Ajmer and Pushkar towns just 11 kilometers apart from each other represent the multi-religious character of India in the most sublime manner. Ajmer is an important railway junction town and offers the mausoleum of Muslim Sufi Saint Chisti. Ajmer, till 1947, acted as the place of British resident. Not being part of any principality, Ajmer grew up as a great center of education. Among the colleges, the Mayo College stands apart. Ajmer is a blend of Sufi culture and Hindu religion. Today, the place is a holy integration of two religions with the holy Pushkar temples on one hand and the Durgah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti on the other. The annual Urs at Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is held on a grand scale and attracts pilgrims from all over the world irrespective of their caste and religion. Temperatures are very high during summers and very low during winters. Ajmer has a typical desert type of climate. The best season to visit this place is between October and March.

How to reach

By Train

Regular train services join Ajmer with important cities. Pink City, Chetak and Shatabdi express are the best trains for tourists from Delhi and Jaipur.

By Road

A dense network of bus services operates from Ajmer to Key destinations around.

By Air

Jaipur 132 kms is the nearest airport.

Places of Interest

Ajmer-e-Sharief Dargah
Adhai-Din-Ka Jhonpara
Nasiyan (Jain Temple)
Govt. Museum
Ana Sagar Lake
Taragarh Fort
Mayo College

Temples

Ajmer-e-Sharief 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. Emperor Akbar used to make a pilgrimage to this Dargah from Agra once a year. The Dargah is a hive of activity all through the year as people of all religions come here. Tons of rose petals are offered here everyday which itself describes the significance of the shrine. The shrine complex has two very big cauldrons for donations. Qawwali, the famous Sufi singing, is a common sight.

Adhai-Din-Ka Jhonpara

Ajmer has an interesting building known as Adhai Din ka Jhopra, which is said to have been built in just 2 ½ days. It was actually a Sanskrit college in 12th century, which Mohammad Ghori later plundered and got rebuilt into a mosque. The mosque is built on pillars and surprisingly no two pillars are alike. The archways are finely engraved with Kufi and Jughra inscriptions from the Holy Quran.

Nasiyan (Jain Temple)

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 inside hall is exceptionally beautiful with gold and silver decorations. The beauty of this temple is widely acclaimed.

Museums

Govt. Museum

The Royal palace of Akbar was converted into a museum and Ajmer Government Museum Housed in the beautiful fort and palace built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1570, and situated in the heart of the old city and close to the railway station is this museum. It was here that the British envoy Sir Thomas Roe met Emperor jahangir in 1616. Commonly known as Magazine in the present day is the palace quarters where the emperors lived. After British occupation in 1818 and during the first war of Independence in 1857 it was used as the Rajputana Arsenal by the British which gave the name magazine. 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.

Lakes

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 Jehangir. This lake is located towards the north of Ajmer city.

Forts

Taragarh Fort

Built in the 7th century by Ajaipal Chauhan, the fort gives a bird's 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.

Others

Mayo College

One of the India's best public schools, located in the south-east of the Ana Sagar, has now been converted to the Circuit House. The lake and the cenotaph and the shrine of the Hindu reformer Swami Dayanand, founder of the "Arya Samaj Movement" in India, can be viewed from here.