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ONE of India�s (and not just Aurangabad�s) most amazing engineering feats is the Panchakki in the city that was built in 1695 by Malik Ambar, the architect of Aurangabad and, some people say, a slave king. It is a water mill with a healthy ecology that displays the engineering skills of Ambar even in the late 17th century. Very simply, water is drawn from a reservoir about six kilometres away into the city and fed to a large water tank from where, through an elaborate assemblage of ceramic pipes and a gigantic iron fan, it is churned to create energy that is used by a flour mill to grind grain for pilgrims. Though not in use anymore, the Panchakki serves as a great tourist attraction and everybody visiting Aurangabad is proudly taken there for a dekko by the locals.
The Panchakki is surrounded by a picturesque gardened landscape. The site also serves as a memorial and shrine to baba Shah Musafir, a Sufi saint, who was said to be Emperor Aurangzeb�s spiritual guide. It is an ordinary red marble structure whose caretaker graciously invites tourists to come in and explore. His only request is to remove the footwear outside and to maintain silence inside.
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The Water-Wheel!
The water wheel makes a pretty picture as its goes round and round. And in the water tank, to the great amusement of tourists who visit the Panchakki every day from sunrise to sunset for a small fee, large Khol fish glide around gracefully. They have been here since the Panchakki was erected. A small shop on the concrete bank of the tank sells channa which people buy and feed the fish with all through the day.
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