Ajmer
Encyclopedia
Ajmer ədʒmeːr, formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District
in Rajasthan
state
in India
. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 (2011 census), and is located 135 kilometres (84 mi) west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur
, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from Delhi.
Ajmer is surrounded by the Aravalli Mountains
. It is a popular Muslim pilgrim city for the shrine or Dargah of the Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
. It is also the base for visiting Pushkar
(11 km), an ancient Hindu pilgrim town for the temple of Brahma
. Ajmer is regarded as a center of education in Rajasthan. Ajmer was once known as Ajaymeru, the city ruled by Prithviraj Chauhan
. The city has given its name to Ajmer district
, and to a former region of British India
called Ajmer-Merwara
, and to the erstwhile state of Ajmer, which was formed after independence of India, and was incorporated into Rajasthan
state on November 1, 1956.
Ajayameru)(It was called' Aj-meru'. Aj is a name synonym to lord Bramha, Meru means hills.Ajmeru means abode hills of lord Bramha) was found in the late seventh century by Dushyant Chauhan
. He established the Chauhan dynasty, which continued to rule the country while repeated waves of Turkish invasions swept across India
. Ajmer was conquered by Muhammad of Ghor
, founder of the Delhi Sultanate
, in 1193. Its internal government, however, was handed over to the Chauhan rulers upon the payment of a heavy tribute to the conquerors. Ajmer then remained feudatory to Delhi until 1365, when it was captured by the ruler of Mewar
. In 1509 Ajmer became a source of contention between the Maharajas of Mewar and Marwar
, and was ultimately conquered by the Marwar ruler in 1532. Ajmer was conquered by the Mughal emperor
Akbar in 1559. In 18th century it continued to be in the hands of the Marathas. From that time up to 1818 Ajmer was the scene of an ongoing struggle, being seized at different times by the Mewar and the Marwar maharajas. Since then Ajmer has enjoyed stable governance, although during the 1857 War of Independence some Indian sepoys at the garrison in the nearby town of Nasirabad joined the revolt.
Under the British Raj
, Ajmer was governed by an Agent to the Governor General overseeing Rajputana. After independence in 1947, Ajmer retained its position as a centrally administrated state under a Chief Commissioner for some time. Ajmer was eventually merged with the state of Rajasthan
.
. It is situated almost in the heart of the state of Rajasthan. To the north of the city is a large artificial lake, called Anasagar
, adorned with a marble structure called Baradari. Ajmer is an ancient crowded city with modern developments in the outskirts.
s hold 51, Rajput
Mers
hold 111, 4 are held by other rajput
s.Also there is one village of Ahirs
.
lines to Jaipur
and Marwar, Ahmedabad and Mumbai onwards to Banglaore and a Metre gauge
line subject to conversion under Project Unigauge to Udaipur
. The railway complex includes a major workshop. The railway has helped the city to connect it with major Indian cities like New Delhi
, Mumbai
, Kolkata
, Chennai
, Hydrabad, Bangalore
, Ahemedabad, Indore
, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain
, Nagpur
, Pune
, Patna
, Lucknow
etc. The station is the origin for many far distance trains like Ajmer - Bhopal Express, Ajmer - Indore Link Express, Ajmer - Ratlam Express, Ajmer - Jammu Tawi Pooja Express, Ajmer- chandigarh(garib rath express) etc. Ajmer Railway Station has been identified for development into World Class Station through Public-Private Partnership(PPP) mode.
passes over the mountains and provides with picturesque view of the surroundings. Also the work of 6 lane Expressway between Ajmer Collectorate and Kishangarh is under work, which will reduce the time of 50 minutes to 15–20 minutes between the two. On an average around 7000 vehicles including the tourist buses daily passes through the highway out of which about 2000 are cars going to the Ajmer city.
is a town in the state of Rajasthan in India near Ajmer, about 11 Kilometers away, and is an important tourist destination. Pushkar is famous for the Pushkar Lake
and the 14th century Brahma Temple at Pushkar, dedicated to Brahmā, the Hindu
"Creator of the Universe". According to Padma Purāņa Pushkar is the only place where Brahmā may be worshipped. There is general belief among Hindus that no pilgrimage to the four principal pilgrim centres (Char Dham) namely, Badrināth, Jagannāth, Rāmeshwaram and Dwarka
, would bear fruit unless one bathes in the holy waters of Pushkar Lake. Pushkar has 52 bathing ghats and many temples, big and small; the most celebrated being that of Brahmā. Pushkar is also famous for its annual Pushkar Fair
.
