| AJMER - THE LAND OF COMPOSITE CULTURES
 Ajmer situated in the green oasis
wrapped in the barren hills has been a witness
to an interesting past. The city was founded by
Raja Ajay Pal Chauhan in the 7th Century A.D.
and continued to be a major center of the Chauhan
power till 1193 A.D. when Prithviraj Chauhan lost
it to Mohammed Ghauri.since then, Ajmer became
home to many dynasties, which came and left leaving
behind indelible marks of their culture and traditions
on the city’s history, converting it to an amalgam
of various cultures and blend of Hinduism and
Islam.
Today, Ajmer is a popular pilgrimage center 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.
 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.
PRIME SITES
The Dargah: At the foot of a barren hill,
is situated India’s most important pilgrimage
center for people from all faiths. It is the splendid
tomb of the Sufi saint Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti
more popularly known as Khawaja Saheb or Khawaja
Sharif. The shrine is next only to Mecca or Median
for the Muslims of south Asia. Akbar used to make
a pilgrimage to the Dargah from Agra once a year.
The mausoleum has a gigantic gate,which was built
by the Nizam of Hyderabad.The two massive cauldrons
in the courtyard are of particular interest and
on the right side of the courtyard ins the Akbari
Masjid built in white marble. There is another
mosque in the courtyard built by Shahjhan.
A view of the Dargah of KhwajaMuinuddin Hasan
Chishti, a sufi saint.
The saint’s tomb with a splendid marble dome is
in the centre of the second courtyard which is
surrounded by a silver platform.
The shrine attracts thousands of pilgrims during
the Urs-commemorating the death anniversary of
the Saint, held from the 1st to 6th day of the
Islamic month of Rajab. A colourful fair that
springs up during this time is the major attraction.
 Shahjhan’s Mosque: In the corner of
the inner court of the Dargah, is a magnificent
building in white marble with a long (30.5m) and
narrow court having low arcade and delicate carvings
with trellis-work.It is the most marvelous of
all the sanctums within the sanctuary of the Dargah.
Adhai-din-ka-jhonpra: A remarkable structure,
this is a masterpiece of Indo-Islamic architecture
located on the outskirts, of the city, just beyond
the Dargah. As the legend goes, its construction
took two and a half days (Adhai-Din) to complete.
It was originally a Sanskrit college, built within
a temple. In 1193 A.D. Mohhamed Ghauri conquered
Ajmer and converted the building into a mosque
by adding a sevenarched wall in front of the pillared
hall in just two-and-half days(adhai-din) and
hence the name. The distinct pillars-and arched
"Screen" with its ruined minarets make it a splendid
architectural masterpiece.
 Taragarh Fort: A steep one and a half
hour climb beyond the Adhai-din-ka-jhopra leads
to the ruins of the Taragarh Fort, perched on
a hill.One can have an excellent view of the city
from here. The fort was the site of the military
activity during the Mughal period, later used
as a sanatorium by the British
Adhal-din-ka-Jhonpra
The Museum: Once the royal residence of
Emperor Akbar ,the museum houses a rich repository
of the Mughal and Rajput armour and exquisite
sculptures.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Area :55.76 sq.km.
Altitude :486 meters
Climate :Mean Max. Mean Min.
Summer :38.1degree C 27.7 degree C
Winter :23.3 degree C 05.5 degree C
Rainfall :38 to 51 cms.
Clothing : Summer Light Tropical
Winter: Woolen
Best Season :July-March
Languages :Rajasthani, Hindi, Urdu, English, Sindhi |
