CHH. SAMBHAJI NAGAR

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, previously known as Aurangabad, has a food culture that reflects the region’s cultural heritage, with recipes from the times of the Tughlaq Dynasty still being a delicacy, along with dynamic influences from nearby cities like Pune and Mumbai. Having been a central region for kingdoms such as the Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, Nizams of Hyderabad, and Maratha Empire, the culture is not only a vibrant fusion of tradition and modernity but also of different cultures.

Sambhaji Nagar’s most famous food item, and what is often considered to be the pride of the city, is Naan Qualia (or Naan-Khaliya), a simple dish consisting of naan cooked in a tandoor served with a spicy ‘khaliya,’ a slow-cooked spicy mutton curry. Legend suggests that this meal was ‘fauji ka khana’ (army food), served to the royal army. Additionally, this district is home to several eateries like Bhoj Thali and Barkat Tea House.

According to locals, the region of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar has seen multiple influences from the nearby cities of Pune and Mumbai. This can be seen in the recent addition of Misal Pav as a local favorite, as well as the upcoming cafes and commercialized eateries. Misal Pav, an otherwise very popular Maharashtrian snack, is a combination of a spicy curry (misal) that is eaten with pav (bread rolls). It is only recently that the people of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, especially youngsters, have started enjoying it, even for breakfast sometimes. Similarly, youngsters have started going out a lot more with the introduction of new cafes. Additionally, there has been a significant increase in the consumption of fast food, reflecting a contemporary shift towards prioritizing taste and convenience. Locals suggest that Pune and Mumbai have had these strong influences on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar compared to other cities in Maharashtra, as the crowd here is a lot younger.

In terms of cooking, according to locals, while women are the primary cooks, in some families, men are seen cooking occasionally too, for instance, on the weekends.

As per the gazetteer, the earliest inhabitants of the region from the Early Bronze era (c. 3000–2100 BCE) ate a variety of non-vegetarian food, such as mutton, pork, fish, and beef. Today, the inhabitants of the region are both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

Within the vegetarian families, locals usually have a heavy breakfast early in the morning consisting of poha, upma, and sometimes idlis, too. Recently, influenced by Pune’s culture, Misal Pav has become a local favorite for breakfast as well. For lunch, dal (usually thick in consistency as compared to other regions), rice, and roti are usually served. In between the day, chai (tea) and biscuits like khari (a light, fluffy biscuit, the Indian version of puff pastry) are often eaten as snacks. Dinner is usually eaten late at night after work with light meals such as masala khichdi (made with rice, dal, and some spices). On special occasions, Puran Poli (a roti filled with sweet dal) and Katachi Amti (a sweet and spicy curry) are made and served with fried papad and Taak (buttermilk) alongside.

Once dinner is done, it is a common tradition to go out to eat paan as a post-dinner refreshment. As for dessert, sometimes ice cream is bought from stores such as Amul, or a quick trip is made to Jalna Road for some ice cream at Naturals (a very popular Indian ice cream chain). This ice-cream parlour, being the only Naturals outlet in the city, has become a popular family spot for dessert, especially on the weekends. Mostly, Indian sweets such as Gulaab Jamun (an Indian sweet dish made with milk, sugar, and rose-water) or Kheer (an Indian sweet dish made with rice, milk, and sugar) are reserved for special occasions or festivals. Although someone did lovingly refer to Kheer as ‘bahana dessert’ (excuse dessert), as occasions are often just used as an excuse to make it. Khaja, a large, fluffy paratha-looking pastry made of maida (flour), sugar, ghee, and ajwain (carrom seeds), is another sweet dish, especially popular in Khuldabad.

The food of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar is highly influenced by the Mughlai cuisine of Hyderabad, and with the presence of herbs and spices that are obtained from Maharashtra, the dishes of this place can be regarded as a combination of both Hyderabadi and Maharashtrian cuisine. The food here ranges from spicy to very spicy, which always excites the taste buds of visitors.

The district’s special fruits include Peru (pear), Chikoo (sapota), and Anar (pomegranate). Widely grown in the region, these fruits are mainly harvested during the monsoon and are especially loved by locals for their taste and freshness. In recent times, khajoor (fig) trees have been planted near the city as well. Apart from these fruits, the Sillod taluka is a leading producer of maize and ginger, whereas the Gangapur and Kannad talukas are known for their sugar factories. 

