Introduction of Ajmer

Ajmer, an ancient pilgrimage town is situated on the banks of the Ana Sagar Lake at an altitude of 486 meters above sea level. Ajmer which is about 130 kms from Jaipur, covers a total area of 55.76 square km. Historically, Ajmer had considerable strategic importance and was sacked by Mohammed Ghori on one of his periodic forays from Afghanistan. Later it became a favorite residence of the mighty Mughal. Ajmer is a major center for Muslim pilgrims during the fast of Ramzaan, and has some impressive Muslim architecture. It houses the Dargah or tomb of the popular 13th century Sufi saint, Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisti. The city also boasts of a number of monuments dating back to the Mughal era.

The city is also well known for its traditional handicrafts industry. In Summers, the temperature is around 38.1º Celsius and in winters it is around 5.5º Celsius. Hindi, Rajasthani, Sindhi, Urdu and English are the common languages which are spoken here.


History of Ajmer

The small town of Ajmer played a surprisingly important role in India's history. Set at the point where the rocky Aravalli Hills end and the Thar Desert begins, this was originally the stronghold of the powerful Chauhan Dynasty of Rajputs, who built India's first ever hill fort here in the 7th century. Ajmer was founded by a Rajput chieftain Raja Ajaipal Chauhan, who also built first hill fort in India, the Tara Garh. As the fort was supposed to be invincible, it was named Ajai Meru (the Invincible Hill). Ajmer was brought under the control of Delhi Sultanate in 1193, when Ajaipal Chauhan was defeated by Mohammed Ghori. It was later returned to the local chieftains as a small tribute. Ajmer also played an important role in paving the way for British East India Company in India. In 1616, Jahangir met ambassador of King James, Sir Thomas Roe. That was the first meeting between any Mughal Emperor and representatives of Britain. In the 17th century, Shah Jahan built marble pavilions around the Ana Sagar Lake. The Taragarh Fort was damaged badly during the Mughal war of succession between Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh. The Scindia rulers of Gwalior took over Ajmer in the mid 18th century, to be handed over to the British in 1818.
Tourist Attractions of Ajmer

The main tourist attraction of Ajmer is Dargah of Garib Nawaz. Ajmer houses the Dargah or tomb of the popular 13th century Sufi saint, Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisti. The other tourist attraction of Ajmer are Taragarh Fort, Adhai din ka Jhonpara, Mayo College, Ana Sagar Lake and Nasiyan.
How to get here:

By Air
From Ajmer the nearest airport is Jaipur which is about 130 km.

By Rail
Ajmer is connected by rail to Delhi, Agra, Ahmedabad, Barmer, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Mount Abu and Mumbai.

By Road
Ajmer is well connected by road with Agra, Bharatpur, Bikaner, Chittorgarh, Jaipur and Delhi.