Ajmer has played an important role in defining eras of Indian history. Prithviraj Chauhan, the legendary Rajput warrior lost the city to Muhammad Ghori in 1192. Mughals made it a center of operations to their forays into the kingdoms of Rajasthan and Gujarat. It was here that Sir Thomas Roe presented his credentials to Jehangir as an English ambassador and was granted trading concessions that allowed the loophole to the British to invade India and gain a central position in India's power circuit. However, Ajmer's claim to fame came from the Dargah Sharif of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, the revered Sufi saint who is entombed here. The golden finial silver doors of the Dargah are noteworthy.
Places to See
Tourist attractions that are a must visit at Ajmer include:
- Dargah of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisti
- Solahkhambha
- Shah Jahan's Mosque
- Abdullah's Mausoleum
- Adhai-Din-Ka-Jhopra
- Taragarh Fort
- Kishangarh Fort
- Akbar's Palace
- Nasiyan Jain Temple
- Jhulelal Temple
- Mangliyawas (known for two 800-year old trees known as Kalpvrikshas)
- Foy Sagar Lake
- Ana Sagar Lake
Shopping
Basically a religious place, at Ajmer you can find interesting metal ware such as pitchers and urns. Personalized attar or perfume concentrate is a must-buy at Dargah Bazaar. While cane chairs and stools of Ajmer are quite popular, it is easier to carry away cheap qawwali and dargah tour CDs available here. Pilgrims can buy affordable to richly worked Chaadars for the Dargah in the Bazaar.
Where to Stay
Ajmer is basically a pilgrimage place for people of all faiths and socio-economic status. Hence, you will find hotels and accommodations to suit your budget and taste easily here. Budget and economy class hotels to classy luxury hotels at Ajmer include:
How to Reach Ajmer
Easily accessible by rail, road, and air, Ajmer is a spiritual tourist attraction for Muslims and Hindus alike.
By Road: Directly connected to Delhi and Jaipur by road, Ajmer has a network of roads and bus services connecting it to other major cities in Rajasthan and Uttaranchal as well. Ajmer is a major base for journey to Pushkar and several bus services operate on that route.
By Rail: Situated on the main Delhi to Mumbai line via Jaipur and Ahmedabad, Ajmer is a major stopover for most of the trains that run across this route connecting it to several Indian cities. We recommend Shatabdi Express that runs daily from Delhi to Ajmer for tourists.
By Air: The nearest airport to Ajmer is Jaipur, 135 kms from the city. The Jaipur airport has regular flights from Delhi, Udaipur, and Jodhpur as well as Oman, Muscat and Sharjah, UAE.
