Name: Panchakki
Rating: 3.7

Panchakki, Aurangabad Overview

Located close to Bibi ka Maqbara in Aurangabad, Panchakki is a 17th xentury water mill complex consisting of a court, a madrasa, the house of a minister, a mosque, houses dedicated to females and a sarai. The mill derives it names from the grinding mill used to grind grains for the pilgrims.

An underground water stream 6 km away from Panchakki, a tributary of Harsul River, is a source of steady water supply to this structure and is transported through earthen pipes. A huge banyan tree, almost 300 years old, stands tall by Panchakki, only to add to its brimming magnificence.

Attractions in Panchakki

Library: The library inside Panchakki opened to visitors after 70 long years. At the time of independence, the library stored about 1,00,000 books, but it was shut down to the public in 1970 for administrative reasons. The books were moved to Hyderabad, and now the library holds 2500 books in different languages- Arabic, Persian, Urdu; on various fields like medicine, science, law, philosophy, Sufism, etc. written by renowned scholars. It also holds the copy of the priceless Holy Quran, which has golden covers on both sides!

Hazrat Baba Memorial: Panchakki is also a cenotaph for Hazrat Baba Shah Musafir, who was a spiritual guru and counsellor of Aurangzeb. Originally from Bukhara in Russia, Hazrat Baba Shah Musafir was a well-respected Sufi saint and the founder of Panchakki as well as its library. So, he was buried at Panchakki, and the memorial garden is lined with numerous fish tanks.

Picturesque view: This attraction offers a view of one of the most scenic landscapes of Aurangabad. Kaula Nala draws the border of the structure, which has two old bridges decorated with pointed arches. The 300-year-old banyan tree is a giant marvel on its own. Shah Musafir's garden is nestled between the city walls and Kaula Nala, and the walls of Begampura surround Panchakki from the right. The whole landscape is dotted with majestic fountains bubbling water just as if they're pouring out joy.

History and Significance

Panchakki and most of the other buildings in the complex were erected by Turktaz Khan, a designated noble on the staff of King Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah. The broad and deep reservoir that greets you in front of the mosque and beautiful flowering fountains were added about twenty years later by Jamil Beg Khan.

This marvellous structure was built with engineering and floor plans that were way ahead of their time. At the time of construction, Panchakki was a real marvel for the country. Based purely on advanced physics and scientific principles, its primary purpose was to generate electricity from a nearby flowing spring and grind grains for the use of saints, pilgrims, military troops and devotees that came to Aurangabad in the 17th century.

Working Process of Panchakki

The water that flows into Panchakki through underwater earthen pipes, is raised by a syphon, up to the top of a rectangular masonry pillar. This is where the water is stored, a reservoir, that is at a higher elevation than Panchakki. Since you need a higher velocity to rotate the turbine in generating electricity, the water is released from the elevated reservoir. Any surplus of water is carefully released into the Kham River, thus ensuring the environmental benefits and sustainability of the project.