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Ajmer
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South west of Jaipur, Ajmer is an oasis
wrapped in the green hills. The city was founded by Raja Ajay Pal
Chauhan in the 7th Century A.D. and continued to be a major centre of
the Chauhan power till 1193 A.D. When Prithviraj Chauhan lost it to
Mohammed Gaure. Since then, Ajmer became home to many dynasties. Today,
Ajmer is a popular pilgrimage centre 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. It
is a centre of culture and education, the British chose Ajmer for its
prestigious Mayo College a school exclusively for Indian nobility. Ajmer
is also the base for visiting Pushkar (14 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.), devotees throng in large numbers here to take a dip in the
sacred lake. |
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Ajaipal Chauhan founded Ajmer in the seventh century. He constructed a
hill fort "Ajaimeur" or the invincible hill. The Chauhans ruled Ajmer
till the 12th century when Prithviraj Chauhan lost Mohammed Ghauri.
Thereafter it became a part of the sultanate of Delhi. Ajmer was also
favourite residence for the great Mughals. One of the first contacts
between the Mughal King Jahangir and Sir Thomas Roe took place here in
1616. The Scindias took over the city in 1818 and then handed it over to
the British and it became one of the only part of Rajasthan controlled
directly by the East Indian Co.
The bus stand in Ajmer is located near the RTDC hotel Khadim. And the
railway is further north and most of the hotels are west of the
stations. Northeast is the main post office and most of the cities
market is located behind and up to Agra Gate. Further north is a large
artificial lake called the Anna Sagar.
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| Places of Interest |
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Dargah Khwaja Sahib
It is the landmark of Ajmer and one of the holiest of Muslim shrines in
the country. It has a secular appeal and revered by people of all sect.
Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti, a Sufi saint from Persia made this place his
abode from 1192 till he died in 1236 AD. Mughal King Humayun completed
the construction of the shrine. The Dargah is approached through a
massive gate with silver doors built in several stages. Emperor Akbar
made an annual pilgrimage to Ajmer. Mughal Emperors Akbar and Shah Zahan
have built mosques in the complex. The saint's tomb is in the centre of
the second courtyard and the actual tomb inside is surrounded by a
silver railing and partly by a marble screen. The tomb is of marble and
dome is gold plated. The atmosphere inside the shrine is charged and
supernatural with burning |
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of incense
and offerings of flowers mainly rose and sweets.
As you enter the Dargah courtyard, you see two massive 'degs'
meaning cauldrons. Mughal Emperors Akbar and Jahangir donated these cauldrons
originally but they have been replaced in the nineteenth century. The
larger cauldron can contain as much as 4480 kgs of rice while the
smaller one contains 2240 kgs of rice.
The shrine comes alive with activity when millions of devotees throng
the shrine during Urs fair. Urs is held on the seventh lunar month
according to Islamic calendar and is variable according to the solar
calendar. Sufis and believer converge from all over India and abroad, as
it is believed that those visiting during Urs receives special blessings
of the saint. It is compulsory that you cover your head while inside the
complex so remember to carry a skullcap or a scarf. The skull-cap is on
sale in the colourful market just outside the Dargah. It is also
customary to make floral offerings mainly of roses, incense sticks and
sweets that are locally available. |
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Nasiyan Red Temple
The red temple is a Digambar Jain temple which has a double- storey hall
adjacent to the main temple. The hall displays a series of large gold
plated wooden figures depicting legends from Jain mythology. The entire
hall is richly adorned by glass mosaic, precious stones, gold and silver
work. The place is also popularly called Soni Ji Ki Nasiyan. |
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Taragarh
Fort
The giant
fort stands guarding the city. It has six gates. The fort
also has Miran Saheb ki Dargah who was the governor of the
fort and laid down his life in an encounter. It gives a
panoramic view of the city situated in Nagpahari of Aravalli
ranges, this fort has immense archaeological and historical
importance. |
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