Auli
About the city
Auli is considered the best skiing slope in Asia. Both sides of the slope are covered with oak and coniferous trees which break the speed of the wind and this makes it ideal for skiing. Right in front of Auli, is one of the highest peak, Nanda Devi. Along with it can be seen the Hathigauri, Neelkanth, Comet and Eravath mountains. Auli is a grazing land spread over 6 kms. In the local language they call this "Byugal". In summer, in the old days, the local villagers used to graze their cattle here. During monsoons thousands of different variety of flowers bloom here.If you visit Auli in winter as most adventure seekers do, there's only one thing to experience. Racing down the mountains on a good pair of skis. Blinded by the dazzle of its carpeted slopes, and with the Nanda Devi peak as mute spectator, skiing in Auli is a dramatic experience. With picturesque conifers to add to its beauty, the hill town is filled with the jubilant whoops of learners who have finally mastered the sport. The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam hires experienced ski instructors and provides ski equipment to visitors. A small hill town, Auli is as bare as its wintry countryside and unless you are keen on skiing, trekking or simply soaking in its natural beauty, there's not much to do here. With very little opportunity for shopping or entertainment, evenings are spent around bonfires, playing the guitar or listening to local folk songs. As a result, there is a wonderful sense of camaraderie among skiers who return home with heartwarming memories of a cold winter vacation.
History
The history of Aurangabad can be traced back to 1610, when the former Abyssinian slave and then prime minister of the Muslim kingdom of Ahmednagar, Malik Ambar established a city on the site of an old village called Khirki. His son Fateh Khan named the city he ruled over, Fatehpur in 1626.Afterwards, when the control of the Deccan kingdoms passed into the hands of the Mughals, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb renamed the city Aurangabad when he made it the foundation of his campaigns into the Deccan. Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal Emperor took over this city in 1653 and renamed it Aurangabad. Because of its strategic location in peninsular India, Aurangzeb made it his capital from where he tried to repress the rising power of the Marathas. After his death in 1707, the city was taken over by the Nizam of Hyderabad who retained control till it was merged with Maharashtra in 1956.
Modern Aurangabad retains an Islamic character and still maintains an old world charm. The city has put on a more contemporary face as a major industrial centre for pharmaceuticals, automobiles, textiles and electronics and as the access to the cave temples of Ajanta & Ellora.
In the 8th century AD, Adi Shankaracharya is said to have visited the vast meadows of Auli. He built the temple at Joshimath which continues to draw devotees on their way to Badrinath. For most part of its history, Auli was home to the semi-nomadic tribes of Mongolian stock called the Bhotiyas, who traversed its trails for hundreds of years. Called Thatauli in those days, the town was witness to a flourishing trade with neighbouring Tibet as yaks laden with goods travelled through its mountainous terrain.