State: Rajasthan

Main languages: Hindi and Marwari 

 

History:

 

Ajmer is one of the most beautiful cities in the state of Rajasthan and is also known as Ajaymeru. Ajmer is the city of fortresses and kings and queens. The city of Ajmer had been founded in the 17th century by Dushyant Chauhan, who was also the founder of this dynasty. Chauhans ruled India even as the Turkish invaders continued to sweep across the country. Ajmer finally fell in the hands of Muhammad of Ghor, who was the founder of the Delhi Sultanate, in the year 1193. Till 1365, Ajmer remained the feudatory of the Delhi Sultanate when it was captured by Mewar. The East India Company bought it for 50,000 rupees and since then it was governed by the British Raj before merging in the state of Rajasthan after independence.

 

Geography and Demography

 

Ajmer is surrounded by mountains on all sides and has an elevation of 468m. The city has a population of 500,000 as per the 2001 census. Ajmer is situated on the lower slopes of the Taragarh hill, in the Aravalli Range. Temperatures in the city are extreme. 

 

Tourism:

 

Ajmer is like the Garden of Eden for history lovers. Pushkar and the Dargah tomb are one of the most popular tourist attractions. Both Hindu and Muslims frequent this city due to its religious importance. Pushkar is the sacred town of the Hindus and is located about 11 km from Ajmer. The Dargah of the Great Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is a holy pilgrimage centre of the Muslims. Apart from these the Nasiyan or the Red temple is a Digambar Jain temple. Salemabad is another popular tourist attraction. The Taragarh fort guards the city with its grand 6 gates and also has Miran Saheb ki Dargha. Another Indo-Islamic architectural grandeur is the Adhai-Din Ka- Jhonpra, which was made in two and a half days as per legend. There is an artificial lake on the north of the city known as the Anasagar which is festooned with a marble structure called Baradari.  For those, who want to endorse in the cultural history of the city can visit the museum which was once the royal residence of Emperor Akbar. Best time to visit is from October to March. 

 

Culture:

 

Ajmer is the home to Rajput's of Rajasthan and the descendants of the Islamic rulers. Glimpses of both cultures are seen and peaceful coexistence between the two communities is there. The Pushkar festival in November and 'Urs' at the dargah of the Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chirsti are the two main festivals. 

 

Education:

 

Ajmer is popular for Mayo College which was founded by the British Raj in 1870. The city is also the home to some of the prestigious schools and colleges like

St. Anslem's High School, Khawaja Gharib Nawaz School, Sophia Girls' School and Sophia College, and the historic Ajmer Music College.

 

Transportation: 

 

Ajmer is well connected by roads to the main cities of Jaipur, Delhi, Bikaner and many others. The nearest airport is the Jaipur airport. It is also well connected by rail.

 

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