| 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.
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.
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.
Getting there
By Air
Indian airlines, Jet airways
and Sahara airlines have regular service to Jaipur. All the major cities
are connected to Jaipur.
By Road
Rajasthan Roadways have
regular bus services from New Delhi, running deluxe and air conditioned
coaches from Bikaner house, Delhi. Ajmer is also well connected with the
other cities of Rajasthan.
With good road conditions
you can also travel by private car/taxi.
By Train
Shatabdi connects Ajmer
to Delhi. Shatabdi is fully air conditioned train starts from Delhi (5.55
AM) to Jaipur (10.35 AM). There are other trains also to Ajmer from other
cities in rajasthan. To know more click here.
Hotels
For your accommodation and
hotel requirement, you can visit our Exclusive Rajasthan Hotel Directory.
Places to Visit
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