Dargāh Sharīf of Khwāja Mu'īnuddīn Chishtī
is situated at the foot of the Tārāgaṛh hill, and consists of several white marble buildings arranged around two courtyards, including a massive gate donated by the Nizām
of Hyderabad
, a mosque
donated by the Mughal emperor
Shāh Jahān
, the Akbarī Mosque, and the domed tomb of the saint. Akbar and his queen used to come here by foot on pilgrimage from Agra
every year in observance of a vow
he had made when praying for a son. The large pillars called "Kose ('Mile') Minar", erected at intervals of two miles (3 km) the whole way between Agra and Ajmer, marking the daily halting places of the royal pilgrim, are still extant. On an average 1.25 lac pilgrims visit the shrine daily.
Tārāgaṛh Fort
, the fort of Ajmer, seat of the Chauhān
rulers, is claimed to be the first hill fort of Asia, built at a time when the Aravalli mountain ranges were above the snowlines. This gives it the reputation of being one of the oldest hill forts of the world, and it is definitely the oldest among the hill forts in India. It was built by King Ajāypāl Chauhān on the summit of Tārāgaṛh Hill, overlooking Ajmer; its thick battlements run along its brow, completely enclosing the table-land. The walls are two miles (3 km) in circumference, and the fort can only be approached by steep and very roughly paved slopes. When it came into the hands of the British Raj
, the fort was dismantled by order of Lord William Bentinck
, and was converted into a sanatorium for the troops stationed at the British cantonment town of Nasirabad
.
Adhāī Din Kā Jhonpdā, a Vaishnava
Hindu
temple constructed in 1153 and converted into a mosque by Quṭbuddīn Aybak after 1193, is situated on the lower slope of the Tārāgarh hill, additions were made to the mosque between 1220 and 1229 by Aikbak's successor, by Shams al-Din Iltutmish
. It is also noted for its double-depth calligraphy inscriptions, in Naskh
and Kufic
scripts. With the exception of that part used as a mosque, called Jāma' Iltutmish
, nearly the whole of the ancient temple has fallen into ruins, but the relics are not excelled in beauty of architecture and sculpture by any remains of Hindu art. Forty columns support the roof, but no two are alike, and exceptional creativity is shown in the execution of the ornaments.
Magazine, the city's Museum, was once the residence of Prince Salīm
, son of the Emperor Akbar, and presently houses a collection of the Mughal and Rajput
armour and sculpture. This residence of Salīm is significant from a historical point of view, because Salīm as Emperor Jahāngīr
read out the firman
for trade to India to the British East India Company
from here, thus starting the chain of events that lead to India's colonisation by the British.
Mayo College
was established in 1875 by Lord Mayo
, Viceroy of India. The architecture of the school buildings evoke the grandeur of erstwhile princely Rajasthan. The main building of the school, in white marble, is a classic example of Indo-Saracenic
architecture, and the design now lies in the archives of the British Museum in London.
Anasāgar Lake. This historic man-made lake Ana Sagar lake
was constructed by Maharaja Anaji (1135-1150 AD), the grandfather of Maharaja Prithvirāj Chauhān. By the lake is the Daulat Bāgh, a garden laid out by Emperor Jahāngīr. Emperor Shāh Jahān later added five pavilions, known as the Baradari, between the garden and the lake. A walk through the baradari and chaupati gives wonderful overlooking view of Anasagar lake.
Soniji Ki Nasiyan is an architecturally rich Digambara
Jain temple
. It was built in 1864-1895 by Gauravji, the Nagar Seth of Ajmer. The main chamber, known as the Swarna Nagari "City of Gold", has several gold-plated wooden figures, depicting characters in the Jain tradition
, and was created in Jaipur
.
Lake Foy sagar
. Situated in the suburb of the city, Lake Foy Sagar is a picturesque artificial lake named after the engineer Mr Foy, an Englishman, who created it under a famine relief project. It is a masterpiece when it comes to artificial lakes. He created it to tackle with harshest conditions of famine under a famine relief project. This artificial lake was constructed in the year 1892. It appears as flat as a pancake, and offers the eye-catching sights of the neighboring Aravalli mountains, as well as evening flights of birds near the lake area.
The Pushkar Camel Fair is one of the largest in India and the only one of its kind in the entire world. Pushkar becomes a cultural phenomenon when colourfully dressed devotees, musicians, acrobats, folk dancers, traders, comedians, sadhus and tourists participate in the fair.
