Travel to Ajmer

Founded by Raja Ajay Pal Chauhan in the 7th Century A.D, Ajmer is in the West of Rajasthan and is defined by the tomb or Dargah of the famous most Sufi Saint Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti, founder of the Chishti order. Ajmer came under the control of Delhi Saltanate, which supplanted the Rajput Chauhans in 1992 as a result of their defeat by Muhammad Ghori. In addition to Delhi, Ajmer was the most important center of Chauhan power in India.

Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chishti died in 1226 at Ajmer and his holy Dargah attracts streams of adherents of all faiths especially during the Urs Mela in October/November. For Hindus, Ajmer also serves as a jumping-off place for Pushkar, a twenty-minute bus ride away across the hills.

Even today the city of Ajmer retains an almost medieval character feathering the narrow lanes of the bazaars, lines of rose-petal stalls, shops selling prayer mats, beads and lengths of gold-edged green silk offerings. Various finely architectures of the Mughal period add to the flavor of the place. Added to this, the city is also dominated by Taragarh, the most important rally point for invading armies in northwest India.

The death anniversary of the Chishti, or Urs Mela attracts thousands of pilgrims, and Ajmer resounds to the sound of qawwali.

Apart from the tomb of the above-mentioned Sufi Saint, sights in city include the Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra, or "two-and-a-half-day mosque", Daulat Khana, the Ana Sagar Lake, Daulat Bagh, the Nasiyan (Red) Jain Temple and government museum.