Meals are often eaten with the Maharashtrian specialty, jawas chutney. This chutney, made of jawas (flaxseeds), is a sweet and spicy traditional condiment and is loved not only for its unique mix of flavors but also for its health benefits.

In schools, depending on whether they are government or private, the food that children eat varies. A lot of government schools are provided free of cost midday meals by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The midday meal is the only food break in the day and is often a type of khichdi. Private schools usually have more than one break: one around breakfast and one around lunch. Some have their own set of meals, such as upma, idli, or poha for breakfast, and usually chapati-bhaji for lunch. Sometimes, they have a special menu (usually on Fridays) where they serve favorites such as Manchurian, Misal Pav, and Pav Bhaji. Out of all the meals, Pav Bhaji is usually their most-loved dish, and their most-disliked is usually anything made of green vegetables (especially methi).

In tiffin boxes, children usually get chapati and bhaji (a vegetable-based dish, which can be either dry or curry-based) made of methi (fenugreek), cauliflower, etc. Some locals mentioned that as children, they would usually take to school whatever their mothers would prepare for them, and it would be a surprise for them. According to them, if it were up to them, they would choose to take something more snacky or savory.

A Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Ganesh, Ganesh Chaturthi is usually celebrated for 10 to 11 days. On the first and last day of the festival, families specially make Modak and Paala Talikalu. Modak, made of rice-flour shells and stuffed with coconut-jaggery, is considered to be Ganesha’s favorite sweet and is especially made during this festival. Paala Talikalu is another traditional sweet dish made with noodles of rice flour prepared in thickened milk with jaggery. While visiting friends or family or going to stathpana held in society, locals make a special prasad: sookha naral (dry grated coconut) with sugar and dry fruits. In most families, on the second or third day, there is also a Gauri Pooja in which atta (flour) diya are made as offerings and later boiled and eaten with a gravy. Outside big mandirs such as Supari Hanuman Mandir, on the day of the Visarjan, there is a huge bhandar organized in which Masale Bhat, Dal Bati, and Sooji Halwa are served.

Another Maharashtrian festival, Naag Panchami, is a day for the worship of Nag (snake). During this day, mainly rice- or vermicelli-based meals are eaten throughout the day; no meals that require any roasting or use of tawa are prepared. 

Celebrated by farmers (usually around July-August), this traditional Hindu festival of Maharashtra consists of farmers decorating their bulls with colors, ornaments, and garlands, and worshipping them. On this day, Puran Poli is made everywhere at home for lunch and is offered to the bulls as bhog (religious offering) as well.

During the time of Ramzaan, some stalls in Baddi galli are open specifically for the people observing the festival. Some big bazaars are also set up with a variety of food stalls.

Nath Shasti is a festival celebrated particularly in Paithan, dedicated to Sant Eknath. During this festival, bhandars are organized where murmura is distributed amongst the people.

An important part of agrotourism (tourism where visitors stay at farms and learn more about agriculture), hurda parties are seasonally organized by farmers at their farms, where hurda (jowar) is burnt and served with lemon and spicy chutney. If not at farms, these parties are held at parks such as Chatnya Agri Tourism (Verul taluka) and Srushti Agri Tourism (Gangapur taluka).

As per locals, the few pubs and clubs in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar are usually only crowded on the weekends, mainly by men. Women are rarely seen drinking outside, as it is a lot more socially accepted for women to drink inside homes, in the rare cases that it is acceptable for them to drink. As for consumption of tobacco, young people can be seen smoking near cigarette shops, colleges during lunch times, or at cafes. However, smoking in public spaces is not widely practiced or openly displayed, especially for women, who, if seen smoking at all, are more likely to do so in discrete places such as cafes.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar’s most famous food item, and what is often considered to be the pride of the city, is Naan Qualia. Highlighting the district’s rich cultural legacy, Naan Qualia (or Naan-Khaliya) is a naan-curry pair that is popularly considered to have been first created during the time of the Delhi Sultan, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, while shifting his capital from Delhi to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (previously Aurangabad) in 1327.