Urs
Held in solemn memory of the Gharib Nawaz Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti, the Urs is a celebration which attracts devotees from all over the world. It is the largest Muslim fair in India. The city, referred to as Ajmer Shareef, stays agog day and night.
Hotels in Pushkar include
The city offers delectable sweets like Sohan Halwa and Jalebi, snacks (Chaat) like Aloo Tikki and Dahi Bada, and exotic sweets like Malpua of Pushkar
, Kachoda of Nasirabad
, Til Papdi of Beawar
, and Makkhan Bada of Pahadia in Kishangarh
. Ajmer also has fast food chains like Domino's and Pizza Hut.
, founded by the British Raj in 1875 to educate the children of Rajputana's nobles on the lines of an English public school. Ajmer is also home to the famous Sophia Girls' School (1918/1935) & College (1942), and the historic Ajmer Music College, founded in 1942, the first accredited institution in Rajputana for teaching Hindustani classical music. Other educational institutions that prominently shaped the academic environment of Ajmer before Independence are:
The Board of Secondary Education for Rajasthan is located in Ajmer.
After 1947 some of the now famous schools were also established in Ajmer.
, Ajmer had population of 2,584,913 of which male and female were 1,325,911 and 1,259,002 respectively. In the education sector, Ajmer district have average literacy rate of 70.46 percent. Male literacy and female literacy were 83.93 and 56.42 percent respectively. In all, there were total 1,557,264 literates compared to 1,168,856 literates of 2001 census. Density of Ajmer district per square km is 305 compared to 257 per km2 of 2001. Sex ratio of girls in Ajmer per 1000 boys was recorded 950 i.e. an increase of 19 points from the figure of 2001 census, which puts it at 931. Population Growth for Ajmer district recorded in 2011 for the decade has remained 18.48 percent. Same figure for 1991-2001 decade was 20.93 percent.
Ajmer district
Ajmer District is a district of the state of Rajasthan in western India. The city of Ajmer is the district headquarters.Ajmer District has an area of 8,481 km², and a population of 2,180,526 ,Three main groups are; Hindu 1,869,044, Muslim 244,341, Jains 47,812...
in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 (2011 census), and is located 135 kilometres (84 mi) west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from Delhi.
Ajmer is surrounded by the Aravalli Mountains
Aravalli Range
The Aravalli Range literally meaning 'line of peaks', is a range of mountains in western India and eastern Pakistan running approximately 800 km from northeast to southwest across states of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat and Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh...
. It is a popular Muslim pilgrim city for the shrine or Dargah of the Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
Moinuddin Chishti
Sultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" , he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia...
. It is also the base for visiting Pushkar
Pushkar
Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is situated at 14 km North West from Ajmer at an average elevation of 510 metres , and is one of the five sacred dhams...
(11 km), an ancient Hindu pilgrim town for the temple of Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
. Ajmer is regarded as a center of education in Rajasthan. Ajmer was once known as Ajaymeru, the city ruled by Prithviraj Chauhan
Prithviraj III
Prithvi Raj III, commonly known as Prithviraj Chauhan , was a king of the Hindu Chauhan dynasty, who ruled the kingdom of Ajmer and Delhi in northern India during the latter half of the 12th century....
. The city has given its name to Ajmer district
Ajmer district
Ajmer District is a district of the state of Rajasthan in western India. The city of Ajmer is the district headquarters.Ajmer District has an area of 8,481 km², and a population of 2,180,526 ,Three main groups are; Hindu 1,869,044, Muslim 244,341, Jains 47,812...
, and to a former region of British India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
called Ajmer-Merwara
Ajmer-Merwara
Ajmer-Merwara is a former province of British India in the historical Ajmer region. The territory of the province was ceded to the British by Daulat Rao Sindhia by a treaty on June 25, 1818....
, and to the erstwhile state of Ajmer, which was formed after independence of India, and was incorporated into Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
state on November 1, 1956.
History
Prithviraj Chauhan of Ajmer (SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
Ajayameru)(It was called' Aj-meru'. Aj is a name synonym to lord Bramha, Meru means hills.Ajmeru means abode hills of lord Bramha) was found in the late seventh century by Dushyant Chauhan
Chauhan
Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...
. He established the Chauhan dynasty, which continued to rule the country while repeated waves of Turkish invasions swept across India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Ajmer was conquered by Muhammad of Ghor
Muhammad of Ghor
Sultan Shahāb-ud-Din Muhammad Ghori , originally called Mu'izzuddīn Muḥammad Bin Sām , was a ruler of the Ghurid dynasty who reigned over a territory spanning present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India.Shahabuddin Ghori reconquered the city of Ghazna Sultan Shahāb-ud-Din Muhammad Ghori...
