Situated in the heart of Rajasthan desert, Ajmer was established
by Ajaipal Chauhan in the 7th century and named it as Ajaimeru
- the invincible hill that has a blend of Sufi culture and Hindu
religion. Today, Ajmer is known as the final resting place of
the great Sufi Saint - Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti. It is a center
of culture and education. The annual Urs at Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin
Chishti is held on a grand scale and attracts pilgrims from all
over the world.
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Major
Tourist Attractions
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Adhai-din
ka Jhonpra
Adhai-Din-Ka-Jhonpra is a remarkable structure of Indo-Islamic
architecture said to have been built in two and a half days flat.
This mosque was a Sanskrit college in the 12th century but in
1193 AD Mohammad Ghori destroyed the college and built a mosque
in its place. It is built on pillars and surprisingly no two pillars
are alike.
Akbars
Fort
Once the royal residence of Emperor Akbar, this museum is housed
in the beautiful fort and palace built by Emperor Akbar in 1570.
It is centrally located and close to the railway station housing
a rich repository of exquisite sculptures.
Ana
Sagar
Built by Anaji during 1135-1150 AD, this lake is located towards
the north of Ajmer city. Later the Mughal Emperors made additional
constructions to beautify the lake. The 'Baradari', Shah Jahan
built a marble pavilion.
Baghera
(107km from Ajmer)
Situated in the Kekri subdivision of Ajmer district about 107
kms south east of Ajmer, this village is known for its treasure
trove of archaeological and antiquarian relics. The most renowned
of them all is the temple of Varaha Avtar.
Edward
Memorial Hall
Other monuments, which stand as reminders of Ajmer’s colonial
past are the Edward Memorial hall. Near the railway station is
Edward Memorial Hall.
Foy
saggar
A picturesque artificial lake named after the engineer who created
it under a famine relief project. It has enhanced the beauty of
the area.
Khwaja
Moinuddin Chisti s Dargah
Rajasthan is famous for Dargah's and the Dargah is the tomb of
a Sufi saint, Khwaja Muin-uddin Chisti, popularly known as “Khwaja
Gharib Nawaaz” (the Benefactor of the Poor). He is one of
the most outstanding figures in the history of Islamic mysticism
and the annual Urs at Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is held
on a grand scale attracting pilgrims from all over the world irrespective
of their caste and religion.
Kishangarh
(27km from Ajmer)
Situated on the National Highway No. 8 linking Jaipur and Ajmer,
this small town was the capital of a princely state ruled by the
rathores. Today it is a treasure house of art & craft and
is best known for the popular Bani Thani paintings and is also
very famous for its marble products. Kishangarh.
Makrana
(110 Kms from Ajmer)
The world famous marble has immortalized the name of this town.
It was from here that the marble used for building the amazing
Taj Mahal and Victoria Memorial in Calcutta was quarried. Taj
Mahal is an outstanding example testifying to the excellent quality
of the Makrana marble.
Mayo
College
One of India’s best public schools, located in the southeast
of the Ana Sagar, has now been converted to the Circuit House.
One can view the lake and the cenotaph and the shrine of Swami
Dayanand, founder of the Arya Samaj movement in India.
Nasiyan
Temple
This red coloured Jain temple was built in the late 19th century
consisting of two parts, the first is the worship area for Jain
community with the idol of Lord Adinath and the second is the
museum section where the five stages (Panch Kalyanak) in the life
of Lord Adinath have been depicted in the form of statues. The
40 x 80 feet hall is exquisitely done up in pure gold, Belgium
stain glass, mineral colour paintings and stain glasswork.
Pushkar
(11kms from Ajmer)
Pushkar is sacred to the Hindus and the lake is believed to have
been created by Lord Brahma himself and has the same sanctity
for Hindus as Mansarover in Tibet. No pilgrimage is complete without
a visit to Pushkar. For most believers it is essential to visit
Pushkar at least once in their lifetime.
Shah
Jahan s mosque (Jami Masjid)
In the corner of the inner court of the Dargah, is a magnificent
building in white marble with a long and narrow court having low
arcade and delicate carvings with trelliswork. It is the most
marvelous of all the sanctums within the sanctuary of the Dargah.
Sola
Khamba
As the name suggest, Sola Khamba means 16 pillars. This monument
has 16 pillars that support its roof.
