Panchakki, Aurangabad – An Engineering Marvel

It is quite interesting to see this place where a simple water hydraulic system can do wonders. Panchakki is one such example. Near the Mahmood Darwaza, there is the Dargah of Hazrat Baba Shah Musafir. He was a great religious leader who migrated from the Russian town of Gazdavan (Bukhara). With this increased prominence, this place had become a religious center where devotees from all across the state visited. It was a tedious task for providing food to so many of them.

DSC04501Then the manager of Boarding devised a plan with a simple engineering technique. You find a small pool at this area. The source of water for this pool is 6 kilometers away to the north of the city. The water is made to reach this final reservoir through earthen pipes. It is then raised by a siphon to the top of the rectangular masonry pillar. Water is then made to a fall on the blades of a mill. With the force of the water, the mill rotates The mill was used to grind flour without any human intervention. The flour, at a daily yield of four mounds was used for feeding the tourists. The mill continues rotating for the past 268 years without a break.

A huge banyan tree adjacent to the cistern provides shade and adds beauty to the whole scene.

We come to the final lap of the tour of Aurangabad. We will visit the famous tomb of Rabia Durani in the next post.

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