, founder of the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
, in 1193. Its internal government, however, was handed over to the Chauhan rulers upon the payment of a heavy tribute to the conquerors. Ajmer then remained feudatory to Delhi until 1365, when it was captured by the ruler of Mewar
Mewar
Mewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later...
. In 1509 Ajmer became a source of contention between the Maharajas of Mewar and Marwar
Marwar
Marwar is a region of southwestern Rajasthan state in western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. In Rajasthani dialect "wad" means a particular area. The word Marwar is derived from Sanskrit word 'Maruwat'. English translation of the word is 'The region of desert'., The Imperial Gazetteer...
, and was ultimately conquered by the Marwar ruler in 1532. Ajmer was conquered by the Mughal emperor
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Akbar in 1559. In 18th century it continued to be in the hands of the Marathas. From that time up to 1818 Ajmer was the scene of an ongoing struggle, being seized at different times by the Mewar and the Marwar maharajas. Since then Ajmer has enjoyed stable governance, although during the 1857 War of Independence some Indian sepoys at the garrison in the nearby town of Nasirabad joined the revolt.
Under the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, Ajmer was governed by an Agent to the Governor General overseeing Rajputana. After independence in 1947, Ajmer retained its position as a centrally administrated state under a Chief Commissioner for some time. Ajmer was eventually merged with the state of Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
.
Geography
The city is situated in on the lower slopes of Gunj Thana (Delhi gate) in the Aravalli RangeAravalli Range
The Aravalli Range literally meaning 'line of peaks', is a range of mountains in western India and eastern Pakistan running approximately 800 km from northeast to southwest across states of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat and Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh...
. It is situated almost in the heart of the state of Rajasthan. To the north of the city is a large artificial lake, called Anasagar
Ana Sagar lake
Ana Sagar Lake is an artificial lake situated in the city of Ajmer in Rajasthan state in India. It is was built by Anaji Chauhan, the grandfather of Prithvi Raj Chauhan, in 1135 -1150 AD and is named after him. The catchments were built with the help of local populace. The Baradari or pavilions...
, adorned with a marble structure called Baradari. Ajmer is an ancient crowded city with modern developments in the outskirts.
Social Groups
According to Rajputana gazatters of 1879 there are 190 villages in Ajmer, 52 villages are held by Jats, GujjarGujjar
The Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
s hold 51, Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
Mers
Mers
The Mer population of Kathiawar region in Saurashtra also known as the Maher, Mihir, Mair or Mehr are a community of people who have evolved from the Kshatriya Rajput varna within Hinduism. They are believed to be of Indo-Aryan descent, and have a rich and diverse history involving many battles,...
hold 111, 4 are held by other rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s.Also there is one village of Ahirs
Ahirs
Ahir is an Indian caste. The term can be used synonymously with Yadav, as the latter term refers to Ahirs who have identified as Yadavs. The major divisions of Ahirs are: Yaduvanshi, Nandvanshi, and Gwalvanshi.-Etymology:...
.
Air
An airport near Ajmer has been proposed by the Government of Rajasthan. It is expected to be operational in the year 2012. At present the nearest airport is the Jaipur International Airport, about 132 km away, with flights connecting several major cities in India.Rail
Ajmer is at an important railway junction with Broad gaugeBroad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
lines to Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
and Marwar, Ahmedabad and Mumbai onwards to Banglaore and a Metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
line subject to conversion under Project Unigauge to Udaipur
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
. The railway complex includes a major workshop. The railway has helped the city to connect it with major Indian cities like New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Hydrabad, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, Ahemedabad, Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain
Ujjain
Ujjain , is an ancient city of Malwa region in central India, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River , today part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative centre of Ujjain District and Ujjain Division.In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini...
, Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
, Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, Patna
Patna
Paṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
, Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
etc. The station is the origin for many far distance trains like Ajmer - Bhopal Express, Ajmer - Indore Link Express, Ajmer - Ratlam Express, Ajmer - Jammu Tawi Pooja Express, Ajmer- chandigarh(garib rath express) etc. Ajmer Railway Station has been identified for development into World Class Station through Public-Private Partnership(PPP) mode.
