Just over 130 kms south-west of Jaipur is Ajmer, a burgeoning town on the shore of the Ana Sagar, flanked by barren hills. Historically, Ajmer had considerable strategic importance and was sacked by Mohammed of Ghori on one of his periodic forays from Afghanistan. Later it became a favourite residence of the mighty Mughals.Ajmer is a major centre for Muslim pilgrims during the fast of Ramazan, and has some impressive Muslim architecture.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.

Tourist Attractions in Ajmer

The Dargah - The Dargah is the tomb of a sufi saint, Khwaja Muin-uddin Chisti, who came to Ajmer from Persia in 1192. Construction of the shrine was completed by Humayun. 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. The tomb attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year on the anniversary of the saint's death.

Adhai-Din-Ka Jhonpara - One of the finest example of Indo-Islamic architecture, this mosque 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. Some of the fine and delicate sculptures of the region have been displayed here. The building itself has been constructed of red sandstone which have 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. This lake is located towards the north of Ajmer city.

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.

Nasiyan (Jain Temple) - The Red temple on Prithviraj Marg is a Jain temple built last century and is definitely worth checking out. Its double storey hall contains a fascinating series of large, gilt wooden figures from Jain mythology which depict the Jain concept of the ancient world. This red coloured Jain temple was built in the late 19th century. The wooden gilt in the double storeyed hall depicts scenes from the Jain mythology. The beauty of this temple is widely acclaimed.

Pushkar - The sister city of Ajmer, Pushkar is just 11 Km away from the city. The road to Pushkar passes through the Nag Pahar or the Snake Mountain. Pushkar is an ancient city. The city is considered by Hindus to be one of the most sacred places in India and has, perhaps, the only existing temple in Asia, dedicated to Lord Brahma. Life in the city is very much related to the Pushkar Lake. Mythology says that this ancient lake was formed when a lotus flower fell in the valley from the hands of Brahma. The famous Pushkar fair is held every year on the Kartik purnima day. This fair is famous as a Bazaar for the animals particularly the Camels. But the folk dancers and the folk musicians add traditional colour in the fair, which gives a new leash of life to the town.

KishanGarh - On the road to Jaipur, 27 Km from Ajmer is located this medieval treasure house of art. This place had one of the finest schools for miniature paintings during 18th century. It is also famous for Gundelao Lake, Phool Mahal Palace and Temple of Sri Kalyan Raiji

Mangliyawas - This town is famous for two 800 years old trees of a rare species- Adansonia Digitata Linn- popularly known as 'Kalpa-Vrikhsha'. People visit this place through out the year but on dark moon day of 'sravana' thousands of people come to worship the trees. The town is 26 Kms from Ajmer.

Beawar - This town is located 54 Kms from Ajmer and is famous for the Badshahi procession festival held on the next day of Holi. On this occasion people participate in large number and throw gulal (colour) on each other.

How to Reach Ajmer?

By Air: Jaipur 132 km is the nearest airport.
By Rail: Regular train services link Ajmer with important cities.Some important train connections are: Gujrat Mail (Mumbai-Ajmer-Delhi Sarai Rohilla); Jodhpur Mail (Marwar-Ajmer-Jaipur): Delhi, Express(Ahmedabad-Ajmer-Jaipur);Shatabadi Express(New Delhi-Ajmer-New Delhi).
By Road: A good network of bus services operate from Ajmer to key destinations around.