The mesmerizing city of Ajmer was established in the early seventh century by Ajaipal Chauhan. Chauhan constructed a tall fort at this place and named the place Ajaimeru means invincible hill. Here he built India’s first hill fort Taragah. Ajmer was a Chauhan’s stronghold till 1194. The only remains of their times are the fort and the beautiful Anasagar lake built in 1150 by Anaji. The legendry Prithviraj was the last of Chauhans. He is the inspiration for many heroic ballads sung even today in the villages of Rajasthan.
During the reign of Prithviraj, in 1191, Muhammad of Ghori invaded India. Prithviraj died fighting the sultan's army, and with the establishment of the Sultanate in Delhi, a new era began. Thus Ajmer remained under the Sultanate till 1326. Thereafter, it became a bone of contention between the Sultans of Delhi, the Ranas of Mewar, the Rathors of Marwar and the Sultans of Gujarat. Then, came the rule of the invincible Akbar in 1556. He made Ajmer a full fledged province and the base for his operations in Rajputana.
He fortified the city, but only parts of the 4045-yard (3735-m) long wall remain. His palace, the Daulat Khana, houses ceding the Government Museum. Akbar's son, Jahangir, lived in Ajmer from 1613 to 1616. His palace, the Daulat Bagh, is now in ruins. The celebrated English ambassador during to the Mughal court, Sir Thomas Roe, was received here by the emperor.
All about Ajmer :The beautiful city of Ajmer is strategically position, connected to the major states of Delhi, Agra, Ahmedabad, Abu, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Jaipur, by main highways. Since time immemorial Ajmer city has been a major destination for pilgrimage tours for both Hindus and Muslims. This reflects that the city is a genuine amalgam of rich Hindu and Islamic heritage. The sacred lake of Pushkar believed by Hindus, to be as old as the temple of Brahma, has been a place of pilgrimage, for ages. The great Sufi saint Khwaja Moin-ud-din-Chisti of Persia, was buried here, and his Dargah is equally sacred for the followers of Islam, as well as Hinduism.
Another attracting fact about the city of Ajmer is that it gives delight to ones eyes as well. The city is surrounded with hills that look magically beautiful from the city plains. So if you are at lost as to where to go for your next vacation, we suggest take am Ajmer tour. The uniqueness and the serenity of the place will rejuvenate your senses and will leave you with a huge range of wonderful memories.
Places you should not miss out: The Dargah: This is the tomb of a sufi saint, Khwaja Muin-uddin Chisti, who came to Ajmer from Persia in 1192. Its construction was completed by Humayun. The tomb is constructed of white marble. It has 11 arches and a Persian inscription running the full length of the building. It has a marble dome and the actual tomb inside is surrounded by a silver platform.
Adhai-Din-Ka Jhonpara: This mosque is one of the finest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture. It was a Sanskrit college in the 12th century. In 1193 AD Mohammad Ghori destroyed the college and a mosque was built in its place. The mosque was built on pillars and surprisingly no two pillars are alike.
The Museum: The Royal Palace of Akbar was converted into a Museum and today it houses a rich collection of Mughal and Rajput armoury. The building has been constructed of red sandstone which has been laid down in a square pattern, giving it a fabulous look.
Ana Sagar Lake: This Lake was built by Anaji during 1135-1150 AD. Later the Mughal emperors made additional constructions to beautify the lake. The 'Baradari', a marble pavilion was built by Shah Jahan and the ' Daulat Bagh ' gardens were laid by Jahangir. Taragarh Fort: Built in the 7th century by Ajaipal Chauhan, the fort gives birds eye view of the city. Taragarh fort or the ' Star fort ' is situated on a hill and to reach there one has to take winding bridle path.
Shah Jahan's Mosque: This mosque is the most beautiful of all the structures, in the Dargah precinct. It is made of white marble, delicately carved with trellis-work.
Best Time to Visit: The Summers starts at April and lasts till July. Summers are quite hot and at times the temperature soars up to 40°C. It would be wiser not to visit the place during the summers.
The Monsoon starts from August and lasts till October. You are likely to encounter light rainfall during this weather. However the city looks amazing during the rains. This is not a very bad weather to take an Ajmer tour.
The Winter season in Ajmer starts from December and stays till March. The winters are quite chilly and the minimum temperature it touches is nearly 5°C. This is great for all tourist activities. This is the best time to travel to Ajmer.
Another best time to visit Ajmer is during the festival of Uras. The caretaker of the mosque is appointed during this festival and he remains in office for one year. There is huge rush for the holy "Tararukh" or prasad.
How to reach: By Air: The nearest airport to Ajmer is the Sanganer Airport located at Jaipur, which is about 132 km from Ajmer. Jaipur airport is connected to metro cities Mumbai and Delhi.
By Train: Ajmer junction railway station lies on the Delhi-Mumbai railway line and is well connected to several cities in India. By Bus: Ajmer city is well connected to all the main cities of the country namely Rajasthan, Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bharatpur. Many tourist Volvo bus services are available across the cities apart from state government transport buses.
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