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About Ajmer

Ajmer ranks fifth in the largest cities of Rajasthan and it also serves as the main center of the Ajmer district that is considered to be eponymous. The urban population of Ajmer is about 551,360 while the population of the city is 542,580 according to an estimate made in the year 2011. Ajmer is a city that is located at a distance of 135 kilometers towards the west of Jaipur, 274 kilometers from the city of Udaipur, 391 kilometers from the capital city Delhi, 439 kilometers from the city of Jaisalmer and 190 kilometers from the educational city of Kota.

The entire city of Ajmer is found to be surrounded by Aravalli Mountains. The main feature of the city of Ajmer is that it serves as a pilgrimage for the holy place of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the Sufi Saint and it also serves in the form of a base for people who want to visit Pushkar.

About Ajmer

History of Ajmer

Ajmer has a very detailed history and the history of this city is more than 700 years old. 700 years ago, the city of Ajmer was under the control of the Chechi Gurjars and this fact has been brought forward by Rajputana Gazetteer. In the Sanskrit language, Ajmer is called Ajayameru and it was founded by Ajayraj Singh Chauhan in the late 7th Century A.D. The clan of the Chauhans is basically a unit of the Chechi Gurjars. The dynasty of the Chauhans continued to rule Ajmer in spite of the repeated invasions of the Turkic Muslim armies from central Asia towards the north of India. In the 12 century, Muhammad Ghor, who founded the Delhi sultanate conquered Ajmer and instead of ruling the city they offered an autonomy to the Chauhan dynasty in return of a huge amount.

Until 1365, Ajmer remained under the rule of Muhammad Ghor but in the same year Ajmer was captured by Mewar rulers. In 1509, the rule of Ajmer was disagreed between the Mewar rulers and the Marwar rulers and it passed on to the hand s of the rulers of Marwar until 1532. Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, the Hindu Emperor who was popularly called Hemu, captured Ajmer in 1553. Hemu was killed in the Second Battle of Panipat that took place in 1556 and in the year 1559 the rule of the city of Ajmer passed on to the hands of Akbar, the Mughal Emperor. The Marathas took over the empire of Ajmer in the 18th century. In 1818, the city passed on to the hands of the British and it became an important part of the state of Rajasthan on 1st November 1956.

Festivals Celebrated in Ajmer

The main festivals celebrated in the city of Ajmer are Urs and Pushkar festivals. The traditional festival of Urs are held annually at Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti’s Dargah which marks the occasion of his meeting with the Allah.

During Urs, pilgrims from throughout the world visit Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's Dargah, the Sufi Saint in order to pay homage. Qawaalis or poems are sung in dedication to the Saint. Khwaja Sharif is also located in Ajmer at the foothills and it serves as the most important pilgrimage center for people in India because it has the shrine of the Sufi Saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. Thousands of people visit Khwaja Sharif to commemorate the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. The Urs festival is held from 1st to 6th day of the Islamic month.

Fairs in Ajmer

The Pushkar fair is another important festival celebrated in Ajmer in November and it serves to be the most participated and the largest fair held in the state of Rajasthan. It not only serves as a pilgrimage for people from all over the world but it also serves as a center of cattle fair. Auctions, sports, music and bazaars are the main attractions of the fair. This fair is not completely held in Ajmer but in Pushkar but the entire city of Ajmer witnesses huge crowd and the city livens up during the Pushkar fair because of the fact that Pushkar lies in close proximity to the city of Ajmer. Pushkar got its name from Pushkar Lake located very close to Ajmer and a dip in the holy waters of this lake is considered to be auspicious for the Hindus.

Tourist Attractions in Ajmer

Ajmer is one city in the state of Rajasthan that is considered to be sacred both for the Hindus and the Muslims of India and around the world. It is only because of this reason that the tourism of Ajmer has been very successful and served as a major source of income for the people of Ajmer. There are a large number of tourist spots found in Ajmer that can always be visited by people who plan their holidays to Ajmer. Some of the major tourist attractions in Ajmer have been elaborated below:
  • Brahma Temple: This temple is the only existing Brahma Temple that was constructed in the 14th century. This temple is a beautiful piece of architecture with some silver carvings.
  • Old Rangji Temple: Old Rangji temple is dedicated to Lord Rangji, an embodiment of Lord Vishnu and it was built in 1823.
  • New Rangji Temple: New Rangji temple is a temple that possess south Indian architecture style.
  • Dargah Sharif: The resting place of the Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and it is found to be located at the foot of Taragarh hill. The Dargah Sharif comprises of many buildings made of white marble located in two separate courtyards.
  • Taragarh Fort: Taragarh Fort is the fort that guards Ajmer and previously it served as the seat of the great rulers of the Chauhan dynasty.

Population of Ajmer

According to the records of year 2011, the total population of Ajmer is 2,584,913 which comprises 1,259,002 females and 1,325,911 males. The average literacy rate of Ajmer was 70.46% in 2011, with the male literacy rate being 83.93% and the female literacy rate was around 56.42%. The total number of literates in Ajmer were 1,557,264 in 2011 in the city of Ajmer in comparison to the census report of 2001. The density of population in Ajmer was 305 in comparison to 2011 which was 257. The male-female ration in Ajmer was 950/1000. Ajmer ranks among the top 100 important cities of India as far as its population is concerned.

