Ajmer Tours

Fact Files : Ajmer District : Ajmer Region Merwara Location : 135 km from Jaipur Renowned As : Ajmer Sharif, Dargah of venerated Sufi saint Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti Best Time To Visit : October-March Famous Festival : Urs Ajmer Sharif Festival – one of the biggest Muslim Fairs in India. To See : Ajmer Dargah, Ana Sagar Lake, Taragarh Fort, Foy Sagar - an artificial lake, Jain Nasiyan Temple. Must Visit : Ajmer Dargah, Tomb of Muin-ud-Din Chishti, Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra, Mayo College. Getting Around : Pushkar 11 km NW, Fort Kharwa 38 km SW, Tilonia - 47 km NE, Badnor 95 km SW. To Shop : Metal ware like Pitchers and Urns, Cane Chairs and Cane Stools are essential part of Ajmer shopping besides Shawls and Attar. Getting There :Air : Nearest Jaipur's "Sanganer Airport",132 km. Rail : 8 ½ hrs from Delhi, 3 hrs from Jaipur. Road : Connected by NH 8. 7 hrs by road. Inside Tip : Remove Shoes to enter Dargah, Cover your Head. If possible wear the Sufi dress code - Kurta and a Turban for Man, Black Veil for Women. Important Distances : 389 km SW of Delhi, 11 km SE of Pushkar, 143 kms SW of Jaipur, Agra - 370 km, Bharatpur - 312 km, Bikaner - 234 km, Bundi - 139 km, Chittaurgarh - 182 km, Jaisalmer - 458 km. Staying Options : Hotel Mansingh Palace, Hotel Embassy, RTDC's Hotel Khadim, Hotel Ambassador, Hotel Regency.

About Ajmer

Ajmer was founded by Raja Ajay Pal Chauhan and it is situated in the green oasis wrapped in the barren hills. Ajmer used to be a major center of the Chauhan power till 1193 A.D. when the Ruler Prithviraj Chauhan lost it to Mohammed Ghauri.

After Prithwiraj Chauhan Ajmer witnessed dynasties, this came and left leaving behind indelible marks of their culture and traditions on the city’s history, converting it to an amalgam of various cultures and blend of Hinduism and Islam.

Today, Ajmer is one of the most significant pilgrimage destination equally important for Hindus as well as Muslims. Especially famous is the Dargah Sharif-tomb of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti.

Tourist Attractions in Ajmer

Bruits de Religion
Take up Ajmer tourism to see one of the gems that embellish the darbar of the Sufi saint. It is none other than 'qawwali', the most dynamic and popular way of expressing devotion in Islam. 'Qawwali' refers to both the performance and the genre of music. Qawwals typically consist of a lead vocalist, two back-up vocalists and any number of percussionists. Qawwalis are traditionally led by a 'sheikh' and are meant to help the audience realize the mystical ideals of Sufi Islam. Amir Khusrau, the legendary poet and composer, is said to have invented qawwali in the 13th century. Visit the Ajmer dargah at night, and experience the lifetime bliss in the religious convocations called mehfils which are held in the mehfil khana, a voluminous hall meant for this purpose. The hall pulsates with the resonance of the Holy name of the Khwaja, while the people, overwhelmed with devotion, passionately hymn and clap to the rhythm of the Qawwalis.

The 'Nasiyan' Nostalgia
Visit the Nasiyan Jain temple located on the Prithvi Raj Marg on your Ajmer travel. Also known as the Red Temple, the Nasiyan Temple is dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankara Rishabdeoji. According to Col. James Tod, "...the columns are most worthy of attention; they are unique in design, and with the exception of the cave temples, probably amongst the oldest now existing in India...There may be forty columns but not two are alike. The ornaments at the base are peculiar, both as to form and execution; the lozenges ...might be transferred...to the Gothic cathedrals of Europe." The Nasiyan Jain Temple also houses a museum of admirable size that displays objects related to Jain beliefs and mythology.

The Pulsating Pushkar
Just an haur drive will leads you to Pushkar - 11km, an holy town of Hindus. Ajmer tour will also facilitate visiting Pushkar during Kartik Purnima, the particular full moon of November, and let yourself drown in the excitement at Pushkar. It is this time when the world-famous camel fair takes place on the sand dunes surrounding the town. Thousands of cows, camels, sheep, goats and their traders nest on the golden sands beside the holy lake. But few know that even before the camel fair begins, there is a gala horse fair, so that the festivities continue for almost a fortnight. Pay a holy trip to the Brahma Temple, at the heart of Pushkar, the only one of its kind in the whole world.

Visit The famous Dargah of Enchantment
When in Ajmer town, remember to visit the famous Dargah of Ajmer Sharif, the tomb of Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chisti, a venerated Sufi saint. The sacred shrine is considered, today, a second Mecca for the Muslims of South Asia where the unbiased atmosphere fills one's heart with eternal bliss.

Get Some Fragrance of Ajmer Handicrafts
Shop for some exquisite variety of 'attar', personalised especially for connoisseurs of fragrance by the perfumers of Ajmer. Sprinkle a few drops on your attire and behind your ears (as they do) and you are bound to attract attention even in the market place.

Taste of Ajmer
Satiate your hunger with the mouth-watering biryanis and kachoris, Ajmer is famous for. Visit the much-hyped 'Halwai Ki Gali' and get some sweet-syrupy 'jalebies' and 'malpuas', the taste of which will linger your memory for ever.