Panchakki: Water Wheel of Aurangabad, an Engineering Marvel
Aurangabad is not just about carved caves and fascinating forts or towering temples and silencing sepulchers!
Here you will find one of the rare engineering marvels of medieval India: Panchakki – the water wheel. It is situated right in the heart of the city and will take just an hour to tour the complex.
Guides at Panchakki Water Wheel Aurangabad
As we entered we were surrounded by a group of guides, and the haggling started. Strangely we found they settle for around Rs.200 whether it is for three hours at the Ajanta Caves or four hours at Daulatabad Fort or the half-hour tour at Panchakki.
These guides earn maximum during the winters and monsoons when many more tourists visit Aurangabad. During the summers when temperature is around 45degrees, there are days when most guides earn nothing at all. Felt really sorry for the guys there.
This complex was home to hundreds of orphans, fakirs, poor people and devotees during medieval times.
The young guide who took us around described with pride this little known tourist spot. At the complex there is a huge tank brimming with water and a centuries old fountain at the center functional even now.
Underneath this reservoir (pic.), he explained there are spacious rooms which were used by the pilgrims in the earlier days. During summer these cool rooms provided lot of relief to the tired travelers. These rooms are not in use now and are not open for tourists.
Museum in Panchakki Complex
This complex also houses the tomb of Sufi Saint Baba Shah Jaffar. He was the spiritual advisor to Aurangzeb. There is a small museum here; rows of arrows, beads used in prayers, other crumbling artifacts and pottery are displayed here. No access to its interiors however. I wish they were properly labeled and displayed.
Panchakki also houses the headquarters of the Waqf board of Maharashtra in addition to dargah (mosque) of Baba Shah Mushafir a Sufi.
Working of Panchakki
His first line as he started the tour confidently – “Hazrat Baba Shah Musafir built Panchakki, a water mill, in 1734.”and I was impressed – he will make a good history teacher.
Then he showed the water mill below the ground level. We peeped through a grilled space at ground level to have a glimpse of the water wheel. There was no water and the Panchakki wasn’t moving.
Panchakki Water Wheel Aurangabad
He hurriedly explained during the rainy seasons water flows in turning the water mill at great speed. This energy is used to turn the grinding wheel. He then turned Panchakki – The water wheel with his hand, and asked us to check the grinding wheel.
It was moving. He seemed happy that he could impress us. The wheel-turning, I suspect, is one of his favorite guide-acts.
Guide at Panchakki Aurangabad
“Three centuries ago huge quantities of grains were ground here. The bread made out of the flour was used for feeding orphans, fakeers (saints), poor people, pilgrims and devotees then.”
It was impressive that in 18th century the scientific thought process that went in to this. This grinding wheel was originally designed and made to generate renewable energy by harnessing it from running water supplied by a nearby stream.
“Water reaches this spot through a maze of clay pipes, from a spring in the mountains 8 kilometers away. These days the big industries that have moved in are siphoning off water at the source point. So only during rains the water wheel functions.” He sounded very worried.
May be he is worried tourists will stop visiting this spot then. We were touched by the amount of interest he took to explain everything in detail.
Ancient Banyan Tree near Panchakki
Pointing towards the Banyan tree next to the tank he said it is over two hundred years old and suggested that we take some rest in the shade of the tree, “You will be blessed and it will give you lot of peace of mind, Sir.”
Tickets and Open Timings of Panchakki
The tickets are nominally priced at Rs.10 and the complex is open to tourists from 8am to 9.30pm. The tour gets over in half an hour.
Location and How to Reach Panchakki
This water wheel is located within Aurangabad city limits. Aurangabad is well connected by road, rail and air. Nearest tourist destinations:
Bibi ka Maqbara – 2km
Aurangabad Railway Station – 4km
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(This post was first published on Feb 27, 2008.)
Never heard of Panchakki before! Looks like nice place to learn about Medival India. Also, sad to know about the guides eanings.