Geography of Ajmer

The entire city of Ajmer is found to be surrounded by the Aravalli Mountains. The city of Ajmer is located on the lower slopes of the Taragarh Hill in the Aravalli Mountains. The city is found to be centrally located in the state of Rajasthan. The city of Ajmer consists of a very huge artificial lake towards the north known as the Anasagar Lake which also consists of a structure made out of marble called Baradari. The huge and massive rocks of Nagpathar range protect the city of Ajmer from the Thar Desert.

Climate of Ajmer

The climate of Ajmer is semi-arid with above 55 centimeters of rain occurring annually. Most of the rainfall in Ajmer occurs during the months of June and September which are basically the Monsoon months in Ajmer. Temperatures are found to be relatively high all throughout the year. The daily temperature is measured to be 30OC in the summer months from April to July.

The average temperature during the winter months from November to February is 15oC to 18oC. The winter climate is temperate and mild with very less or even no humidity at all. Temperatures during the winter season are also found falling below freezing levels because of sporadic cold weather front.

Eat Outs in Ajmer

Rajasthan is a state that is considered to be the King in serving toothsome and piping hot dishes and the city of Ajmer in Rajasthan is not an exception in this regard. The city of Ajmer is considered to be a delight for its visitors because of the fact that it serves mouthwatering dishes like spicy Kachoris and Sohan Halwa which is a popular sweet dish in the city.

During the festival of Urs that is celebrated in the city of Ajmer with great excitement, the city serves to be a true experience for the food lovers in the city because of the availability of colored and aromatic Biryanis. People in Ajmer can also explore the large number of congested lanes of the city and also the popular Halwai Ki Gali for digging into spicy snacks, hot Kachoris, samosas and sweets. The kachoris are served with chutney and they appeal greatly to the palate of the visitors. The most popular restaurants in the city of Ajmer are Sheesh Mahal. Honey Dew, haveli heritage inn and The Club.

Shopping in Ajmer

Shopping in Ajmer can be fun and excitement because the bazaars and the shops in Ajmer sell items that serve as a reflection of the ancient mood of the city and at the same time they also carry Rajasthani fervor. Old silver jewellery can be purchased in Ajmer because this type of jewllery is available in exclusive designs of a completely different era. Some of the most colorful and intriguing items of the city of Ajmer can be bought during the famous Urs festival held annually in Ajmer.

Accommodation in Ajmer

Since tourism is a developed industry in Ajmer, the city has no dearth of hotels, guest houses, lodges and rest rooms where visitors can accommodate themselves while they are in Ajmer. RTDC or Rajasthan Tourism development Corporation has made tremendous efforts in retaining the traditional essence and charm of the hotels in Rajasthan including Ajmer. The hotels that are found in the city of Ajmer consists of air-conditioned deluxe rooms and at the same time they also comprise of ordinary rooms for people who cannot afford the luxury deluxe rooms. Sarai facilities are also rendered by the hotels in Ajmer for the pilgrims. 

Fast Facts related to Ajmer

  •  Location: Rajasthan, India
  • Significance: Famous for Dargah of Sufi Saint Chishti
  • STD Code: 0145
  • Best Season: October to March
  • Language: Hindi, Urdu, Rajasthani
  •  Altitude: 486 meters
  • Temperature: Summer- 45 (Max) & 27 (Min) Degrees Celsius
  • Winter- 23(Max) & 5 (Min) Degrees Celsius
  • Monsoon: November to February
  • Summer: April to June
  • Winter: November-February
  • Clothes: Cottons in summer & woolens in winter
  • Air Transport: Jaipur Sanganer Airport, 138 km
  • Railway Transport: Ajmer Station
  • Bus Station: Ajmer
  • Heathcare Facilities: Govt. and Pvt. Hospitals are completely equipped to grip medical emergencies.
  • Distance From Jaipur: 135 Km
  • Distance From New Delhi: 389 Km

How to Reach Ajmer

Ajmer is a city that is found to be very well-connected to some of the most important cities of India by rail and by land.

By Air: At present, the closest airport to the city of Ajmer is Jaipur International Airport that lies at a distance of 132 kilometers from Ajmer. This airport has regular flights to different cities of India. However, it is important to note that the construction work of the Kishangarh Airport located very close to Ajmer is already in progress and it was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh in the month of September in 2013.

By Rail:
Ajmer serves as an important railway junction for broad gauge lines to the cities of Jodhpur, Alwar, Jaipur, Udaipur, Indore, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jammu and even to Bangalore. At present, the railway lines do not have overhead electric wires and the trains in Ajmer run on diesel engines. The work of providing overhead electric wires to the railway lines in Ajmer in under progress and the Ajmer-Jaipur railway line has already been made.

By Road: The city of Ajmer is situated on Golden Quadrilateral National Highway 8 which lies midway between the cities of Mumbai and Delhi. The city lies at a distance of 135 kilometers from Jaipur and 400 kilometers from Delhi. The city of Ajmer is also well-connected with the other cities of Rajasthan and India by the Ajmer-Jaipur Expressway that is basically a 6 lane highway. Bus services from Ajmer to Jaipur, Delhi and other cities of India are also available.

The city of Ajmer serves to be a true delight for visitors because of its tourist attractions and also because of its history.

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