Pros and cons of Paithan tourism getting a facelift with water tourism at Jayakwadi

Paithan is located on the banks of Godavari river, 56 km from Aurangabad district in Maharashtra. At present, many proposals have come up to give the tourism at Paithan a facelift. Many of the tourist attractions, in and around Paithan, are in need of a boost. Sant Dnyaneshwar Garden is one such attraction that is in need of a facelift.

A major irrigation site in Jayakwadi has also come in the purview of this tourism boost drive. The proposal of water tourism at Jayakwadi dam to boost tourism in the district may need rethinking.

The Jayakwadi reservoir is a declared bird sanctuary and is home to about 234 species of resident and migratory birds. It has been around since 1986 as an official sanctuary for birds. Any work on the site or near the site will cause a major problem for the bird sanctuary.


The bird sanctuary is spread over a total area of 341.05 sq km, and falls under the forest department. Any man-made activity in and around the bird sanctuary needs a nod of approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.


While the future of water tourism at Jayakwadi might seem uncertain, the focus can be shifted to other unexplored areas in Paithan. Aurangabad is not a major tourist destination as of now but has the potential to become one of the best spiritual destinations for the spiritually inclined travellers.

Paithan is well known for its Paithani sarees, important pilgrimage site for Digambar Jains and Sufi saints, and home to many important temples. There are many places in and around Paithan and Aurangabad district in general, that are unexplored. It has been widely suggested that the government’s focus should be more on developing those unexplored places and opening them up for tourism instead of focussing on introducing man-made activity in an area marked for wildlife.

1. Where is Paithan?
   Paithan comes under Aurangabad district in Maharashtra. It is located 56 km from Aurangabad.
2. What is Paithan most popularly known for ?
   Paithan is most famous for Paithani saree. The completely hand woven saree is unique in so many ways. Whole saree making process is done by hand, and also uses a unique weaving technique.
3. Is Paithan a popular tourist destination?
   It depends. For tourists interested in exploring temples and other religious sites, Paithan has quite a number of those places. Also, Paithan the very popular among traditional handicrafts and textile enthusiasts.