Very interesting I never knew things like this existed! Great write up of the whole trip, would love to visit some day.
Well never heard about aurangabad. The place seems interesting but didnt excite me to backup and leave. But putting a write up about wherever you go is just fantastic. Keep it up
Your posts are all so interesting, I feel like I get such an education here. I’ve never heard of Aurangabad, and the place looks so interesting, especially to see such an engineering marvel. I was actually quite interested in what you said about the guides earnings, and how little they earn on the off season. It’s very sad.
I’ve never heard of this water wheel. It’s great that the guide got to show you around and you could see it turning. I’m also interested in that 200 year old Banyan tree. It certainly seems like good luck to sit underneath it!
So impressive to think how the system was constructed so long ago… Looks like an amazing place to visit. I’d love to sit under that tree 🙂
It’s good to know some stories about India that I wouldn’t known if I haven’t read it on this blog. Thanks for sharing.
This looks like a really interesting place to visit. I love learning about places I’ve never heard about before and hopefully getting to visit them in the future!
Medieval India is quite impressive! Never heard of Panchakki – The Water Wheel, Aurangabad… it’s great to read all that information about it!
Interesting to know that water used to reach Panchakki from a spring 8 kilometers away. That is a long distance! They must have had great construction skills. The rooms for pilgrims look well preserved. It takes half an hour to explore this sight, you say?
Such a great article. This is an amazing engineering marvel that was clearly designed to be quite simple to operate. Thanks for sharing.
Am sure many many years ago the water would also flow fast during the summers. We just seem to have destroyed the water sources now.
very interesting reading. Liitle bit of science and engineering in ancient India.
Thanks for sharing Indrani. Did not hear about this earlier.
He hurriedly explained during the rainy seasons water flows in turning the waterwheel at great speed. This energy is used to turn the grinding wheel. He then turned the water wheel with his hand, and asked us to check the grinding wheel. It was moving. He seemed happy that he could impress us. The wheel-turning, I suspect, is one of his favorite guide-acts. It was a boring thing and tired to run these Panchakki’s but now these are becoming our tourist points , in this modern age . Beautiful post indrani ji
A very informative post 🙂
These rare historical places are great to visit… If and when i go to aurangabad, i will definitely check this out… Thanks to you…
Keep exploriing!
A very beautiful account which keeps one engaged to the last line.
This looks like a much serene and peaceful place to dwell in :’)
Loved every ounce of information you poured out buddy with so much heart 🙂
Interesting description and it so very goes in my list. Guides have their interest points centered around ancient engineering marvels
That Banyan tree is magnificent. Informative post about Panchakki.
Any other nation might have kept the rooms open and operational as a source of pride! Happy to hear about the monument from your blog for the first time!
I have been here. Interesting place.
Looks to be a peaceful place.
This is an interesting place, very informative!
Visited Aurangabad couple of years back while attending a medical conference. Panchakki is very close to Medical college.
Thanks for sharing.
Everybody is waiting for some kind of aid or other.Those monuments taken over by UNESCO are looked after well, rest are at the mercy of…
Another informative tour to medievil India, Indrani. Are you, like me, always disspointed with the lack of information at India’s museums and monuments?
There’s plenty of room for improvement for India’s Tourism Industry, I believe…
btw kalyanda, that pic was of Taj of Deccan. Uncanny resemblance isn’t it?
Wow…some very nicely captured shots & lovely reading your description about this place…I also like the Tajmahal photos very much on your last post…i think you are doing a wonderful work…Very nice!
Interesting post and more, an interesting person.Your interest in so many facets of life is amazing.
It looks like We can browse through your blog for places of interest when we go somewhere new.
Nice
Indy: This is turning out to be a wonnderful 1st-hand account of Aurangabad. Wish you many more instructive travels, and may you always find time to share those great pics, for armchair and other travellers!
hi, first timer here..you have an amazing blog..great post ..interesting to know about this..am kicking myself for not going there despite spending so many years in Mumbai
-lakshmi