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About 135 kilometers southwest of Jaipur is Ajmer, the most sacred of all
Muslim places of pilgrimage in India. The revered Sufi saint, Khwaja
Muin-ud-din Chisti, who came to Ajmer from Persia in 1192, died in 1236 and
was buried here. His tomb, the Dargah is visited by thousands of devout
Muslims every year. The shrine was erected by Humayun. The Dargah also has
mosques which were built by rulers such as Shah Jahan, Jahangir and Akbar.
Akbar used to make a pilgrimage to Ajmer every year from Agra. The entrance to
the complex is from the Dargah Bazaar which leads to the first courtyard. This
courtyard has a mosque built by Akbar and two cauldrons known as degs in which
donations are made. These donations are later divided among the poor. The
saints's tomb is in the centre of the second court. It is enshrined in a domed
marble chamber and is surrounded by silver railings. The tomb attracts
hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year on the anniversary of the saint's
death, which falls in the seventh month of the lunar calendar. It is also the
venue for the famous Urs festival.
Places of Interest
The Dargah : It is considered as 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. Akbar
used to make a pilgrimage to the Dargah from Agra once a year. The two massive
cauldrons in the courtyard are of particular interest and on the right side of
the courtyard ins the Akbari Masjid built in white marble. There is another
mosque in the courtyard built by Shahjhan. Urs is the most significant event
here which is usually held in the month of Rajab from first to sixth day. A
colourful fair that springs up during this time is the major attraction.
Baghera (107km from Ajmer) Situated in the Kekri subdivision of Ajmer district
about 107 kms south east of Ajmer, this village is known for its treasure
trove of archaeological and antiquarian relics. The most renowned of them all
is the temple of Varaha Avtar.
Adhai-din ka Jhonpra: Adhai-Din-Ka-Jhonpra is a remarkable structure of
Indo-Islamic architecture said to have been built in two and a half days flat.
This mosque was a Sanskrit college in the 12th century but in 1193 AD Mohammad
Ghori destroyed the college and built a mosque in its place. It is built on
pillars and surprisingly no two pillars are alike.
Akbar's Fort - Once the royal residence of Emperor Akbar, this museum is
housed in the beautiful fort and palace built by Emperor Akbar in 1570. It is
centrally located and close to the railway station housing a rich repository
of exquisite sculptures.
Ana Sagar - Built by Anaji during 1135-1150 AD, this lake is located towards
the north of Ajmer city. Later the Mughal Emperors made additional
constructions to beautify the lake. The 'Baradari', Shah Jahan built a marble
pavilion.
Sola Khamba As the name suggest, Sola Khamba means 16 pillars. This monument
has 16 pillars that support its roof
Mayo College : One of India¹s best public schools, located in the southeast of
the Ana Sagar, has now been converted to the Circuit House. One can view the
lake and the cenotaph and the shrine of Swami Dayanand, founder of the Arya
Samaj movement in India.
Edward Memorial Hall - Other monuments, which stand as reminders of Ajmer¹s
colonial past are the Edward Memorial hall. Near the railway station is Edward
Memorial Hall
Foy saggar - A picturesque artificial lake named after the engineer who
created it under a famine relief project. It has enhanced the beauty of the
area.
Kishangarh (27km from Ajmer): Situated on the National Highway No. 8 linking
Jaipur and Ajmer, this small town was the capital of a princely state ruled by
the rathores. Today it is a treasure house of art & craft and is best known
for the popular Bani Thani paintings and is also very famous for its marble
products. Kishangarh.
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