Road
This beautiful city lies on the Golden Quadrilateral National Highway (NH) 8, midway between Delhi and Mumbai, located about 400 km from Delhi and 135 km from Jaipur. RSRTC provides air conditioned bus service from Delhi, Jaipur and other important cities to Ajmer. Both public transportation and private luxury road transport is available to reach the city. The road between Ajmer and PushkarPushkar
Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is situated at 14 km North West from Ajmer at an average elevation of 510 metres , and is one of the five sacred dhams...
passes over the mountains and provides with picturesque view of the surroundings. Also the work of 6 lane Expressway between Ajmer Collectorate and Kishangarh is under work, which will reduce the time of 50 minutes to 15–20 minutes between the two. On an average around 7000 vehicles including the tourist buses daily passes through the highway out of which about 2000 are cars going to the Ajmer city.
Inter city transportation
High class comfortable low floor buses are available for inter city transportation and to the near by town including the holy city of Pushkar and the marble city Kishangarh. Unmetered taxis, auto rickshaws, tongas, and regular city bus services run through out the city.Industries
Ajmer is now a trade center for manufactured goods including cotton, wool textiles, leather, hosiery, shoes, soap, and pharmaceuticals. Poultry farming is a major source of income for the urban farmers. At subdivisional level Ajmer casts engineering workshop, Bread & Biscuit, Flour Mill Parts, Re-rolling Mills, Electronic etc. The HMT Ltd. is a large scale, Enterprises situated at Beawer Road, Ajmer. Manufacturing leath Machine & Machine Tools, other one is Ajmer dairy Producing Milk, Ghee & Butter. The nearby town of Kishangarh is one of the largest markets for marble and marble products. The Investment in marble units is of Rs. 400 Crore. This sector employed 7 thousand direct & indirect persons. Ajmer is well connected with the national highway and is only 135 km (84 mi) from the Jaipur International Airport at Jaipur, which has daily flights to Delhi, Bombay, Chennai, Indore, Pune, etc.Places of interest
PushkarPushkar
Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is situated at 14 km North West from Ajmer at an average elevation of 510 metres , and is one of the five sacred dhams...
is a town in the state of Rajasthan in India near Ajmer, about 11 Kilometers away, and is an important tourist destination. Pushkar is famous for the Pushkar Lake
Pushkar Lake
Pushkar Lake or Pushkar Sarovar is located in the town of Pushkar in Ajmer district of the Rajasthan state of western India. Pushkar Lake is a sacred lake of the Hindus. The Hindu scriptures describe as it as "Tirtha-Raj" – the king of pilgrimage sites related to a water-body and relate it to the...
and the 14th century Brahma Temple at Pushkar, dedicated to Brahmā, the Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
"Creator of the Universe". According to Padma Purāņa Pushkar is the only place where Brahmā may be worshipped. There is general belief among Hindus that no pilgrimage to the four principal pilgrim centres (Char Dham) namely, Badrināth, Jagannāth, Rāmeshwaram and Dwarka
Dwarka
Dwarka also spelled Dvarka, Dwaraka, and Dvaraka, is a city and a municipality of Jamnagar district in the Gujarat state in India. Dwarka , also known as Dwarawati in Sanskrit literature is rated as one of the seven most ancient cities in the country...
, would bear fruit unless one bathes in the holy waters of Pushkar Lake. Pushkar has 52 bathing ghats and many temples, big and small; the most celebrated being that of Brahmā. Pushkar is also famous for its annual Pushkar Fair
Pushkar Fair
The Pushkar Fair, or Pushkar ka Mela, is the annual five-day camel and livestock fair, held in the town of Pushkar in the state of Rajasthan, India...
.
Dargāh Sharīf of Khwāja Mu'īnuddīn Chishtī
Moinuddin Chishti
Sultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" , he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia...
is situated at the foot of the Tārāgaṛh hill, and consists of several white marble buildings arranged around two courtyards, including a massive gate donated by the Nizām
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
of Hyderabad
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
, a mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
donated by the Mughal emperor
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Shāh Jahān
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
, the Akbarī Mosque, and the domed tomb of the saint. Akbar and his queen used to come here by foot on pilgrimage from Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
every year in observance of a vow
Vow
A vow is a promise or oath.-Marriage vows:Marriage vows are binding promises each partner in a couple makes to the other during a wedding ceremony. Marriage customs have developed over history and keep changing as human society develops...
he had made when praying for a son. The large pillars called "Kose ('Mile') Minar", erected at intervals of two miles (3 km) the whole way between Agra and Ajmer, marking the daily halting places of the royal pilgrim, are still extant. On an average 1.25 lac pilgrims visit the shrine daily.
