are considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art.[3]
Ellora Caves – a UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites that dates back to 600–1000 AD. Its sanctuaries are devoted to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. According to UNESCO, "it illustrates the spirit of tolerance that was characteristic of ancient India".[4]
Dharashiv Caves – this nexus of seven caves is located 8 km (5.0 mi) away from Osmanabad in the Balaghat Mountains.[14][15][16] The caves were noted by Archaeological Department of India and mentioned in the book Archaeological Survey of India by James Burges.[17] Dharashiv Caves have been declared a protected area by Government of Maharashtra.[18]
Jyotirlingas are known as "Signs of God Shiva". These are mentioned in the Shiva Purana. It is believed that Shiva first manifested himself as a Jyotirlinga on the night of the Aridra Nakshatra, thus the special reverence for the Jyotirlinga. There is nothing to distinguish the appearance, but it is believed that a person can see these lingas as columns of fire piercing through the earth after he reaches a higher level of spiritual attainment. Though contested with other claimants elsewhere for each of these,[citation needed] the following are Jyotirlingas in Marathwada:
Hazur Sahib – the most sacred takht among Panj Takht of Sikhism.[20] It is known for Guru Gaddi, an annual event in November which marks establishment of the Guru Granth Sahib as permanent guru by Guru Gobind Singh. In 2008, on the 300th anniversary of establishment of Guru Granth Sahib, thousands of followers visited the gurdwara.[21][22]
Historically, Marathwada was part of Mughal empire and Nizam of Hyderabad, which has given the region its own Islamic heritage in the form of art and culture. The following are some of important places connected with Sufism and Islamic leaders in Marathwada:
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^ a bUNESCO World Heritage Centre. "Ajanta Caves - UNESCO World Heritage Centre". Whc.unesco.org. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
^ a bUNESCO World Heritage Centre. "Ellora Caves - UNESCO World Heritage Centre". Whc.unesco.org. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
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^"Hazarat Turabul Haq Shah Dargah, Parbhani | Hazarat Turabul Haq Shah Dargah Photos | Parbhani Tourist Places". www.holidayiq.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2013.
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^"Osmanabad". Incredible India. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
^"दयनीय अवस्थेत धाराशीव लेण्या!". Sakal (in Marathi). 24 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
^"Dharashiv Caves - Historical Background". Osmanabad. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
^"ऐतिहासिक धाराशिव लेण्यांचे अस्तित्व धोक्यात" (in Marathi). Lokmat. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
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^"Nanded set for tercentenary of Guru Granth Sahib". The Hindu. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
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^"Nanded will become world famous due to Guru-da-Gaddi: Deshmukh".
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