Introduction
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. Then Prithviraj Chauhan lost it to Mohammed Ghori, after which Ajmer became home to many dynasties. Today, Ajmer is a popular pilgrimage centre for the Muslims as well as Hindus. Especially famous is the Dargah Sharif-tomb of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, which is equally revered both by the Hindus and the Muslims. Ajmer is a centre of culture and education. The British chose Ajmer for its prestigious Mayo College, a school exclusively for Indian nobility at one time. However, now it is one of the best public schools in the country. Ajmer is also the base for visiting Pushkar (14 km.) which has the distinction of having the only Brahma temple in the world. The Picturesque Pushkar Lake is a sacred spot for Hindus. During the month of Kartik (Oct/Nov), devotees throng in large numbers to take a dip in the sacred lake.
Ajmer was also a 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. Thus Ajmer was the only region to be directly controlled by the East Indian Company.
The bus stand in Ajmer is located near the RTDC hotel Khadim. The railway station is further south and most of the office lies in the northeast and most of the city’s market is located behind and up to Agra Gate. Further northwest is a large artificial lake called the Anna Sagar.
Ajmer, which has become a popular pilgrimage center for both Hindus and Muslims, is famous for the Dargah Sharif- the tomb of a Sufi saint Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti. Both Hindus and Muslims revere this Dargha equally. Pushkar, a pilgrimage center for the Hindus lies about 11 km from here. Pushkar, which has a beautiful lake, is the abode of Lord Brahma and it has a temple for the deity. Devotees from all over India throng this place in the month of Karthik (Oct-Nov) to take a dip in the holy lake of Pushkar.
Sight seeing in Ajmer
Kwaja Saheb Dargha: One of India's important pilgrimage centers is situated at the foot of a hill and is much revered by people from all faiths. Khawaja Saheb or Khawaja Sharif as it is more popularly known, the marvelous tomb of Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti is considered to be one of the most important shrines, next only to Mecca or Madina by the south Asian Muslims. The great Mughal Emperor Akbar used to visit this Dargah on pilgrimage every year from Agra.
The Nizam of Hyderabad built this mausoleum which has a huge gate. Akbari Masjid built in white marble is on the right side of the courtyard, which is of interest to the visitor with its two enormous cauldrons. Another mosque built by Shahijan is located inside the courtyard.
Surrounded by a silver platform, the center of the second courtyard houses the saint's tomb with a marvelous marble dome. Thousands of pilgrims visit the shrine during the Urs, which is observed in commemoration of the death anniversary of the Saint. The Urs is held every year from 1st to 6th day of the Islamic month of Rajab. A major attraction is a colorful fair that is held during this season.
Shahjhan's Mosque: The most fabulous of all the sanctums inside the sanctuary of the Dargah is this superb building in white marble. It has a 30.5-m long and narrow court that has a low arcade and fragile carvings with trelliswork.
Adhai-din-ka-jhonpra On the outskirts of the city of Ajmer about a few yards from the Khawaja Saheb Dargah, we see this amazing structure which is a blend of Indo-Islamic architecture. The construction of this was completed in two and a half days and hence the name. Mohammed Ghauri converted a building, which was originally a Sanskrit college into a mosque. He added a seven-arched wall facing the pillared wall in a short time. This architectural masterpiece of the arched screen with its ruined minarets and distinct pillars look marvelous.
Fort of Taragarh: The ruins of the Taragarh Fort can be reached by climbing steep steps which takes nearly one and a half hours. Perched on a hill this fort is just beyond the Adai-din-ka-jhonpra. From here you can have a wonderful view of the city. The Mughals used this fort as the site for their military activities, but the British used the place as a sanatorium.
The Museum: The royal residence of Emperor Akbar has been converted into a museum which houses beautiful sculptures and is a rich storage of Rajput and Mughal armor.
Pushkar Lake: Nag Pahar or the snake mountain separates the Pushkar Lake from Ajmer. Located on the edge of the desert, the lake is surrounded by hills on three sides. The Panchkund and Saint Agastya's cave are situated here on this mountain. Scholars believe that Kalidas, the 4th Century Sanskrit poet and playwright wrote his masterpiece Abhigyanam Shakuntalam with this setting of forest heritage as its backdrop.
Legend has it that, the origin of Pushkar dates back to several years. Lord Brahma was in search of a peaceful land to perform a Yagna when a lotus fell down from his hand into this place. Soon a lake appeared on this spot and people dedicated it to the Lord. People revere this place as Brahma's abode and there is a temple dedicated to the deity.
Pushkar Fair: The annual cattle fair during Pushkar fair is very popular. Thousands of pilgrims throng this lake to take a holy dip on the full moon day of Kartik (Oct-Nov. There are cultural events and exciting camel-cart races in addition to trading of horses, camels, cows and bulls. Pilgrims get an opportunity to buy clothes, household items and leather goods during this colorful fair.
Man Mahal: Man Mahal, situated along the banks of the Pushkar Lake is the former palace of Raja Mansingh of Ajmer. It has been converted as Rajasthan Tourist Development Corporation's (RTDC) Sarovar Tourist Bungalow. This is a convenient place for travelers. Adjacent to it is Pushkar Palace or the Krishna Garh house, which is a heritage hotel.
Foy Sagar: An artificial lake created by an engineer under a famine relief project is named after him.
Shopping in Ajmer
Ajmer is a shoppers delight during the annual Urs fair when you can shop for curios, antiques, captivating gold and silver jewelry in contemporary designs, embroidered Jodhpuri Jutis and vibrant tie-and-dye sarees. Delightful creations of traditional folk artisans attract the visitors.
Lying in the north of the desert State, the city is dotted with scores of sand dunes. Bikaner retains the medieval grandeur that permeates the city's lifestyle. More readily called the camel country, the city is distinguished for the best riding camels in the world and hence boasts of having one of the largest Camel Research and Breeding farms in the world. The ship of the desert is an inseparable part of life here. A camel besides being a mode of transport, also works on wells. These are built on high plinths with slender minarets on each of the four corners and can be noticed even from a distance.The history of Bikaner dates back to 1486 when a Rathore prince, Rao Bikaji founded his kingdom. Bikaji was one the five sons of Rao Jodhaji the illustrious founder of Jodhpur. But Rao Bikaji was the most adventurous of them. It is said that an insensitive remark from his father about his whispering in the Durbar provoked Bikaji to set up his own kingdom towards the north of Jodhpur. The barren wilderness called Jangladesh became his focul point and he transformed it into an impressive city. He accomplished this task with 100 cavalry horses and 500 soldiers, and established his kingdom on 84 villages abandoned by the 'Shankhlas'. When Bikaji died in 1504 his rule had extended to over 3000 villages.
The strategic location of Bikaner on the ancient caravan routes that came from West/Central Asia made it a prime trade centre in those times. Bikaner stands on a slightly raised ground and is circumscribed by a seven km long embattledwall with five gates. The magnificent forts and palaces, created with delicacy in reddish-pink sandstone, bear testimony to its rich historical and architectural legacy. Surging lanes, colourful bazaars with bright and cheerful folks make Bikaner an interesting experience..