Tārāgaṛh Fort
Taragarh Fort
Taragarh Fort or 'Star Fort' is the most impressive of structures of city of Bundi in Indian state of Rajasthan. A rather ramshackle fort, with its overgrown vegetation, is located around 39 km from Kota. It was constructed in AD 1354 upon a steep hillside. There are three gateways to the...
, the fort of Ajmer, seat of the Chauhān
Chauhan
Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...
rulers, is claimed to be the first hill fort of Asia, built at a time when the Aravalli mountain ranges were above the snowlines. This gives it the reputation of being one of the oldest hill forts of the world, and it is definitely the oldest among the hill forts in India. It was built by King Ajāypāl Chauhān on the summit of Tārāgaṛh Hill, overlooking Ajmer; its thick battlements run along its brow, completely enclosing the table-land. The walls are two miles (3 km) in circumference, and the fort can only be approached by steep and very roughly paved slopes. When it came into the hands of the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, the fort was dismantled by order of Lord William Bentinck
William Bentinck
William Bentinck may refer to:* William Bentinck, 1st Count Bentinck * William Bentinck , Royal Navy officer* Lord William Bentinck , British statesman...
, and was converted into a sanatorium for the troops stationed at the British cantonment town of Nasirabad
Nasirabad, India
Nasirabad is a cantonment town in Ajmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan.-History:The name is based on a famous English officer , who was honoured with the name "NASIR-UD-DAULA" , by Mughal Badshah Shah Alam II. The city is known for its Army population...
.
Adhāī Din Kā Jhonpdā, a Vaishnava
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temple constructed in 1153 and converted into a mosque by Quṭbuddīn Aybak after 1193, is situated on the lower slope of the Tārāgarh hill, additions were made to the mosque between 1220 and 1229 by Aikbak's successor, by Shams al-Din Iltutmish
Iltutmish
Shams-ud-din Iltutmish was the third ruler of the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi of Turkic origin. He was a slave of Qutub-ud-din-Aybak and later became his son-in-law and close lieutenant. He was the Governor of Badaun when he deposed Qutub-ud-din's successor Aram Shah and acceeded to the throne of the...
. It is also noted for its double-depth calligraphy inscriptions, in Naskh
Naskh (script)
Naskh is a specific calligraphic style for writing in the Arabic alphabet, thought to be invented by the Iranian calligrapher Ibn Muqlah Shirazi . The root of this Arabic term means "to copy". It either refers to the fact that it replaced its predecessor, Kufic script, or that this style allows...
and Kufic
Kufic
Kufic is the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts and consists of a modified form of the old Nabataean script. Its name is derived from the city of Kufa, Iraq, although it was known in Mesopotamia at least 100 years before the foundation of Kufa. At the time of the emergence of...
scripts. With the exception of that part used as a mosque, called Jāma' Iltutmish
Iltutmish
Shams-ud-din Iltutmish was the third ruler of the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi of Turkic origin. He was a slave of Qutub-ud-din-Aybak and later became his son-in-law and close lieutenant. He was the Governor of Badaun when he deposed Qutub-ud-din's successor Aram Shah and acceeded to the throne of the...
, nearly the whole of the ancient temple has fallen into ruins, but the relics are not excelled in beauty of architecture and sculpture by any remains of Hindu art. Forty columns support the roof, but no two are alike, and exceptional creativity is shown in the execution of the ornaments.
Magazine, the city's Museum, was once the residence of Prince Salīm
Jahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
, son of the Emperor Akbar, and presently houses a collection of the Mughal and Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
armour and sculpture. This residence of Salīm is significant from a historical point of view, because Salīm as Emperor Jahāngīr
Jahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
read out the firman
Firman
A firman is a royal mandate or decree issued by a sovereign in certain historical Islamic states, including the Ottoman Empire, Mughal Empire, State of Hyderabad, and Iran under Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. The word firman comes from the meaning "decree" or "order"...
for trade to India to the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
from here, thus starting the chain of events that lead to India's colonisation by the British.
Mayo College
Mayo College
Mayo College is a public school founded by the 6th Earl of Mayo, who was Viceroy of India from 1869 to 1872.The school is located in Ajmer, in the state of Rajasthan, India....
was established in 1875 by Lord Mayo
Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo
Richard Southwell Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo KP, GMSI, PC , styled Lord Naas between 1842 and 1867, was a statesman and prominent member of the British Conservative Party from Dublin, Ireland....
