 South
west of Jaipur, Ajmer
is an oasis wrapped in the green hills. The city was founded
by Raja Ajay Pal Chauhan in the 7th Century A.D. and continued
to be a major centre of the Chauhan power till 1193 A.D. When
Prithviraj Chauhan lost it to Mohammed Ghauri. Since then,
Ajmer became home to many dynasties. Today, Ajmer
Sharif is a popular pilgrimage centre for the Hindus as
well as Muslims. Especially famous is the Dargah Sharif-tomb
of the Sufi
saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, which is equally revered
by the Hindus and Muslims.
It is a centre of culture and education, the
British chose Ajmer Sharif for its
prestigious Mayo College a school exclusively for Indian nobility.
Ajmer is also the base for visiting Pushkar
(11 km.), the abode of Lord Brahma, lying to its west with
a temple and a picturesque lake. The Pushkar
Lake is a sacred spot for Hindus. During the month of
Kartik (Oct./Nov.), devotes throng in large numbers here to
take a dip in the sacred lake.
Ajaipal Chauhan founded Ajmer
Sharif in the seventh century. He constructed a hill fort
"Ajaimeur" or the invincible hill. The Chauhans
ruled Ajmer till the 12th century when Prithviraj Chauhan
lost Mohammed Ghauri. Thereafter it became a part of the sultanate
of Delhi. Ajmer was also favourite residence for the great
Mughals. One of the first contacts between the Mughal King
Jahangir and Sir Thomas Roe took place here in 1616. The Scindias
took over the city in 1818 and then handed it over to the
British and it became one of the only part of Rajasthan controlled
directly by the East Indian Co.
The bus stand in Ajmer
is located near the RTDC
Hotel Khadim. And the railway is further north and most
of the hotels are west of the stations. Northeast is the main
post office and most of the cities market is located behind
and up to Agra Gate. Further north is a large artificial lake
called the Anna Sagar
Lake.
Ajmer Dargah
Sharif: The most famous tourist attraction of
Ajmer is the Dargah Sharif (Holy Dargah).
The Dargah entombs the Sufi
Saint, Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti. The Khwaja came from
Persia and committed his whole life towards the betterment
of the destitute and oppressed. It is one of the most revered
Muslim
Dargah Sharif in the country. The tomb of the Khwaja is
made up of marble and is surrounded by a silver railing and
a marble screen.
Nasiyan (Red) Temple: The Nasiyan temple (Jain Temple),
also known as the Red temple, is a temple of the Digambar
Jains. The double story hall of the temple exhibits a number
of gold plated wooden figures. These figures are a portrayal
of Jain mythology legends. Adorning the hall are glass mosaic,
precious stones, gold and silver work, etc.
Ana Sagar Lake:
Named after Anaji Chauhan (grandfather of Prithvi Raj Chauhan),
Ana Sagar Jheel (lake) is an artificial lake. This scenic
lake is located to the north of Ajmer. Surrounding the lake
is Bardari (marble pavilion) built by Emperor Shahjahan. Also,
there are Daulat Bagh Gardens next to the lake, set up Emperor
Jehangir.
Taragarh Fort:
Taragarh Fort (Killa) is one of the famous forts of Rajasthan.
Built in 1345, the fort has six gates. The fort also houses
huge reservoirs of solid rock, and one of the largest battlefields,
Bhim Burj. The Dargah of Miran Saheb, the governor of the
fort who sacrificed his life in a war, is also situated inside
the fort.
Adhai-Din Ka
Jhonpra:
An epitome of Indo - Islamic architecture, Adhai-Din Ka Jhonpra
is an old mosque. It is believed that the mosque was built
in two and a-half days (Adhai-Din). This led to the name of
the mosque as Adhai-Din Ka Jhonpra. The front screen wall
of the mosque consists of seven pointed arches. The mosque
has a striking tower inside it that is used by the Muezzin
to chant prayers.
Climate
Ajmer weather is a typical desert
type. In the summer time, the climate of Ajmer is very hot
and in winters, it is quite cool. Both in summers as well
as in winters, there is a wide difference in the day and night
temperature. Regarding the average temperature in summers
(from April to June), the maximum is around 45° C. The
winters in Ajmer stretch from November to February. The winters
of Ajmer are quite chilly. In the monsoon season, the first
rain covers the city in green. All the small mountains of
the city start becoming green with the first drop of rain.
The climatic conditions of Ajmer, Rajasthan are the best during
the period of October to March, making it the ideal time to
visit the city.
How to Reach
Ajmer
Ajmer Shrif is an important tourist town of Rajasthan. Ajmer
is located in the central part of Rajasthan, India. The Ajmer
town is well known for the Dargah
of Sufi saint, Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti and the Pushkar
town, famous for the Brahma temple and the Pushkar
Camel fair.
By Air
The nearest airport is Jaipur,
which is 135 Kilom Meter away from Ajmer city.
By Train
Ajmer is located on the Delhi-Jaipur-Marwar-Ahmedabad-Mumbai
line of the Indian Railways and most trains have stoppage
at Ajmer.
By Road
Ajmer is connected by bus with cities like Jaipur,
Delhi, Agra, Aligarh, Bikaner, Abu road, Chittaurgarh Haridwar,
Jodhpur, Nagaur and Jaisalmer.
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