​Naan-Qualia is a slow-cooked spicy curry (qualia) made with a bunch of spices such as chironji (interestingly, this can be found growing near the Daulatabad Fort) and tender pieces of mutton that is paired with the special naan made from whole wheat flour with turmeric and jaggery smeared on it, which gives the naan its unique yellow-gold colour. Another interesting fact is that the preparation varies in subtle ways across the district: during the making of the qualia, yoghurt is used as a souring agent in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar City, whereas lemon juice is used in Khuldabad. The way in which Qualia is served is also quite specific, i.e., in a white bowl with blue borders.

The origin story of Naan-Qalia relates to its purpose of mass feeding and preservation. The shift of Tughlaq’s capital to Aurangabad was a mass migration of the kingdom’s soldiers and nobles across 950 km. For this long and tiring travel, halting camps were set up every few kilometers, and it was at these camps that the royal khansamas (cooks) prepared something that could be preserved and feed a mass of people. Traditionally, it was cooked in large cauldrons that could serve a large group of people, and the addition of turmeric water allowed it to be preserved for 2-3 days. Later, Naan-Qalia was eaten by soldiers so regularly that it started to be known as ‘faujis ka khana.’ The recipe has been passed down from one generation to another since the times of the Tughlaq Dynasty and is so ingrained in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar’s culture that today no wedding or major celebration is complete without Naan-Qualia. However, some locals do suggest that Naan-Qualia has become more of a tourist attraction than a local favorite. Locals suggest that the best place to eat Naan-Qualia is at a daawat. Outside of these, at present, Naan-Qualia is only available at selective restaurants, such as Hotel Moonlight (Kranti Chowk) and Hotel Tuba (Champa Chowk).

Puran-Poli, Shengavni, Maswadi, Manday, and Thalipeeth are some of the other local food items that are famous in Aurangabad. Shengavni is a spicy curry made from drumsticks with other spices such as tamarind and turmeric. It is very popular in the region, especially because drumstick trees are easily found in the region. Maswadi is a Marathwada specialty made as a fried roll with a filling of coconut and sesame, usually enjoyed with bhakri (a thick roti made with jowar) and rassa (a coconut-onion-garlic-based gravy). Mande is another traditional Maharashtrian item popular in the region. Enjoyed as a crispy sweet, it is usually made of maida stuffed with coconut and nuts such as almonds. Lastly, Thalipeeth, made with rice-and-jowar flour and mild spices, is often eaten as a healthy snack.

Started by Mohammed Sharfuddin and loved by locals and tourists alike, Tara Paan Centre is Aurangabad’s most frequented paan store. The center’s most popular paan, Kohinoor Paan (sold for Rs 5000), is considered to be a must-gift for newlyweds. It is known to be made with a secret ingredient with aphrodisiac properties, a secret closely kept only by Sharfuddin and his mother. Fascinatingly, the center delivers this special paan not only to celebrities but also to other countries like Dubai, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. Along with the Kohinoor Paan, there are almost 50 options to choose from, ranging from Calcutta Badeshai Paan to Banarasi Shahi Masala Paan to Airport Paan.

Established in 1986, Bhoj Thali stands today as one of the oldest thali restaurants in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, especially one that offers a blend of Rajasthani and Gujarati food in a single thali. What began as a small thali consisting of 2-3 varieties of bhajis (cooked vegetables, usually gravy-based) has, over time, grown into a grand thali consisting of 6-7 bhajis accompanied by dessert. At present, they have a new thali menu every day and get almost 100 to 250 customers per day.

According to locals, Barkat Tea is one of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar’s very famous chai stalls, with its unique taste and range of flavors, such as chocolate chai. It is said that they can convert non-tea drinkers into tea lovers (known for its unique taste and flavors, such as chocolate tea).

Street food is another local favorite in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. Sai Panchvati (located at Tri-Murti Chowk) is one of the most famous spots in the city for Pav Bhaji; it started as a small thela and is now an established restaurant. Bhalla Chaat Centre, as the name suggests, is particularly popular for its Delhi-like Dahi Bhallas, and people come from far-off places to try them out. Samosas, ragda, and kachori are popular at Gayatri Chaat Bhandar, another very popular chaat stall in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. Near the dargah (tomb) of Shahnoor Miya, a Sufi saint, there is a chowpatty (usually, a large collection of street-food stalls) that has become popular for its varieties ranging from bhel to omelette and chicken options.