, Viceroy of India. The architecture of the school buildings evoke the grandeur of erstwhile princely Rajasthan. The main building of the school, in white marble, is a classic example of Indo-Saracenic
Indo-Saracenic
The Indo-Saracenic Revival was an architectural style movement by British architects in the late 19th century in British India...
architecture, and the design now lies in the archives of the British Museum in London.
Anasāgar Lake. This historic man-made lake Ana Sagar lake
Ana Sagar lake
Ana Sagar Lake is an artificial lake situated in the city of Ajmer in Rajasthan state in India. It is was built by Anaji Chauhan, the grandfather of Prithvi Raj Chauhan, in 1135 -1150 AD and is named after him. The catchments were built with the help of local populace. The Baradari or pavilions...
was constructed by Maharaja Anaji (1135-1150 AD), the grandfather of Maharaja Prithvirāj Chauhān. By the lake is the Daulat Bāgh, a garden laid out by Emperor Jahāngīr. Emperor Shāh Jahān later added five pavilions, known as the Baradari, between the garden and the lake. A walk through the baradari and chaupati gives wonderful overlooking view of Anasagar lake.
Soniji Ki Nasiyan is an architecturally rich Digambara
Digambara
Digambara "sky-clad" is one of the two main sects of Jainism. "Sky-clad" has many different meaning and associations throughout Indian religions. Many representations of deities within these traditions are depicted as sky-clad, e.g. Samantabhadra/Samantabhadrī in Yab-Yum...
Jain temple
Derasar
A derasar is a temple for followers of Jainism, except for non-murtipujak Svetambaras. Derasar is a word used in Gujarat, Kutch and parts of Rajasthan, in other parts of India, the term Jain Mandir is used for all the Jain temples. Jain idols of Tirthankaras are worshipped there...
. It was built in 1864-1895 by Gauravji, the Nagar Seth of Ajmer. The main chamber, known as the Swarna Nagari "City of Gold", has several gold-plated wooden figures, depicting characters in the Jain tradition
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
, and was created in Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
.
Lake Foy sagar
Foy sagar
Lake Foy Sagar is an artificial lake situated near Ajmer in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is named after the engineer Mr. Foy, an Englishman, who created it under a famine relief project in 1892. He created it to tackle with harshest conditions of famine under a famine relief project. It...
. Situated in the suburb of the city, Lake Foy Sagar is a picturesque artificial lake named after the engineer Mr Foy, an Englishman, who created it under a famine relief project. It is a masterpiece when it comes to artificial lakes. He created it to tackle with harshest conditions of famine under a famine relief project. This artificial lake was constructed in the year 1892. It appears as flat as a pancake, and offers the eye-catching sights of the neighboring Aravalli mountains, as well as evening flights of birds near the lake area.
Annual Fairs
Pushkar MelaPushkar Fair
The Pushkar Fair, or Pushkar ka Mela, is the annual five-day camel and livestock fair, held in the town of Pushkar in the state of Rajasthan, India...
The Pushkar Camel Fair is one of the largest in India and the only one of its kind in the entire world. Pushkar becomes a cultural phenomenon when colourfully dressed devotees, musicians, acrobats, folk dancers, traders, comedians, sadhus and tourists participate in the fair.
Urs
Urs (Ajmer)
The Urs festival is an annual festival held at Ajmer, a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, which commemorates the death anniversary of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, . It is held over six days and features night-long dhikr/zikr qawwali singing. The anniversary is celebrated in the seventh...
Held in solemn memory of the Gharib Nawaz Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti, the Urs is a celebration which attracts devotees from all over the world. It is the largest Muslim fair in India. The city, referred to as Ajmer Shareef, stays agog day and night.
