Things to see and do Maharashtra

Located in a beautiful building near the synagogue, this gallery offers mainly exhibitions of contemporary Indian artists and retrospectives on the evolution of traditional painting.

This aquarium was built in 1951. Completely renovated in 2014, it now offers a transparent tunnel with a 360 ° view to admire aquatic fauna. It houses over 100 different species of saltwater and freshwater fish, as well as sharks and turtles.

It was designed in Italian Gothic style by F.W. Stevens. The first train that left left Mumbai - Thane in 1853.

The mausoleum is located in the north of the city, in the countryside. To find it, go up the main street (turn right when you leave the dargah of Aurangzeb). After the roundabout, continue straight ahead and follow the road, turning left at the crow's feet. The mausoleum is about 500 metres after leaving the village, behind the Jar Jari Baksh mosque.

The massive mausoleum consists of a cube of pink basalt placed in the centre of a small platform. It is topped by a dome and four turrets placed at each corner. Each floor of the building is protected by a projecting overhang. On the ground floor, the central window on each side is pierced with a jali (openwork screen), while the others are walled. To the south, the window is replaced by a door allowing access to the mausoleum. In front of the mausoleum, a neoclassical Italian-style building, a movement very popular in Hyderabad at the beginning of the 20th century, allowed travellers who came to visit the tomb to rest. On the other hand, another mausoleum, identical in style to Malik Ambar's, but smaller, is probably that of one of his generals.

Walk: the countryside around Khultabad is dotted with Muslim mausoleums in a more or less good state of conservation. While it is often impossible to know who is buried there, walking the paths connecting them can be a pleasant hiking experience in the mild season. Bring a good pair of shoes, water and a picnic and play the explorer for as long as you like.

Mumbai Magic offers à la carte tours in places sometimes difficult to discover yourself: Fort Heritage District Walk (visit of cultural heritage in Fort), Chor Bazaar, Beach Life (the beaches of Mumbai), Food Walk at Dadar Market (discovery of Indian food at Dadar market), Districts Fishing Village (Pêcheurs fishing village)…

Daulatabad Fort, also known as Devgiri Fort, includes the walled city below, a palace and the defensive fort on a 200-metre high rocky plateau. It was built in 1187 by the Yavada dynasty, which then dominated the Deccan. The mosque built in 1318 has since become a Hindu temple, the Bharat Mata Mandir. The site was chosen by Muhammad bin Tughluq, Sultan of Delhi, upon his accession to the throne in 1325. Two years later, he had the capital emptied of its inhabitants and installed them in Daulatabad. The Sultan thought that by settling further south, he would occupy a more central position to lead his conquests to Bihar and Bengal and above all that he would escape the Mughal invasion attempts that focused on Delhi and the north.

The fortifications: The town of Daulatabad was protected by a triple enclosure, which would slow down access to the fort in the event of an attack. The outer perimeter wall has a 4.5 km loop

Chand Minar: this 30-metre minaret dates from 1445 and celebrates the capture of Ala-ud-din Bahmani which brought Daulatabad back into the feudal fold of Muhammad bin Tughluq. Largely inspired by the Qutab Minar of Delhi, the tower was built by a Persian architect. It was covered with glazed tiles painted with natural ochres and lapis lazuli powder. Unfortunately, the minaret is closed to the public following a suicide.

The fort: the fort of Daulatabad bears witness to a great deal of defensive thinking, and consequently, to the intense struggles that followed one another on the Deccan plateau. The base of the piton was cut to create a vertical wall about 50 metres high. Access to the fort is through a single entrance: a narrow bridge spans the moat and leads to a steeply sloping gallery carved into the rock. The gallery is now nicknamed "dark passage", a dark passage that shelters many bats. Halfway down the slope, the slope becomes a staircase, at the top of which is a grid covering a pit. In the event of an attack, the soldiers of the fort would start a fire there to slow down the enemy's progress.

The fort is full of lures and defensive tricks: false access doors, labyrinthine gallery, rounded walls breaking visibility, succession of access doors equipped with points against elephants...

Chini Mahal: this small ruined palace, which literally means "Chinese palace", was built by Aurangzeb and served as a prison for "distinguished guests". In particular, he had the last king of the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Hyderabad and Golconda imprisoned there. The latter died within the walls of the Chini Mahal, leaving no descendants.

Mughal Baradari: a steep climb leads to Mughal Baradari, a pavilion commissioned by Shah Jahan in the 17th century. You will be rewarded for your efforts with a splendid view of the Deccan Plains.

Opposite the entrance to the fort, there is still a 16th century hammam that is worth a look.

It is the responsibility of the Indian Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies. To know everything about the history of Indian currency through the ages, the museum is the best in the business. It displays about 150,000 coins and coins from Indian antiquity to the later medieval era. This numismatic museum is the only one of its kind in Asia.

Located on the road to Pune, a huge amusement park with a multitude of different rides, architectural reconstructions, musical shows, several restaurants and many other surprises… 

Located in Gorai, just north of the city. Inaugurated on February 8, 2009, this impressive Buddhist monument is a replica of the Yangon pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar. Its golden roof is visible from Sanjay Gandhi Park!

Passage To Mumbai, via the French Alliance, will let you discover Mumbai in French. These visits usually take place on Saturday morning, once a month, or may also be arranged on request for those who are in Mumbai, depending on their availability.

The village of Khultabad always exudes a medieval atmosphere. It is here that Aurangzeb's tomb, the most important Moghal emperor and that of Malik Ambar, the founder of Aurangabad, is located.

Once called Rauzaa, which means "garden of paradise", the village is located in the heart of the "Valley of Saints". In the xivth century, many saints soufis chose Rauzaa to settle there. There are no fewer than 1,400 graves in the vicinity.

The village of 15,800 inhabitants is surrounded by a fortified wall pierced at the origin of 7 doors. The wall, erected by Aurangzeb, is now in a bad state. However, the municipality has undertaken restoration work on some of the city's doors. If most tourists stopping in Khultabad only come for Aurangzeb's tomb, don't miss the gardens, a little jewel of unknown greenery. Despite the importance of the village to the Muslim community, it is also a Hindu pilgrimage site. The devots go to number from Aurangabad and its surroundings at the Bhadra Maruti temple at Hanuman's birthday (April).

Very fun, especially if you are with children. The dome is a cosmic representation of the sky, there are giant telescopes and machines in all kinds that are exposed everywhere.