Rush at Aurangzeb’s tomb after Eid  

The historic town of Khuldabad witnessed a surge of visitors at the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb following the conclusion of Ramzan. As Eid festivities ended, thousands of tourists gathered at the burial site on Tuesday and Wednesday, paying homage to the Mughal ruler. Till last week, the crowd at the site had seen a drastic dip from usual numbers. 

According to police, the tomb saw long queues of visitors, many carrying flowers and prayer mats. 

Local police and shrine caretakers managed the crowd as the influx of tourists continued throughout the day. Vendors outside the grave sold flowers, floral garlands, perfumes, and attars. 

Shaikh Abu Mohamed Khaja Mohamed, former president of the Committee Khuddamin Dargahjat Hadd-e-Kalan, Khuldabad, which oversees prominent graves in the area, said, “Due to the holy month of Ramzan, many tourists who are relatives of the local population have been visiting. Now that Ramzan has ended, the footfall has increased, especially given the ongoing debate surrounding Aurangzeb’s rule.” 

Feroz Ahmed Alamgir, a caretaker of the tomb, added, “Now that Ramzan is over, people have more time to visit. As a result, we have seen a heavy rush at the site for the last two to three days.” 

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar rural police superintendent Vinaykumar Rathod confirmed the increased footfall.  

“Yes, the rush has grown in the past few days. We have implemented the necessary security measures. Every visitor is scrutinised, and their name, mobile number, address, and Aadhaar card details are recorded. They must pass through a metal detector before being allowed to visit the grave,” he said. 

According to Rathod, over 200 police personnel were deployed at the site, including a platoon of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) with more than 100 personnel, 35 officers from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar rural police, a police inspector, and three sub-inspectors, along with local police staff, to maintain law and order. 

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) reiterated its demand to stop what it calls the “glorification” of Aurangzeb’s grave. Sumit Khambekar, MNS district head of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, told Hindustan Times, “We have written to the district authorities demanding that expenditure on Aurangzeb’s tomb and its beautification be stopped immediately. On one hand, some claim Aurangzeb is not their idol, yet on the other, they stand in long queues, offering flowers and seeking blessings.” 

MNS has also demanded the installation of a board at the site highlighting how the Marathas buried Aurangzeb in this land, who, they claim, sought to destroy Shivaji’s ideology.