Hotels
The hotels in Ajmer include- Mansingh Palace
- Hotel Merwara State
- Hotel data inn
- Hotel Embassy
- Hotel Ambassador
- Hotel Prithviraj
- Hotel Heritage inn
- Hotel Omni Palace
- Hotel Sahil
- Regency Hotel and Restaurant
- Hotel Kanak Sagar
- RTDC Khadim Hotel (owned by Rajasthan government)
Hotels in Pushkar include
- Pushkar Palace
- Jagat Singh Palace
- Gulaab Niwaas Palace
- Pushakar Bagh
- Green Park Resort
- Hotel Navaratan Palace
- RTDC Hotel Sarovar (owned by Rajasthan government)
- Teerth Palace
- Hotel Pushkar Lake Palace
Shopping and Eating
Madar Gate, Chudi Bazzar, Naya Bazzar, Dargah Bazzar, and Kesarganj are among the popular markets. Mahila Mandi (a women's market), closed on Tuesdays, carries Odnis (traditional veils, also used as light table covers), gorgeous saris, ornate Lehngas (skirts worn with blouses), Safas (hand tie-dyed turbans), and 9-metre long bands of local fabrics. Most of the malls and authorized retail outlets of leading brands are located on Jaipur Road, in Vaishali Nagar, and at India Motor Circle.The city offers delectable sweets like Sohan Halwa and Jalebi, snacks (Chaat) like Aloo Tikki and Dahi Bada, and exotic sweets like Malpua of Pushkar
Pushkar
Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is situated at 14 km North West from Ajmer at an average elevation of 510 metres , and is one of the five sacred dhams...
, Kachoda of Nasirabad
Nasirabad
Nasirabad may refer to:* Mymensingh Town, the former name of Mymensingh Town, Bangladesh* Nasirabad, India in Rajasthan, India* Nasirabad, Raibareli in Uttar Pradesh, India* Nasirabad, Ardabil, Iran* Nasirabad, alternate name of Nasrabad, Isfahan, Iran...
, Til Papdi of Beawar
Beawar
Beawar is a city in Rajasthan, India. Beawar was the capital of Merwara state of Rajputana. As of 2011, the population of Beawar is 3,25,000. It is located southwest of the state capital Jaipur, amidst Aravali hills. It is an major centre of trade,especially in raw cotton, and has cotton...
, and Makkhan Bada of Pahadia in Kishangarh
Kishangarh
Kishangarh is a city and a municipality in Ajmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It lies 18 miles north-west of Ajmer. It is well connected via Indian Railways and National Highway #8. It is the birth place of the Kishangarh style of painting, which is known for the beautiful depiction...
. Ajmer also has fast food chains like Domino's and Pizza Hut.
Education
Ajmer is home to Mayo CollegeMayo College
Mayo College is a public school founded by the 6th Earl of Mayo, who was Viceroy of India from 1869 to 1872.The school is located in Ajmer, in the state of Rajasthan, India....
, founded by the British Raj in 1875 to educate the children of Rajputana's nobles on the lines of an English public school. Ajmer is also home to the famous Sophia Girls' School (1918/1935) & College (1942), and the historic Ajmer Music College, founded in 1942, the first accredited institution in Rajputana for teaching Hindustani classical music. Other educational institutions that prominently shaped the academic environment of Ajmer before Independence are:
- Govt. High School (1836/1861)
- Mission School (1862)
- Govt. College (1868)
- D.A.V. High School (1888/1918/1922)
- St. Mary's Convent (1896)
- Arya Putri Pathshala (1898)
- Chachiji's School (1898)
- Oswal Jain High School (1899/1929)
- Agrawal High School (1904/1932/1946)
- St. Anslem's High School (1904)
- Moinia Islamia High School (1910)
- Savitri High School (1914/1933)
- Saraswati Balika Vidyalaya (1924/1946)
- Govt. Central Girls' High School (1926/1945)
- Model School (1926)
- King George Royal Indian Military School (1930)
- School for the Blind (1935)
- Tikamchand School (1940)
- Virjanand School (1941)
- D.A.V. College (1942)
- Savitri College (1943)
The Board of Secondary Education for Rajasthan is located in Ajmer.
After 1947 some of the now famous schools were also established in Ajmer.
Demographics
As of 2011 India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Ajmer had population of 2,584,913 of which male and female were 1,325,911 and 1,259,002 respectively. In the education sector, Ajmer district have average literacy rate of 70.46 percent. Male literacy and female literacy were 83.93 and 56.42 percent respectively. In all, there were total 1,557,264 literates compared to 1,168,856 literates of 2001 census. Density of Ajmer district per square km is 305 compared to 257 per km2 of 2001. Sex ratio of girls in Ajmer per 1000 boys was recorded 950 i.e. an increase of 19 points from the figure of 2001 census, which puts it at 931. Population Growth for Ajmer district recorded in 2011 for the decade has remained 18.48 percent. Same figure for 1991-2001 decade was 20.93 percent.
See also
- Luni RiverLuni RiverThe Luni is a river of western Rajasthan state, India. It originates in the Pushkar valley of the Aravalli Range, near Ajmer and ends in the marshy lands of Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, after travelling a distance of 530 km...
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6BgGo3R0bQ
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XupuHnZonw